Day trading is defined as the buying and selling of a security within a single trading day. Day trading can occur in any marketplace but it is most common in the foreign-exchange (forex) market and stock market. Day traders want to end the day with no open positions so that they do not have to risk holding on a potentially risky position overnight or for a few days.

For day traders, placing trade after trade throughout the day, actively monitoring every movement of the market, and making fast money are all exciting aspects of day trading. Day traders can be in and out of a trade within a matter of 5 to 15 minutes. When successful, day traders can made hundreds of dollars in a matter of minutes.

Day trading provides leverage where day traders trade so frequently that they can use the same capital in their account to make many trades in a short period of time.

Day trading is not for everyone. The success rate for day traders is estimated to be around 10%. It takes discipline, capital, patience, training and risk management to be a successful day trader.