Introduction to Jesse Livermore

Imagine making and losing several fortunes by trading stocks and commodities, with each rise and fall etched into the annals of trading history. This is the story of Jesse Livermore, one of the most famous traders of all time, known for his spectacular wins and dramatic losses. Livermore’s trading style, characterized by intuition, daring, and rigorous analysis, continues to inspire traders worldwide.

Brief Bio of Jesse Livermore

Jesse Lauriston Livermore, born on July 26, 1877, in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, left home at the age of 14 to work as a quotation board boy at Paine Webber. This humble beginning sparked his lifelong fascination with the stock market. He quickly moved from copying prices to trading, amassing a fortune by shorting stocks during the 1907 and 1929 market crashes. Despite his financial ups and downs, Livermore’s insights on trading and market behavior have cemented his legacy.

Jesse Livermore’s Photo

Jesse-livermore

Date of Birth / Death

  • Date of Birth: July 26, 1877
  • Date of Death: November 28, 1940

Education

Jesse Livermore did not pursue higher education. Instead, his early career in stock brokerage firms provided him with practical and invaluable trading experience.

Quotes by Jesse Livermore

"The game of speculation is the most uniformly fascinating game in the world. But it is not a game for the stupid, the mentally lazy, the man of inferior emotional balance, or the get-rich-quick adventurer. They will die poor."

"Money is made by sitting, not trading."

"The market does not beat them. They beat themselves, because though they have brains they cannot sit tight."

"There is only one side of the market; it is not the bull side or the bear side, but the right side."

"The human side of every person is the greatest enemy of the average investor or speculator."

"Always sell when you start to worry."

"It isn't as important to buy as cheap as possible as it is to buy at the right time."

"Successful trading is always an emotional battle for the speculator, not an intelligent battle."

Books by Jesse Livermore

How to trade in stocks

How to Trade in Stocks

Learn from one of the greatest traders in history as Jesse Livermore shares his personal strategies and principles for trading success. This book distills his techniques into practical advice, emphasizing the importance of timing, risk management, and psychological discipline in the stock market.

Jesse Livermore’s Trading History

Jesse Livermore’s trading career is marked by several key milestones:

  1. 1907: Livermore famously shorted the stock market, predicting the Panic of 1907 and making a substantial profit.
  2. 1929: He again predicted the market crash, shorting the market and reportedly earning $100 million.
  3. 1934: Livermore declared bankruptcy, a reflection of the volatility and high stakes of his trading strategies.

Jesse Livermore’s Trading Strategy

Livermore’s trading strategy revolved around trend following and market timing. He believed in studying market behavior and trends, using what he termed “pivot points” to enter and exit trades. Livermore’s approach also emphasized the importance of patience and discipline, often waiting for the perfect moment to make a trade.

Jesse Livermore’s Notable Achievements

  • Market Prediction: Accurately predicted and profited from major market crashes in 1907 and 1929.
  • Author: His experiences and strategies were immortalized in the book “Reminiscences of a Stock Operator” by Edwin Lefèvre, which remains a classic in trading literature.

Personal Insights from Jesse Livermore

Jesse Livermore’s daily routine was meticulous. He started his day early, spent hours analyzing market data, and remained disciplined in his trading activities. He enjoyed simple pleasures like fishing, which he found relaxing and a good mental break from the stresses of trading.

Jesse Livermore’s Philosophy and Values

  • Market Prediction: Accurately predicted and profited from major market crashes in 1907 and 1929.
  • Author: His experiences and strategies were immortalized in the book “Reminiscences of a Stock Operator” by Edwin Lefèvre, which remains a classic in trading literature.

Personal Insights from Jesse Livermore

Jesse Livermore’s daily routine was meticulous. He started his day early, spent hours analyzing market data, and remained disciplined in his trading activities. He enjoyed simple pleasures like fishing, which he found relaxing and a good mental break from the stresses of trading.

Jesse Livermore’s Philosophy and Values

Livermore valued discipline, patience, and a deep understanding of market psychology. He believed that success in trading came from a combination of knowledge, intuition, and the ability to stay calm under pressure.

Jesse Livermore’s Impact and Legacy

Livermore’s impact on trading is profound. His approach to market analysis and trading strategies continues to be studied and admired. His life story serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of trading but also as an inspiration for the potential rewards.

Where Jesse Livermore Lived and Worked

Here’s a rare interview that delves into Livermore’s trading mindset and strategies:

Risk & Return – The Jesse Livermore Story

LEGENDS OF TRADING: THE STORY OF JESSE LIVERMORE

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Adrian Reid Founder and CEO
Adrian is a full-time private trader based in Australia and also the Founder and Trading Coach at Enlightened Stock Trading, which focuses on educating and supporting traders on their journey to profitable systems trading. Following his successful adoption of systematic trading which generated him hundreds of thousands of dollars a year using just 30 minutes a day to manage his system trading workflow, Adrian made the easy decision to leave his professional work in the corporate world in 2012. Adrian trades long/short across US, Australian and international stock markets and the cryptocurrency markets. His trading systems are now fully automated and have consistently outperformed international share markets with dramatically reduced risk over the past 20+ years. Adrian focuses on building portfolios of profitable, stable and robust long term trading systems to beat market returns with high risk adjusted returns. Adrian teaches traders from all over the world how to get profitable, confident and consistent by trading systematically and backtesting their own trading systems. He helps profitable traders grow and smooth returns by implementing a portfolio of trading systems to make money from different markets and market conditions.