How to Make Money With Intraday Trading in 2026

You exit a winning trade too early, watch the stock climb, then chase it at a higher price. Minutes later, the reversal wipes out your profit.

This is where intraday trading becomes difficult: following a plan when money and emotion meet.

At Ruchir Gupta Training Academy, our courses cover technical analysis, risk management and trading psychology to help learners approach these decisions systematically.

Quick answer: how can intraday trading make money?

Intraday trading can make money when gains from successful trades exceed losses and trading costs over time. Start with liquid stocks, a tested setup, predefined exits and controlled position sizes. Profitability depends on execution and discipline; no indicator, course or strategy can guarantee daily income.

What is intraday trading?

Intraday trading means opening and closing a position within the same trading day, attempting to profit from short-term price movements.

Buying 20 shares at ₹500 and selling at ₹505 produces ₹100 gross profit. Brokerage, taxes and other applicable charges reduce that amount.

SEBI’s July 2024 study found that seven out of ten individual intraday traders in the equity cash segment lost money. Treat that historical finding as a reason to prepare carefully.

Intraday trading timings in 2026

NSE’s published guidance distinguishes closing-auction securities from other stocks.

CAS initially applies to cash stocks with derivatives available. Stop-loss orders are not allowed during CAS. Confirm the applicable session and your broker’s square-off deadline before entering.

How to make money with intraday trading: five practical steps

1. Select stocks with manageable execution costs

Create a short watchlist instead of chasing every mover.

Check:

• Trading volume and order-book depth.
• The bid-ask spread.
• Scheduled company announcements.
• Nearby support and resistance.

A stock rising rapidly can still be unsuitable if exiting requires accepting a much worse price.

2. Write your entry conditions

A hypothetical opening-range breakout framework could involve:

1. Marking the first 15-minute high and low.
2. Waiting for price to break the range.
3. Checking volume and nearby resistance.
4. Defining an invalidation level.
5. Skipping entries without sufficient potential reward.

Test these conditions across historical and simulated trades. A familiar chart pattern alone does not establish profitability.

3. Decide quantity before clicking buy

Consider an illustrative ₹50,000 account with a ₹250 trade-risk budget.

Position size equals the risk budget divided by entry-to-stop distance. Reduce quantity for costs and slippage. Actual losses can exceed the planned amount if execution deteriorates.

4. Calculate your results after costs

Winning frequently does not automatically mean making money.

These figures illustrate arithmetic, not expected returns. Record actual costs rather than estimating profitability from winning screenshots.

5. Review before increasing capital

Keep a journal containing:

• Entry reasoning.
• Planned and actual exits.
• Position size.
• Charges and slippage.
• Emotional mistakes.

Separate rule-following losses from avoidable errors. A valid setup can lose; breaking your rules can occasionally win. Reviewing only profit encourages the wrong habits.

For intraday trading which indicator is best?

No single indicator is best for every market condition. Select tools that answer specific questions.

Start by studying price structure with one or two supporting tools. At Ruchir Gupta Training Academy, technical analysis education helps you understand indicators within a wider trading process.

Before each trading session, write down the maximum amount you can lose and the conditions that would keep you out of the market. For example, a breakout directly below strong resistance may offer too little room for your target. Passing on that trade preserves capital for another opportunity. This preparation also makes mentoring more useful: you can discuss a specific decision instead of asking which stock will rise next.

Three mistakes that turn losses into larger losses

1. Revenge trading: Doubling quantity to recover.
2. Moving stops: Increasing risk after entry.
3. Forcing trades: Treating a daily income target as an entry reason.

Set a daily loss limit beforehand. Stop when it is reached, and avoid borrowing money to trade.

Build your trading foundation with Ruchir Gupta

Our online learning combines:

• Live classes and practical market examples.
• Recorded lessons for revision.
• Technical analysis and price action.
• Risk management and trading psychology.
• Mentorship and doubt-clearing support.

Explore a stock market course by Ruchir Gupta to learn intraday trading, options and technical analysis through structured training. Ask our team which programme fits your experience and schedule. Training supports learning; it cannot promise trading profits.

Conclusion

Develop one repeatable setup, control position size and review decisions honestly. Learn candlestick patterns alongside support, resistance and volume. Join Ruchir Gupta Training Academy for structured market education and mentorship as you build independent trading judgment.