Not all news trades need to be closed in minutes. Some announcements create lasting trends that unfold over days or weeks—and capturing these extended moves can be far more profitable than quick scalps. This is swing trading on news: identifying catalysts that create durable price changes and positioning to ride the wave.
What is News Swing Trading?
News swing trading involves: - Holding positions for days to weeks after news events - Targeting larger moves (20-100%+) rather than quick scalps - Trading fundamental shifts not just sentiment spikes - Fewer trades with larger profit targets - Patience to let winning trades develop
Swing vs. Scalping Comparison
| Factor | News Scalping | News Swing Trading |
|---|---|---|
| Hold Time | Minutes | Days to weeks |
| Profit Target | 5-15% | 30-100%+ |
| Stop Loss | 2-5% | 10-20% |
| Trade Frequency | Many per week | Few per month |
| Analysis Required | Minimal | Moderate-deep |
| Stress Level | High | Lower |
News That Creates Lasting Trends
The key to swing trading is identifying news that changes fundamentals, not just sentiment.
Tier 1: Structural Changes (Best for Swing)
Regulatory Approvals/Changes: - Bitcoin ETF approvals - Country-level crypto legalization - New trading permissions - Why it lasts: Creates new demand sources, takes weeks to fully price in
Major Institutional Adoption: - Corporate treasury purchases - Fund allocations - Bank custody services - Why it lasts: Actual buying continues for weeks/months
Protocol Upgrades: - Ethereum upgrades - Scaling solutions going live - New capabilities unlocked - Why it lasts: Utility improvements attract sustained interest
Tier 2: Significant Catalysts
Major Partnerships: - Real integration (not just MOU) - Revenue-generating relationships - Technology collaborations - Why it can last: Ongoing development and integration news
Exchange Listings (Tier 1 Exchanges): - Binance, Coinbase listings - Opens new user bases - Duration: Initial spike + 1-2 weeks of elevated interest
Funding Rounds: - Major VC investments - Treasury raises - Why it lasts: Signals long-term commitment, enables development
Tier 3: Less Suitable for Swing
Influencer Mentions: - Usually short-lived spike - Better for scalping
Minor Partnerships: - Initial spike only - No lasting impact
Rumors: - High reversal risk - Not suitable for holding
Ask: "Does this news change the fundamental value proposition?" If yes, consider swing trading. If it's just hype, consider scalping or skipping.
Swing Trading Strategies
Strategy 1: The Trend Initiation
Enter when news initiates a new trend.
Setup: - Major fundamental news breaks - Initial price reaction confirms direction - News type historically creates lasting moves
Entry: - Enter after initial spike confirms direction - Or enter on first pullback after spike - Don't chase extended moves
Management:
Entry: After confirmation (not immediately)
Initial Stop: 15-20% below entry
Target: 50-100%+ (or trailing stop)
Time Horizon: 2-4 weeks
Exit Signals: - Price reaches target - Trend structure breaks - Contradicting news emerges - Better opportunity elsewhere
Strategy 2: The Pullback Entry
Wait for news-driven spike to pull back, then enter for continuation.
Setup: - Significant positive news causes spike - Price pulls back 20-40% from high - Fundamental thesis remains intact - Volume decreasing on pullback (healthy)
Entry:
1. Wait for 20-40% pullback from news high
2. Look for stabilization (1-3 days)
3. Enter when price starts recovering
4. Stop below pullback low
Advantages: - Better entry price - Clearer stop level - Confirms strength (if price recovers)
Example: - Token announces major partnership, spikes 50% - Pulls back 30% over 3 days - Enter on recovery, target: new highs
Strategy 3: The Secondary Catalyst
Add to position when follow-up news reinforces the thesis.
Setup: - Already holding position from initial news - Secondary positive catalyst emerges - Confirms original thesis
Execution:
Initial position: 50% of intended size
After secondary catalyst: Add remaining 50%
Raise stop-loss to break-even on initial
New target: Extend based on new information
Secondary Catalysts: - Implementation details announced - Partnership expansion - Additional institutional interest - Technical milestones reached
Strategy 4: The Mean Reversion Swing
After excessive crash on bad news, position for recovery.
Setup: - News causes severe crash (40%+) - Fundamentals remain intact - Crash was overreaction to temporary issue - Price stabilizing at support
Entry:
1. Wait for crash to stabilize (1-3 days minimum)
2. Assess if fundamental damage is permanent
3. If temporary, enter small position
4. Add on recovery confirmation
5. Wide stop below crash low
Critical: Only use when damage is temporary. Permanent damage = avoid.
Position Management for Swing Trades
Scaling In
Don't enter full position immediately:
Approach:
Day 1: 30% position on news confirmation
Day 2-3: +30% if thesis confirmed
Week 1-2: +40% if trend developing
Why Scale: - Reduces risk of buying the top - Allows better average price - Confirms thesis before full commitment
Scaling Out
Take profits progressively:
Approach:
At +30%: Sell 25% (secure some profit)
At +50%: Sell 25% (half position remains)
At +75%: Sell 25% (lock in majority of gains)
Let 25% ride with trailing stop
Trailing Stops
Let winners run while protecting gains:
Methods: - Percentage-based: Trail 20% below recent high - Moving average: Exit if daily close below 20-day MA - Structure-based: Exit if key support breaks
The goal isn't to sell at the exact top—it's to capture a significant portion of the move. Taking profits progressively ensures you benefit even if the top is unpredictable.
Risk Management for Swing Trading
Position Sizing
Larger percentage of portfolio acceptable (longer time horizon):
Formula:
Position Size = (Account × Risk %) / Stop Loss %
Example:
- Account: $50,000
- Risk per trade: 2% = $1,000
- Stop loss: 20%
- Position size: $1,000 / 0.20 = $5,000 (10% of account)
Portfolio Limits
Maximum Exposure: - Single position: 10-15% of portfolio - Correlated positions: 30% maximum - Total exposure: 50-70% (keep some cash)
Stop Loss Placement
Wider stops for swing trades:
| Stop Type | Distance | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Tight | 10-15% | Clear support level, high confidence |
| Standard | 15-25% | Most swing trades |
| Wide | 25-35% | High conviction, volatile asset |
Analyzing News for Swing Potential
The Duration Checklist
Before entering a swing trade, evaluate:
1. Does the news change fundamentals? - New revenue sources? - Expanded user base? - Technology improvement? - Regulatory clarity?
2. Is the change permanent or temporary? - One-time event vs. ongoing impact - Structural vs. sentiment
3. How long to fully price in? - Immediate impact = scalp - Weeks to implement = swing - Months to realize = position trade
4. What's the follow-on potential? - Will there be additional announcements? - Implementation milestones? - Expanding scope?
Red Flags for Swing Trading
Avoid holding when: - News impact is purely sentiment-driven - No fundamental value change - Majority of move already happened - Contradicting signals emerging - General market turning against you
Combining News with Technical Analysis
Swing trading benefits from technical confirmation:
Entry Confirmations
- Volume: High volume on news, lower on pullback
- Support levels: Enter near significant support
- Trend structure: Higher lows forming
- Moving averages: Price above key MAs
Exit Signals
- Trend break: Lower low after higher lows
- Volume spike on decline: Distribution signal
- MA breakdown: Close below 20-day MA
- Resistance rejection: Multiple failures at level
Case Study: Swing Trading a Major Catalyst
Event: Major blockchain announces institutional custody solution
Day 1: News Breaks - Price: $10 → $15 (50% spike) - Action: Watch, don't chase - Analysis: Institutional access = structural change
Day 3: Pullback - Price: $15 → $12 (20% pullback) - Action: Enter 30% position at $12 - Stop: $9.50 (21% below entry)
Day 7: Confirmation - Price holding above $12, volume healthy - Action: Add 30% position at $12.50 - Move stop to $10.50 (16% below average)
Day 14: Trend Developing - Price: $16 (33% from average entry) - Action: Add final 40% at $15.50 - Raise stop to $12 (break-even)
Day 21: Taking Profits - Price: $22 (75% from average entry) - Action: Sell 50% of position - Trail remaining with 20% trailing stop
Day 30: Final Exit - Price: $25, then pulls back to $20, hits trailing stop - Action: Remaining position closed at $20
Result: - Average entry: ~$13.50 - Average exit: ~$21 - Return: ~55% over 30 days
Conclusion
Swing trading news events captures larger moves than scalping while requiring less intense monitoring. Success depends on:
- Selecting the right news - Fundamental changes, not just hype
- Patient entries - Wait for pullbacks, don't chase
- Proper position sizing - Account for wider stops
- Progressive exits - Take profits along the way
- Trailing the rest - Let winners run with protection
Not every news event is suitable for swing trading. The key is distinguishing between temporary sentiment spikes (scalp) and fundamental shifts that create lasting trends (swing).
When you find news that genuinely changes the value proposition of an asset, swing trading allows you to capture moves that scalpers miss—the extended trends that unfold over days and weeks after the initial reaction.
TradeFollow helps identify potential swing setups by monitoring for the type of fundamental news that creates lasting price changes—not just momentary spikes.