TRADE STORIES

Trades Of The Day - Blue Coat Systems, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:BCSI) & Arch Coal, Inc. (Public, NYSE:ACI)

2008-04-04T16:18:00.004-04:00

Shorted $20.54
Closed postion $20.08

Notes
1) Exit to early and missed the 38% target.
2) Perhaps I should have waited for the candle to closed.

Bought $49.02
Stopped out $49.05

Notes
1) Moved stop to limit risk.
2) Should have partial near R2.

Short Trade Of The Day - Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited (USA) (Public, NYSE:AEM)

2008-03-19T16:08:00.006-04:00

Shorted $69.89
Closed position $68.71

Notes
1) The 11:00 bar was a better trigger comparing to the 10:30 bar because of the spread. It was 60 cents vs 87 cents
2) Other metal stocks showed reversal before AEM. At the end, I exited before it hit my stop and it was a good choice.

Short Trade Of The Day - Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. (Public, NYSE:JTX)

2008-03-04T16:02:00.001-05:00

Shorted $14.25
Closed position $14.06

Notes
1) Price didn't hit my stop at $14.11, but I have to closed position early because there was a problem with IB data.

Trades Of The Day - UBS AG (USA) (Public, NYSE:UBS) & United Rentals, Inc. (Public, NYSE:URI)

2008-02-29T16:20:00.001-05:00

Shorted $32.35
Closed position $32.21

Notes
1) Tighten my stop 3 times along the way to limit risk.

Bought $20.41
Stopped out $20.32

Notes
1) Should have put my stop at or below ORH. Nevertheless, I think the choice was right to keep my stop and take a loss.
2) Give up HBC for this. Big mistake!

Short Trade Of The Day - ITT Educational Services, Inc. (Public, NYSE:ESI)

2008-02-14T16:02:00.006-05:00

Shorted $69.99
Closed position $68.68

Notes
1) Enter before 11:45 bar closed.
2) Spread was wide, so I only traded a very small position to minimize risk.
3) Should have cover right at the daily support $68.36 (blue line) from 01/23/2008.

Short Trade Of The Day - Hutchinson Technology Incorporated (Public, NASDAQ:HTCH)

2008-01-30T16:28:00.000-05:00

Shorted $16.87
Covered partial $16.19
Closed position $16.15

Notes
1) I was going to enter early when the 5ma hit the 11:30 red bar. But hesitated and decided to wait until price break the ORL. Nevertheless, the next bar high would have hit the stop of $17.50, so it was a good choice.
2) Entry was the strong red bar (13:30) that broke the ORL.
3) Should have enter after the market digested the 1/2 point rate cut, but entry was too good and I was prepared with a wide stop loss.
4) Stock closed just above the daily support $16.15 (blue line) from 10/17/2002.
5) Chosen a stock with weak fundamental (downgraded and weak earning) so it would not be jumping too much when the rate cut was announced.
6) This was a risky trade which I doubt I will do again. Next time, I would wait and enter after any FOMC news or only play the market with smaller position.

Short Trade Of The Day - Theravance, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:THRX)

2008-01-16T16:08:00.000-05:00

Shorted $19.52
Closed position $19.50

Notes
1) Enter 2 min before 12:45 bar closed.
2) Entry was the strong red bar (12:45) that broke the ORL.
3) I missed the daily pivot point from 01/02/2008 and price reverse at that point.
4) Could have taken a small profit at $19.44, but I decided to stay and at the end, I covered to breakeven.
5) ABK was my first choice, but there wasn't any shares available to short. Still, I doubt I can trade it any better than THRX.

Short Trade Of The Day - Zoran Corporation (Public, NASDAQ:ZRAN)

2008-01-15T16:08:00.000-05:00

Shorted $16.03
Stopped $16.00

Notes
1) Enter 1 min before 11:15 bar closed.
2) Entry was the strong red bar (11:15) that broke the ORL. Also, it received downward overhead resistance from the declining 5ma.
3) Target was the 38.2% extension and also the daily pivot point from 08/09/2007.

Long Trade Of The Day - UAL Corporation (Public, NASDAQ:UAUA)

2008-01-10T16:38:00.000-05:00

Bought $29.67
Sold partial $30.76
Closed position $32.15 (01/11/2008)

Notes
1) I hesitated on my entry at the break of the 12:00 inside bar (also NRM). Therefore, my order was bought at $29.67 instead of $29.45.
2) Didn't enter order early and missed a chance to sell on the way up.
3) Hesitation was a key factor that I couldn't capitalize on the airline trend and maximize profit.

Long Trade Of The Day - Superior Energy Services, Inc. (Public, NYSE:SPN)

2008-01-03T16:08:00.000-05:00

Bought $41.57
Sold partial $43.30
Closed position $43.97

Notes
1) Trigger bar wasn't great because it was a red doji and it was below the daily pivot point $41.92 (blue line). However, it was a NRM bar supported by the 5ma and the retracement was shallow.
2) Bought 2/3 position to minimize risk.
3) My original target was 38.2% extension, but it seems too far. Therefore, I set my target at the halfway point between ORH & 38.2% extension.
4) Controlled greed well today.

Long Trade Of The Day - Illumina, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:ILMN)

2007-12-21T16:08:00.000-05:00

Bought $60.62
Closed position $61.33

Notes
1) Tried to enter on a break of the 11:30 inside bar, but stop limit order $60.47 wasn't filled as price was moving too fast. Adjusted order to $60.70 and it wasn't enough. Finally, I found a spot to enter on the 3 min chart.
2) Volume wasn't increasing as it broke $60.67. Therefore, I paid close attention to the price action.
3) Closed position as it reached the 38.2% extension. Additionally, volume was an issue and it showed some resistance at the $61.50 level.
4) Perhaps, its year end, it is harder to find good setups. Even if you find any, you have to choose the right one. So I felt pressure and frustration at times.

Short Trade Of The Day - Ciena Corporation (Public, NASDAQ:CIEN)

2007-12-13T16:08:00.000-05:00

Shorted $38.06
Covered partial $36.82
Closed position $36.94

Notes
1) Partial out a bit late, but profit was still good.
2) Closed position 1 minute before bar closed. Otherwise, an additional 20 cents can be captured. Still, greed can be costly.
3) Price traded around the daily support $36.75 (blue line) for most of the afternoon.
4) I entered $37.95 limit instead of stop limit. Therefore, the order was filled early.

Long Trade Of The Day - Nuance Communications Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:NUAN)

2007-12-12T16:08:00.000-05:00

Bought $19.54
Stopped out $19.37

Notes
1) Didn't at least partial out to minimize risk.
2) Should have tighten my stop.

Mistake Trade Of The Day - Medarex, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:MEDX)

2007-12-11T16:08:00.000-05:00

Bought instead of short $10.54
Closed position $10.56

Notes
1) A mistake was made as I didn't read the order carefully before sending. Therefore, I bought instead short MEDX.
2) Stock didn't moved much when I found my mistake few minutes later. Nevertheless, I hesitated to take a loss and this was an even bigger mistake. luckily I closed position with few dollars ahead.

Long Trade Of The Day - Bankrate, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:RATE)

2007-12-10T16:18:00.000-05:00

Bought $45.11
Sold partial $45.13
Closed position $46

Notes
1) RATE never closed below the 38.2% retracement of the ORL to the morning swing high.
2) Took partial at around 15:07 to minimize risk. Sure, I could have capture more gain, but I was just following my rules.
3) Another entry was the 10:45 inside bar. But it was a bit far from 5ma.
4) The trend was easier to spot on the 30 min chart.

Short Trade Of The Day - Macrovision Corporation (Public, NASDAQ:MVSN)

2007-12-07T16:08:00.000-05:00

Shorted $19.49
Covered partial $19.43 & $19.44
Closed position $19.48

Notes
1) Covered partial to minimize risk.
2) Closed position as it was trading sideway.
3) RHD would have work, but the volume can't be backfill correctly. So I decided not to trade this.

Short Trade Of The Day - Target Corporation (Public, NYSE:TGT)

2007-12-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

Shorted $55.44
Covered partial $55.42
Stop out $55.75

Notes
1) Trigger was the 12:00 bar with long upper shadow.
2) Wasn't carefully enough to read and consider the importance of the 11/27/2007 daily support $55.29 (blue line).
3) Chosen to partial instead of closing full position because many time as I exited, stock went in my favor.
4) Tighten stop and was stopped out, then stock traded downward. Still, it was the right decision to obey my stop.
5) Gave up ISSC, ZUMZ and PRO. My God!!!

Short Trade Of The Day - The First Marblehead Corporation (Public, NYSE:FMD)

2007-12-05T16:06:00.000-05:00

Shorted $21.65
Covered partial $20.70
Closed position $20.82

Notes
1) Missed the 12:00 entry.
2) Took partial near $1 gain.
3) Closed position too early and missed a big gain.
4) Controlled greed, but didn't overcome fear.
5) Must work on exit more.

Short Trade Of The Day - Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (Public, NYSE:PVH)

2007-12-04T16:08:00.000-05:00

Shorted $38.08
Covered partial $38.05
Closed position $37.95

Notes
1) Entry was not perfect.
2) Covered partial to minimize risk.
3) Closed position early and missed additional gain. But it could gone the other way.
4) Protective stop was at $38.56 and it was almost hit.
5) Gave up ATVI as this was a bad choice.

Short Trade Of The Day - Research In Motion Limited (USA) (Public, NASDAQ:RIMM)

2007-12-03T16:10:00.000-05:00

Shorted $107.06
Covered $107

Notes
1) It gapped lower because of a downgrade by Morgan Keegan.
2) The 11:45 inside bar wasn't the best trigger because it closed green above 50% retracement and 5ma. However, I like the fact that the volume decreased bar by bar as it reached the 50% retracement.
3) Took a very small position with wide stop to minimize risk.
4) I covered early because of the 12:20 hammer in the 10 min chart. It may not be the best choice. Partial out was consider, but the volatility would have easily taken out my stop with a loss. It was a great lesson.
5) Target $106.06 was reached.
6) Better inside bar trigger appeared at 12:40 in the 10 min chart.

Short Trade Of The Day - Rogers Communications Inc. (USA)

2007-11-29T16:18:00.000-05:00

Shorted $41.56
Covered partial $41
Closed position $41.35

Notes
1) The 11:30 bar was a good trigger, but it was 38 cents wide. So I waited.
2) Entry was the break of the 11:45 inside bar. It didn't happened the next bar, instead it bounced but closed just below ORL and the bar after that tried again but failed and finished as an inverted hammer.
3) Order was finally filled at the 12:15 bar. But it was filled early at $41.56 instead of $41.54. Weird.....
4) Should have taken partial at $1 gain.

Long Trade Of The Day - Activision, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:ATVI)

2007-11-27T16:03:00.000-05:00

Bought $21.39
Sold partial $21.47
Closed position $21.40

Notes
1) ATVI can't break $21.58.

Short Trade Of The Day - Fannie Mae (Public, NYSE:FNM)

2007-11-19T16:00:00.000-05:00

Shorted $37.65
Covered $37.59

Notes
1) Volume wasn't greater than last trading day. But it was above average.
2) Dow was down in low volume.

Long Trade Of The Day - Urban Outfitters, Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:URBN)

2007-11-08T16:03:00.000-05:00

Bought $25.51
Sold $25.52

Notes
1) Enter at the base & break price of $25.50.
2) Should have at least partial out before $25.71.
3) It didn't work out, but it was a great learning experience.
4) Gave up AIG, BID, JCOM and KGC during Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speech.

Short Trade Of The Day - Cardinal Health, Inc. (Public, NYSE:CAH)

2007-11-05T16:00:00.000-05:00

Shorted $63.23
Covered $62.81

Notes
1) Enter at the base & break price of $63.24
2) Exit was too early and left a lot of money on the table.