Some setups on the stocks that I’m watching.

First is AAPL. This is a watch and you would wait until it breaks out of the Bull Flag or creates a pivot low.

Chevron is also forming a Bull Flag and just like Apple above, wait for the breakout. I currently own Chevron.

I like Ford but we have a down trend and up trend that will collide soon. A break in one direction or other should happen soon. Price is also below the 200 day moving average which makes this trade a little risky. I would also have to see a price break above the last pivot high before I invested in Ford.

First Merit is a slow grinding stock but it is working on another Bull Flag and worth watching. I currently own this stock.

GE current uptrend is a little steep so I would think that it would have to slow or consolidate for awhile, but a bull flag is forming, so I will play it if there is a breakout up.

My current Stocks that I track.

Tracking to many stocks at one time is just not good. You always feel as if your chasing your tail and even though you might miss a few great runs, at least if you focus you might be able to trade and make stable profit. So here is my list:

AAPL, BIDU, CAT, CVX, F, FMER, GE, HD, KOG, LLY, MRK, PFE, PNC, RAI, SYY, UA.

Technology – 2

Industrial Goods – 2

Basic Materials – 2

Consumer Goods – 3

Financials – 2

Services – 2

Healthcare – 3

Update Wednesday 12/28/11

Got stopped out of QCOR yesterday and here is my updated tracking sheet.

New Report Format for stocks

So above you we see my latest reporting tool built in Excel that will help me track my Profit and loss statement much more effectively. The only column that I need to explain is the potential profit. It is based on how many shares I purchased, cost per share, and then subtracted by my Stop loss order in case things go against me. That is what we call managing risk. As I move along this new year of 2012, I’m sure that I will tweak it to show months and something else I would like to show is my actual risk per trade and actual risk based on all I own against what I have invested.

If you have any suggestions, please email me or tell me in person and I will consider showing it.

Here is a chart comparing the markets around the world.

All that comes to mind is, Ouch!

Monday’s picks

I really do not have anything for this week but I will show you my favorite that I got in on Friday. FMER is my new favorite.

This is my second favorite and I have been waiting to pounce on it since my oldest son asked me my opinion about HD. That would be Home Depot.

After looking at all the stocks in my list, if I was going to buy one Monday this would be it. Merek (MRK).

Let look at last Monday’s buy and sells

Let’s start with Under Armor (UA). Opened up $80.99 and slid downhill from that moment on. It never met the requirement of $82.64 or above, so it was a no go and no money lost. I got bumped out for a $11.94 loss.

Questcor Phram (QCOR) had large swing on Monday, but by 1pm, so had your door to entry when it pushed back through $43.33. Stoploss should be between $41.50 – $41.75 and you should have a small gain because it sits at $43.89.

Kodiak Oil (KOG) never gave you chance to enter Monday and once it didn’t all bets were off. You should have never purchased this. Even though I put my Good till Cancel order on it, I paid the price buy having my fire off on Tuesday and I got in and out same day for a $82.16 loss. What an idiot for not cancelling that order Monday night. Stick to your rules and dumb things like that will not happen. No follow though the day after pivot is a good sign that wasn’t meant to be. Doh!

This leaves us Apple (AAPL), we may have gotten burned on this one. For the first 30 minutes the stock the stock stayed above $390, then floated down and then back above by the end of the day. Ok, you should have bought here and set stoploss at $385. Tuesday things turned ugly toward the end of the day and then the rest of the week, got worse. You should have gotten bounced out Wednesday, so this was not a winner. To make matters worse, AAPL created a lower pivot high and now it is back on the watch list and not a buy at all.

Caterpillar (CAT) never even got close to $98.20, so it to was no go.

So in conclusion, 3 out of 5 were a no go and 2 actually fired a go. AAPL failed, but as of right now you should still be holding QCOR with a small gain. So as long as you were disciplined, not much harm was done and should be about even considering your still holding QCOR.

December 12th updates sales and buys

Another $51 in the Red for me yesterday because I got stopped out of AA and UA. I had a baby profit in each, but after that hard down push Monday and Commission, it put me down. I took a $11.94 on UA and a $39 loss on AA. Good news is that last Thursday when I got stopped out of CAT, I made 2 cents. Yippy!!

Yesterday I also bought QCOR. I also have an order in to purchase KOG.

JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	Sub-Total
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$836.47	$0	$1455.06
JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC	Sub-Total	Total
$0	$198.50	$292.01	$0	$536.79	$50.92	$681.22	$2136.28

How to place a Trigger order in ThinkorSwim

I figured out how to place a Trigger order. What that means is once the 1st is filled, the second order is put into action. So I/You can place an order to buy a stock at a price and once that is done, they will place are stop loss order exactly as we want it. 

So here is how I did it, there might be an easier way, but this works. 

1. Create a buy order in ThinkorSwim by right clicking inside the daily chart and then select buy.

2. Edit order

3. Select the amount of shares you want, Set your price, the set order type as Stop. This means that they will buy at or above set price. Remember, they will always try to buy at the lowest price. I have seen it a few times and they do. You can leave the order time to DAY unless you want it Good til Cancelled, GTC.

4. Now the magic, first click the box where it says, Advance Order: Single Order, and change it to 1st trgs OCO

5. Now click the little blue dot to the left of your Stock order and click Create an Opposite Order.

6. Now change the selling price to below the pivot low, change the Day order to a GTC, "Good to Cancelled" order. 

7. Click Confirm and send.

That should be it.

C.Mark Dixon

I made 2 cents on CAT, Yeah!

Instead on me typing all this stuff twice, just click the charts and read the notes. These are all my buys for Monday and they could change based on what the Market does.

 

CAT

 

 

 

AAPL

 

 

 

KOG

 

 

 

QCOR

 

 

 

UA

 

 

As of December 12, 2011

Another $51 in the Red for me yesterday because I got stopped out of AA and UA. I had a baby profit in each, but after that hard down push Monday and Commission, it put me down. I took a $11.94 on UA and a $39 loss on AA. Good news is that last Thursday when I got stopped out of CAT, I made 2 cents. Yippy!!

Yesterday I also bought QCOR. I also have an order in to purchase KOG.

JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	Sub-Total
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$836.47	$0	$1455.06
JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC	Sub-Total	Total
$0	$198.50	$292.01	$0	$536.79	$50.92	$681.22	$2136.28

My CAT adventures to date.

Never ever just buy a stock without at least sizing it up and using a type of plan for entry. I got a little lazy, saw the uptrend and just bought it.  As you can see with CAT, I just pulled the trigger(1), then set a stop loss to manage risk and I got bumped out(2). After that happened I purchased at point 3 off a pivot low and rode that until I got stopped out(4) because it violated the Pivot Low at (2). At least I had a plan and not just pulling the trigger. So once CAT created another pivot low and jumped back in again(5) and set my stop loss just below the last pivot. CAT is currently doing well but has hit resistance at $98 and if she can get through that, I might just have a nice little run to $112. That will be the next resistance level. I’m so tempting to move that stop loss order up to my cost, but for now I will wait. Current profit in CAT is 5.47%

I hate down markets.

It has been awhile since I have posted here, but I’m still trading. I have not made very many moves because of vacations and the down turn in the markets. I do not play the downside very well and so this time I bought 2 put options and I’m running with them. I sold my (1) VMW Oct 80 put Friday for $198.50 profit. My other Put option is ESRX Nov 45. Friday it crossed into the money and I like the action on this stock, so I decided to hold it over the weekend. VMW ? It just scared me a little and I sold it. Nothing wrong with taking a profit and it was a 27% profit.

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$836.47	$0.00	$0.00	$198.50	$1256.47

Back from Vacation

Ok I left on vacation on May 12th and returned June 8th and I got cleaned out of my recent purchases. 4 losers and 2 winners and once again, my winners didn’t quite do the job, but I only lost $6 bucks. I do not like losing a dime, so this is still irritating to me. While on vacation, I learned from the past that I could focus on what needed to be done, so I did not trade while away. Monday June 12th I will be back in the mode and it looks like that mode will be buying puts or going short. The market is swing lower and I do not see it stopping anytime soon.

SFLY - ($51.42)
CSTR - $215.55
LO – $81.18
SHOO – ($99.23)
THOR – ($92.03)
V – ($60.33)

Profit – ($6.23)

 

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$836.47	$0.00	$1454.97

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
CSTR	$48.48	$54.23	$52.15	$356	12
LO	$108.60	$109.27	$107.55	$15	0
SFLY	$57.65	$58.29	$56.94	$27	1
SHOO	$54.94	$55.75	$53.30	$36	1
THOR	$33.89	$34.21	$32.80	$24	1
V	$80.35	$80.35	$79.05	$0	0
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$458	---------

Back to the fight.

Today I sold SLE for a very small profit and then I bought 5 new stocks with very tight stops right before my vacation. I would be happy with making $30 bucks a piece just in attempt to make a little money and manage losses. I will be managing these positions tightly with the 30 minute chart.

SLE – $37.72

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$830.19	$0.00	$1448.74

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
CSTR	$48.48	$54.23	$52.15	$356	12
LO	$108.60	$109.27	$107.55	$15	0
SFLY	$57.65	$58.29	$56.94	$27	1
SHOO	$54.94	$55.75	$53.30	$36	1
THOR	$33.89	$34.21	$32.80	$24	1
V	$80.35	$80.35	$79.05	$0	0
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$458	---------

This is why most quit trading!!

This was a tough week for me in the stock market and tough week on my retirement account. I made my worse mistake with SINA in that my mental Stop loss was crossed because of news. Then it made a recovery and I really thought I was good to go. Then May 3rd, bam!, lost $13 bucks a share before I could hit the sell button. That cost me, $465 in one position. That was half of my total loses out of 8 that I sold this week. After the butt wimping, I’m left with 2 positions and a stock market that has left me guessing as of Friday which way it is going to go next. So, when things turn against you and your not sure of direction, you stand down and wait for opportunities. So I will lick my wounds for a few days and do just that.

CVI (272.24)
PDC (100.03)
PRX (23.64)
BIDU (52)
HITK 207.96
ARUN (162.61)
SINA (465.86)
JAZZ .51

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$867.91	$0.00	$1486.46

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
CSTR	$48.48	$53.52	$46.50	$312	10
SLE	$18.42	$19.28	$18.25	$116	5
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$428	---------

Disappointing performance for my stocks.

The S&P, Dow, Small Cap, and Nasdaq all rocked the week, but my stocks either sank or sat around and watched the move. I did have a couple do well, as CSTR took off after earnings came in, but it also faded all day long and could not hold the big leap up this morning. SLE had a nice slow move up this week and HITK held it’s gain and added just a bit more. The rest of my positions, gave all their gains back and some even went from in the money to out. Monday there is a good chance I will clean house and start over or stand down.

I might sell these position Monday unless something happens over the weekend to change my mind. BIDU, CVI, JAZZ, LULU

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$0.00	$0.00	$618.55

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
ARUN	$35.72	$35.92	$32.97	$12	0
BIDU	$147.62	$148.52	$146.00	$18	0
CSTR	$48.48	$53.98	$46.50	$341	11
CVI	$22.90	$22.23	$22.03	$87	3
CVS	$36.40	$36.22	$35.30	$12	0
HITK	$24.20	$27.66	$26.21	$346	14
JAZZ	$31.95	$31.50	$33.02	$3	0
LULU	$100.00	$100.05	$94.24	$1	0
PDC	$15.28	$15.50	$14.61	$44	1
PRX	$33.83	$34.44	$32.50	$55	2
SINA	$142.00	$134.75	$136.00	$152	5
SLE	$18.42	$19.20	$18.25	$105	4
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$668	---------

Added one more

Had just a little cash left so I jumped into ARUN today, so now I’m tapped out. I have a lot of stocks in the money, but I also have a lot of stocks were their stop loss orders are out of the money. I need a bit more movement to be free. SINA made a very nice recovery today after the down grade from Goldenman Sacks last week, which just makes me mad. Two days after my purchase on a nice trending stock and they try an crush it. It is still a closely watch for now to see if it can crawl back into the black.

NFLX or Netflix is a classic example why you do not buy a stock right before earnings unless you are on the inside. We little people will never be on the inside and if you buy right before, it is a gamble only. Netflix reported after the close of the market today and it is down 5.3% in the aftermarket as of 7:50pm. It will be under pressure most likely most of tomorrow. If you look at the Weekly, Daily and 30 minute chart, it could be a nice buying opportunity if it holds above $230. I would not touch it until the sellers are done with it and the buyers return.

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$0.00	$0.00	$618.55

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
ARUN	$35.72	$35.80	$32.97	$5	0
BIDU	$147.62	$151.96	$146.00	$66	3
CSTR	$48.48	$50.52	$46.50	$126	4
CVI	$22.90	$23.20	$22.03	$39	1
CVS	$36.40	$36.02	$35.30	$26	0
HITK	$24.20	$27.25	$26.21	$305	13
JAZZ	$31.95	$33.50	$33.02	$122	5
LULU	$100.00	$101.38	$94.24	$41	1
PDC	$15.28	$15.82	$14.61	$108	3
PRX	$33.83	$33.20	$32.50	$57	2
SINA	$142.00	$138.41	$136.00	$75	3
SLE	$18.42	$18.62	$18.25	$27	1
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$681	---------

Another downgrade!!

I hate buying a stock in a groove and then bam, downgraded by some firm. Why do we need to know this? I think it is the big boys trying to control stock prices so they can get a better price. SINA downgraded so I will likely have to sell it next Monday or Tuesday if it doesn’t reverse.

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$0.00	$0.00	$618.55

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
BIDU	$147.62	$148.65	$146.00	$21	1
CSTR	$48.48	$49.74	$46.50	$78	3
CVI	$22.90	$23.07	$23.26	$22	1
CVS	$36.40	$36.21	$35.30	$13	0
HITK	$24.20	$27.07	$25.40	$287	12
JAZZ	$31.95	$33.63	$33.02	$133	5
LULU	$100.00	$102.17	$94.24	$65	2
PDC	$15.28	$16.17	$14.61	$178	6
PRX	$33.83	$33.62	$32.50	$19	1
SINA	$142.00	$133.06	$136.00	$187	6
SLE	$18.42	$18.78	$18.25	$48	2
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$613	---------

Very nice reversal on the market

All indexes were up and up big. The S&P alone was up 1.35% and the Small Cap was up 1.77% and put the month of April back in the green. I doubled my unrealized profit today and most of my stocks moved into the black. Today I added another position in LULU.

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$0.00	$0.00	$618.55

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
BIDU	$147.62	$149.31	$146.00	$34	1
CSTR	$48.48	$47.89	$46.50	$36	1
CVI	$22.90	$22.26	$23.26	$47	1
CVS	$36.40	$36.25	$35.30	$10	0
HITK	$24.20	$26.69	$25.40	$249	10
JAZZ	$31.95	$34.22	$33.02	$179	7
LULU	$100.00	$99.73	$94.24	$8	0
PDC	$15.28	$15.67	$14.61	$78	2
PRX	$33.83	$33.96	$32.50	$12	0
SINA	$142.00	$142.83	$136.00	$17	0
SLE	$18.42	$18.85	$18.25	$58	2
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$620	---------

Not a good day or week so far…..sigh!

I could whine a lot but what good is it going to do me. That news Monday killed me and I let most of my positions go for one day, then waited to see if they popped today. No, that was the answer and some started sinking farther so I pulled the trigger and took my losses. SNDA was my only shinning star for a winner and I got stopped out of that position trying to hang on to that 17% pop Monday. Well this morning it came down to my stop loss point, then actually ended the day up .62 cents. I hate that and that is why I hate the automated stop loss orders. But on the other hand, if you do not have the discipline to take a loss like I did today with 3 stocks, you need them. TWI, I actually sold that Monday because I had had enough of that stock too.

You would think this would slow me down but I had my stock list loaded and was ready to fire the moment that I sold one position. I replaced all three positions today with BIDU, PDC, and SINA. Tomorrow depending on market conditions, I will be searching one or two more stocks.

TWI – ($146.03)

SNDA – $291.33 SLW – ($297.05) PAY – ($224.08) REE – ($321.92)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$248.52	$0.00	$0.00	$618.55

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
BIDU	$147.62	$149.90	$0	$46	1
CSTR	$48.48	$46.81	$46.50	$103	3
CVI	$22.90	$22.84	$21.50	$8	0
CVS	$36.40	$35.80	$35.30	$41	2
HITK	$24.20	$26.53	$25.40	$233	10
JAZZ	$31.95	$34.50	$32.76	$201	8
PDC	$15.28	$15.34	$0	$12	0
PRX	$33.83	$33.64	$32.50	$17	0
SINA	$142	$142.20	$0	$8	0
SLE	$18.42	$18.62	$18.25	$27	1
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$334	---------

Rough week

To believe in the overall trend and buy long in stocks is hard when you look at the short term and things are sinking. But that is what I did this week and I had some losers as well as one shinning star. HITK I bought two days ago and I already have a 12% gain in this position. The trick now is to not be greedy and hang-on to the majority of that gain. I will just let the market do it for me and let a stoploss order do it for me and monitor.

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	YTD 2011
$5.41	$698.41	$163.29	$946.27	$0.00	$0.00	$79.20

Stock	Entry	Price	Stop	Profit	% Gain
CSTR	$48.48	$48.65	$46.50	$10	0
CVI	$22.90	$23.54	$21.50	$83	3
CVS	$36.40	$35.87	$35.30	$36	1
HITK	$24.20	$27.07	$25.40	$287	12
JAZZ	$31.95	$34.52	$32.76	$203	8
PAY	$55.37	$53.77	$53.38	$88	3
PRX	$33.83	$33.54	$32.50	$26	1
REE	$15.60	$15.62	$15.13	$4	0
SLE	$18.42	$18.53	$18.25	$15	0
SLW	$46.45	$42.61	$42.07	$207	8
SNDA	$44.40	$43.96	$42.40	$25	1
TWI	$26.37	$25.72	$25.79	$65	2
TOTAL	------------	-----------	----------	$155	---------