Friday, April 29, 2011

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
---------

Monday, April 25, 2011

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
---------

Thursday, April 21, 2011

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
---------

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

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
---------

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

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
---------

Friday, April 15, 2011

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
---------

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Wishy washy no direction week so far.

Well with one day left in the trading week, it seems that we are going to have a 1% loss and maybe more. On the bright side, the market open down this morning and fought an clawed it’s way back up hill. Because I believe that the overall trend, based on the weekly chart, is still in an uptrend, I have still been buying long positions in stocks. I added PRX and CSTR and I’m currently down a total of $33 on those two positions combined. Then I got back into 2 positions I sold last week in PAY and REE. I’m up $33 combined on those two positions. Then today I sold TK right before it reversed back to positive, but I should have sold it 3 or 4 days ago.  I did not do well with me discipline on this trade. I paid the price to. Lastly, I added HITK today and the stock was up 9.45% today and I got 6.28% of that. I have no idea what drove this stock, but I wish I would have bought that instead of TK when I had them in my buy list last week.

Still can’t tell which way this market is going to go, so be careful is the theme.

Sold TK today for $217.67 loss.

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
$48.39
$46.50
$6
0
CVS
$36.40
$35.61
$35.30
$54
2
HITK
$24.20
$25.72
$24.33
$152
6
JAZZ
$31.95
$34.17
$32.76
$175
7
PAY
$55.37
$54.00
$53.38
$75
2
PRX
$33.83
$33.53
$32.50
$27
1
REE
$15.60
$16.14
$15.13
$108
3
SLE
$18.42
$18.37
$17.98
$7
0
SLW
$46.45
$42.88
$42.07
$193
8
SNDA
$44.40
$43.60
$42.40
$45
2
TWI
$26.37
$25.67
$25.79
$70
3
TOTAL ------------ ----------- ----------
$42
---------

Friday, April 8, 2011

Price erosion again, took the profit

Today I watched as long as I could on CVI and finally I pulled the trigger and took the profit. So my largest winner of the year is now in the bank and has put my back in the black. I will keep CVI in my radar and hope for another entry down the road.

I also added a few more position early in the trading day before things got shaky in the market. I added, CVS, SLE, and SLW.

CVI profit $1135.84

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
YTD 2011
$5.41
$698.41
$163.29
$1163.94
$0.00
$0.00
$296.83

Stock
Entry
Price
Stop
Profit
% Gain
CVS
$36.40
$36.23
$35.30
$12
0
JAZZ
$31.95
$34.13
$31.25
$172
7
SLE
$18.42
$18.35
$17.98
$9
0
SLW
$46.45
$46.91
$46.00
$25
1
SNDA
$44.40
$43.64
$41.80
$43
2
TK
$37.30
$36.69
$35.86
$41
2
TWI
$26.37
$26.30
$25.79
$7
0
TOTAL ------------ ----------- ----------
$85
---------

Thursday, April 7, 2011

The Good, the Bad, and the ugly

The market the last few days has been in a kind of funk and basically just trading sideways. Depending on what you own, it could be kind of ugly seeing your profits dwindle away. Today the ugliest thing that happened is that I got stopped out of HYC for a $216.33 loss and I guess it was just a bad call entering this because I never was in the money. The bad that I had was just watching my profit erode away to nothing. Both PAY and POT, I really did not want to sell but both had sunk to under the 5 and 10 day moving averages on the 30 minute chart, so I just took my current profit and threw the stocks into my radar box. ORLY, I just sold it because I was tired of watching my money do nothing.

Now the good, most traders will think why the hell did you sell this one. Look if you have a stock jump 15% or more in one day, what do you think happens the day after? REE finish the day up over 16% and I got most of that. I sold at $15.20 and it closed at $15.30. Nice pop, and I took the profit. Below you will see all my sales for Thursday. I was a bit busy.

HYC – ($216.33)
ORLY – $13.75
PAY – $145.71
POT – $30.73
REE – $129.99

Profit = $103.85

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
YTD 2011
$5.41
$698.41
$163.29
$28.10
-
-
$839.01

Stock
Entry
Price
Stop
Profit
% Gain
CVI
$19.80
$23.41
$21.50
$1446
18
JAZZ
$31.95
$33.41
$31.25
$115
5
SNDA
$44.40
$43.95
$41.80
$25
1
TK
$37.30
$36.96
$35.86
$23
1
TWI
$26.37
$26.64
$25.79
$27
1
TOTAL ------------ ----------- ----------
$1450
---------

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

How to find stocks the somewhat easy way.

First, find out if your going to go long or short by  looking at the long term trend in the S&P500 on a weekly and daily bases. It would not hurt to look at the small cap($dwcpf) and the NASDAQ to see if they agree.

Second I suggest you go to Select Sector Spiders and pull up the chart (click here), put it range on one month and find the top two ETF’s.

Third, now go to the best ETF like XLB and under holdings you will you find a list of stocks. Download the xls or cvs file and start to review all the stocks in that list  which should give you a big head start.

This is all free, and it will always put you on the right side of whatever trend you decide to trade.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

GILD sold for a itty bitty profit. But a profit indeed.

Today GILD was going to the opposite direction that I wanted and I didn’t like the look of the chart. So, I decided before every once of profit was gone, I was going to cash out for now and put GILD back into my watch list.

Sold GILD for $12.39 profit. Yippee!!

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
YTD 2011
$5.41
$698.41
$163.29
$75.75
-
-
$942.86

Stock
Entry
Price
Stop
Profit
% Gain
CVI
$19.80
$23.78
$21.50
$1594
20
HYC
$12.60
$12.12
$11.83
$96
4
JAZZ
$31.95
$33.52
$31.25
$124
5
ORLY
$56.65
$58.23
$56.51
$71
3
PAY
$48.90
$55.77
$53.38
$350
14
POT
$58.00
$61.12
$55.59
$134
5
REE
$13.70
$13.43
$13.06
$27
2
SNDA
$44.40
$43.42
$41.01
$55
2
TK
$37.30
$37.15
$35.86
$10
0
TWI
$26.37
$27.45
$25.79
$108
4
TOTAL ------------ ----------- ----------
$2193
---------

Monday, April 4, 2011

Apple out and TWI in

Like I posted Friday, I could not take anymore of a lose in Apple and the downtrend continued today. It did show resistance around $40.50 and it might rebound from there, but I just do not see the buyers backing it at this time. It would not surprise me to see Apple re-test $326.00 before it finds support. If it reverses prior to that, it would be the first high low in over a month and could be another sign of reversal. So today I took my $88 loss and bought TWI which pays close to a 7% dividend and is in a nice uptrend. I will take my chances here to see if my money will actually work for me. If I sold TWI tomorrow morning, I would have $62 back of the $88 loss, but I will not do that.

Got a few stocks now that look like they our spreading their wings, so let just see if the overall market can continue the uptrend for a few more weeks.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
YTD 2011
$5.41
$698.41
$163.29
$88.14
-
-
$955.25

Stock
Entry
Price
Stop
Profit
% Gain
CVI
$19.80
$23.60
$21.50
$1522
19
GILD
$41.26
$42.81
$41.64
$93
3
HYC
$12.60
$12.02
$11.83
$116
5
JAZZ
$31.95
$32.13
$30.20
$14
0
ORLY
$56.65
$57.67
$56.51
$46
2
PAY
$48.90
$54.82
$50.41
$302
12
POT
$58.00
$61.44
$55.59
$148
6
REE
$13.70
$13.75
$13.06
$5
0
SNDA
$44.40
$43.83
$41.01
$32
1
TK
$37.30
$37.17
$35.86
$9
0
TWI
$26.37
$26.99
$24.76
$62
2
TOTAL ------------ ----------- ----------
$2035
---------