Search results

In my experience, you left out one of the most important potential problems: data spikes. Anyone who has closely monitored intraday data on any instrument, for any length of time, will tell you that while your data may be 99% reliable, there are often errant trades, or simply bad data that...

Trading, like sex, is best done in privacy. I can't imagine trying to trade a busy intraday market sitting in a closed space with other traders trying to converse.

Trailing stops.

Yes, an interesting double negative. How does one keep the money one has lost? Does this trader lose money after keeping it? Or keep money after losing it? And if one has lost money, how does one have money to keep? Hmmm.

When I was just starting out on my own, and funds were tight, I got "catastrophic" health insurance just to cover major emergencies. It was very fortunate I had it, as I broke my leg windsurfing, with a 40K surgery/hospital bill. It is often quite inexpensive, and a good deal if you are...

Yep, I really miss those 5 hour meetings where you throw your great ideas into the corporate grinder with no hope of ever seeing them again...at least with your name attached to them. And I really miss standing in a windowless kitchen singing happy birthday to some lame ass team member for...

The problem with superstar jocks like Vick is that they are treated like gods from the time they first show talent. They think they can get away with anything...because they often do. Great news that the feds were able to put him in a corner where he was forced to cop a plea that will trash...

If you are trading volatile stocks, as I do, then you have yet another problem with long options in addition to spreads and time decay. It often happens that a strong move sets up your entry, at which time you are going to be buying into an option that has increased in value due to the...

Yes, absolutely it is possible. With both time and spreads working against you, your underlying often needs to make a pretty solid move to even begin to profit with the option. In the example you used, a put would have made a great percentage gain. But how often do you get that kind of move...

And what of the Chinese government official who authorized the 3 billion invesment in Blackstone. You gotta know the folks at Blackstone are just laughing their butts off. They called the top perfectly. "So here's the deal Mr. Wang. You give us 3 billion dollars now. And in 30 days we...

I'm thinking of the many fund managers who sold the farm yesterday causing the 350 point DOW panic attack...who are now watching the DOW up 500 points from that low. And hedge fund investors are paying 2% fees for that kind of talent? Wonder what they get for 4%? A limo ride to the poor...

I traded a few million for a friend/client, and had him up 25% for the year. Then he started watching Cramer's show, and calling me daily with his "picks" that he wanted to trade. That put an end to that relationship. I felt like I had a girlfriend who, despite my sexual prowess, asked if...

It's the Haitian Air Force. They bought one and a spare for parts.

"God, how I love the smell of napalm in the morning." -Robert Duval in Apocalypse now

Use a trailing stop. If your broker doesn't permit it, get a new broker. A trailing stop in any timeframe is the best way to "let your profits run."

I had a similar experience, stuck in the middle of two women weighing at least 300. The flight attendent, bless her, saw me getting crushed and motioned for me to come forward, where she offered a first class seat that was open.

You doubt that fear moved the market today? Really, you must be joking. Pull up a 5 minute chart of the S&P and tell me you don't see fear written all over it. If you don't, I suggest another line of work.

Fear and greed is what moves markets. Today it was fear. Monday it may be greed. Check the VIX and you'll see it all play out.

There are many exit strategies, and many types of stops. If you have confidence in your entries, then try another approach. Try a time stop. Number of bars, days, etc. Exit at open, close, etc. The value I find in a time stop is that it helps to take emotions out of the trade...

Theoretically...on paper...yes. But think about the risk profile for the average investor or trader, and you'll appreciate more the reasons for naked selling restrictions in a brokerage account. With a covered call, the investor must own the underlying to write the call. So they are aware...