2014: The Battle for Survival

Update? Also, do you play Tesla?
I get lazy after a bad quarter. Nevermind, will do so shortly.

I trade TSLA just like any other mobile stock. Did lose a ton on TSLA options - not today or last week though - and mostly thru doubling down.
 
Must be coming up to your 20th anniversary soon ?
I admire your perseverance BUT are you consistently profitable yet ?
What have you learnt in those 20 years that would be worthwhile to pass on ?
 
Period Update 06/30/2018 - 09/30/2018
----------

Terrible 3 months, down 27K (12.4%). For the year, up 33K (19%)

Was having a moderately positive quarter, but late August and September dealt a blow to my effort. Did compound the problem with some doubling down trades. Not what I expected, but still up for the year.

Code:
For 2018

Starting Balance: 172,023  Cumulative P/L: 32,959
Start Date  End Date     P/L    Withrawal  Closing Balance
2018-01-01  2018-02-05  -55560  -6000      110,463
2018-02-05  2018-03-05   70245  -3000      177,708
2018-03-05  2018-03-31   58942   0         236,650 
2018-03-31  2018-05-05  -16482  -3000      217,168
2018-05-05  2018-06-02  -6498    0         210,670
2018-06-02  2018-06-30   9397    0         220,067
2018-06-30  2018-08-04   20308  -3000      237,375
2018-08-04  2018-09-01   21120  -3000      255,495
2018-09-01  2018-09-29  -68509   0         186,986
 
Neke, I thought your system took care of this doubling down...
Did you intervene personally?
How would your performance be without the dd?

Cheer up; 19% up YTD; we all like you to improve and do well!
 
Neke, I thought your system took care of this doubling down...
Did you intervene personally?
How would your performance be without the dd?

Cheer up; 19% up YTD; we all like you to improve and do well!

Yes, I coded my system to reject doubling down - except for one strategy. That has been the best performing one, accounting for all my gains this year (out of a dozen). Now with this, I am forced to further tighten rules even for this strategy.

Without the doubling, no doubt perfomance would have been more even - positive - for that strategy - not the big swing in performance experienced. Overall though, my trading performance across all the strategies hasnt been great this year. I keep inventing more strategies after backtesting/review, and immediately I put them live, suffer series of starting losses, then shut that strategy down, and repeat with another - same fate.
 
Yes, I coded my system to reject doubling down - except for one strategy. That has been the best performing one, accounting for all my gains this year (out of a dozen). Now with this, I am forced to further tighten rules even for this strategy.

Without the doubling, no doubt perfomance would have been more even - positive - for that strategy - not the big swing in performance experienced. Overall though, my trading performance across all the strategies hasnt been great this year. I keep inventing more strategies after backtesting/review, and immediately I put them live, suffer series of starting losses, then shut that strategy down, and repeat with another - same fate.

Been there, done that. Many times.
There's two obvious possibilities - either the strategy is a complete curve-fit and was a failure at launch or you experience a normal drawdown. In both cases you'd typically pull the strategy. Additional monitoring of performance would give you good information on your decision. This is essentially walk-forward testing, not sure if you perform walk-forwards on anything you do.
I'm curious how you have that many unique ideas though, perhaps you should have a much stricter filter on what goes into production. It's better to only go live when you're reasonably convinced. 80% of strategies shouldn't make the cut.
 
This market is taking my account down with it - lot of bleeding. Surprised a 2.5% interest rate is taking the market this low: we've obviously been in a massive bubble. Bleak. Buy on dips not working anymore.
 
Last edited:
This market is taking my account down with it - lot of bleeding. Surprised a 2.5% interest rate is taking the market this low: we've obviously been in a massive bubble. Bleak. Buy on dips not working anymore.
Uh oh, that sounds worrying.
Instead of using an approach of "buy on dips" it might, in the current conditions, be better to "sell on peaks"?
 
Back
Top