Ugly game but I was not at my best today, overcame a nasty flu and made sure that I suffered no back-to-back losses this first pay period.
9 of 22 shooting on 15900 shares each way, +558 before commissions, +77 after, 2 bullets. Finished first pay period with $1500, not the way I want to begin the month, as I will only be playing 7 games next pay period, with 18th being a holiday, and 19th being the Tony Oz show. I rarely take games off, but I am doing this for Tony as I have been dying to see him in action, real time, real money, in this choppy market. Anyone with the confidence to trade in front of two hundred something people has to know what he is doing, and I will have a full report on the New York Trading Expo, from the Worldco booth.
Pre-Market: Very positive news on HAL made me think energy strength.
9:30: Had NE, GSF, SGY, HP, tiny positions, at various points during the first 10 minutes. When HAL opened up 3 points the index poped for almost a full percent. Then HAL tanked and everything came in, I lost a combined $200 on those as I went very light, thinking it could have been a trap.
9:42: Amazing chemical rally saved my bacon in the morning. Got 30 cents from EMN, APD, PX, 10 cents from FMC, but I went very light as the futures was tanking.
9:50: Energy started to reverse, bulleted BR and could not get my bullet cost back. Thankfully I broke even on him. Entire market sold off and I bulleted CCU, he squeezed the hell out of me and fortunately I got him in the afternoon and lost just bullet commissions and bullet cost. Tried MO and RJR on TOB strength and out of both for flat.
11:00: Got a quarter pop on DO and lost 5 cents on VTS.
2:00: Caught CRA on BTK rally for 15 cents squeeze. Tried WAT/PKI and got 5 cents each. Got the nice afternoon leg on CCU of course and shorted APD on chemical top but it went nowhere and I got just 7 cents out.
Lately I have been doing smaller size but trying to force myself to hold through little wiggles. If I think the overall direction is solid, I will try my best to hold and not look as long as my mental stop is not violated (and yes I have been giving stocks a little more wiggle room than before).
Can't wait for the Tony Oz show! I am very tired and I need this four day break.