JT I love your chart annotations!
JT's ES Trades
- Thread starter torntech.com
- Start date
Here is my new trading plan. Looking forward to implementation on Monday. Any comments?
/JT
Code:
Created sep 20, 2002
"Revision /
last modified " A: Sep 28, 2002
Computer Hardware 1. Stationary 350Mhz 320MB WinXPpro 19" (Trading)
Computer Hardware 2. Laptop 600Mhz 256MB Win2000pro 15" (Chart)
Computer Hardware 3. Broadband router
Computer Software 1. Interactive Brokers TWS
Computer Software 2. TWS application Bracket Trader
Computer Software 3. Futuresource / Fsxtra
Computer Software 4. Metastock
Broker 1. Interactive Brokers
Broker 2. Backup: [none]
Connection ADSL 0,5 Mbit/s
Connection Backup: Modem 56k
Daily tasks Morning: Check for any events that will effect price
Daily tasks Night: Write Journal
Daily tasks Night: Save daily security data
Daily tasks Night: Save IB report
Weekly tasks Weekend: Summarize and go through last week's trades
Monthly tasks Last weekend of month: Summarize and go through last month's trades
Money management At last day of month 1/2 of the profits for the month should be transferred
Money management to broker 2.
Securities traded 1. S&P500 (ES) e-mini future
Securities traded 2. NASDAQ (NQ) e-mini future
Trade entry ES:
Trade entry Try to determine if the market is trending or choppy
Trade entry Discretionary
Trade exit ES:
Trade exit Discretionary
Trade exit Price target: 1,0pts -1.0 +1.0 (could be changed during trade)
Trade exit Price stop-loss: 1,25pts -1.25 +0.25 (could be changed during trade)
Trade exit Time limit: [none]
Daily limits ES:
Daily limits Stop after first loss, unless first loss is first trade
Daily limits Stop if target of 150$ (gross) is reached
Daily limits Stop if loss of 150$ (gross) is reached
Daily limits Stop if number of round-turn trades of 10 is reached
Chart: 1-minute bars of security
Chart: Chart length: approx. 120 bars
Indicators BB (20,2.0)
Other rules Do not trade after 3PM EST
Fluffy rules Wait with trade entry - you will do it to soon!
Change history Rev. A sep 28, 2002/JT
JT - How does that plan differ from your original plan? Not saying anything critical, I'm just interested in what you decided you needed to change before you restarted.
BTW - The first good thing I notice is that you did what you said you were going to do - stop and regroup. That seems like a simple thing to do, but it is hard for most people.
BTW - The first good thing I notice is that you did what you said you were going to do - stop and regroup. That seems like a simple thing to do, but it is hard for most people.
Good job JT.
I'm just a bit skeptical on this rule : "Stop after first loss, unless first loss is first trade"
It seems very harsh to me. My guess is that you'll be very frustrated with it. A rule wich is too hard to stick to is not a good one.
I think that the 3 other rules are enough : if you have a positive expectancy you should reach your daily goal more often than your max daily loss.
Moreover with the max number of RT you'll avoid some hypothetical but unavoidable "disaster" days.
Could you elaborate on your different price target and price stop loss ? (I don't understand the -1.0 target and the -1.25 stop loss)
I'm just a bit skeptical on this rule : "Stop after first loss, unless first loss is first trade"
It seems very harsh to me. My guess is that you'll be very frustrated with it. A rule wich is too hard to stick to is not a good one.
I think that the 3 other rules are enough : if you have a positive expectancy you should reach your daily goal more often than your max daily loss.
Moreover with the max number of RT you'll avoid some hypothetical but unavoidable "disaster" days.
Could you elaborate on your different price target and price stop loss ? (I don't understand the -1.0 target and the -1.25 stop loss)
Glad to see you back, JT 
"Securities traded 1. S&P500 (ES) e-mini future
Securities traded 2. NASDAQ (NQ) e-mini future"
I would stick to one instrument only. I notice that you only refer to ES further on in the plan, so either remove NQ from Securities traded or address them specifically in Trade entry, Trade exit etc.
"Daily limits Stop after first loss, unless first loss is first trade"
Like x-or, I question the wisdom of this rule especially considering the tight restraints you already have in place. There will be many short days like (Win, Loss), (Loss, Win, Loss) where you'll have to stop trading, down only 0.25 or 0.50 pts. With apologies to Taleb, this is being "foiled by randomness".
"Securities traded 1. S&P500 (ES) e-mini future
Securities traded 2. NASDAQ (NQ) e-mini future"
I would stick to one instrument only. I notice that you only refer to ES further on in the plan, so either remove NQ from Securities traded or address them specifically in Trade entry, Trade exit etc.
"Daily limits Stop after first loss, unless first loss is first trade"
Like x-or, I question the wisdom of this rule especially considering the tight restraints you already have in place. There will be many short days like (Win, Loss), (Loss, Win, Loss) where you'll have to stop trading, down only 0.25 or 0.50 pts. With apologies to Taleb, this is being "foiled by randomness".
Easy does it, be patient. Notice most of the money was made going long in a heavily downtrending market as was yesterdays. That's 1 bad trade out of 14.
My setup: 5 minute candles and 1 minute candles. Look for the big candles that took price down 1.5 points at a time, wait for some exhaustion and let you 1 minute candles give you an entry signal. DO NOT use market orders. Buy the bid and sell the ask. 0.5 to 0.75 does it but you have to have some leverage, trade more than one contract if possible. Make sure you check market depth, that's the only way to know if the stock is going to spring back else you would be murdered going long in a downtrend.
Hope this helps some
FUTURES TRADES ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trade Time Description Exch Qty Trade Price Set Price Gain/Loss Comm ***
----------------- ----------- -------- ----- ----------- ----------- ----------- -------- ---
02-09-27 09:07:22 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 848.0000 825.2500 -4550.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 09:08:25 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 848.2500 825.2500 1150.00 -9.60 PC
02-09-27 09:08:27 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -3 848.2500 825.2500 3450.00 0.00 PC
02-09-27 09:42:22 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 1 845.5000 825.2500 -1012.50 -9.60 PO
02-09-27 09:42:22 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 2 845.5000 825.2500 -2025.00 0.00 PO
02-09-27 09:42:22 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 1 845.5000 825.2500 -1012.50 0.00 PO
02-09-27 09:47:10 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 845.7500 825.2500 4100.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 09:55:15 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 847.7500 825.2500 4500.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 10:00:28 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 847.0000 825.2500 -4350.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 11:59:19 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 845.5000 825.2500 -4050.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 12:04:25 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 845.7500 825.2500 4100.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 12:54:38 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 842.5000 825.2500 -3450.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 12:55:15 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 843.0000 825.2500 887.50 -9.60 PC
02-09-27 12:55:15 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 843.0000 825.2500 887.50 0.00 PC
02-09-27 12:55:15 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -2 843.0000 825.2500 1775.00 0.00 PC
02-09-27 13:07:24 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 838.5000 825.2500 -2650.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 13:11:56 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 839.2500 825.2500 2800.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 13:51:02 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 835.5000 825.2500 -2050.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 13:52:50 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 835.7500 825.2500 2100.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 13:56:24 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 835.2500 825.2500 -2000.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 13:57:41 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 835.7500 825.2500 2100.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 13:59:39 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 1 835.7500 825.2500 -525.00 -9.60 PO
02-09-27 13:59:39 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 1 835.7500 825.2500 -525.00 0.00 PO
02-09-27 13:59:39 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 2 835.7500 825.2500 -1050.00 0.00 PO
02-09-27 14:00:11 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 836.2500 825.2500 550.00 -9.60 PC
02-09-27 14:00:11 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 836.2500 825.2500 550.00 0.00 PC
02-09-27 14:00:11 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -2 836.2500 825.2500 1100.00 0.00 PC
02-09-27 14:01:52 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 833.2500 825.2500 -1600.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 14:02:41 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 833.7500 825.2500 1700.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 14:18:14 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 833.2500 825.2500 -1600.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 14:19:27 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 831.2500 825.2500 1200.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 14:21:45 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 831.5000 825.2500 -1250.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 14:22:12 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 832.0000 825.2500 1350.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 14:29:04 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -2 833.0000 825.2500 775.00 -9.60 PO
02-09-27 14:29:04 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -2 833.0000 825.2500 775.00 0.00 PO
02-09-27 14:29:44 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 832.5000 825.2500 -1450.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 14:37:35 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 831.0000 825.2500 -1150.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 14:37:56 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 831.2500 825.2500 1200.00 -9.60 C
===== =========== ========
0 750.00 -268.80
=========== ========
USD Total: 750.00 -268.80
My setup: 5 minute candles and 1 minute candles. Look for the big candles that took price down 1.5 points at a time, wait for some exhaustion and let you 1 minute candles give you an entry signal. DO NOT use market orders. Buy the bid and sell the ask. 0.5 to 0.75 does it but you have to have some leverage, trade more than one contract if possible. Make sure you check market depth, that's the only way to know if the stock is going to spring back else you would be murdered going long in a downtrend.
Hope this helps some
FUTURES TRADES ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trade Time Description Exch Qty Trade Price Set Price Gain/Loss Comm ***
----------------- ----------- -------- ----- ----------- ----------- ----------- -------- ---
02-09-27 09:07:22 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 848.0000 825.2500 -4550.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 09:08:25 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 848.2500 825.2500 1150.00 -9.60 PC
02-09-27 09:08:27 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -3 848.2500 825.2500 3450.00 0.00 PC
02-09-27 09:42:22 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 1 845.5000 825.2500 -1012.50 -9.60 PO
02-09-27 09:42:22 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 2 845.5000 825.2500 -2025.00 0.00 PO
02-09-27 09:42:22 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 1 845.5000 825.2500 -1012.50 0.00 PO
02-09-27 09:47:10 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 845.7500 825.2500 4100.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 09:55:15 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 847.7500 825.2500 4500.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 10:00:28 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 847.0000 825.2500 -4350.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 11:59:19 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 845.5000 825.2500 -4050.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 12:04:25 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 845.7500 825.2500 4100.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 12:54:38 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 842.5000 825.2500 -3450.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 12:55:15 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 843.0000 825.2500 887.50 -9.60 PC
02-09-27 12:55:15 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 843.0000 825.2500 887.50 0.00 PC
02-09-27 12:55:15 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -2 843.0000 825.2500 1775.00 0.00 PC
02-09-27 13:07:24 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 838.5000 825.2500 -2650.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 13:11:56 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 839.2500 825.2500 2800.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 13:51:02 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 835.5000 825.2500 -2050.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 13:52:50 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 835.7500 825.2500 2100.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 13:56:24 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 835.2500 825.2500 -2000.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 13:57:41 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 835.7500 825.2500 2100.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 13:59:39 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 1 835.7500 825.2500 -525.00 -9.60 PO
02-09-27 13:59:39 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 1 835.7500 825.2500 -525.00 0.00 PO
02-09-27 13:59:39 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 2 835.7500 825.2500 -1050.00 0.00 PO
02-09-27 14:00:11 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 836.2500 825.2500 550.00 -9.60 PC
02-09-27 14:00:11 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -1 836.2500 825.2500 550.00 0.00 PC
02-09-27 14:00:11 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -2 836.2500 825.2500 1100.00 0.00 PC
02-09-27 14:01:52 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 833.2500 825.2500 -1600.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 14:02:41 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 833.7500 825.2500 1700.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 14:18:14 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 833.2500 825.2500 -1600.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 14:19:27 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 831.2500 825.2500 1200.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 14:21:45 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 831.5000 825.2500 -1250.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 14:22:12 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 832.0000 825.2500 1350.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 14:29:04 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -2 833.0000 825.2500 775.00 -9.60 PO
02-09-27 14:29:04 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -2 833.0000 825.2500 775.00 0.00 PO
02-09-27 14:29:44 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 832.5000 825.2500 -1450.00 -9.60 C
02-09-27 14:37:35 ES DEC02 GLOBEX 4 831.0000 825.2500 -1150.00 -9.60 O
02-09-27 14:37:56 ES DEC02 GLOBEX -4 831.2500 825.2500 1200.00 -9.60 C
===== =========== ========
0 750.00 -268.80
=========== ========
USD Total: 750.00 -268.80
Today's trades:
T1: -1.25 "Bough to soon". Should have waited with my entry. To gun happy.
T2: +1 Good entry. Auto exit.
T3: -1 Shouldn't have traded this one. I will add this to plan: "Only trade in direction of short/medium term trend"
Overall: Proud of the fact that I followed my plan (whether good or bad).
Ditch: Actually I'm using the BB as a "chart support" only, and not an indicator for entry.
Quah: I guess not a whole lot have changed from my original plan. However now I have a pretty formalized plan, that I feel that I can follow. I think specifying a target and stop-loss was the most important.
x-or: I know that I would get some comments about my "Stop after first loss, unless first loss is first trade" rule. However reviewing my past performance I noticed that I had a large number of days where I was net positive for a number of trades, but after the first loss things got worse and worse. I will try to use this rule for a while. Off course there will be a number of days (like today) where I will quit trading early, but it gives me more time to papertrade and analyze. I'm in no hurry.
Target "1.0pts -1.0 +1.0". The numbers after the nominal value (1.0) is the "tolerance". "-1.0" is the lower tolerance and "+1.0" is the upper tolerance. Thus the target is 0 to +2.0 and the stop-loss -1.50 to 0. Using Bracket Trader it's pretty easy to change the target or stop-loss during the duration of the trade.
nitro: LOL
Mr Subliminal: I'm going to concentrate my efforts on ES, but If I feel that I loose to much money, or thing does not go in my direction I might switch to NQ, however not during the same trading day.
easyrider: you're right. This is what I'm trying to do for entry: Look at the trend. When price is at support during a up trend I try to buy. Exit should most of times be made using the fixed target/stop-loss. There is some flexibility in the target/stop-loss as explained above, which should be used in case there is a momentum going one way or another.
Thank you all for your comments! Very much appreciated! /JT
Code:
Day Trade # Type B/S Time Price B/S Time Price Quant. Gross Net Time
30-Sep 1 ESZ2 SLD 13:53 813.00 BOT 13:53 814.25 1 -62.50 -67.30 0:00:32
Day 16 2 ESZ2 SLD 13:53 813.75 BOT 13:55 812.75 1 50.00 45.20 0:01:35
Rev. A 3 ESZ2 SLD 14:01 817.00 BOT 14:01 818.00 1 -50.00 -54.80 0:00:15
Total 3 -62.5 -76.9 0:00:47T1: -1.25 "Bough to soon". Should have waited with my entry. To gun happy.
T2: +1 Good entry. Auto exit.
T3: -1 Shouldn't have traded this one. I will add this to plan: "Only trade in direction of short/medium term trend"
Overall: Proud of the fact that I followed my plan (whether good or bad).
Ditch: Actually I'm using the BB as a "chart support" only, and not an indicator for entry.
Quah: I guess not a whole lot have changed from my original plan. However now I have a pretty formalized plan, that I feel that I can follow. I think specifying a target and stop-loss was the most important.
x-or: I know that I would get some comments about my "Stop after first loss, unless first loss is first trade" rule. However reviewing my past performance I noticed that I had a large number of days where I was net positive for a number of trades, but after the first loss things got worse and worse. I will try to use this rule for a while. Off course there will be a number of days (like today) where I will quit trading early, but it gives me more time to papertrade and analyze. I'm in no hurry.
Target "1.0pts -1.0 +1.0". The numbers after the nominal value (1.0) is the "tolerance". "-1.0" is the lower tolerance and "+1.0" is the upper tolerance. Thus the target is 0 to +2.0 and the stop-loss -1.50 to 0. Using Bracket Trader it's pretty easy to change the target or stop-loss during the duration of the trade.
nitro: LOL
Mr Subliminal: I'm going to concentrate my efforts on ES, but If I feel that I loose to much money, or thing does not go in my direction I might switch to NQ, however not during the same trading day.
easyrider: you're right. This is what I'm trying to do for entry: Look at the trend. When price is at support during a up trend I try to buy. Exit should most of times be made using the fixed target/stop-loss. There is some flexibility in the target/stop-loss as explained above, which should be used in case there is a momentum going one way or another.
Thank you all for your comments! Very much appreciated! /JT