Buying stocks when there is blood in the street is a form of art that very few can master. I am one of those guys who like to go to sleep flat and trade without any opinion. My discipline is of a short-term trader even when it comes to a longer time horizon and in all honesty, I don't make a good investor. (I even sold my entire IGEN investment position for a very small profit).
On 9/23/01, I was in Chicago with my wife and son. I had to do some training at the RealTick facility prior to the launch of the Oz Scanner. Anyhow, I was watching CNBC early in the morning and watched the capitulation taking place pre-market.
The Dow futures were down 580 points. From reading the up down numbers on the Dow futures, I saw support coming in. By the time the market opened they were only down 400 or so.
It was 9:32 EST. I called my broker and said buy 10,000 QQQ at market. I was waiting for the confirmation, but before I even got to hear the number, I said buy another 10,000 QQQ at the market.
I was watching the Index numbers on TV and saw a squeeze taking place. I was filled on both orders by 9:36 or so at an average of 27.70.
Once I had my confirmations, I asked the broker what the low of the day was. He said it was 27.20, so i told him to put a stop market at 27.05.
I then jumped in the shower. later, I left the hotel and went to my meetings. While in the Taxi, QQQ raced up north of 29. Before I left the hotel, I saw QQQ trading at 27.65. I remember telling my wife. Honey this is it. This is the bottom, and if we don't get stopped out, I am not selling it!
Well, I wish it was so. When I got the quote for the high of the day from my broker, I told him to place a stop at 27.99. QQQ was at 28.70 or so. I was up $20,000. There was no way I was gonna let that turn into a loss. I figured if I get stopped out, I will make at least $5,000.
And QQQ traded down, stop triggered, and I made $5,000. I was never able to buy it in size after that. I watched that rally and shook my head. This was the first time that I caught a bottom in the market and didn't get much out of it. Otherwise, I've been very fortunate to make serious money on extreme market conditions and reversals.
I'm flat right now, but NDX at 1100 again, and I might be interested
Good Trading
Tony Oz