Should you bring home your profits on days like today?

[murray t turtle]

Based on the current gains of some of index futures, today the stock market will skyrocket and probably the stock market is already (highly?) overvalued. I always wonder, should you take profit on days like these or should you remain invested?


Thanks,
sm

%%
Good question smcoder/really depends on the market+ trading/investing plan/notebook.
Say someone has 7 positions+ you like to get paid weekly more of less+ usually prefer pay later in week/ later in the week.
BUT with UPRO up about 10%+SPXS down [-10% more or less].
YES+ resting orders may help.
While its a good question/4th + 1st quarter tend to do so well; I never confuse a temp situation with value., or a predict good trend Hope this helps/ it helped me...………………………………………………………………… 10:07 CST

 

[smcoder]

Stop trading until you have a plan. Then... trade that plan. Taking profits because your afraid they will evaporate is not a plan. The saying, you can't go broke taking a profit is not true.

I believe the question here is not have a plan but having a good plan and a good plan is made up of rules you define and refine over time thru wins and losses. So I was trying to understand should there be a rule that says "if the stock market is overbought and some news or event causes the usual bulls hysteria should you take profit on those stocks that made a large (double digit) one day jump?". In fact, should you take profit in the first 10 minutes when hysteria is maximum and usually gain traces back over the day? Let's talk for example of chevron, in the first few minutes of open market today it got to I believe 18% gain and now it is trading just above 10%.


Thanks,
sm

 

[deaddog]

Based on the current gains of some of index futures, today the stock market will skyrocket and probably the stock market is already (highly?) overvalued. I always wonder, should you take profit on days like these or should you remain invested?


Thanks,
sm

What is the downside if you take profits?

 

[smcoder]

It depends on your technique, but if you can compound your profits into safer trades that is always a good plan.

By the sound of your post it looks like you are getting unexpected gains. You should have had a limit level where your profits should be cashed in the first place. Now that your portfolio looks green I would say "cash it" and try to understand what you did well in the first place and if it just out of luck, at least you made a gain from it.

A trader with a plan should've never asked that question in the first place.

Hello @angrytrader, not unexpected gains, I'm simply trying to refine my trading plan and clearly I'm trying as everyone to gain from the ups and downs of the stock market. I'm always tempted of taking some profit especially when there are large gains in a single day that I know will usually trace back even during that same single day. As always the worry is that the gain might not trace back and that you might not have another good entry moment........usual old story


Thanks,
sm

 

[smcoder]

What is the downside if you take profits?

Not having another good moment to enter?

Thanks,
sm

 

[murray t turtle]

What is the downside if you take profits?

%%
I'll use an extreme but true example+ may not help as much as my earlier post.
SOXS made about 44% from close to close day[one total day].
The downside of that, especially if you have a 52 week chart, is take profits+ find something else to trade, because a good plan can be changed some. LOL/true.
A 44% gain or any gain like that can be a 44% loss also.

 

[deaddog]

Not having another good moment to enter?

Thanks,
sm

OK then what is the downside if you hold.

What is your main objective when you opened this position?

 

[wrbtrader]

OK then what is the downside if you hold.

What is your main objective when you opened this position?

I thought he was talking about "investments" because he used the word "invested" in his initial message post.

Now it seems like he's talking about trades or at least swing trades as in "short term trades".

wrbtrader

 

[smcoder]

OK then what is the downside if you hold.

What is your main objective when you opened this position?

Well, if and when this whole pandemic comes under control or is defeated economy and oil consumption will get back to "normal" (if normal exists) and with this also oil price.

Thanks,
sm

 

[smcoder]

I thought he was talking about "investments" because he used the word "invested" in his initial message post.

Now it seems like he's talking about trades or at least swing trades as in "short term trades".

wrbtrader

Good point @wrbtrader, investing, trading, what is the difference? Frequency of trades? In the end the goal is always for everyone, earn a profit. It takes a week, it take 5 years, does it make much difference?

Thanks,
sm