Specialist Ratings
- Thread starter NYSE Trader
- Start date
Last week I retested a couple of specialists that we had already rated to see if they had changed. Sometimes, the specialist would change their behavior ( brought on by closer scrutiny. They realize ppl are watching them and some of the ppl might be regulators. 
) and sometimes there would be new specialist at the post, so a periodic update would be needed.
SII = Good.
Specialist was on good behavior last week.
CFC = Stay Away if you are inexperienced. Not for the faint-hearted.
This specialist is one tough hombre. I put him in the same category as the GS specialist.
) and sometimes there would be new specialist at the post, so a periodic update would be needed.SII = Good.
Specialist was on good behavior last week.
CFC = Stay Away if you are inexperienced. Not for the faint-hearted.
This specialist is one tough hombre. I put him in the same category as the GS specialist.
i was also hoping this would be the case....but given my experience the past month or two i came to the conclusion that the behavior had actually gotten worse. it's almost as if they know their days are numbered and they might as well "get while the gettin' is good"............ or either they are staying within their guidelines, but exploiting the gray areas to the max.
I try not to complain about my trading, since I am the one who decided to trade a certain stock, but in some cases its been so blatantly bad that I made a rule not to trade them under any circumstances (and to kick their dog if I ever see it).
WLP and ATH - I used to trade these two with opening orders because they looked good in backtesting. It was a great lesson in reality vs hindsight as I got slipped for more than 3 times my stop on several occasions before sending them to the stock list time forgot.
ITW - this is the demon spawn from the incestual coupling of the WLP and ATH specialists. It is the only stock ever to make my "do not trade under penalty of death" list. He has to be the worst I've seen for holding a stock. I remember being short once and was up 40 cents as the stock plummeted. I kept ratcheting my stop down behind a big seller thinking I could lock in the profit when the specialist (or should I say, Lucifer, as we are now on a first name basis) cleaned up the seller. Unfortunately he stopped printing and just held it. The next print was 10 cents over my initial entry. A similar incident happened the second time I traded him and that was it.
There are enough stocks out there that if one treats you unfairly, you can fire it. I just wish it was like in elementary school where you could actually meet some of these guys out on the playground at recess.
WLP and ATH - I used to trade these two with opening orders because they looked good in backtesting. It was a great lesson in reality vs hindsight as I got slipped for more than 3 times my stop on several occasions before sending them to the stock list time forgot.
ITW - this is the demon spawn from the incestual coupling of the WLP and ATH specialists. It is the only stock ever to make my "do not trade under penalty of death" list. He has to be the worst I've seen for holding a stock. I remember being short once and was up 40 cents as the stock plummeted. I kept ratcheting my stop down behind a big seller thinking I could lock in the profit when the specialist (or should I say, Lucifer, as we are now on a first name basis) cleaned up the seller. Unfortunately he stopped printing and just held it. The next print was 10 cents over my initial entry. A similar incident happened the second time I traded him and that was it.
There are enough stocks out there that if one treats you unfairly, you can fire it. I just wish it was like in elementary school where you could actually meet some of these guys out on the playground at recess.
Our CTO is a former specialist, and we gave him hell, briefly, until we figured out what great insight he had for us.
CFC=BRUTAL
HOMEBUILDERS=EVIL
DNA=SHAKEOUT/GAP MASTER
CFC=BRUTAL
HOMEBUILDERS=EVIL
DNA=SHAKEOUT/GAP MASTER