A trader on our desk shared this email sent to him by another trader on our desk. It offers a great lesson to the new and developing trader based on the work of Dr. Steenbarger and a trader’s individual experience. I was reading the first chapter of Enhancing Trader Performance by Dr Steenbarger today and I realized that I was … Read More
A Quick Lesson in Tape Reading (ESRX)
I was long ESRX. It had gapped up on positive news. The first moves on the tape in the stock were positive. I liked the move above the open high. I liked the way it moved away from prices. I liked that above 56.50 provided a clear entry if it held above. The idea was shared on SMB Real Time: … Read More
I See Momentum Buying
I settled at my trading station wondering what to trade on this Open. RHT? BBY? AMLN? There had not yet been a price spike on the SMB Radar in health care yet but I would later ask what and where to buy for that sector. BBY showed some consistent selling at 25 so I scalped that down to 24.60 on … Read More
The Market Discriminates Against the Over-thinker and Ill-prepared
Hi Mike, Never wrote you, thought I would try. Had a question. In much of what I see, read, etc., there seems to be a focus there on recruitment and somewhat of a preference to younger people as new traders on your prop desk. PLEASE note that I am not looking for an age discrimination claim here, lol. It’s just … Read More
Is This Trader Complacent or Patient?
Bella, How do you distinguish between patience and complacency? Patience is what I call it when I’m riding a trend. Complacency is what I call it when price initially goes my way, but then retraces and eventually stops me out. This happens to me most in two cases. In these cases I feel as though more aggressively taking profits would … Read More
Why buying a stock at a higher price can be better
I received this review from a really solid young trader. There are two important trading lessons in his thoughts. Can you spot them? Biggest regret today: not using the information I collected on ITMN as a short. I was watching above 17, I had a long bias, but I chose not to buy it because of what I saw. The … Read More
Are You an Overconfident Trader?
Hi Mike, I’ve been trading awhile and I’m certainly getting better at it. I’ve noticed a recurring problem. Whenever I get a good streak going and I start feeling like I’m getting the hang of it, I hit a losing streak. Sometimes it’s a week or two of gains everyday and then a slow meltdown to give it back. I … Read More
Do not spend time mastering the shakeouts (VLO)
Hey Mike, Hope all is going well since we last spoke! I had a quick question for you that I knew you would be able to answer with ease with regard to watching the tape and getting shaken out. I’ve been trading on the LightSpeed simulator to better prepare myself for this summer when I take part in the 5-week training … Read More