I shorted HPQ on the Open at 43.70 but no for size. It is more than a point lower and I am reviewing whether I was a wuss, my intuition not to short with size was appropriate, or something else. At SMB we make trading decisions based upon three factors: Reading the Tape, Intraday Fundamentals, and Technical Analysis. HPQ had … Read More
3…2…1…Live
I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestioned ability of a man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor. — Henry David Thoreau Our June class will go live on Tuesday. Home of an interesting cast of characters like: 100 Push Ups, Everyone’s Best Friend, Iron Mike Mike, Trend Line, the Air Canada boys featuring 1000 Questions, The Staten Island … Read More
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
A bottle of red, a bottle of white, Whatever kind of mood you’re in tonight I’ll meet you anytime you want In our Italian Restaurant. Billy Joel A twenty something professional trader enters Zagat’s highest rated Italian restaurant in Soho for a free dinner with a founding partner of his firm. It’s Soho so all this was preceded by four … Read More
A Conversation on a Prop Desk
Trader Casey,”Bella what do you think of my OCR short at 22.50 today?” “What was your plan?” I asked. “I wanted to catch the move from 22.50 to 22.10, the next level.” “What was your stop?” “Bella it was 22.52.” “You probably would have needed a stop of 22.66 for that play to work consistently. So you would have had … Read More
Hearing, Trusting and Trading
Huge HT to @traderinterviews, the place to listen to profitable, experienced traders share market lessons, for sharing an important video on trust. More specifically on trusting your teammates. Or to us on trusting our trading teammates. Please watch below. Let’s walk through logically why it is so important as traders to develop the skill to gather trading ideas with your … Read More
Was it Really Your Level? Really?
After the Open we meet with our new class and ask them to share a good trade from the open. There was a lot of I bought at this important level and the stock only went up from there. Was it really the level? So the first Newb saunters up to our 65inch flat screen which displays our charts, announces … Read More
SMB Trade of the Week- Bearish Momentum Trade (VPRT)
Each week we share with you a trading pattern that we use consistently on our desk. Like most successful traders (all?) we have measured the win rate for this trade. In short we are giving you an intraday trading pattern that works. In this SMB Trade of the Week we will share a Bearish Momentum Trade that we made in … Read More
Traders Ask: One Good Trade?
From Reader Angel: When you refer to “One Good Trade, then another One Good Trade, then another” does this imply that new traders should never have multiple positions on at the same time, but should instead focus on one position (i.e. One Good Trade) at any given time? After the trade is over, then move on to the next “One … Read More