50.50 was the important technical level we were hawking in ETP. Stock In Play. We have our level. ETP opens below, does tons of volume just below the level, and then holds above 50.50. Long right? Easy right? Well if only trading were that easy. Yes we want to be long. But can we stay in the long while responsibly controlling … Read More
No Excuses
I am too tired to rip through charts. This market is too hard. This market is too slow. It’s too nice out to stay for the close. I have to meet some buddies for drinks. I need a faster computer. My platform sucks. My firm doesn’t care. If only someone taught me (fill in the blank). I am not smart … Read More
My Unprepared Interview with SMB
I found this blog post about @smbcapital on Twitter. Is he getting hired? TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011 My unprepared interview with SMB This is my second time in New York but the first time to actually took the time to look around. It is one of the most fascinating city I been to. I feel like everybody walks with a … Read More
The Direction AND the Pattern
“I should have set a wider stop.” “I am such a wuss. I didn’t give my stock enough room.” “Bella, where should I have set my stop so I didn’t get shaken out of that trade?” In Steve’s office we were looking at the results in JBL. JBL had been discussed in the AM Meeting. Lots were long but maybe … Read More
Is the Market Slower and Easier than You Think?
I sit overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, after two cartoons of watermelon and a long morning run. In the middle of a family commitment I am on a non-vacation vacation. Tim Ferris would not be so happy with me as I have started my eating with fructose overload. One of my new favorite guys ripped off an email to me last … Read More
The Risk of Not Being In It
So we were sitting around talking about who was trading what. We came around to ROYL. Some punched it up. “Nice!” “That looks really good!” There was some talk of 6.75 kinda being a level. A quick glance at the intraday charts shows 5.65 resistance. You heard some of: “I would love to pick that up at 5.30 into a … Read More
A Reason to Lighten Up
Everyone wants to get big. Great goal. To trade big responsibly you must have ways to lighten up. Today was one just way in QCOM. So Solo J was in QCOM and looking to get bigger. QCOM was nicely above the longer term resistance at 53. QCOM was also cleanly above a slight intraday level of 53.50. A solid opening … Read More
Grit: The Better Measure of Potential Success
Jonah Lehrer of The Frontal Cortex shared some important new research on the importance of grit. We can use his thoughts to help us become better traders. The second takeaway involves the growing recognition of “non-cognitive” skills like grit and self-control. While such traits have little or nothing to do with intelligence (as measured by IQ scores), they often explain … Read More