Hey Bella, I was reviewing my trade from VVUS today, and there were two things I forgot to run by you that I was thinking about during the trade. First, I used our discussion on the steepness of moves to help me stay in the trade. I have had problems with past trades where I would get into a position, … Read More
How to tell a stock is breaking down (EDU)
Bella, A couple quick questions on EDU based on what you were discussing in the meeting after the close: I was watching EDU and felt that the 15.70 level was more important intraday support than 15.50. The push down to 15.50 happened simultaneously with the market exhausting its downtrend before pulling back, and at the time it looked like EDU … Read More
Trading Bigger (GMCR)
GMCR from 7/16 Where to add size on this play? I thought about it all day and discussed it with a number of other traders. One camp was “be big at 19.20, the 2nd time, at 11:20am with an out in the mid 30s”. I can’t totally agree with this. I don’t think you can get that big there, responsibly. … Read More
Should you quit trading?
Hey Mike, How are you? Everything at SMB going well? Life outside of work is good? If you have the time, I could use some advice. I have now been trading about 10 months at (firm deleted) and learning from one of the best traders. For our style of trading, the firm as a whole finds this to be one … Read More
Trade Execution
Hey Mike, I had a quick question with regard to order execution style and what orders you use. I know that on our keyboard, we have presets for ARCABidTier and ARCAOfferTier that are limit orders and the custom SWEEP keys that are market orders that process 3c through the bid or the offer. Although I’m working on my keyboarding skills … Read More
Traders Ask: What is a Competitive Trader?
Question: I hear a lot about the value of a competitiveness in trading success. Analogies are made with the striving for peak performance seen in athletes and entrepreneurs. One thing about this puzzles me, and I’d appreciate the thoughts of others with more experience and success. When I trade I am trying to get better: to make good trades and, inhibit … Read More
I felt a rip coming
I caught a scalp for the first downmove in DSW. I caught the upmove from above 52.12 to near 53. And I caught the downmove from below 52.50 to 51.65. I looked at my PnL and I was barely positive. How is that possible? I was not trading DSW on the open with size as it was so early and … Read More
One day on the street with a professional trader
In the article Book Takes a Look Inside Professional Day Traders, national columnist Joel Stein is spotted $100,000 to try his hand at professional intraday trading for one day. Matt Nadell, @tradecrushers, a guest blogger at SMBU Blog, in Chicago gives Joel a taste of the nerve-wrecking excitement that trading can offer while teaching him basics along the way. Highlights: … Read More