hard times...

Discussion in 'Trading' started by ebayuser, May 17, 2005.

  1. I feel as if this month has had some good money in it, but when ur on the wrong side of things, it can hurt bad. My monthly P/L is all over the place every day. any others have the same feelings?
     
  2. not at all, what are you trading
     
  3. Trading with sharks and pirahnas gets you that way.

    You're taking too much risk if you're swinging. It ain't that type of market. Everyone in our office is doing less volume and trading, myself included. Gotta take it light otherwise you will get churned to death.
     
  4. not really. if you have your positions keyed up properly it's just a waiting game until you get a big move, like today. in the meantime, taking small gains and lighting your line never hurts. my P/L in the last few weeks has been down in general because i haven't been holding onto gainers, as i usually do. taking a losses is ok for me now only after i decide the action is not that great but i tend to hold through a churn until i decide when one side is about to dominate and fill out my line.
    what you are experiencing is called having to "work" at maintaining precise short-near term targets, positions, entries, and exits so that you are in syn with the market when an overall bigger move is looming. this is if you daytrade throughout the day. the methodology is somewhat different for longer term operators who stay the course as long as a level hasn't been violated. point is, sounds like your plan needs to be re-examined. imo

    alex
     
  5. i think my problem is churning. sometimes ill trade just cause...mostly in nasdaq and nyse. whenever i get any type of size i get murderd. i find myself losing at the open and having a hard time to make it back during the day. i didnt have this problem last month. perhaps, i should wait to enter my trades.
     
  6. first off, don't trade just cause. because, you will be lost with your position in hand ready to give in to the slightest variation or market turbulance. don't trade big size at the open. you can always enter or exit after the retail wave or morning rush. anyway, why would you put on size just cause or at the open? last month was last month. this month is this month. just to clarify. adapt, don't fight with yourself or, you'll lose. markets have been churning since markets have been around. it is nothing worth noting. imo

    alex
     
  7. mustang

    mustang

    In markets like these I find you do have to be alot more selective and stay away from trading the same group of stocks.
     
  8. mynnyme

    mynnyme

    We're +2.4% in Jan, +2.9% in Feb, +2.1% in Mar, +3.4% in Apr, +0.7% so far in May. It's not the market ....