Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 31st July 2015

6 Stock Trades:

2 AAL + 137.06 BPS.
4 BLT + 130.36 BPS.

2 long trades + 67.58 BPS.
4 short trades + 199.84 BPS.

5 intraday trades + 259.97 BPS.
1 overnight trades + 10.45 BPS.

Stocks net  267.42 BPS.

Return on account for the week 0.92 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
I traded 5 days this week.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

Another tough week. July has been a very difficult moth for my style of trading.
Over the month, the FTSE mining index (NMX1770) is down more than 10%. In June it fell 12.95%. The slowdown in China has really spooked the mining sector.

Hoping for better results next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week... a bit of strength creeping into the miners late in the week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 24th July 2015

13 Stock Trades:

2 AAL + 165.36 BPS.
11 BLT - 2429.04 BPS.

8 long trades - 2502.00 BPS.
5 short trades + 238.33 BPS.

10 intraday trades + 378.34 BPS.
3 overnight trades - 2642.02 BPS.

Stocks net  - 2263.68 BPS.

Return on account for the week - 12.65 % net.

I traded 5 days this week.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A horrible week. Took a hit on a longish term BLT trade on Friday, which I should have dumped weeks ago.. All the losses were the result of just 2 trades on BLT. My intraday trades made a modest profit.

Miners were absolutely trashed this week, the index was down 10% over the week, which is a pretty huge move. Poor data from China didn't help the sector.

Gold fell sharply on Monday, breaking the $1100 level for a while.

I am really not happy with my recent performance, basically being a long side trader, trading during a severe bear market. I can never seem to hold onto shorts, even though in hindsight, in this market it has been the best strategy. Even today, I shorted the early rise on AAL, but trailed down my stop and closed @ 822. Later in the afternoon AAL traded well under 800. I should have been more patient.

Hoping for better results next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week, pretty big falls on GLEN, BLT, AAL and RIO:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 17th July 2015

15 Stock Trades:

2 AAL + 43.15 BPS.
13 BLT + 268.61 BPS.

8 long trades + 167.42 BPS.
7 short trades + 144.34 BPS.

14 intraday trades + 272.02 BPS.
1 overnight trade + 39.74 BPS.

Stocks net  + 311.76 BPS.

Return on account for the week + 2.65 % net.

P:L ratio N/A.
I traded 5 days this week.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A difficult week's trading. Choppy markets, although the miners were supported after better than expected Chinese GDP data.
AAL and RIO both issued production reports on Thursday. BLT will do the same next week.

I made a couple of very poor exits, but still a profitable week overall.

Just above my 2.5% weekly target.

Hoping for better results next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 10th July 2015

4 Stock Trades:

1 AAL - 1394.68 BPS.
3 BLT + 86.91 BPS.

4 long trades - 1307.77 BPS.
No short trades.

2 intraday trades + 28.77 BPS.
2 overnight trades - 1336.54 BPS.

Stocks net  - 1307.77 BPS.

I traded 4 days this week.
Return on account for the week - 8.30 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A very poor week's trading.
I closed a swing trade on AAL for a fairly large loss.

Hoping for better results next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week, a bit of blue for a change:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 3rd July 2015

7 Stock Trades:

2 AAL + 38.58 BPS.
5 BLT - 65.60 BPS.

4 long trades - 89.51 BPS.
3 short trades + 62.48 BPS.

4 intraday trades - 7.26 BPS.
3 overnight trades - 19.77 BPS.

Stocks net  - 27.03 BPS.

I traded 4 days this week.
Return on account for the week - 0.43 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A poor week's trading. The Greek crisis meant that markets were jumpy yet again.
Miners were very weak, as was the equity market as a whole. The US markets were closed on Friday for Independence Day.

Hoping for better results next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week, lots of red:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 26th June 2015

11 Stock Trades:

5 AAL + 70.92 BPS.
4 BLT + 131.73 BPS.
1 RIO + 7.69 BPS.
1 STAN + 25.70 BPS.

7 long trades + 171.74 BPS.
4 short trades + 64.31 BPS.

9 intraday trades + 159.13 BPS.
2 overnight trades + 76.92 BPS.

Stocks net  + 236.05 BPS.

I traded 5 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 2.30 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A very tough week's trading. Developments in the Greek crisis meant that markets were jumpy yet again, and I found it a very challenging market to trade. Some of my exits were very poor (mainly on the short side).
Miners found some buyers in the middle of the week but sold off on Thursday and again on Friday.

Below my 2.5% weekly target.

Hoping for better results next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 19th June 2015

17 Stock Trades:

2 AAL + 55.92 BPS.
14 BLT + 221.71 BPS.
1 STAN + 48.36 BPS.

10 long trades + 224.54 BPS.
7 short trades + 101.44 BPS.

16 intraday trades + 314.52 BPS.
1 overnight trade + 11.46 BPS.

Stocks net  + 325.98 BPS.

I traded 5 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 3.24 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A very tough week. Very choppy moves on stocks and indices. I had to scalp what points I could.
Above my 2.5% weekly target.


This shows 15 and 5 min charts of BLT, it's interesting how the first 30 minute highs and lows can often give good support/resistance levels later in the day (green/red dotted lines mark the 30 min high/low):

Hoping for more opportunities next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week, miners sold off again:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 12th June 2015

15 Stock Trades:

9 AAL + 251.30 BPS.
5 BLT + 131.64 BPS.
1 STAN + 168.53 BPS.

10 long trades + 293.40 BPS.
5 short trades + 258.06 BPS.

12 intraday trades + 338.18 BPS.
3 overnight trades + 213.29 BPS.

Stocks net  + 551.46 BPS.

I traded 4 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 4.65 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A half - decent week. Had to be pretty quick, lots of choppy moves on stocks and indices.
Well north of my 2.5% weekly target, at any rate.

We saw some volatility on banks and miners. I made some poor exits. It's so easy to get spooked out a of a decent trade for no good reason. I should let good trades run, but that's not so easy in a choppy market.
Miners recovered some of their early losses later in the week, whilst oil producers were weak, with RDSA making a 52 week low.
Greek developments (or lack of them) contributed to market jitters.
Hoping for more opportunities next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 5th June 2015

17 Stock Trades:

6 AAL + 348.16 BPS.
11 BLT + 413.50 BPS.

12 long trades + 551.50 BPS.
5 short trades + 210.17 BPS.

13 intraday trades + 617.48 BPS.
4 overnight trades + 144.19 BPS.

Stocks net  + 761.67 BPS.

I traded 5 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 6.03 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A better week, and a pretty busy one by my standards.
Lots of volatility in the stocks I watch. A couple of very poor exits. I should have cleared over 1000 BPS, but I guess a profit is better than a loss. I missed a few nice opportunities on the likes of BARC and on VOD on Friday when it gapped up and immediately dropped over 500 BPS.
Still, well above my 2.5% weekly target.

All the talk of a Greek rescue / default produced some volatility on the stock and bond markets.
And then on Friday we had US payrolls, which added to the market volatility.

Hoping for more opportunities next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week, everything in the red:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 29th May 2015

4 Stock Trades:

2 AAL + 29.20 BPS.
2 BLT + 52.78 BPS.

4 long trades + 81.98 BPS.
No short trades.

3 intraday trades + 72.37 BPS.
1 overnight trade + 9.62 BPS.

Stocks net  + 81.98 BPS.

I traded 4 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 1.81 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

Another difficult week. Monday was closed for the bank holiday.
Miners were weak again, although they found a few buyers later in the week.
Well below my 2.5% weekly target.

Hoping for more opportunities next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 22nd May 2015

2 Stock Trades:

2 BLT + 26.03 BPS.



2 long trades + 26.03 BPS.
No short trades.
Stocks net  + 26.03.

1 intraday trade + 18.34 BPS.
1 overnight trade + 7.69 BPS.


I traded 2 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 0.26 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A very difficult week, miners were very weak. I am really poor at shorting big down moves, I find entries very difficult in such circumstances. A nothing week really.

Well below my 2.5% weekly target.

Hoping for more opportunities next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

AAL and BLT Charts May 2015

AAL pulled back to the .618 retracement level on Friday.




BLT pulled back to the .50 level

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 15th May 2015

10 Stock Trades:

7 AAL + 181.71 BPS.
2 BLT + 56.87 BPS.
1 EZJ + 19.41 BPS.


8 long trades + 221.89 BPS.
2 short trades + 36.10 BPS.
Stocks net  + 257.99 BPS.

9 intraday and 1 overnight trade.


I traded 4 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 4.08 % net.
P:L ratio 17.32:1.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A half decent week, although I missed some good opportunities due to other distractions. Some volatility on the miners later in the week.

Some poor exits, but above my 2.5% weekly target.
There was a huge sell off in EZJ after results, unfortunately I only captured a small part of the rebound on the stock.

Hoping for more opportunities next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 8th May 2015

7 Stock Trades:

4 AAL + 114.11 BPS.
1 BARC + 23.68 BPS.
1 BLT + 8.79 BPS.
1 HSBA + 9.09 BPS.


5 long trades + 86.06 BPS.
2 short trades + 69.60 BPS.
Stocks net  + 155.67 BPS.

Intraday and overnight trades.


I traded 4 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 2.68 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A shortened week, London being closed on Monday for the bank holiday.
Some poor exits. Above my 2.5% weekly target at least.
Friday saw a rally after the election result, although this was mainly in banks and utilities.

Hoping for better opportunities next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Trading Summary Week Ended Friday 1st May 2015

 

4 Stock Trades:

2 AAL + 31.77 BPS.
2 STAN + 56.06 BPS.


1 long trade + 16.30 BPS.
3 short trades + 71.52 BPS.
Stocks net  + 87.82 BPS.

All intraday trades.


I traded 3 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 1.63 % net.
P:L ratio 63:1.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A quiet week, struggled to find decent trades, although I missed a very strong reversal on the miners on Friday after Thursday's sell off.


Hoping for better opportunities next week.

Changes on my watch list stocks over the last week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Resumption of This Trade Journal

I shall return to posting regular updates here shortly.

Summary Week Ended Friday 21st November 2014

 

8 Stock Trades:

1 AAL + 102.04 BPS.
7 BLT + 273.79 BPS.

4 long trades + 199.16 BPS.
4 short trades + 176.67 BPS.
Stocks net  + 375.83 BPS.

7 intraday trades, 1 overnight.

I traded 3 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 31.82 % net.
P/L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A much better week, I caught some of the volatility on Friday when China announced a surpise rate cut.
A couple of very early exits.

Hoping for more opportunities next week.

Changes on the week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Summary Week Ended Friday 14th November 2014

 

10 Stock Trades:

2 AAL - 304.25 BPS.
3 BARC + 49.38 BPS.
5 BLT + 24.22 BPS.

7 long trades + 69.51 BPS.
3 short trades - 300.16 BPS.
Stocks net  - 230.65 BPS.

9 intraday trades, 1 overnight.


I traded 5 days this week.
Return on account for the week - 21.95 % net.

No Index trades.

Thoughts

A very poor week, due to a poor entry (and exit) on a short trade on AAL.

Hoping for better opportunities next week.

Changes on the week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Summary Week Ended Friday 7th November 2014

 

7 Stock Trades:

4 AAL + 29.68 BPS.
3 BARC + 27.81 BPS.


4 long trades + 34.10 BPS.
3 short trades + 23.39 BPS.
Stocks net  + 57.49 BPS.

All intraday trades.


I traded 3 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 4.87 % net.
P:L ratio N/A.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A poor week, a couple of very poor exits on BARC.
Markets were rangebound.

Hoping for better opportunities next week.

Changes on the week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.

Summary Week Ended Friday 31st October 2014

 

10 Stock Trades:

5 AAL + 166.82 BPS.
4 BARC + 227.57 BPS.
1 STAN - 172.33 BPS.

6 long trades - 5.51 BPS.
4 short trades + 227.57 BPS.
Stocks net  + 222.06 BPS.

9 intraday trades, 1 overnight.


I traded 4 days this week.
Return on account for the week + 16.70 % net.
P:L ratio 2.81:1.
No Index trades.

Thoughts

A difficult week, a poor STAN trade after results. Fortunately the STAN trade was small, so I actually produced a net profit for the week.
Markets were stronger, although the miners were weak, and both BLT and RIO made new 52 week lows.
STAN fell to levels it last traded at back on 2009.
Meanwhile BARC saw some volatility late on Friday after the BoE released new capital requirements for British banks.

Overall, October has been a bit of a disaster for my trading, and I have lost a lot of confidence.

Hoping for better opportunities next week.

Changes on the week:

Stay disciplined.

Stay focussed.

Stay humble.