Stock market day trading thread

[mrpink]

I'm waiting on my funds to settle. meanwhile I watching and trying to figure out my next move. I don't have the funds to short except by buying short etf's. had I bought zsl (2x short silver) I would be making money now. I didn't like the idea of being stuck holding waiting on my funds to settle in case it went against me.

[clovis]

Originally Posted by zong

You do know that fighting the trend is a lot like trying to stop a train. When the markets roll over and head down, ride them down short. look at this. I drew an uptrend line then a downtrend line. Which one of those you want to try to fight? the correct answer is neither. Sure, once in a while you'll nail the bottom. But you'll get ran over a heck of a lot if you insist on fighting the trend. (chart is TF, the Russell 2000 futures. All the US market indices trade pretty much in tandem)

Thanks for the chart and info, zong.

As you can see, I'm not a chart guy, and am just about as clueless to the markets as anyone could get.

I just saw some decent price points on stocks that I like, and assumed it was just a pull back on the market.

I'd venture to say that some of you are spending more in trading fees than I am able to invest in the markets. Sad, but true.

It costs $4.02(at IB) for a round-trip trade on Dow Jones, S&P500, Russell and Nasdaq futures. $4.62 for the big oil contract(a very dangerous trading tool, since it fluctuates hard and faster than you can blink.) There are lots of places to study up on charts.

[mrpink]

clovis I'm with you an the charts. I've looked and read about them and don't understand a thing. apparently I'm about as clueless about the market. silver is up so silver miners are up, and darned if I understand but zsl is up as well. tells me I need to stay out of the market today.

[clovis]

The charts work for many people, and I am all for it.

For the type of investing we are doing, which is LT buy and hold with the payoff hopefully being some dividend income at retirement, the charts aren't such an important tool...at least it seems to me.

I do use them, but not to the extent that others do.

[clovis]

Originally Posted by zong

It costs $4.02(at IB) for a round-trip trade on Dow Jones, S&P500, Russell and Nasdaq futures. $4.62 for the big oil contract(a very dangerous trading tool, since it fluctuates hard and faster than you can blink.) There are lots of places to study up on charts.

I bet that you really are spending more in trading fees than we are able to invest every month.

If ya'll knew how small time I really am, you'd probably kick me off the thread and ban me from ever posting again, LOL.

I do enjoy this thread, very, very much. I've learned a ton of stuff here, and I hope everyone keeps sharing and posting.

[Michael W. Smith]

Originally Posted by clovis

If ya'll knew how small time I really am, you'd probably kick me off the thread and ban me from ever posting again, LOL.

Hey Clovis, you have to start somewhere. And those little amounts you invest now will certainly add up over time with increases in the stock price plus the dividends reinvesting!!

I got interested in investing in my late 20's or early 30's. Of course, once you get into it - you could kick yourself for all the money you "threw away" when you were younger!

As the years go by, retirement looms ahead - and time does go fast! I'm 44, so still have probably 20+ years, but I'm saving what I can. And it's incredible how it does add up - especially when you have several years of bull markets.

Consider yourself lucky that you are investing "small amounts". I know many people my age (or older) that don't invest anything.

[clovis]

Originally Posted by Michael W. Smith

Hey Clovis, you have to start somewhere. And those little amounts you invest now will certainly add up over time with increases in the stock price plus the dividends reinvesting!!

I got interested in investing in my late 20's or early 30's. Of course, once you get into it - you could kick yourself for all the money you "threw away" when you were younger!

As the years go by, retirement looms ahead - and time does go fast! I'm 44, so still have probably 20+ years, but I'm saving what I can. And it's incredible how it does add up - especially when you have several years of bull markets.

Consider yourself lucky that you are investing "small amounts". I know many people my age (or older) that don't invest anything.

I know you won't believe this, but my wife and I had this exact conversation this morning, about 30 minutes ago.

It isn't the first time we've had this conversation, but each time we talk about it, I always say "I wish I would have started this sooner...even $20 a week."

It is easy to forget that it was a different world back then. The local broker wanted at least $100 deposits at a time, and trades were like $55 round trip.

[clovis]

I should add...there were weeks when I was younger when $20 was a bunch of money to me. Many people were the same way...they just didn't have an extra $20 a week.

I look back at the local brokers in town years ago. One was so outlandishly arrogant that I'm surprised that he didn't drown when it rained, and wouldn't even open an account for me as a teen. The other broker was at least open to a teen opening an account (but I had to have my dad sign for the account), but made it clear that I needed to deposit at least $100 each time "to make it worth our time".

It is kind of funny now, how high-falutin' they were, and how much money they potentially lost.

[willow_girl]

Anyone make a buck yesterday?! When DH told me over the phone that the market had closed up 200 points, I thought he was jagging me. "No, srsly ..."

[Tobster]

Originally Posted by willow_girl

Anyone make a buck yesterday?! When DH told me over the phone that the market had closed up 200 points, I thought he was jagging me. "No, srsly ..."

I covered part of my position in DDD and made a few dollars. Started buying it a couple of months ago. I kept buying it on the way down and was in the red for a while. It split 2 for 1 a few weeks ago as did LULU recently. For some reason when they split, they seem to rally.

APKT, was up over 5% yesterday and then down 7% today? APKT is one of my favorite trading stocks. Excellent movement in the stock. Bought it today, will see if it bounces.

[willow_girl]

Wow, that one did fall off the cliff yesterday, didn't it? I wonder if it was the big sell-off prior to the earnings report coming out tonight? If it rallies today, I'd grab the money and run!

OK, here's one to watch: EGY. I bought this back in March, and it promptly went down, so I've been holding it ever since. At one point, it was something like 13% underwater, but I liked the company so I hung in there. It's been slowly coming back, has had a few good days with more than 4% gains in the past two weeks. SmartConsensus just moved it to Buy from Hold, and MarketEdge upgraded it, too.

[frogmammy]

So, is anyone buying right now? Make that, anyone HERE.

Mon

[clovis]

Originally Posted by frogmammy

So, is anyone buying right now? Make that, anyone HERE.

Mon

I picked up a few shares this week, as did my dad. Lots and lots of bargains out there.

I wish I had the cash to day trade...I could have made some $$$$ this week. Right now, I am buying and holding for dividend income.

[Halfway]

WMT, WFC, KO, COP, CVX, CAG, T, and more WMT. Add some USB for 10 year horizon as well.

Hedge it all with equal amounts of SDS (percentage wise) to maintain sanity.

[clovis]

Last week, I urged someone to buy AES when it was down in the low $9 range. I urged them again and again.

I figured that if they would have bought 300 shares then, and sold it today, they would have profited almost $500.

[Halfway]

Originally Posted by clovis

Last week, I urged someone to buy AES when it was down in the low $9 range. I urged them again and again.

I figured that if they would have bought 300 shares then, and sold it today, they would have profited almost $500.

You can only hope. I did the same thing but with COP a year ago. Yeah, he is regretting it pretty hard.

But, no sense in fretting over the past.

[frogmammy]

....FINALLY took my $$$ down to a Scottrade office and opened an account yesterday! They told me that since it was near the end of the day, the $$$ would be in my account by this morning and I'd be good to go!

But I don't know WHERE I want to go!

My DH used to say invest in shoelaces, everyone ALWAYS needs shoelaces! Well, I listened to my grandmother talk about the depression and they used string instead of shoelaces, so there goes THAT theory!

I remember when my uncle got involved in the stock market in the late 1950's and IBM, Zerox, Poleroid were all "new" and he had a piece of each.

So, what do any of YOU see as the next "best" thing to come down the pike?

Myself, I'm thinking it's scooters.

Mon

[clovis]

Originally Posted by frogmammy

....FINALLY took my $$$ down to a Scottrade office and opened an account yesterday! They told me that since it was near the end of the day, the $$$ would be in my account by this morning and I'd be good to go!

But I don't know WHERE I want to go!

My DH used to say invest in shoelaces, everyone ALWAYS needs shoelaces! Well, I listened to my grandmother talk about the depression and they used string instead of shoelaces, so there goes THAT theory!

I remember when my uncle got involved in the stock market in the late 1950's and IBM, Zerox, Poleroid were all "new" and he had a piece of each.

So, what do any of YOU see as the next "best" thing to come down the pike?

Myself, I'm thinking it's scooters.

Mon

Congrats on getting your account set up. I really like Scottrade as a brokerage firm, especially one guy that works at my local office.

I wish I could steer you towards million dollar stocks.

My investing approach is different than most here, mainly because my funds are extremely limited. I'm looking at long term buy and hold for retirement. Other than that, I have to live vicariously through the day traders that post here.

Three tips I learned long ago:

1. Buy good solid stock.
2. Hindsight is 20/20 vision.
3. Don't be greedy or bet the farm.

Are you investing for long term, or day trading?

[frogmammy]

I turn 65 this year...there IS no long term!

All I'm looking for is to make more than 1.5 % on what's there....that's what my BEST income from the banks has been. So maybe call it a mix of long and day, just however the spirit moves me, I'm not tied to one or the other.

Mon