What a Day!

Today I was revisited by an old friend - Never fight the fed. I went into the evening by staying short on all of my positions. I made the assumption that LEH would fall the way of BSC and the morning would have a negative open and then a recovery by mid morning looking for the Fed's interest rate cut. I was mistaken. My account was halfed today, however, I still believe we are in a bear market. The indictors still point to a downward trend. In addition, the volume of today's rally was not high. In addition, the VIX movement was very interesting. I completely didn't watch the VIX this time and I paid the price. Never again.

What a good few weeks!

My account is up over 50% since I started posting. Mostly on shorts on the QQQQ, XLF and today was C.

A good couple of trading days. I have been scalping a profits on smaller positions to take my line in large positions. I current how 35 contracts March 41 QQQQ Puts. If the charts move as they should this should break to the downside to about 39. My cost is .63 per contract.

However, my only concern is will it happen prior to the expiration date of this month. In addition, the Friday jobs number will be a major concern also.

My current positions are short on QQQQ and long GLD.

Sold my GLD on Friday.

Made about 2% on the my trade after commissions.

Also, I am still short on the NASDAQ. The bond rating still maintaining AAA was for a good pop today. However, we are still on the consolidation period.

Long on the Gold Spiders - Bot GLD

I bot GLD (gld spiders at 91.51) at Etrade.

Also, still short on the market (NASDAQ)

Current positions:

Long GLD
Short Nasdaq

Nail biting several days - Not!

I have been watching the market since the bounce off the minor support several days ago. The market put in a brief acsending triangle and I was tempted to reverse my support position on the NASDAQ and go long prior to the 2 day pop but didn't. It was a standard triangle with decline volume with increasing prices. But, I didn't want to lose my position for a short-term pop no matter how tempting. It was nice that my chart reading was nice.

I am still short on the NASDAQ. It will be interesting to see the support at the minor support within the next few days. The market technicals say it is pulling back.

Still Short on the Nasdaq

I believe the market will continue to decline to the next support at approximately 2050. QQQ very active at the March 40 strike price.

Went Short on the Nasdaq

I went short on the Nasdaq today 2/4. The decision was based on the head-and-shoulders pattern that had developed over the past several months. The neckline was broken with the recent decline and retested on Friday and Monday. I believe the market retested and will roll over. Thus I went short on the Nasdaq today.

About Me and My Background

I am a 39 year old entrepreneur living in Michigan. I have been an entrepreneur since I was 14 years old. I have started and owned several businesses over the years. In addition to being an entrepreneur, I was also a licensed real estate agent from age 18 - 25. At 25, I changed careers and earned my Series 7 license.

From 1995 until 2006 I was in the financial services industry. I also held a registered investment advisor license from 2000 until 2006. From 2000 until 2006 I was a mutual fund, separate account and annuity wholesaler. This means I worked directly for the money manager selling investment products to stockbrokers, investment advisors, etc. so they would resell these products to thier clients.

I soon learned the better gifts I gave to the brokers, (t-shirts, golf balls, pens, etc.) the more of their clients money they gave. It is amazing how much money a broker would invest into my funds after I give them a box of golf balls and treated them to a steak dinner.

If you don't believe this is how the investment industry works, you need to look around your brokers office. The majority of brokers have trinkets, golf balls, wear T-shirts, pens, etc. from numerous mutual fund companies.

The next time you are in your brokers office ask them why they have all these gifts from the mutual fund companies. After they stop spuddering and trying not to answer your question, ask them why they are suggesting a particular mutual fund to you. It is probably because they will receive a steak dinner coming from the mutual fund company.

During this time I was able to see inside the actual practices of hundreds of stockbrokers across the country. For the most part, they didn't have a clue about investment management or investing money. Most of them simply gathered assets with the goal of charging a fee and selling their books (practice) a few years in the future.

The goal of the average broker was to build up a huge monthly stream of fee-based income, generated by the assets under management, and live off this stream until they retired.

However, I also met a few very good advisors who actually did a very good job for their clients. But they were few and far between.

With the Internet and the technology available today, I firmly believe that anyone with the desire to learn can manage their own portfolio.

I am starting this Blog with $13,000 of my own money to fund my own trading account. I will post the trades and gain/loss after every trade. In addition, I will be offering my insight on why the trade worked or didn't work. I don't plan on trading everyday, but I will be an active trade.

Most of my trades will be in options, stocks, leveraged mutual funds, selling calls, etc.. I will not be purchasing penny stocks. I don't believe in them since many are hyped by promoters.

I no longer hold my Series 7 license since I believe the days of the stockbroker has past. This information post on this blog is not investment advice. It is simply my way of me keeping track of the logic and reasons behind my trades. If you need professional advice, you will not get it here. Seek out one of the few good brokers or advisors. Good luck and good trading.