Lessons

1. If VIX is under 26, buy the dip. If VIX is over 26, sell the rip.

2. Always trade in the direction of the larger trend. Find the strongest trend in your time period.

3. Nothing as bearish as a failed breakout. Nothing as bullish as a failed break down.

4. Don't worry about the last dollar. Take your money and go to the beach!

5. No more than four positions at a time. Preferably 2-4. Scope out others. Pick the strongest.

6. Buy the strongest; sell (short) the weakest.

7. Nothing is guaranteed. Nothing.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

ST Top

Short SP at 929.5 or so (or, actually, long SDS, at $65.90 and $66.37).

50 shares at average price of $66.51 (including commission).

Short SSO at SPX 932 or so. (SSO at $27.8 after commission.)

Stop out at 938.

Target SP 885?

Update - 12:40 p.m.  Market has surprising strength today.  We are up to 935 now, and I shorted at 930 or so.  It looks like the market is in a slow turnover process.  Maybe a double top at 943; if so we should go down tomorrow and the day after.  I'm a bit nervous about having to cover my shorts, but I can always sell one or two shares of the longs if I get a margin call.  

STOP out at 938?  I feel pretty strongly about my shorts, though.  And there is no leverage involved.  Stop changed to 940?

The reassuring thing is that this rise is on low volume; middle of the day chop?

No comments: