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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/29/2019 in Posts
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3 pointsMy Plan to Trading Success: Background: One of my friends from German language class recommended Andrew’s book on ‘How to Day Trade for a Living’. After reading the book, I joined the BBT community in Oct’2018. I was on SIM for 3 months, completed the first BBT challenge. And finally I went live on 8thApr’19. I am new to Trading and hoping my journaling and feedback from fellow members will help me improve. My preparation before going Live: These are the books I read before going Live, apart from the BBT classes. It was very important for me to learn as much before going Live. Also, I read these books in the order mentioned below. I also listened to the Youtube audio version of Trading in the zone, the week before going Live and I must say that it helped calm my nerves a bit during the Live week. -How to Day Trade for a Living by Andrew Aziz - A Complete Guide to Volume Price Analysis by Anna Coulling - Advanced Techniques in Day Trading by Andrew Aziz -Trading in the zone by Mark Douglas -The 1 Hour Trade by Brian Anderson Strategy & Goal: During the first year(or 9 months) in 2019, I don’t have any target to make. My primary goal is to gain experience Live trading, to be emotionally stable when things don’t go my way and manage positions to my plan. And achieve all this limiting my loss. Good thing, I have control over how much I can lose, so I have decided to keep 100$ per week that I can lose (ie. 4000$ till end of the year). This is the max amount I will lose to the market, nothing more. This is not ‘Scarred Money’. It is something that I am paying for my experience. If I make any money along the way, then it’s good. It doesn't mean I dont want to make money, it just means, I am not in a hurry to make money. But I do plan to make a lot of money from trading may be a million $ some day. I also have the following measures to limit myself at the beginning of my Trading. Funding Account: I am not funding my IB account fully. I am doing it in 5 small transfers (roughly one each month). This limits my buying power during the initial months. Even if I make a DAS mistake I can’t buy more shares. As I improve my trading I start funding more. Under PDT rule: This also means, I am under PDT rule, and can make only 3 trades/5 days. This prevents me from overtrading. I am also extremely picky as my trades are limited. I think being picky is a very good habit in Trading. Stocks to trade: I don’t trade $TSLA, $NFLX which are very volatile. I trade $AMD, $MU and other Stocks in Play on a particular day within my price range ($15-$30) and not very volatile. I trade high priced, volatile stocks in DAS simulator or TradingSIM to feed my FOMO. Share size: I trade 50-100 shares per trade, depending on the Stoploss and volatility of the stock. I am not using my Margin from IB, but only Cash that I have funded. As I improve my trading skills, I will slowly increase the share size. Risk Control: Within my 3 Trades a week, first one I give it $50 Loss, 2nd and 3rd one $25 each. But because of my small share size and stoploss, I am well within my allowable losses during initial months. This is second level risk control. Rules: Only one trade at a time. This was my main issue in SIM. I get into multiple trades in SIM and end up in huge losses. Even if the action goes my way, I am unable to exploit it to my advantage as I am unable to follow my profit plan. Stick to my StopLoss: Many days in SIM, I had ignored my Stoploss and ended up in huge losses. Then I make some good trades and reduce my losses. End of the day, It gives me a feeling ‘If only I had respected my StopLoss I would have been green’ Don’t trade within 3 mins: My rule is not to trade within first 3 mins. But if the setup doesn’t exist, then I must wait till 5, 10 or even 15 mins from the open. Trading Style: I prefer VWAP trading (VWAP pullback during ORB, Reversal & False breakout after 10AM). I also like to trade 50/200 MA bounces especially on higher timeframes. I am not good at MA cross reversals. Quote I need to remember while Trading: "You will regret more about the STOP you didn't take than the one you took early"
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3 pointsTodays was not a great day for me, no trades went on my way, but I learned a lot and most important I follow all my rules and goals for today. I traded MOMO 3 times, 2x for the 5min ORB and 1x for the VWAP as resistence level Physical state: -feel a little bit asleep, I worked last night Psychological state before trading session: -calm -focus on rules and being patient -still have some doubts about my abilities Goals for the day: -3 trades max -no trade in first 5 minutes -only 5min ORB and VWAP false breakout Psychological state after trading session: -not happy, but not to disapointed -happy I had follow my rules What I did good: -follow my rules -be calm -managed the risk -dont think about p/l What I learned: -VWAP is strong but the resistence level can be at another level -be cautious to identify new trend like higher high and higher low and dont trade against its wishful thinking How I felt at the moment I took the trade: -calm and confident What I told me during the trade: I was just aware Strategy: 5min ORB Signals: Break the 5min range and VWAP as potential resistence level on the 1min chart Entry: near below the VWAP at 33.66 Stop loss: above VWAP at 33.85 Profit target: low of pre-market at 33.23 Risk/Reward: 2.25:1 Exit: stop loss at 33.83 What I did good: -respect my stop loss -good entry -be in control of my emotions What I learned: -The resitence level could be at another level than the VWAP -maybe on the 5min ORB I should take profit quicker (more scalping) How I felt at the moment I took the trade: -Calm and confident What I told me during the trade: -if the VWAP couldn't support I got out Strategy: -VWAP as resistence level Signals: -on the 1min and 5min chart VWAP seems to be a potentiel resistence level Entry: near below VWAP at 33.63 Stop loss: above VWAP at 33.80 Profit target: low of pre-market at 33.23 Risk/Reward: 2.25:1 Exit: stop loss at 33.78 What I did good: -manage the risk -respect my stop loss -have a clear plan What I learned: -the resistence level wasnt VWAP it was at 33.88ish -The trend has change I short against 5min higher highs and higher lows
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2 points16-Apr-19 Another day, another $AMD trade. I am comfortable trading $AMD because it is traded in huge volume everyday, not very volatile, good spread and most of the days trades well. I have lost my notes for this day. Apparently I was short $AMD below strong Resistence levels (VWAP, 50, 200 MAs). Partial was at 200MA on 5 min and also the LOD. Final partial close to 9MA. $AMD was bullish and didn't touch $27.5 again that day. I also traded $Roku, but got stopped out because the price didn't go my way.
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2 pointsApril 29, 2019 - $AMD (Partial x 2) I took a trade for a 15 minute ORBD, but it was a little outside my edge with regards to the risk to reward. This was mostly due to getting a bad entry, which also contributed to having to exit at the break even after taking a partial. 2nd sample set is complete, which fell on a good week since I will be traveling a lot this week and won't be able to trade Thursday or Friday. Sample Set Results P G S P E S P P P S G 12 13 14 S P S S P 20
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1 point17-Apr-19 It is becoming too predictable now. Another $AMD trade. I didn't think I took $AMD 4 days in a row. $AMD was choppy at the open. Then I was watching other stocks. Took reversal on AMD at around 10.30. Size 100 shares. Entry was around $27.45, Stoploss 10c, Plan was reversal to VWAP. Partialled out above 9MA on 5min/20MA on 2min. $AMD was very bearish on that day. Going long was a bad idea (Knife catching). Scaled out rest of the postion. Small green, but not happy overall with R:R.
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1 point09-Apr-19 2 Trades today. Another AMD trade at the Open. Took short below VWAP, Got stopped out. After the entry, I just watch the Level 2 and have my mouse over the Montage. If L2 hits my Stoploss, I get out immediately. I don't watch the price action at the Open, it can be deceiving making me believe that it is still going my way, when it is not. Re-entered the trade again, when AMD offered a pullback to VWAP. This time it worked out fine. Couple of early partials, as it is already extended. Held the remaining position thru another pullback to VWAP (missed my Stoploss by 2 cents). Remainining position partialled out. Both trades only 100 shares. P.S: I used 'Moving stoploss' - ie) my stoploss is 2 cents above current VWAP and not a fixed price. This gives me flexibilty. My partials are mostly at 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, and sometimes at the technical levels. No constant plans.
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1 pointApril Summary: I have completed my first month Live trading. Total 6 trading days. 5 Green days and 1 red day. This month I will be posting a consolidated summary. Starting May I will try to post it daily. 08-Apr My first day. But I decided I will not trade today, if the setup doesn't come to me. Recollected my hotkeys for Panic situation. Backup access thru mobile. Easier said than done. A very nervous day. I was negative on the first day(-10$). But happy with my trade management. Was very patient till 9th min and entered short below VWAP. Stoploss above VWAP. less than 10C risk. The price action didn't go my way, I was stopped out. Happy that I respected my stoploss, even happier that I didn't partial out or revenge trade. Overall very good First Day. Improvement: Consider entry at 200MA (as it is very clear on hindsight) as price struggled to push thru for 4 mins. Also get out of the trade quickly next time if it doesn't go my way (Guerilla trading).
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1 pointgreat TGT trade. that's the one i should have taken instead of getting chopped up after that.
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1 pointMonday 4/26/2019 I had a well-being score of 6/10 this morning. Nerves were OK. As planned woke up at 4:45am to start the day earlier. Since I woke up earlier I had time to prepare and wrote a full plan for the morning trading as follows: Took two live trades first with AAPL then TGT. Right at the open I was only looking at AAPL for the 1min ORB (per plan). It really setup nicely as a “Vish” setup when it broke through VWAP/200MA/50MA, but at only 22 seconds after the open. I was too uncomfortable to take it that early, though in hind sight that was the perfect entry. Instead I waited until it broke the 204.50 level for more confirmation then went long. The price did make it to my first partial (high of premarket), but then reversed back. Following the rule not to S/O at B/E after 1st partial if there is a strong TL (AAPL only rule), I waited and survived the pull back. I then took two more partials at the 1min highs then finally S/O at B/E. A small winner, but it would have been a solid winner if I entered the trade when the setup occurred. But I shouldn’t be too angry at myself, I am just not prepared to enter a trade that early yet. So it was just a good learning trade that it may be OK to take really early trades if the setup is there. When I took the trade: 1min Chart 5min chart The next trade was with TGT. It was setting up for a nice 5min ORB with an ABCD pattern already forming on the 1min chart. I shorted when the price looked like it was breaking out with a stop the $78 which the last three 1min candles respected. I took a first partial at the $77.50 level and another at previous close. Took a third partial back at the $78.5 level as I was losing faith in the trade. Then out at B/E. What I did good today: Created a morning trading plan. I think it helped my nerves. Also, I shorted a stock. Shorting has been infrequent lately. How did I challenge myself today? I like I didn’t trade a 2min ORB today. I need to learn other setups. What I did bad today: Didn’t enter the AAPL trade when I knew that was the right time to enter. What can I do better tomorrow: Take the trade if the setup is there. If I am uncomfortable how early it is, just take a smaller share size.
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1 pointMonday April 29th, 2019 Sleep: 6.5 hours. Mood: headache and tired. First trade of the day was a short in TGT. it came up the the VWAP, bounced off and made a new 5min low. got in right at the break and it reversed on me immediately at my stop out. Don't know why i keep trying to take those trades on the break there, i did the same thing last week in MU got stopped out exactly the same. GOOD: got out at stop. RFI: taking trades right on the new 5min break and not waiting for the 5min to close. MOOD: tired and frustrated with myself. CONSISTENT: yes. Next trade i tried to take TGT on the long side. something happened with my order execution, it was set to SMRTL but not doing my marketable limit orders on my hotkeys. got a horrible fill on the long side then i could not get out of my position at my stop. i had to restart my DAS to get out of the trade. i have no idea what happened. GOOD: didn't lose too much on the execution error. RFI: taking trades without setups that i'm not comfortable in. MOOD: frustrated. CONSISTENT: i tried to be. Last trade of the day was a double top in TGT. great trade idea that would have worked but i got in too early and then talked myself out of it before it hit my stop loss. it turned right around and hit my profit target. i'm so frustrated with my trading today. the last couple days have been particularly bad. GOOD: recognized a setup and took the trade. RFI: too early on the entry, got out for emotional reasons. MOOD: frustrated. CONSISTENT: no. I'm thinking about going back to sim and working on my trades but i'm going to trade live tomorrow since it's the last day of the month and then re-evaluate. What i did good today: besides the DAS error i didn't let my trades run past my stops. What i did bad today: Same issues as last week. not taking setups and getting in to trades way too early. trying to catch a trend in TGT when it traded in a small rnage. What can i do better tomorrow: Just trade setups. trade stocks that are trending. Other comments for tomorrow: I need to look over my trading in depth once i get some sleep and can think with a clear head.
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1 pointApril 26, 2019 - $AMD (Stopped/Partial x 2) Trade 1 - I got in a little early on the first trade as I was looking for it to bounce of the moving average and go back down. I had a little FOMO as all the chip stocks were selling off and I was not getting in. When $AMD pullback back and than broke the 15 minute opening range I went short. I got out near my stop loss and started looking for another entry on $AMD, $INTC, or $MU (even though I was not inclined to trade $MU). Trade 2 - When I saw $AMD pop above VWAP and failed to pass through the 50 SMA on 1 minute, I started looking for an entry. I entered when the stock dropped with volume and broke the previous day high. My first partial was a little early as I should have let it go all the way to the support level, my second partial was at the low of the day and than I was looking for $27 as my profit target. Instead the stock bounced back and I exited at my break even. Sample Set Results P G S P E S P P P S G 12 13 14 S P S S P 20
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1 pointLive trading summary for the month of April. I have not gone hulk in three months!! I have not hit my daily max loss in 3 months!! I did not make a hot key mistake in the month of April and only two hotkey mistakes in the last 3 months. I also never looked at my unrealized P/L for both months of March and April. So this month ends my 3 month challenge to teach myself not to go hulk. The previous 3 months I had 6 hulk days and 16 max/loss days. It is still a struggle, but I can say that my emotions are in more control now. In April I increased to a two trade/day max rule. I will keep this rule. I haven’t collected enough data to determine if it has been successful. As of now I will not increase my max trades per day yet. Even though my equity was positive and did not go hulk in April I am keeping my risk per trade the same at $42 since I just increased it last week. In April I read (actually listened to) Market Wizards and I highly recommend it. Stats for February/March/April: My plan for February through April was to complete one goal: not to go hulk. Hopefully I improved my trading skills as well, but that was not my primary goal. After three months not hitting daily max loss, my next psychological goal is to be able to take an emotionally controlled trade after a loss. I am still not there yet. Since my hulk goal has been satisfied I will place more emphasis on improving my trading skills. But I want to keep the goals simple, like I did the last 3 months. So my goals for the next 3 months: 1) Don’t go hulk 2) Learn to control your emotions after a loss 3) Implement a score card with the goal that the average trade score for the month should exceed the previous month. Positive equity is not a goal. But If I do have positive equity for the month, did not have a hulk day and my trade score for the month was higher than the previous month, that allows me to increase my risk per trade. Score card (I tried to keep it simple): I can subjectively give myself a score between Good and Great. But if it is not at least Good, I receive a 0% for that category. If it was not good I should not have taken the trade. The setup score is based on the checklist. If it satisfies the checklist I receive at least 40% for that category. I will see how it goes and modify when I learn more. Back testing this score card on April gave me a monthly average score of 81%. So my goal is to improve on that. Also for May I really want to improve my health. That lingering flu I had has really taken me down a few notches. I didn’t work out for 3 weeks. I did run 3 times this week, so I am hoping by the end of May I will be working out consistently.