Huntermac's Trading Journal

[huntermac 28]

Hello! My name is Hunter. After reviewing loads of free material online and reading several books, I have decided this was a great community to commit my time and money towards to enhance my trading skills. I just recently began on the simulator. My plan is to stay as active as I can in the simulator environment for the next three months. I'm certainly in no rush to pour ample amounts of money into the market, if anything I'm more excited to put to use everything I have learned to see how I do in the simulator. I know when I finally go into live trading that the training and patience will pay itself off over time. 

A little bit about myself: I currently live in north-central Florida but plan on moving to Washington state in March. For my current full time job I am a Police Officer, which is what I have done for the last five years. I'm getting into trading because although I love what I do for work, it is limited in what it can provide to me in regards to income. I find trading fascinating and challenging, I feel like trading offers opportunity for more economic freedom and flexibility. I would love to devote more time towards things that make me happy, and spend more time with family and friends instead of being tied down to a job with a mandatory schedule working 80 hours bi-weekly. 

The benefit to my job is that I work rotating 12 hour shifts, which means that I only work half of the month basically. This will give me great opportunity to practice in the simulator. Days that I am unable to trade, I will be devoting a fair amount of time observing live trades and reading anything to help my psychology and trading habits. 

Without further ado, here begins my journal.

 

1/21/20: 

First recorded day on the journal. I've been dabbling in the simulator beforehand and making trades on some strategies, but none have been recorded for me to reflect on in the future. Started the morning like most, big breakfast and coffee. I enjoyed watching the pre-market show while sipping on a hot coffee and dabbing notes. I wanted to start my trading day off by attempting to trade 1m ORBs, which didn't go so well as you'll see.. 

First trade of the day (SPCE). I tried a 1 minute ORB. This should be the definition of "easier said than done." I found out very quickly that it's not so easy to enter the position where you want to when the price is fluctuating 5-8 cents all over the place. When I hit the key to enter, I entered way above where I wanted to because the price was moving so quick, and the price was so volatile that I felt uncomfortable holding onto it. I got out of the position. Though I didn't lose anything on it, I certainly did not feel good in the slightest being in it.

I will stick with the consensus of not trading in the first five minutes.. 

I then attempted a 2m ORB on that second trade. Little smoother than the 1m ORB lol, but still a little wild. I saw a lot of resistance on the level 2 and saw it was not making a newer 1m high as fast as I wanted or expected it to, so I got out of my position. 

Second trade on SPCE. I then attempted a 15 minute ORB on SPCE, which was a lot easier to trade then anything I tried during those    first five minutes.. 

This was a lot easier to trade. I got into my position after the pull back to VWAP and once it broke the body of the 1st candle. I set a soft stop below VWAP, right below that pullback. I rode it to the top and watched the Level 2. Saw the resistance pile in and began to scale out of the position on the way to the top of the wick. Felt good with this trade and comfortable with it, a lot of time to focus on level 2 and price action on lower time charts. 

Next trade was  UBER

Please disregard that first candle, still getting adjusted to my hotkeys and completed F'd it up a couple times there lol. I was aiming for a 5m ORB. I went back into the ORB trade on the third candlestick when I saw it was making a new 5m high. I obviously left a lot of profit out on this one and got out way too early. I believe it began to lag around the VWAP and pulled back slightly when it hit, so I exited the position. Looking back, I should've took a partial there and see if it continued (which it did). 

 

Next trade was on UBER again. I was looking around on the gappers for a good ABCD opportunity and saw one here. After the large push through VWAP on the 5m I saw the price came down and found support at a technical level. I saw it bounced off the level several times (I should have added to my position a little at that point). I saw the bullish break on level 2 and rode it out. I decided to scale this one out and made a pretty good profit! I was very happy with the trade. The stop loss was set below that technical level it kept bouncing off of. 

 

My last trade (late day) was AMD. I saw that AMD had a good late day rally at around 1500 hours. I thought it may continue and form an ABCD. I watched it pull back and hit the same level of support on the 2nd candle. I got in long and it failed to make a new high. I saw it was finding support on the 9 EMA and stayed in the position. I thought it was going to push possibly close to VWAP right around 51.30. However, I saw a lot of bear pressure and indecision candles and it was nearing end of the trading day. I went ahead and stopped myself out before it dumped on me, which it did. Small loss. My original stop loss was just below the 9EMA, but as that kept decreasing I decided on where I did because of the level 2. 

 

That pretty much concludes my trading day. Definitely going to shy away from 1-2 minute ORBs and stick with 5m and 15m ORBs. 

It's getting pretty late and I'm ready to get to bed now. I will not be able to trade the next two days since I have to work, but I look forward to trading at the open on Friday. Hopefully I can find some good material to cover on my working days away from the simulator. 

Edited January 24, 2020 by huntermac

[Rob C 826]

Hi Huntermac, welcome.

I really like the second trade on SPCE. It's great to see setups on two different time frames. It was a good 15min ORB and on the 1min chart a good ABCD or cup and handle. Aimen, one of the moderators, would have taken that trade when the price bounced from the 9MA. I would have done the same as you and waited for the break out.

[huntermac 28]

1/24/2020

Well, today did not go too well, but that's part of the learning curve. Some of my bigger goals right now are to develop my rules and be consistent with them no matter what. I'm trying to work more on accepting losses and making sure that I stick to those rules so they remain small losses compared to my wins. 

One positive from today is I sold off where I set my stop losses on my losing trades. It's easy to Monday night quarterback your trades and say "if I just held on it would've eventually gone down for that short!" Ultimately, it kept my losses down and my one win from today was a great return and almost made my day neutral versus red. 

I found myself not focusing on one or two particular stocks during the open. Because I'm so new to all of this, I find the need to find every trade setup possible for my strategies, which ultimately works against me because I'm missing out on stocks I had been previously watching because I'm too busy watching 4-5 other stocks. 

Anyways, today I want to go over four trades that I took. Only one of the trades was a winning trade. 

 

First two trades: BYND.

I tried to take a 5m ORB. I was shooting to take my first partial at or near the high of day and judge from there if I was going to go all out or ride it out. It did not work out, the price (very quickly) shot back at me and jumped below my stop very quickly, I got out with a greater loss than I wanted. 

The second BYND trade. I saw the stock pulled back to VWAP and struck resistance at it. I took the trade short however, I stopped myself  when it began to peak over VWAP, where I set my stop loss. I didn't have another level to really judge the stop loss on. It sucked because the trade eventually did plummet about 45 minutes later. I did not continue to monitor the trade because I felt like I would be getting myself stuck in a range + I already had two losses on it, so I moved on to other tickers. 

 

Third trade was AXP. I tried to trade this as a 15m ORB. It broke the body of the previous 15m candle, I went long. The stock immediately turned around on me. I saw the stock go below VWAP on the 5m and stopped myself out. 

 

 

Fourth trade, and the only winner for the day was INTC. 

I saw a good ABCD pattern in the beginning of the day on both the 5m and 15m charts. I saw it found support at the VWAP.  I set my stop loss just above the 20EMA which was close below VWAP. I took partials all the way up to about 68.85. Not real sure what my logic was when I took that first partial at 68.25. I probably should have held longer and started easing out later than I did. 

Edited January 24, 2020 by huntermac

[Rob C 826]

On 1/24/2020 at 1:44 PM, huntermac said:

1/24/2020

Well, today did not go too well, but that's part of the learning curve. Some of my bigger goals right now are to develop my rules and be consistent with them no matter what. I'm trying to work more on accepting losses and making sure that I stick to those rules so they remain small losses compared to my wins. 

 

I like your trading on Friday. It shows planned trading and executing on the plan. Shows lots of discipline. 

Your first trade was a classic 5min ORB going long at the break of the candle body. You were close enough to VWAP that R/R was good (to the high of the day). I usually don't like taking those ORBs with large wicks like that. I do see other traders take them but I am usually not very successful unless the 5min candle has small wicks.

The second trade was a nice false break out. It looks like you might have reached 2R so most traders would have taken a partial. But I am not sure where your stop was.

Third trade was a classic 15min ORB. Yes it could be said the 15min candle was also wicky, but it had a really nice R/R.

Again it was a good day. Impressive for someone just starting out.

[huntermac 28]

8 hours ago, Rob C said:

I like your trading on Friday. It shows planned trading and executing on the plan. Shows lots of discipline. 

Your first trade was a classic 5min ORB going long at the break of the candle body. You were close enough to VWAP that R/R was good (to the high of the day). I usually don't like taking those ORBs with large wicks like that. I do see other traders take them but I am usually not very successful unless the 5min candle has small wicks.

The second trade was a nice false break out. It looks like you might have reached 2R so most traders would have taken a partial. But I am not sure where your stop was.

Third trade was a classic 15min ORB. Yes it could be said the 15min candle was also wicky, but it had a really nice R/R.

Again it was a good day. Impressive for someone just starting out.

Thanks, Rob!

I guess I never put too much thought into the previous candle's wick. This is definitely going to be something I put some focus on to see if it helps with my ORBs and do some back testing with this new Quote mode in simulator. Definitely appreciated sir! 

[Mike B 624]

Welcome,

Keep up the journal, it will help tremendously as you gather more and more data on what you do well and not so well.

[huntermac 28]

Well, I am currently out of state and working on a job prospect in Washington state, so I have not been able to devote much of the last few days to trading or logging my trades. 

I was able to hop on the simulator yesterday for about an hour. I think I learned the meaning of getting "chopped up" when I traded DLPH. 

 

1-28-2020. 

DLPH . 

I took two trades on the 5m chart. I saw a pretty tight body on the 5m chart and saw a good ORB trade opportunity. Wicks weren't too extended, no crazy jumps on the 1 minute. It originally broke below the bottom of the body, I took it short and got stopped at the stop loss (just above VWAP). It then broke the top of the body and I took it long. For whatever reason it did not have a route set on the trade so I jumped in a few seconds later than I wanted. It was hitting heavy resistance at around the $16. I didn't see any technical levels for this area, only that it was a whole dollar figure. I saw the buying momentum die out, took a partial at around $16 and stopped out at breakeven. 

I then waited for the 15 minute. Saw it was a tight body on the 15 minute. Got chopped up again. 

I took it short on the 15 minute, set my stop loss at VWAP. My first partial target was at the 9EMA on the 15 minute, it got close but didn't brake. It turned around on me and I got stopped out. It then broke the top of the 15 minute body. I took it long again with a target of the pre-market high.. It once again came to that $16 level and the momentum flat lined... Took a partial at that level again in hopes it would brake. It again started to turn and stopped me out just above the brake even.

 

 

I was able to trade this morning as well, but not enough time to upload or write on it, so I will do that tomorrow. Little frustrated that I got chopped up on the trade, but it happens. I know whole dollar amounts can really be a good support/resistance level and I think today really proved that to me..

 

[Rob C 826]

Hi Huntermac, you really held to your stops today, which was great.

Sadly, DLPH was a buyout so they tend not to move much and chop around in a range. So it was a difficult trade to take.

[huntermac 28]

11 hours ago, Rob C said:

Hi Huntermac, you really held to your stops today, which was great.

Sadly, DLPH was a buyout so they tend not to move much and chop around in a range. So it was a difficult trade to take.

Thank you, Rob. I can tell why these 3 months in simulation are important. I went back and looked at the complete chart for the day and saw it literally just traded in a tight range all day (and the following). So I will keep that in my mind, stay away from stocks trading on buyouts. 

[huntermac 28]

1-30-20

Alright, still out of state working on this new job prospect. Had to leave early in the morning to take care of some things for the new employer. I was able to trade for about an hour. I was able to take a trade on NNVC. 

 

NNVC

I took a trade on the 5 minute ORB. Got in on the trade short, went to take a partial at the first technical level where I saw it was meeting some support however, when I did this the price literally shot back up around .10 to my break-even as I hit my hotkey. I continued to watch the 1 minute chart and saw it bounced off VWAP twice on a reverse ABCD pattern, so I added to my short position for a target of low of the day, around a 3R. Stop loss for the trade was set slightly above VWAP. I Watched it break and then covered my position right above my target. 

I really like when multiple strategies come together. More people are apt to see the trade from their respective trading strategies, which makes for a promising trade. 

I unfortunately had to leave my Airbnb shortly after for the rest of the day. Hopefully, I'll be able to trade tomorrow morning for the first hour or so. I'll be flying back home on Sunday, so i'll be back on my regular schedule next Monday thankfully. 

[huntermac 28]

2-3-2020

I finally arrived back home late last night. All went well and got the new job, now I need to focus on moving across country. 

I was able to get a good amount of trades in today.

 

AIMT (First two trades).

So, I got stopped out on my first trade. Original plan was to trade a 5m ORB. I saw that the ORB was pretty extended on the 5 minute and thought it was going to go test VWAP. Saw what I thought was an opportunity on the 1m to scalp to the VWAP however, it went right back down. I've never really tested a strategy specific for this and didn't really have a plan on how to properly trade this. Which has taught me that unless you have a defined strategy, then stick with what you know. 

So the second trade, I obviously saw the break on the 5m ORB, also saw a good reverse ABCD pattern on the 1m. I took the trade short. Set me stop loss right above the 9EMA. I saw heavy support on the level 2 so began to cover my position. Not the best risk/reward, but still better than 1:1. 

 

AMD - 

I saw a good ABCD pattern on the 5 minute and a bull flag on the 15m. I saw that it had also tested VWAP and continued to go back up on the 5m, took the trade long. It then went back down to around the 50MA. I still believed it was a false break on the VWAP and saw the confirmation candle following. I should have added to the position there but did not. Took my first partial at the first technical level, and took a few more partials after the resistance break. 

 

MU -

I like tight ORBs on the initial 15m. Saw it break on the 15m and took it long, set the stop below VWAP. unfortunately, I got stopped out. Hindsight, this would've been a beautiful 30m ORB to trade!

 

ROKU - 

Took an ABCD pattern trade on ROKU. Found a good support level on the 5m chart at around 126.50. Set my stop right below that level, was a little timid because I wasn't sure if it was going to do a VWAP test or not, seeing as it was getting extended. But it ended up working in my favor. Took my first partial at the resistance level and took two more partials when I saw some resistance on the tape. Overall good RR on the trade, I was happy with it. 

 

[Rob C 826]

ROKU was a really good trade. You went long right at the new support level. Very nice.

[huntermac 28]

2-4-2020

 

 Trades 1 & 2 AMD-

First AMD trade was a 5m ORB. Took it long, got stopped out. Then I observed a nice ABCD on the 1minute, with good support on the VWAP, I got back into the trade rather quickly when I saw this and went long again. Target was the 2nd technical level. It shot below VWAP and I got stopped out. 

Only pros of the trade was I had a good Risk/reward, and stuck with my stop loss. Kinda got a little frustrated, so I took a minute to get my mind back right and stopped trading AMD for the rest of the day. I felt that the 2nd trade I did was not during sound mind, perhaps revenge trading since my ORB got stopped out and I was already a little irritated with that trade.. 

 

 

3rd trade BYND -

I saw a good ABCD pattern  on the 5m. Saw it couldn't break VWAP twice. Bought into the position. Got stopped out just below VWAP where my stop loss was. It ended up being a false break on VWAP and took off and missed out on that opportunity. I don't see anything wrong with the strategy or trade set up, just got caught in the false break on VWAP, which was unfortunate. 

 

4th trade NIO -

 Final trade was NIO. I saw after a huge breakout that it went down towards the VWAP steadily. Broke VWAP on lower relative volume. Waited for the confirmation candle, it closed above VWAP, then I took the trade on the following candle. Set my stop below the 20EMA. Took a majority of my partials at above 2R and then stopped out at break even. 

[huntermac 28]

2-10-2020

Unfortunately, I had to work today. I was only able to take one trade in the early morning on $LB. 

 

LB

I saw a huge extended 1m candle on the market open. I immediately began waiting for it to pull back. I was hoping it would do a false break of VWAP for a really good stop loss setup however, it pulled up just below VWAP on the 1 minute. I took the trade short. Original goal was a 2R. I saw it losing steam just above my target level. Took a partial. Saw some indecision candles on the 1 minute & 2-minute charts, supplemented with a new 1 minute high. Figured it was going to probably turn back towards the VWAP again. I decided to get out of my entire position at this point. The 23.80 on the 1 minute chart in the photo is where my target was. The technical level just above VWAP at 24.52 was my stop loss.

 

Overall, not a bad trade. I've found recently that I enjoy VWAP reversal trades for a few reasons. 1) They're pretty reliable trades. 2) The stop loss is set at a clear area. 3) It seems you can achieve a pretty good risk/reward out of these trades. 

I have to work again tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be able to find the time to trade the early morning again. 

[huntermac 28]

Alright. So I was too tired to make my post last night for yesterday's early morning trade, so I'll also include that in this post. 

2-11-2020 & 2-12-2020

 

 Trade 1 $S-

Little disappointed with this stock overall. Didn't really pull out of a narrow range throughout the early morning. I managed to profit off a couple small trades. 

First trade was a bounce off of VWAP on the 1 minute. Saw it failed to break VWAP. Had low relative volume. Saw it tried a few times, so I got into the trade long. Target was 8.37 for 2R, I also believed it would probably take off (I was long biased), so I only took a partial. Saw it failed to make a new 1 minute high and then heavy resistance at the 9EMA. Decided to completely get out of my position. 

 

Trade 2 & 3 $S -

 First trade I was trying to buy the break of the 8.37 level. Saw it bounced there. Saw higher lows and higher highs on the 1 minute with increasing volume. I decided to take the trade long and set the stop at 8.30. Ended up getting stopped out. 

On trade 3, I was looking for a false break on VWAP. Saw a gradual ease towards VWAP. I saw it push through and close above VWAP on that bear candle. Waited for the following confirmation candle and then took the trade long. Took a partial at around 8.34 and then closed the position at 8.30 because I had to leave the computer. 

 

 

2-12-2020 Trading Day. 

Definitely wanted to stay away from S today, as I didn't like the price action I had yesterday. Took it off my watch list completely. 

Trade 1 $BBBY

Alright, so first trade was BBBY. Saw a nice break and extension away from VWAP on the 1m and 2m. Waited to see if there was a test/false break on VWAP. Saw it broke through and pushed back up. It then tried again, went slightly below VWAP and then large orders came in on the L2 and it shot back up, I got into the position long. I followed the higher highs and higher lows until I saw volume being to fade out. Took a partial around 11.30 for about a 2R. When I saw it closed as an engulfing candle and then the following candle gapped below it, I got out of the position entirely. 

 

 

Trade 2 $CYBR -

A beautiful gap down in the premarket, I was short biased on this already. I thought people would be covering their short positions and it would break or test VWAP. First trade I shorted it at the break of VWAP but it continued up shortly and I got stopped out. Next candle was engulfing and failed to make a new 5 minute high, I re-entered the position and shorted it. Stop loss set right above the 5 minute highs of the VWAP break. Took a partial and then got out of the position entirely. I was short of a 2R on this. There was some heavy support at around $119, which I assumed was just because it was a whole dollar amount, it never appeared to break that level the rest of the trading day.