How long have you been in the stock market?

[vindikation]

I've only been swing trading for 2 months. I've learned a lot, but realize I have a HELL of a lot more to learn. I've basically broken even if I subtract my commisions (technically down 2%) but feel that I've learned a lot from my losses and also learned how much commisions can eat into my profits.

Much like poker I'm trying to find a trading style that I feel comfortable with but also one that fits my personality. I have no idea if this is a passing fad, a curious hobby, a part time job or something that someday I might turn into a full time career. It's an interesting journey and education, that's for sure.

[Warren Whitmore]

42 years.

[Uglyowl]

7 years so far and have been happy doing my homework, not trading very much and humming along at 15.2%/annually right now.

I hasn't thrilled doing swing trading for the first year (too stressful and a bitch to do your tax return /images/graemlins/smile.gif and now just have 13 stocks where I hold onto for the most part, read the daily news on and check out the S&P reports at least once per month on.

I have swapped out of on average, 2 stocks per year.

Most people I know are unable to swing trade successfully. I don't think it is something you should view as a get rich scheme, but chug along nicely with low double digit returns as history has proven you can /images/graemlins/smile.gif

about 5yrs here(took a break for a few yrs when vol died),mostly daytrading with the occasional swing trade...what have you traded so far vindikation I might be able to help?

[cdxx]

about 5 years, with the last 3.5 weighing heavily towards MF than stocks. it's probably too little of a timeframe to extrapolate returns. still my MF's have returned about 15% annually, and stocks under 5%.

[vindikation]

[ QUOTE ]
what have you traded so far vindikation I might be able to help?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been experimenting with a number of different things so in that process I've made 29 trades in 2 months (trying a lot of different things to see what I feel comfortable with). Plus the day I started trading was the first day in October and the entire market went into a slump for 3 straight weeks. This was a great welcome mat into the stock market.

I would have been way in the black in November with 2 swing trades on GTRC and MOT but I lost money on ATVI. For various reasons ATVI took a big dive in November. At this time I didn't set stop losses when I bought a stock and the thing just dropped like a rock. I eneded up selling it for a loss 2 weeks ago, but have bought back shares this week. ATVI looks to be ready to bounce back in the next week with analysts being wrong and it being added to the NASDAQ 100 on Decmber 19.

If ATVI goes up $0.50 I'm well in the black for the year and feel that I've learned a good system of swing trading that will work for me. I don't know how long I'll be able to handle the stress of swing trading, but at least I have a system down now that helps me to pick out stocks but also protects me from losses I've experienced in the past.

[Sniper]

[ QUOTE ]
Plus the day I started trading was the first day in October and the entire market went into a slump for 3 straight weeks. This was a great welcome mat into the stock market.

[/ QUOTE ]

Learn to "Short".

[ QUOTE ]
At this time I didn't set stop losses when I bought a stock and the thing just dropped like a rock.

[/ QUOTE ]

You must set stop losses on Swing Trades... protection of capital is your number one priority!

[ QUOTE ]
feel that I've learned a good system of swing trading that will work for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

What system are you using?

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know how long I'll be able to handle the stress of swing trading

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you feel stressed out when playing poker too?

[vindikation]

[ QUOTE ]


Learn to "Short".

[/ QUOTE ]
I made a decision to not start shorting until I can confirm I can make a profit with normal trades. Once I show a profit from normal trading, then I will investigate shorting and set up a margin account.

[ QUOTE ]


You must set stop losses on Swing Trades... protection of capital is your number one priority!

[/ QUOTE ]
I do use stops now, at the time I didn't that's why I lost a lot on that stock. This mistake should never happen again. Every trade I do now, I set up a stop loss.

[ QUOTE ]
What system are you using?

[/ QUOTE ]
I've come up with a something from a combination of things that I've read. CANSLIM, online stock screener ratings and a Swing Trading video from Oliver Velez. I can go into specifics if you want, although it seems like no one here ever really discusses their personal trading systems for whatever reasons.

[ QUOTE ]
Do you feel stressed out when playing poker too?

[/ QUOTE ]
No. As I learn more about trading, I'm starting to feel more comfortable. I'm also trying to find out if I really want to swing trade. It takes time at night, time at my real day job and in the morning when the market opens. I might just find some long term ETF investments and not spend so much time on it. I'm still a novice trying to figure this stuff out.

well i can see where you are going wrong, using canslim for swing trading aint gonna get you good results, swing trading is more geared to news/story and technical analysis....a good example is SIRI now on howard hype, which should probably do 9 with in the next few wks...an example on the ta side would a short on CFC below 30 on heavy selling pressure

[Sniper]

[ QUOTE ]
well i can see where you are going wrong, using canslim for swing trading aint gonna get you good results,

[/ QUOTE ]

ff, I disagree with this part of what you said...

Using CANSLIM as part of his selection process, will ensure that he's making trades in high quality companies... and the cup & handle pattern is a good technical pattern for swing traders!

[vindikation]

The main idea that I use from CANSLIM is a company that is hitting new highs as well as been growing for the past year. Then I wait for a drop of 3 or more losing days from a new high and then buy when there is a positive day that excedes the previous losing day's high. I set a stop loss at the lowest point that the losing day hit. When (and if) it excedes the previous new high then I start thinking about when and how to exit.

[Sniper]

[ QUOTE ]
I made a decision to not start shorting until I can confirm I can make a profit with normal trades. Once I show a profit from normal trading, then I will investigate shorting and set up a margin account.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like the learning mode... just keep in mind, one of the ways a swing trader can reduce "Market risk" is to have a balance of longs and shorts.

To aid your learning process, you might try turning the charts of potential shorts, upside down. For some, this has speeded up the learning curve of identifying good short opportunities.

[ QUOTE ]
I can go into specifics if you want, although it seems like no one here ever really discusses their personal trading systems for whatever reasons.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't really agree with this... it should be fairly easy to tell how most of the active posters are trading/investing.

Since the 70's.