Fri. 10/11

2:50pm CDT - A good week but same problem as yesterday.  Trailed a stop too soon and too tight.  For the week net +$3052.  I heard this song today and it reminded me, like many things do, of my trading journey.  Comments from last Friday's post seem to indicate that opinions are across the board regarding not having a back up plan as a winning attribute.  Time will tell.  In the meantime, I will carry on!

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	5
Net $P/L:	512
Wins:	1
Losses:	0
Win%:	100
Avg$Win:	512
Avg$Loss:	0

Thurs. 10/10

3:00pm CDT - When will I learn?  Had 4 good trade entries but only got 6 pts. out of the 41 pt. NQ range today.  When trades go instantly in my favor, I tend to trail a stop to quickly and, of course, I get stopped.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	23
Net $P/L:	575
Wins:	4
Losses:	1
Win%:	80
Avg$Win:	147
Avg$Loss:	-13

Wed. 10/09

3:25pm CDT - Last 3 trades today were CL.  I mistakenly thought there might some good, tradeable moves just after the inventory report.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
NQ $848(20), CL -$243(3)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	23
Net $P/L:	604
Wins:	3
Losses:	4
Win%:	43
Avg$Win:	516
Avg$Loss:	-236

Tues. 10/08

9:35am CDT -

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	5
Net $P/L:	987
Wins:	1
Losses:	0
Win%:	100
Avg$Win:	987
Avg$Loss:	0

Mon. 10/07

2:30pm CDT -

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	10
Net $P/L:	374
Wins:	1
Losses:	1
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	987
Avg$Loss:	-613

Fri. 10/04

12:45pm CDT - Revamped the trade plan to focus on slower timeframe charts, fewer trades (2-3 per day per symbol), and wider stops.  Of course the market laughs at my plan on the first day trading it.  And the 4th trade, which I did not take, went over $2500 in the money.  What do they say, without bad luck I'd have no luck at all?

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	15
Net $P/L:	-2089
Wins:	0
Losses:	3
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-696

Weekend thoughts: This graphic spoke to me when I saw it. "You're going to have to sell" doesn't really apply but the rest are spot on when it comes to trading imho. I really like "Don't have a backup plan!" :)
** 8 Things Successful People Traders Do and Why They Work **

Thurs. 10/03

3:15pm CDT - Before my daily curve fell off a cliff, I had at least 6 NQ trades that stopped out at breakeven to instantly go at least 5 pts in the planned direction.  Extreme frustration.  Took a large loss on trade #21 because I decided my stops were too tight for today's wild action.  That didn't work either.  Discretionary trading is still as hard as ever...

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS -$46(4), NQ -$1525(101)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	105
Net $P/L:	-1570
Wins:	7
Losses:	15
Win%:	32
Avg$Win:	97
Avg$Loss:	-150

Wed. 10/02

3:00pm CDT - Couldn't quite get back yesterday's loss but close enough.  Captured some consecutive screen shots of ZS DOM which shows why you shouldn't always let really high ASK quantity keep you from taking longs.

  

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $4(4), NQ $807(45)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	49
Net $P/L:	811
Wins:	6
Losses:	5
Win%:	55
Avg$Win:	246
Avg$Loss:	-133

Tues. 10/01

11:20am CDT - NQ did not cooperate and I overtraded a bit in the chop to try to make something happen.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $129(4), CL -$4(1), NQ -$1115(65)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	70
Net $P/L:	-990
Wins:	4
Losses:	11
Win%:	27
Avg$Win:	175
Avg$Loss:	-154

An update on my old TF system which I haven't traded in 2 months. Turns out I've only missed a tiny drawdown:

Quarter 3 2013 Trading Results

September Trading Summary

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $289(116), CL -$800(18), NQ $2415(330), ES -$128(6), 6E $741(2)

RESULTS FOR SEPTEMBER
Contracts:	472
Net $P/L:	2517
Wins:	63
Losses:	80
Win%:	44
$Commissions:	1568
Avg$Win:	282
Avg$Loss:	-191

Mon. 9/30

2:50pm CDT - End of month and quarter was as good of day as any to log my best day in 2 years.  Now to repeat this more often.  Over past 2 years, 13 days I have lost more than the negative of today's number.  That pretty much sums things up.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
CL $1(2), NQ $2074(10)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	12
Net $P/L:	2075
Wins:	2
Losses:	1
Win%:	67
Avg$Win:	1084
Avg$Loss:	-94

Fri. 9/27

2:30pm CDT - 2 trades was enough today.  For the week, net gain +$507.
Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $190(2), NQ $712(5)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	7
Net $P/L:	902
Wins:	2
Losses:	0
Win%:	100
Avg$Win:	451
Avg$Loss:	0

Thurs. 9/26

2:40pm CDT - Another roller coaster day.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS -$21(4), NQ $582(45)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	49
Net $P/L:	561
Wins:	4
Losses:	5
Win%:	44
Avg$Win:	459
Avg$Loss:	-255

Wed. 9/25

1:50pm CDT - Good recovery only to give it all back.  Frustrating...

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS -$362(12), NQ -$105(40), ES -$128(6)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	58
Net $P/L:	-595
Wins:	6
Losses:	10
Win%:	38
Avg$Win:	217
Avg$Loss:	-190

Tues. 9/24

2:50pm CDT - Could have held trade #12 in NQ - it went pretty smoothly up another $1400 from where I got out!

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
CL -$278(4), NQ -$720(65)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	69
Net $P/L:	-998
Wins:	5
Losses:	12
Win%:	29
Avg$Win:	155
Avg$Loss:	-148

Mon. 9/23

10:35am CDT - Some huge swings in NQ could have made for a really stellar day.  But the most I got on any of my 4 NQ trades was 2 points.  Got to learn to hold 'em...
Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $190(2), NQ $448(20)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	22
Net $P/L:	637
Wins:	5
Losses:	0
Win%:	100
Avg$Win:	127
Avg$Loss:	0

Fri. 9/20

9:25am CDT - Ending week early on a high note and why not with quadruple witching?  Psychologically, I needed a winning week (net +$945) after last week even though I only got back 1/3 of that week's net loss.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $704(4), NQ -$226(10), CL $26(1)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	15
Net $P/L:	504
Wins:	3
Losses:	2
Win%:	60
Avg$Win:	243
Avg$Loss:	-113

Thurs. 9/19

1:30pm CDT -

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS -$216(8), NQ $435(25)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	33
Net $P/L:	218
Wins:	5
Losses:	4
Win%:	56
Avg$Win:	223
Avg$Loss:	-224

Wed. 9/18 - Forex Thieves

3:05pm CDT - Traded cautiously after FOMC rate announcement. If only I hadn't trailed my stop so quickly after my first NQ long trade.  It could have been a one and done day...

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $296(30), 6E $433(1)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	31
Net $P/L:	729
Wins:	4
Losses:	3
Win%:	57
Avg$Win:	192
Avg$Loss:	-13

As if anyone didn't know, more proof here, regarding FXDD, that Forex dealers are thieves! And isn't FXDD one of the more reputable ones? 

"FXDD used asymmetrical slippage parameters on its principal trading platform, meaning that the system favored FXDD over its customers in slippage situations. Based on these parameters, FXDD rejected a customer’s order when the price slipped more than 2 pips in the customer’s favor (and instead re-quoted the customer the new, less favorable price), but filled a customer’s order at the original price if the price slipped in FXDD’s favor by more than 2 pips. As a result, FXDD benefited from slippage of more than 2 pips in its favor between order placement and order execution, but did not allow its customers to benefit from similar price changes in their favor."

Tues. 9/17

2:00pm CDT -
Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $409(8), NQ -$13(5)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	13
Net $P/L:	396
Wins:	2
Losses:	3
Win%:	40
Avg$Win:	452
Avg$Loss:	-170

Mon. 9/16

3:15pm CDT -

RESULTS FOR DAY
ZS Contracts:	10
Net $P/L:	-902
Wins:	0
Losses:	5
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-180

Thurs. 9/12

12:15pm CDT - Crop report trading is either tough or easy depending on how your first trade goes. Today it was tough.  Not happy with my trading the past few days so I'm taking a short break.

RESULTS FOR DAY
ZS Contracts:	24
Net $P/L:	-949
Wins:	5
Losses:	7
Win%:	42
Avg$Win:	440
Avg$Loss:	-450

Wed. 9/11

1:45pm CDT - Dead day today with just a 7 cent range in beans. Crop report tomorrow should liven things up in grains.
Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS -$606(6), NQ -$188(5)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	11
Net $P/L:	-794
Wins:	0
Losses:	4
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-199

Tues. 9/10

9:45am CDT - Should have quit earlier.  No patience today with the chop.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS -$496(4), CL -$288(4), NQ -$912(35)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	43
Net $P/L:	-1695
Wins:	2
Losses:	11
Win%:	15
Avg$Win:	99
Avg$Loss:	-172

Mon. 9/09

2:20pm CDT - Down $200 early then made it back and then sum on a bean short trade.  It went down another $1000 without me.  But singles and doubles are fine as they say...
Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $344(6), CL $51(2), NQ -$13(5)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	13
Net $P/L:	382
Wins:	4
Losses:	2
Win%:	67
Avg$Win:	158
Avg$Loss:	-124

Fri. 9/06

12:00pm CDT - Lots of movement today in the eminis but I didn't get in and/or stops didn't hold! The morning range was impressive and took just a half hour to drop down and about an hour to go back up.  The range for just 1 contract was:  NQ $965, TF $2130, YM $1115, ES $1237.  This is a good reminder how much bang you get for your commission dollar, if, like me, you pay the same rate for all the eminis. 

I traded my 6E system for 1st time today and had 1 trade. I took it off early however mostly because I didn't want to wait until the close to exit.  All in all a good short week with net gain +$2045.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $290(2), CL $6(1), NQ -$114(15), 6E $308(1)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	19
Net $P/L:	489
Wins:	4
Losses:	2
Win%:	67
Avg$Win:	229
Avg$Loss:	-213

Thurs. 9/05

2:15pm CDT - 2 losers to start out, then 2 winners. Quit while I'm ahead today.

RESULTS FOR DAY
ZS Contracts:	8
Net $P/L:	409
Wins:	2
Losses:	2
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	302
Avg$Loss:	-98

Wed. 9/04

2:10pm CDT - Couldn't make any headway today in CL or NQ. ZS responded much nicer.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $790(14), CL -$317(4), NQ -$426(10)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	28
Net $P/L:	46
Wins:	6
Losses:	7
Win%:	46
Avg$Win:	169
Avg$Loss:	-139

Tues. 9/03

2:00pm CDT - Can I have all 20 Sept. trading days like this?
Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ZS $515(2), NQ $587(5)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	7
Net $P/L:	1102
Wins:	2
Losses:	0
Win%:	100
Avg$Win:	551
Avg$Loss:	0