August Trading Summary

Note: Only traded 7 days first half of month

RESULTS FOR AUGUST
NQ Contracts:	92
Net $P/L:	-2181
Wins:	10
Losses:	19
Win%:	34
$Commissions:	241
Avg$Win:	94
Avg$Loss:	-164

DIY Investor

Came across this 4-page article which most of us can relate very well to.

MF Global - No Fraud

"Chaos and poor risk control?"  Really?  Sounds like the typical reason for loss in any retail day trader's account!  Sad if our brokers can really get away with that as an excuse...

Tues. 8/14 - Timeout

10:00am CDT - OK, I'm in a funk and can't shake it.  No surprise to most of you reading this.  Today's trading is a perfect textable example of how not to trade during chop. And how not to follow your trading plan. Perhaps I'll try something totally different, and something I've never advocated, and trade a demo account for a bit?  See if that will help me work out my "issues."  No live trades for me until the week after Labor Day at the earliest. Let's see if I can stick to a self imposed break.  The markets suck right now anyways.  Comments off because I've heard everything I need to hear already.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	30
Net $P/L:	-1559
Wins:	0
Losses:	6
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-260

Mon. 8/13

3:00pm CDT - Stopped by a tick on that last one...

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	6
Net $P/L:	-96
Wins:	1
Losses:	2
Win%:	33
Avg$Win:	75
Avg$Loss:	-85

Fri. 8/10

12:35pm CDT - Another mostly dead day.  For the week, net +$261.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	8
Net $P/L:	169
Wins:	2
Losses:	1
Win%:	67
Avg$Win:	127
Avg$Loss:	-85

Thurs. 8/09

3:15pm CDT -

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	4
Net $P/L:	0
Wins:	1
Losses:	1
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	85
Avg$Loss:	-85

Wed. 8/08

2:40pm CDT - Super dead most of the day!  Is it August?

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	12
Net $P/L:	9
Wins:	3
Losses:	3
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	81
Avg$Loss:	-78

Tues. 8/07

2:20pm CDT - Testing yet another system with 2-lots today...

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	6
Net $P/L:	84
Wins:	2
Losses:	1
Win%:	67
Avg$Win:	85
Avg$Loss:	-85

Fri. 8/03

11:50am CDT - One winning traded just after payrolls report followed by a breakeven one that would have been the trade of the day but it was stopped out just as market took off.  Then 4 losers...  After not trading for a couple days my focus was great but again I am questioning my systems. Look for sporadic trading and blog posts in the near future as I sort out my game plan.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	26
Net $P/L:	-788
Wins:	1
Losses:	5
Win%:	17
Avg$Win:	115
Avg$Loss:	-181

July Trading Summary

Net breakdown (contracts traded):
ES $15(4), NQ -$3881(531)

RESULTS FOR JULY
Contracts:	535
Net $P/L:	-3867
Wins:	43
Losses:	87
Win%:	33
$Commissions:	1402
Avg$Win:	304
Avg$Loss:	-195

Tues. 7/31

12:40pm CDT - No trading yesterday. So much for closing the month on a high note today.  A low note it is.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	24
Net $P/L:	-1833
Wins:	0
Losses:	3
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-611

Fri. 7/27

12:50pm CDT - Was done mid-morning and not much to show except a linear-ish downward sloping line. For the week, net loss -$1261.  I plan to simplify things before my next trading day.  I'm really trading too many systems concurrently on the NQ and my focus is not as crisp as it needs to be.  And today, this week, and this month, I have demonstrated no discernible edge.  The journey continues...

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	32
Net $P/L:	-1134
Wins:	0
Losses:	7
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-162

Thurs. 7/26

2:35pm CDT -

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	44
Net $P/L:	505
Wins:	4
Losses:	6
Win%:	40
Avg$Win:	287
Avg$Loss:	-107

Wed. 7/25

3:00pm CDT - This was not the day I started working smarter...  Quitting after Trade #1 would have been smart.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	68
Net $P/L:	-298
Wins:	3
Losses:	13
Win%:	19
Avg$Win:	593
Avg$Loss:	-160

Tues. 7/24

2:50pm CDT - I need to work smarter, not harder...

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	44
Net $P/L:	375
Wins:	5
Losses:	6
Win%:	45
Avg$Win:	219
Avg$Loss:	-120

Mon. 7/23

2:30pm CDT - I'm due for an easy day this week, at least one...  But I don't think the market cares.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	28
Net $P/L:	-708
Wins:	1
Losses:	6
Win%:	14
Avg$Win:	235
Avg$Loss:	-157

Fri. 7/20

2:50pm CDT - Tough day at the office. Was content after I got back to high of the day...  For the week, net gain +$579.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	41
Net $P/L:	343
Wins:	6
Losses:	5
Win%:	55
Avg$Win:	203
Avg$Loss:	-175

Thurs. 7/19

2:45pm CDT - Not a bad day considering the choppy swings.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	20
Net $P/L:	528
Wins:	3
Losses:	2
Win%:	60
Avg$Win:	283
Avg$Loss:	-161

Wed. 7/18

2:00pm CDT - Once again, just out of sync.  Missed any fills on the initial up move and then got chopped around or trail stopped out early rest of day.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	20
Net $P/L:	-422
Wins:	2
Losses:	3
Win%:	40
Avg$Win:	204
Avg$Loss:	-277

Tues. 7/17

4:00pm CDT -

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	12
Net $P/L:	634
Wins:	3
Losses:	0
Win%:	100
Avg$Win:	211
Avg$Loss:	0

Mon. 7/16

3:10pm CDT - After the 1st trade, systems were ebbing when they should have been flowing and vice versa.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	20
Net $P/L:	-502
Wins:	1
Losses:	4
Win%:	20
Avg$Win:	439
Avg$Loss:	-235

Fri. 7/13

1:55pm CDT - Friday the 13th struck today and I made an unusual mistake.  I entered an order with only 2 lots instead of the intended 4.  Of course that trade was a winner and I didn't realize the error until I exited. For the week, net gain +$232.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	14
Net $P/L:	123
Wins:	2
Losses:	2
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	242
Avg$Loss:	-180

Thurs. 7/12

2:55pm CDT - First, thanks to those who voiced support after a recent anonymous commenter decided he should tell me that I should give up and get a job. I choose not to respond and have deleted his comments and tightened up comments (for now) so anons can’t comment. Being a blogger opens you up to all sorts of things and this just comes with the territory. I have thick skin and literally nothing can be said to me by someone I don’t know and respect that will affect my psyche or trading or goals or anything! ‘Nuff said...

As for today, and recent trading, I really need to go back and revisit my system exits. I know it’s impossible to catch all or even most of any given move but I am not happy with seeing where some of my exits are.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	16
Net $P/L:	458
Wins:	2
Losses:	2
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	449
Avg$Loss:	-220

Wed. 7/11

2:45pm CDT -

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	36
Net $P/L:	-304
Wins:	3
Losses:	6
Win%:	33
Avg$Win:	310
Avg$Loss:	-206

Who's Next?

3:00pm CDT - Lots of potential in today's market.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	24
Net $P/L:	937
Wins:	3
Losses:	3
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	436
Avg$Loss:	-124

Sorry to all the PFG customers out there! I really sickens me that another broker has failed to meet regulations by not keeping customer funds segregated! Something needs to be done. Trading is hard enough without worrying about the safety of our funds (beyond the risk of our own losing trades)! This article gives me more to worry about as my broker, OEC, is 11th from bottom.

I also just learned today that OEC is being sold to Gain Capital for $12 million, effective next quarter sometime.  OEC has been owned by Schwab for the past year which I think is a slightly better name than a Forex bucket shop!  Should I be worried about Gain?

Speaking of Forex, I found this interesting (links to past quarters under the table).

Mon. 7/09

2:30pm CDT - Just like last Monday starting the week in the hole. I did realize a problem with the multiple systems I am trading on NQ that I need to give some thought to correct.  I had conflicting signals today and the one I took was a loser and the one I didn't was, of course, a winner.  Do I just let them cancel each other out and not trade?  Perhaps that is the best approach. Or is one a higher expectancy than other?

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	16
Net $P/L:	-982
Wins:	0
Losses:	4
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-246

Fri. 7/06

4:25pm CDT - Tough day for me as I did not get any signals during the morning sell-off so missed that huge 40+ point NQ drop.  (I should clarify that there were no signals in the systems that were part of my trading plan today.)  For the week, net -$1584.

Net breakdown (contracts traded): 

ES $15(4), NQ -$2(16)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	20
Net $P/L:	13
Wins:	3
Losses:	3
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	290
Avg$Loss:	-286

Thurs. 7/05

3:00pm CDT - 4 losers to start off followed by a decent winner.

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	20
Net $P/L:	-292
Wins:	1
Losses:	4
Win%:	20
Avg$Win:	470
Avg$Loss:	-191

Tues. 7/03

12:35pm CDT - Short day for equities but did get a few signals.  BE on one, a 1 pt. loss on another, and a 4+ point winner on the third which I missed because I was in the kitchen just before the power went out for about 20 min.  Happy Birthday America!

RESULTS FOR DAY
NQ Contracts:	8
Net $P/L:	-101
Wins:	0
Losses:	2
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-50