August Trading Results

Note: No trades the last 2.5 weeks of the month
Net breakdown:
ES -$235, GCL -$584, ZS -$3749

RESULTS FOR AUGUST
Contracts:	180
Net $P/L:	-4528
Wins:	33
Losses:	59
Win%:	36
$Commissions:	850
Avg$Win:	190
Avg$Loss:	-183

ES Trading

Likely beginning soon, I will start trading a new ES system and will no longer trade anything else for the time being. ES had been in my arsenal many years ago but I guess I needed a long break before really thinking about it again. 2007 was the last time I really traded it with full focus. And that ended a bit badly as some of you may recall.

This time around, things should, no they will be better. I have revamped what I was doing back in 2007 and instead of “averaging down” with an absurdly huge/no stop point, the holy mother of all trading sins some would argue, I will be “scaling into full-size positions.” I have developed 2 Ninja indicators that tell me when to start looking for a trade, what direction that trade will be in, and at what points I will scale in. Basically I begin to enter on a retrace of an established trend. The deeper the retrace, the more committed until I reach a full size position or take profits (all out, no scaling), or am stopped out.

The exiting part of plan is still being tweaked and backtested but will involve R:R of at least 1. Some SIM trades from today: Total 26 ES contracts, 5 trades, $1950 in SIM profit. Of course this means nothing on a simulator, which I rarely use, but wanted to get my ES sea legs back under me.

Clock with Seconds

1:30pm CDT - I'm still here.... Toiling away on systems work. I haven't made a single trade all week but admit I've been watching to see how my ZSRO system would have performed. 8 losers in a row this week and zero winners. So I've "saved" myself $2000 so far by not trading. Haha - take THAT Mr. Market!

If you're like me and hate the system tray clock on Windows down on the lower right of your monitor, I found an answer. Why on earth Windows doesn't allow you to display seconds is beyond me. Even if you don't trade minute charts, it's nice to know how many seconds are left before the market opens, closes, news is released, etc. This simple software works great: http://stoicjoker.com/TClock.

Fri. 8/12

1:45pm CDT - ZSRO had 2 losers again today. I'm getting more serious next week about Mon.'s post about less trading and blogging and more strategy reassessment/development. Net loss for the week of -$717.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS -$518(6)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	6
Net $P/L:	-518
Wins:	0
Losses:	2
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-259

Thurs. 8/11

2:05pm CDT - ZSRO had 2 losers today but I caught 4 ES points testing out a new method I've been working on this week. Still need a better exit plan and then lots of backtesting.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS -$481(6), ES $210(1)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	7
Net $P/L:	-271
Wins:	1
Losses:	2
Win%:	33
Avg$Win:	210
Avg$Loss:	-240

Wed. 8/10

1:15pm CDT - 2 ZSRO system trades today.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS $344(6)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	6
Net $P/L:	344
Wins:	1
Losses:	1
Win%:	50
Avg$Win:	585
Avg$Loss:	-240

Tues. 8/09

3:00pm CDT - Hung on overnight on my ES 1150 long and exited today for 3.25 pts with 11 min. left in the session, thanks to trailing my stop too close after price finally popped over my entry. Could have had 20 pts. if I had held to the close. How's THAT for risk:reward. Risked 73 pts. (overnight low), to make 3!! I'm sure it will hit my target of 1200 sooner rather than later but I decided I didn't want to endure the overnight gyrations. After all, I'm a trader, not an investor...

Just made 1 ZSRO system trade today.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS $435(3), ES $158(1)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	4
Net $P/L:	593
Wins:	2
Losses:	0
Win%:	100
Avg$Win:	297
Avg$Loss:	0

E-Trade Baby Loses Everything

For all the investors out there, this seems appropriate after the last few days!

Mon. 8/08

3:45pm CDT - I’m back and systems are still sucking wind although I feel recharged. That said, you should expect my trading and posts to be sporadic for the next week or so. I’m going to spend some time rethinking my systems and strategies. Not sure where this will lead me but thoughts of larger timeframes, bigger targets and stops, less breakout and more retrace entries will be at the forefront.

In the meantime, my thought of buying ES at 1236 last week returned. This market is very oversold and so I bought 1 ES at 1150 as a position trade/investment. I plan to hold until 1200 or higher but will not let things get too much lower on the downside since I am now sitting on -$1900 unrealized.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS -$924(12)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	12
Net $P/L:	-924
Wins:	0
Losses:	4
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-231

Fri. 8/05

1:30pm CDT - No time to write... Net loss for the week -$3811.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS -$635(14), ES $290(6)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	20
Net $P/L:	-345
Wins:	3
Losses:	4
Win%:	43
Avg$Win:	238
Avg$Loss:	-265

Thurs. 8/04

1:35pm CDT - Felt less gloomy today. Although I did nearly have a brain fart when I saw ES open so low and had the thought of buying ~1236 and holding a contract! Glad that thought was fleeting as it's now trading 1210... Winner and loser in ZSRO for $300, 4 MAG trades which scratched in total, and a $200 winner in DOE system.

Looking forward to going off the technology grid this weekend and become one with nature. Buddha would be proud. I'm sure I won't escape the thoughts of charts dancing in my head though.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS $477(19)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	19
Net $P/L:	477
Wins:	5
Losses:	3
Win%:	63
Avg$Win:	223
Avg$Loss:	-212

Wed. 8/03

1:35pm CDT - Well, once again, I am ending my short "experiment" in discretionary trading. I was up $200 in CL and $60 in ES before giving it all back and then some. I just didn’t have it in me today to fight back (which may be a good thing). I feel like my trading is again at a crossroads as new lows on the year creep into my accounts. ZSMAG had a couple winners but DOE and RO both had losers. Maybe I need new systems too!?

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS -$625(17), ES -$286(3), CL -$255(26)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	46
Net $P/L:	-1167
Wins:	11
Losses:	17
Win%:	39
Avg$Win:	147
Avg$Loss:	-164

Tues. 8/02

2:25pm CDT - Was up $500+ in ZS until a couple DOE trades sucked that under water. Discretionary trades in CL and ES didn't help either but I am optimistic my "still under development" approach will add value, eventually, to the bottom line.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS -$220(16), ES -$276(4), CL -$329(20)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	40
Net $P/L:	-825
Wins:	10
Losses:	18
Win%:	36
Avg$Win:	142
Avg$Loss:	-125

Mon. 8/01

1:35pm CDT - This had to be one of my most unluckiest days ever. Traded my system signals just fine but could not get a winner for anything. 3 trades came within a tick of target but I ended up stopped on all. You may notice I took a couple ES trades too. Haven't traded that in ages but will be dabbling this month on the discretionary side with ES and perhaps CL and 6E.

Net breakdown (contracts traded):

ZS -$1600(17), ES -$349(3)

RESULTS FOR DAY
Contracts:	20
Net $P/L:	-1949
Wins:	0
Losses:	8
Win%:	0
Avg$Win:	0
Avg$Loss:	-244