Mixed Messages

I'm done trading for the day because I can't figure out what is going on.

Here's a few examples of what I mean...

The AD has been bearish most of the day but the TRIN has been mostly bullish.

The S&P and Dow are down for the day, but the COMP is positive.

Half of the latin-american names I watch are down and half are up.

Same with the fertilizers, POT up good, TNH down, CF flat.

In other words, it's hard to discern any type of trend in this market today and since volume is light and I've lost in the last 3 trades I made, I'm walking away.

I don't have a lot to offer today as far as trades go. Nothing really worked much in my favor or really against me. I had a couple of instances where I should have let things run more. Case in point, TNH.

I got short at 11:41 as the stock traded above 136. I figured he might hit some resistance in this area due to the action on Tuesday. He ran up near 137 and turned tail, heading south. I covered at 1:37 as the market looked to be rallying and it was getting close to my entry.

Instead, I should have held my stop in this situation because he wasn't showing "strength". I was skittish. I took a small profit when instead I could have taken a few points.

So I'm not forcing anything. Today, afterall, is the day when the toddlers come to pee on our carpets and rip down our window treatments. I need to mentally prepare for the chaos.


Sorry for the lame post, but it was a lame trading day.


Here's the stats:


P&L, $15
Best, HXM, $131
Worst, NOV, -$128


shares traded, 6400
stocks traded, 14, 7 positive, 7 negative
total trades, 49