Monday, September 26, 2011

Euro Trade

Euro trade for a R 1.0 win. I actually took the trade on the 10 minute chart a few minutes earlier.  There was an engulfing bar near the previos swing high.

A way higher probability trade I should have waited for posted here on the 1 minute chart.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Monday

Traded Aussie dollar short for a R 1.5 win after a retrace in an overall down trend..  It did hit my second target that I was aiming for.  Not a very good exit.  I added to the position but was stopped out on my add with a very tight stop....too bad!!  I took 3 gold trades, they all went in my favour only to be taken out at B.E. or close to B.E.  My goal today was not to over trade.  I think I accomplished that; there just happened to be a lot of great action in the markets today!!

Aussie 5 min:


Thursday, September 15, 2011

Gold

I have been watching Gold all day after it breached a key level on 3 hour chart.  It held below, so I looked for a short entry.  My third try worked after 2 small losses.  I covered at my second target (lower green line).  The thin red line is my trading platform indicating where my stop is.  At this point I lowered it from the original stop at top of swing (thick red line).

Entry:
 3 hour chart key level.
Another entry I should have taken.  Had to let the wife use the computer though.  Still dropping.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Euro S/R

Waiting for the salmon coloured level to break and perhaps run would have been futile today as daily resistance was just overhead.  Dave Landry style arrows told me to sit on my hands.  No trades today. 

Euro 30 min:

Euro daily S/R levels I am watching:


Monday, September 12, 2011

Best Day Ever

Well not my best day.  I remember I made $50,000 in a day "investing" during the tech boom.  Took me a year and a half to lose that money.  Tuition :)  But I digress.

I let my profits run to their targets and  it paid off today for R 6.0.  Today was almost as good as my entire "great" week last week!!!  I realize the markets are volatile and trending nicely....hopefully I can spot these wonderful opportunities in the future.

I was stalking this Aussie trade on the daily timeframe.  Friday printed a bearish engulfing candle bumping up on support @ 1.0400 area.  The second yellow arrow is where I added to my position.  I should have waited for a better entry on the add...but it worked.  R 4.0 total was the final gain.  The blue circles are buy (cover) limit orders.






Euro retraced and filled gap left by weekend.  It produced 2 nice trendlines to play off of.  The second trade where I added printed a 15 min reversal bar at second trendline.  R 2.0 gain in total.


Log:






Friday, September 9, 2011

Trade What I See Revisited

On Tuesday a quote hit home by Thalestrader from Traders Laboratory, ¨Trade what you see not what you think.¨  Then, even more importantly, Richard  has mentioned many times over the years to let winners ride and cut losses.  I still am challenged at both; however, I still came out with one of my best weeks ever after having one of my worst.  

With my broker, Oanda, I can risk any amount per trade.  This amounted to plus R 7.0 since Tuesday morning.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Euro Still Droppin

I traded the Aussie dollar in the morning for a break even result.  This Euro trade was my big winner.  I exited a wee bit early.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Early Bird

Euro has been on a slide and retraced 50% of recent move down. Three bearish candlesticks and an Adam and Eve top led me to take this short Euro trade.  Short break of pin bar and took profits too early.   R1.4 win.


Tuesday, September 6, 2011

I See It

Trade what you see, not what you think.
ThalesTrader

That is what I wrote down and shared with a friend.  I was down R 1.2.  I then traded what I saw, and finished the day up R 1.6.  I realized all my horrible losses were from where I thought the market should go, and talking myself into some sort entry.

Here are my 2 trades after I wrote the quote down.

Euro 10 min chart:
Euro 1 minute chart:

Friday, September 2, 2011

Weak Week

Here is a quote that a friend shared:

"The mistake is not being wrong, the mistake is staying wrong" -- John Hill

That sums up my week.....if I continue to make the same mistakes next week.  The mistake is over trading.  I learned a few new trading methods which enticed me to trade a bit more; however, what has not changed is the requirement to wait for GREAT setups.

Critique:

Good: 
  -Cutting losses.   Greatly improved as week ended.

  -Recognizing proper trendlines.

  -Market structure awareness.


Bad: 
  -Taking too many sub-par setups.

  -reentering trades when not appropriate.

I am very excited for next week.  Apply my goal of restraint each day.

"Remember, the best traders think in a number of unique ways. They have
acquired a mental structure that allows them to trade without fear and, at the same time, keeps them from becoming reckless and committing fear-based errors. This mind-set has a number of components, but the bottom line is that successful traders have virtually eliminated the effects of fear and recklessness from their trading.

However, eliminating fear is only half the equation. The other half is the need to develop restraint
."

Mark DouglasTrading in the Zone


Thursday, September 1, 2011

Wrong When Right

Revenge trading is  insidious.  One thinks he is being wise or nimble...but it is neither as it can damage an account quickly.  Here is the result of my live short Euro trade off the 1 hour T.F.  I initially bailed for minus 0.4 R, only to DOUBLE my position after seeing some bearish action.....or perhaps not bullish action...on the 15 minute timeframe.  I had a much tighter stop.  I then set my buy cover at the R1 target vice R2.  A winner I consider a really poor trade. 



A proper reentry.