Solitaire Trader

February 2006

For February 2006 the portfolio was down -2.40%.

The Russell 2000 was down -0.35%.

Over the last 12 months the portfolio is up +18.48% while the Russell 2000 was up +15.23%.

A Bad Day

Today was a really bad day.  To have such a bad day on the last day of the month, when the market should normally be up or at least flat, is sending a signal.  I was going to move into sell mode on Thursday or Friday, but went into sell mode immediately at the open today.  Actually, it was kind of amazing that only two stocks hit their stops today, given all the carnage.  I am moving up stops especially tight now.

The first day of the month is usually very strong.  If we are down tomorrow, that will be an even bigger signal that something is really wrong.

After two months, I'm sitting at exactly 50% in winning trades for the year.  However, I'm nicely profitable since the winning trades are making me 2.6 times what the losing trades are losing.  So it is like flipping a coin and winning $2.60 for heads and losing a $1 for tails.  It's not sexy but it is making money.  I'm well ahead of my profit goal for the first two months.  In fact, I've made my goal for the first whole quarter, maybe I should quit now!

Sold SWN, APOL

Sold SWN today at 31.77 for a -9.40% loss.  It hit its stop.  This was purchased on February 17th.  Another energy stock that didn't work out.  Fortunately, this was a small position.

Sold APOL today at 50.61 for a -10.42% loss.  It blew through its stop on a big gap down.  One lot was purchased on January 27th and another lot was purchased on February 22nd.  This was one of those big gaps down, obviously I blew this trade big time.  This was my biggest loss for February, but it wasn't as big as one of my January losses.  That there were two lots of this was what really hurt.

2/28/06

The portfolio was down -1.51% today.   

The Russell 2000 was down -1.35%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 38 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.60 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 26 stocks, 18 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was down -1.51% today.   

The Russell 2000 was down -1.35%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 38 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.60 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 26 stocks, 18 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was down -1.51% today.   

The Russell 2000 was down -1.35%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 38 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.60 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 26 stocks, 18 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was down -1.51% today.   

The Russell 2000 was down -1.35%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 38 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.60 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 26 stocks, 18 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was down -1.51% today.   

The Russell 2000 was down -1.35%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 38 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.60 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 26 stocks, 18 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was down -1.51% today.   

The Russell 2000 was down -1.35%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 38 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.60 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 26 stocks, 18 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was down -1.51% today.   

The Russell 2000 was down -1.35%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 38 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.60 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 26 stocks, 18 are up and 8 are down.

MNTA

Bought MNTA today at 24.32.

This is an additional smaller lot to my buy of February 15th.  It pulled back a bit and offered what looked like another good entry point.

ARNA

Bought ARNA today at 17.81.

Another breakout.  I made a lot on this between September and January, I'm back in again.

INFA

Bought INFA today at 16.14.

This was a breakout.  I've owned this stock before.

Sold UPL

Sold UPL today at 54.31 for a -6.71% loss. It hit its stop.  This was purchased on February 17th.

My energy buys aren't working out too well, the others may soon be joining UPL if they don't start going up.

2/27/06

The portfolio was up +0.62% today.   The portfolio is at its highest level since its all time high on February 1st.

The Russell 2000 was up +0.55%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 35 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.71 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 28 stocks, 20 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was up +0.62% today.   The portfolio is at its highest level since its all time high on February 1st.

The Russell 2000 was up +0.55%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 35 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.71 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 28 stocks, 20 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was up +0.62% today.   The portfolio is at its highest level since its all time high on February 1st.

The Russell 2000 was up +0.55%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 35 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.71 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 28 stocks, 20 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was up +0.62% today.   The portfolio is at its highest level since its all time high on February 1st.

The Russell 2000 was up +0.55%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 35 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.71 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 28 stocks, 20 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was up +0.62% today.   The portfolio is at its highest level since its all time high on February 1st.

The Russell 2000 was up +0.55%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 35 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.71 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 28 stocks, 20 are up and 8 are down.

The portfolio was up +0.62% today.   The portfolio is at its highest level since its all time high on February 1st.

The Russell 2000 was up +0.55%.

The score for the year in completed trades is 38 winners and 35 losers.   The average profit amount is 2.71 times the average loss amount.  The current portfolio contains 28 stocks, 20 are up and 8 are down.

No Weekly Review

There was no weekly review this past weekend because I was ill.

However, we can now answer the question from the comments of a recent post about when the change of month rally starts.  It starts today.