An NYSE Scalper's Tale - A Trader's Diary

Thursday, February 23, 2006

A Shortened Trading Day

Gross: +$262.60
Net: +$209.52
Loss From Top: 0
Trades: 28
Shares Traded: 56080

Stocks Traded Today (net profit/loss):
Pfizer (PFE) : +$188.87
JP Morgan (JPM): +$53.18
Tyco (TYC): +$41.53
Bell South (BLS): +$25.60
Merck (MRK): -$1.63
Time Warner (TWX): -$6.94
Corning (GLW): -$91.10

I had to leave early today because Enbridge Gas was doing maintenance in the complex I live in and they needed someone at home in the afternoon as they needed access to the house. I left today at 2:30PM.

Today I wasn't really feeling the markets at all. I guess it was because I knew that I needed to leave early and that I would miss the most of the afternoon action. I missed many opportunities in the morning because I was slow to react and the trades that I did manage to get myself into could have been held for bigger profits.

My best trade today occurred on Pfizer (PFE). Around 12:30PM PFE had an uptrend going and approached some resistance at $26.20 that had about 800 size on the ask. Prices hung around that level for a few minutes, but then the S&P Futures ripped upwards, so I went long 5000 shares at $26.20. The S&P Futures continued ripping up, but I felt uncomfortable because PFE was seemed rather reluctant to go up. Thus I exited my position as follows: 2-cent winner (3000 shares) and 4-cent winner (2000 shares).

My biggest losing trade today occured on Corning (GLW). At 10:22AM, GLW had a really strong uptrend going. It approached resistance at $25.00 (I think there was about 1500 size on the ask at $25.00). The $25 level eventually broke, but I was a little too slow and I only got 100 shares (I attempted to long 5000 shares). I was upset that GLW continued up another 10-cents and I only had 100 shares, so I added to my position - another 900 shares at $25.10 (overall, I was long 1000 shares at an average price of $25.09). I figured the uptrend was strong, but unfortunately GLW went back down. It went down soo fast I got out of my position entire position at $25.00 for a $90 loser.