8/8/2009

• back from vacation, semi rested...
• looking forward to trading on monday...
• no systemic swing entries generated for the 4pm friday close...however, i noticed that a signal ('SB IDX') was generated at 415pm...not sure why it was then and not at 4pm when the trading behavior was essentially the same...i need to look into this...in any case, i am going to enter the order in the EMDU09 when the sunday night session begins...
• i am going to try something new...a blend of systemic trading and discretionary trading...for my money management stop, instead of using the fixed percentage size that the model ('SB IDX') calls for (2.6%), i am going to use the 15 minute pivots carved out over the past week or so during the regular and the overnight session...i have identified 4 pivots, where 1/4 of the total position size will be stopped out if that pivot gets taken out...i will hold all the non-stopped lots until closing time on monday...i will be getting smaller if the position goes against my entry price, but staying large if it goes in my favor....
• this blend of systemic and discretionary trading, with this level of detail is new for me...i am not sure if this will help my trading by fine tuning the systemically modeled stops to the current environment, or if i am just playing games and looking for a reason to change the systemic trading plan which is not supposed to be changed...i am not clear on this...however, the above plan came to me last night when i was reviewing the systemic models signals...i haven't made any decent money in nearly 40 days, so perhaps i am trying to mix things up a bit....somehow this adjusted trading plan feels right, but who knows, i could just be playing games and breaking the primary rule of systemic trading: always take each and every signal exactly as prescribed...
• had some seasickness while on vacation...spent some time chilling and conceptualizing how markets move...this led to an insight for the systemic intraday ES trading model...i am looking to begin coding this up on monday...
• sold one of nine IRA/custodial FAS lots on thursday 8/6, booking 75% on that lot...8 more lots to go (currently up 40-82% on them), with sell limit orders in the mid 80's, 90's and 100's...

Disclosure: Long FAS.

***remember this is an illustration of what i am trading and my thinking...it is not a recommendation for you or anyone else to buy or sell this or any other security***