2011 Totals

2011 was a pretty quite year in that I didn't start trading until Sept. My portfolio is $25K and I finished with +$1323.03. It's also +5.3%, but I think % is a bit misleading because if, for example, a guy with 1K portfolio comes out, trade forex and makes $1000. Sure, he made 100%, but is it the same as $100K portfolio doubled? I don't think so.

I still have a hard time pulling the trigger. When I didn't know anything, I had no problem getting in, but now I'm very very cautious ended up missing a lot. I still have old bad habits of watching markets tick-by-tick once I get in, which probably doesn't help at all. I hope to make an improvement on this.

I also realized that I didn't do any update on 2009/2010 P/L. At the beginning of 2009, I was down a lot, but made all back + some before I withdrew all to build a house.

Jan and Feb totals

I was not going to post 2009 totals until I become profitable because it's embarrassing in all honesty. But all of sudden, I thought it's more embarrassing to try to hide what my current loss is. That's not why I started this blog. I'm not sure if this blog will last forever, but I should be honest about myself not only when I'm profitable but also I'm not.

Anyway, I lost about 30K for Jan and Feb and I'm not sure when I can get out of that drawdown, but it'll work out and I need to be patient.  

2009 Profit / Loss

I was not so diligent updating the totals. I was down a lot at the beginning of the year, but made all back plus some (a grand or two), but all in all, I think this was a scratch year. I withdrew all to build a house and hope to be back after the done is done.

2008 wrap up

2008 started with a lot of hope. I implemented a new strategy, which utilize a long term trades. Just like any other trades, 2 positions immediately went against me. At one point my drawdown was close to -$20K under an excuse of 'long term trade'. I know I had to keep adding, but I simply got scared, so I didn't add. Sure, as soon as I decided not to add, markets went in my favor and gave me about $7K profit. Had I added and followed my initial plan, this trade would have been $40K trade.

After I exited 'early' on my first trade, I decided that I should really follow my plan and keep adding if this lumber long term trade keeps going down. Whatever number in Murphy's law says, as soon as I start adding more, markets started making new lows. I'm still holding my lumber trade since Jan 2008. I made quite a bit of money in different trading, but lumber is just sucking all the blood out of me. I begin to believe lumber might go to zero (or free). It sucks, but I keep telling myself to be patient. Because of this, I can't build my house, which has been planned for a year now just in case I need to add more.

Good news is I found a solid strategy in day-trading. I feel comfortable taking stops and it seems to work both in trending and choppy markets. I'd like to quit my job if I can get a home loan. Getting a home loan as self-employed is extremely difficult ever since sub-prime started.

Regardless, I managed to close 2008 with whopping 4K profit although I have open-losing positions. You can tell by looking at the difference between liquidating value v.s closed. Good news is I'm ahead of 95%, so called, fund managers. Furthermore, I didn't lose a dime in my 403b and I made 5% on my Roth IRA. Preserving money is good, but still, I should be able to make in both up and down markets, right?

Anyway, what's done is done and I'd like to move forward. Good luck to me and everybody who visits this blog.

Oct P/L

I updated my Oct P/L. Not a good month, but I think it could have been worse. I mainly have only one position, Lumber. While everybody was liquidating everything, Lumber was no exception. One big mistake I made was I didn't quite understand about inflation and deflation in terms of diversification. Lumber benefits from economy inflation and Soybean-meal spread (remember?) trade benefits from deflation. In other words, while losing money on Lumber , the bean spread would have offset it. I got positioned the bean spread while we were going through inflation, which was good, but I exited too early. Markets got deflated, and I didn't have any position to hedge Lumber deflation.

I'm overall about break-even year-to-date where most of my money is. I'm not sure if I should be happy about that result, but I guess I'm still surviving.

Profit / Loss update

I updated my 2008 Profit / Loss. I decided to put the P/L based on liquidating value, which is more accurate instead of close-based value.

I'm up as much as the last year, but not by much. I must admit that it was more stressful this year because of the bean-meal position trades. Now that I exited that position, markets will go my direction. Isn't it what markets do any way?

The good news is I've been doing very well practicing a new strategy. My goal is to quit my day-job, by early January.

Monthly Total - Feb 2008

Day trading account: +$934.48
Swing trading account: $0

Even if the swing account shows zero, I have a huge drawdown in open positions. I'll include them once I close them. Last year I was not that good at day trading, but this year has been consistent (I know they are small but steadily growing).

Monthly Total - Jan 2008

Day trading account: +$576.86
Swing trading account: +$4.68
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Total: +$581.54

I did only handful day-trades this month. Luckily all turned out to be winners. I will eventually have a loser, but I will keep it as small as possible (less than $200 for YM and $400 for grains).

Not much on swing trades. I entered three position trades in two markets. As I will roll-over in Feb, I'll probably have to report losses even if they are still considered open positions. My drawdown is about $4500 (yikes), but I will show you how they will be profitable in 6-month to 3-year term. Thoses are, again, long term trades, so I don't worry much.

2008 Monthly Profit / Loss

2008 Monthly total breakdown

Month/ Liquidated Value:

Jan: -4597.52 
Feb: -7755.11
Mar: +4715.89
Apr: +3850.93
May: -2320.69
Jun: -4094.61
Jul: +14323.24
Aug: +8483.69
Sept: -8565.88
Oct: -5702.21
Nov: -1981.79
Dec: -2013.00

Total liquidated value: -7498.56

Month / Closed value:

Jan: 1525.98

Feb: -6622.79

Mar: -2539.93

Apr: 4109.93

May: -2787.69

Jun: -4093.61

July: 4399.24

Aug: 19098.09

Sep: 415.08

Oct: -1335.21

Nov: -12277.79

Dec: 4004.38

Total Closed: +3967.17

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