Slope of Hope Blog Posts

Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.

Important Symmetry Video (By eMiniSchool)

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When we look at the market we are always seeing if we are inside or outside of symmetry. It is important to know if the symmetry support is above the .618 the market can break symmetry to fall down into the bigger support and still be bullish. It is also important to see if we are still inside of symmetry before trying to pick the top of the market. You will see in the video how calculated the markets have been since the 09’ low.

Some traders think that what we do is too “Voodoo” and it has no meaning. The thing is as traders we do not have to be 100% fundamental or 100% technical. In my view the market is 90% technical and 10% fundamental but that is just my opinion.  

I have seen the market turn too many times at symmetry support and resistance to ignore it. I have found that the people who do not believe just are not informed on the subject, just like anything in life.  I hope the time we put in on the blog can inform you so you can look for yourself and the stocks you own to make the best decision you can before pulling the trigger on emotions.

Earlier today we did a post on the corrective symmetry and so far that has been the low of today. This does not mean it is the absolute low but it is an important low going forward a few days.  

Corrective Symmetry Video from earlier today: http://wwweminischool.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/corrective-symmetry/ 

Happy Trading,

eMiniSchool.com

Anthropomorphising America

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Imagine our once-great nation as a new land, 235 years ago. Let us dub him George America.

George is a strapping, handsome chap. He is a man full of youthful vigor, radiant ideals, and boundless zeal. And, unknown to him, he will discover in the decades to come an abundance of resources and riches that he dared never imagine. His future is astonishingly bright. This was a man is going places.

Fast forward to the present day. George isn't the young man he once was. On the contrary, he's become a bloated, lumbering shadow of his former self. His friends talk and worry about him behind his back. His once svelte frame has now ballooned, thanks to a steady diet of Big Macs and "Diet" Cokes. He's a bit of a gun nut, and his purchases – proudly displayed in several locked cases – were all funded through the use of one of his many Visa and MasterCards populating his thick wallet.

His family knows George has a problem. The phone rings at all hours with creditors asking for their minimum payments. Dunning letters appear in the mailbox regularly. There's always a moment of tension at the grocery store when Dad whips out the Visa to pay for the bags full of Cap'n Crunch and Grape Drink, because they never know if it'll come us as declined or approved.

Ironically, a letter arrived recently offering to boost George's CitiBank MasterCard by a few thousand bucks. George is pumped, because there's a new plasma screen TV he's been eyeing, and this would let him buy it with maybe enough to spare to pick up the latest installment of Fast & Furious. But George's family sat him down and had a long heart-to-heart talk with him.

It wasn't a pleasant discussion. The family knows that George is living way past his means, and piling on more debt isn't the real answer. He needs to lose weight, get a job, and live sensibly. George will have none of it. "I'm the man of this house!", he booms. "I'm George America! Doesn't that mean anything anymore?"

After tensions settled, the family reached an agreement – – yes, they would let him get the credit increase, and the goodies that came along with it – – if he would promise in the next few months to really get serious with them and work out how to get his life back in shape. He's going to do it. Pinky swear.

And, gullible saps that they are, the wife and kids nod their heads and excitedly hop into the Surburban to accompany George on the big trip to Costco to pick up that television he wanted.

Life is good again in the America household. And, by jiminy, in a few months, they're going to get it all figured out. But until then, let's just let them enjoy themselves. They deserve it, don't they?

0801-potato

Bull Market in Skittishness

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More and more lately, I'm seeing stocks put on these huge intraday reversals, which is bound to be infuriating to bulls and bears alike who are getting stopped out of positions only to see them move the other way minutes later. It happened to me last week with symbol ABC, but a couple of stocks that I do not trade caught my eye which had this happen to them big-time.

They are shown below. These two tickers, NLY and AGNC, apparently are a couple of mREIT issues that got completely spooked at the prospect (no matter how remote) of a U.S. default. These things plunged something like 20% at the opening bell, only to completely reverse by day's end. Except for the handful of people that can claim to have bought at the open, just about everyone associated with instruments undergoing such short-term turmoil would have become unnerved (and/or stopped out).

I point this out only to say that, with all the cross-currents swirling around us, trying to make a profit trading seems harder than ever, at least if you're the responsible sort who likes to have stop-loss orders protecting your positions. Be careful out there!

0801-NLY

0801-AGNC