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.

Nip and Tuck

By -

There are occasions – – and I wish they happened more – – in which everything seems to be doing my way, profits are pouring in, and (God forgive me) trading seems easy. It is at these times I have learned to TAKE SOME PROFITS, which is what I did earlier today. I trimmed risk in one big account from 220% to about 105%, taking profits off my zaniest shorts. To be sure, I still have tons of short positions, but when I’m feeling giddy like this, I know it’s time to de-risk to some degree.

(more…)

The Worst Good Feeling

By -

On this momentous morning, which could either be one of the most important inflection points in market history or another Taco-driven bore-fest, I’d like to discuss an important phenomenon that I’ve experienced more than once in my life. It is best described in steps:

  1. I uncover a spectacular opportunity by way of my charts
  2. I write about it and position myself in that investment
  3. I am expecting it to “behave” perfectly, but it moves against me to a small degree
  4. I become disillusioned and frustrated that it is not doing what it “should” do
  5. I dump it at a loss out of exasperation
  6. It moves against for me a little while longer, making me feel good I’ve made the right choice
  7. It then proceeds to make precisely the kind of magnificent move I predicted the entire time
(more…)