Another exciting day..

The market managed to pull another exciting session today by doing the same thing as the last 8 sessions. And in 2 years of doing this, I don't think I remember a stretch this long where the market just bounced around for half a month. The chart sort of reminds me of Atari's Ping Pong game from the 80's (if you can remember that far back!), but despite the consolidating look there has been higher lows and higher highs. In fact, I can see the 3 rising valleys all over again. Difference this time is these are mini valleys so we'll just have to wait and see the break out. I was hoping China's 3% rise yesterday would translate into something here but it didn't even register. That market (along with the Nikkei) has now gone up close to 20% in just over a month and that this rate, I'll be retired by the end of the year.. technically speaking, all it needs to do is rise 5% a month for the rest of the year and I'll be in Easter Island next Spring :-) If life was only that easy..

Lastly, I wanted to add that the Trend Average has officially caught up with the market as the low today coincided with the TA. So expecting a 2(VIX) move very soon.. also, VXX breached 26 today so if we get that rally it will be at my target price range of $25.

Main S&P 500 Trends

Short Term Trend = Bullish

Medium Term Trend = Bullish

Long Term Trend = Bullish

Long Term Portfolio

• 90% Long in Red Chips traded in HSI (Mainland China stocks traded in Hong Kong) since September 2012. Only position trading 30-40% of portfolio for cost improvement. - Sold 10% on 12/27/12

Short Term Margin Trading Strategy 

• Bought 30 AAPL @ $509.50 as of 12/14/2012 on margin - Closed @514.50 on 12/17/2012. = +5.00
• Bought 1000 XIV @18.62 as of 12/13/2012 on margin - Closed @18.70 on 12/14/2012. = +0.08
• Bought 1000 XIV @18.80 as of 12/05/2012 on margin - Closed @18.88 on 12/07/2012. = +0.08
• Bought 1000 XIV @18.41 as of 12/04/2012 on margin - Closed @18.63 on 12/05/2012. = +0.22
• Bought 500 VXX @29.23 on 12/03/2012 - Closed @30.12 on 12/03/2012. = +0.89
• Bought 500 VXX @30.77 on 11/23/2012 - Closed @29..68 on 11/27/2012. = -1.09
• Bought 500 VXX @31.54 on 11/20/2012 - Stopped out @31.11 on 11/21/2012. = -0.43
• Closed position 500 @ 18.26 on 11/20/2012. Sold 500 @ 17.79, raised stop to break even on the other 500 as of 11/19/2012. Bought 1000 XIV @15.98 as of 11/15/2012 on margin - position trade cost improvement 4 cents, so net cost $15.94 as of 11/16/2012 - Profit = $2.05 
• Bought 1000 XIV @16.88 as of 11/14/2012 on margin - Stopped out @ 16.66 on 11/14/2012. = -0.22
• Bought 1000 XIV @15.67 as of 11/08/2012 on margin - sold 1000 XIV @ 16.25 on 11/12/2012 = +0.58
• Margin positions in Gold initiated 11/06/2012.

Net Profit since 11/08/2012 on open and closed short term positions = $2,625*

* Margin position is usually $15-20k

* Margin position in gold is $4k

Retirement Goal 

As of 01/02/2013 - 13.5%*
* Percentage gain for total liquid portfolio that started in September 2012, Goal is to double portfolio for retirement by September 2015, with 100% being the ideal retirement level.