Mail Bag
An archive of my responses to members questions, comments and suggestions.
January 10, 2006
- How About Shorter Time Frames for Sector & Industry Tracking?
Question:
I’ve been perusing your site as a free member, & was wondering about the top industries tracking, as well as the sector strength tabulations. Do you have a way of seeing those on a shorter time frame? I notice that the sectors start at 15 day and on up, and the Top Industries tab I [...]
January 9, 2006
- Do You Buy the Doom & Gloom for 2006? No!
Question:
HI most of what read is the market going down , some of the reports siad a -10% ,,, can you comment?
My Response:
Which reports are you reading? Are these projections for 2006? I won’t ever make predictions for an entire year because nobody really knows. But based on price and volume movement in the first [...]More on this topic (What's this?)K-tron management earns well deserved break. Sells company to a VERY unlikely suitor (KTII, HI) (AlphaNinja, 1/11/10)(HI) Hillenbrand Customers: Dying to Buy (Stock Blog Hub, 1/22/09)
December 29, 2005
- Portfolio Position Sizing
Question:
What percentage of the entire portfolio does each position represent?
My Response:
Typically, each pick will represent anywhere from 5 – 15% of the portfolio, depending on the state of the market, the stock being purchased, if its purchased at the pivot or off of support, etc.. Currently, a standard allocation is $15K. Positions that I consider [...]More on this topic (What's this?)4 Reasons to Own Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) (Wealth Daily, 7/6/10)Maybe Google (GOOG) is not so different from Facebook (Intelligent Speculator, 7/8/10)The upcoming war on Google (GOOG) from Microsoft (MSFT) & Facebook (Intelligent Speculator, 7/12/10)Getting Vocal at Google’s Mobile Event (Wall St. Cheat Sheet, 8/12/10)
December 1, 2005
- Performance of Portfolio? How Many Positions?
Question:
What annual performance did your portfolio have in the last 2-3 years and YTD? Is this a real portfolio that your members can follow or just a hypothetical? What is the minimum number of securities in your portfolio? BTW: great webite!
My Response:
Thx for the compliment! Yes, the model portfolio is a real portfolio, no hype [...]More on this topic (What's this?)33 Dividend Champions to Consider (Dividend Growth Investor, 8/11/10)S&P 500 Signals Danger! (Red Hot Energy and Gold - Global..., 8/16/10)More John Hussman on Why the S&P 500 is 50% Overvalued (With Cool Charts & Ratios) (The Contrary Investing Report, 7/21/10)VXX (All Allan, 8/17/10)
November 15, 2005
- I’m Looking for Top Stocks, What’s the Best Way to Find Them In the Breakout Tracker?
Question:
I like what you have put together at SI and it seems thru the breakout center and alerts I can more easily get what I am looking for. I would like to spend less than 30 minutes each night and 2 hours on the weekends finding candidates, review existing positions, journal trades, etc. All orders would be entered [...]More on this topic (What's this?)A Technique That Is Guaranteed To Help Your Trading… (FreeTradePicks.com, 4/21/10)Daily Market Commentary: Breakout Failures (Phil’s Stock World - Members S..., 6/22/10)Dow Breakout (GreenLightAdvisor Views, 8/3/10)Day Trading Chart Patterns (Guerilla Stock Trading.com, 7/31/10)
November 12, 2005
- Will You Add a Forum?
Question:
I think you talked of starting a user forum, is there interest for this?
My Response:
There was little enthusiasm for this when I took an informal poll last year. I believe my time is better spent elswhere right now. There are so many stock forums out there.. i didn’t want to add to the mix. I am toying [...]
September 1, 2005
- Overbought/Oversold Conditions in the Market
Question:
Every now and then people mention caution in a market because of an overbought or oversold condition. I’ve never used this as another tool but have noticed that you have also referenced this indicator now and then. Which overbought/oversold indicator do you use and how do you use it?
My Response:
Honestly I dont use anything but [...]
August 1, 2005
- How Does SelfInvestors Differ From Other Sites?
My Response:
I basically started this site out of a need for a system that would spit out
a list of stocks near a breakout (complete with pivot point) or within a buyable
range ranked according to fundamental and technical analysis. Think of this
site as a high end investing botique shop catering to a small number of investors
looking [...]More on this topic (What's this?)The Five-Step Market-Beating Formula for Successful Investing (Investment U, 7/29/10)The Second Stupidest Thing I've Read This Year (Random Roger's Big Picture, 8/4/10)Hindenburg Omen Technical Indicator Occurs Again (Stock Market Analysis, Trading, ..., 8/19/10)Stock Market Technical Analysis: Possible Inverted Head & Shoulders? (market folly, 8/2/10)
July 31, 2005
- Market Timing And Asset Allocation
Question:
Most of my money is tied up in my govenment TSP(Thrift Savings Plan). I have a choice to put the money in either government bonds, the S&P 500 fund, small cap fund, Foreign fund or bonds.
Currently I am using the tsppilot.com service to suggest which areas to put this money. I think I could [...]More on this topic (What's this?)2010-Q2 Progress Review (Dividends Value, 7/17/10)Why Treasury Bonds Do Not Fund Our Federal Deficit (naked capitalism, 8/19/10)IS IT TIME TO GET OUT OF BONDS? (THE PRAGMATIC CAPITALIST, 8/18/10)2010-Q1 Progress Review (Dividends Value, 4/24/10) - Finding Top Stocks in the Breakout Tracker – Pay Close Attention to Companies With Soaring ROE and Profit Margins
Question:
Just wanted to let you know that I am glad I continued with your service. I have been able to find some great stocks from your watch list. How do you find these stocks? Out of all the stocks that have increased in the most in the last few months, do they have something in [...]More on this topic (What's this?)A Technique That Is Guaranteed To Help Your Trading… (FreeTradePicks.com, 4/21/10)Equitymaster: How to invest in an infra stock? (Money Morning, 7/21/10)Daily Market Commentary: Breakout Failures (Phil’s Stock World - Members S..., 6/22/10)Dow Breakout (GreenLightAdvisor Views, 8/3/10)
July 15, 2005
- A Discussion Of The Most Difficult Part of Trading – When to Sell Your Stock
Question:
I am struggling a bit with my profit taking sell rules. I do pretty
well selling positions that aren’t working to keep my losses small.
However, I have trouble holding on to my winners. I either sell to
early wanting to bank that profit (especially after a few losses in a
row) or watch a winner turn into a [...]More on this topic (What's this?)Are Bank Stocks Such a Good Buy? (naked capitalism, 8/17/10)Steve Keen: Bank Profits a sign of economic sickness, not health (naked capitalism, 8/12/10)YOUR TEXTBOOKS LIED TO YOU – THE MONEY MULTIPLIER IS A MYTH (THE PRAGMATIC CAPITALIST, 8/11/10)DIA – Diamonds (Last:106.39) (, 8/3/10)
July 13, 2005
- My Response to Confusion About Trading In the First Hour
My Response:
Just wanted to discuss trading in the first half hour a bit so there
isn’t any confusion about my strategy. If you’ve been a member here for
awhile you know that I won’t make a trade in the first half hour to hour
when purchasing a breakout. However, there will be times when making a
purchase in the [...]More on this topic (What's this?)MarketClub Free Trial for 2 Weeks (market folly, 4/1/10)Stock Market Reading List: April 29 2010 (The Wild Investor, 4/28/10)Recent Site updates (The Dividend Pirate, 1/13/08)
July 10, 2005
- A Member Recommends Some Reading
I’m familiar with most of the books recommended. In my humble opinion, they are more of an investment classics actually.
Would recommend 1 more though
Lessons from the Greatest Stock Traders of All Time – John Boik.
It includes to-the-point essential techniques and rules, charts, Short and Concise and Easy to read or re-read
( These elements are [...]
July 9, 2005
- Beware ‘O Claims of Outrageous Returns
Question:
I noticed last years annualized returns is 32%.
Actually, there was another website whose analysis and annualized returns is about 100% and there was another website focusing on volume analysis that reflected an even more postive returns of over 200% with QQQQ options trading!
This is not to say who is better but just can’t help noticing [...]More on this topic (What's this?)What's Next? The Obvious Take (The Technical Take, 6/30/10)BP to Cut its Shareholder Dividend? (Wealth Daily, 6/11/10)2010 Year of the Small Caps Revisited (ETFTRADR » ETFTRADR Blog, 7/26/10)Options Trading Strategies (Scott's Investments, 5/13/10)
May 26, 2005
- Position Sizing & Finding Buy Candidates In Strong Industries
Question:
How do you determine your position size and where do you set you
initial stop? Do you enter the entire position at once or look to scale in?
How do you choose among the potential candidates for purchase and maintain a
balance across strong sectors?
My Response:
Good questions. When I’m maintaining a portfolio I typically like to hold
no [...]
April 25, 2005
- Dowloading Data In the Breakout Stock Tracker
Question:
I’d like to know if there is anyway to download the lists in the "breakout center" ? I mean just the various watch lists under that menu, not all stocks in your database. If we could, that would be really helpful. Thank you.
My Response:
I’m working on that.. thanks for the feedback! You’ll be able to [...]More on this topic (What's this?)A Technique That Is Guaranteed To Help Your Trading… (FreeTradePicks.com, 4/21/10)Daily Market Commentary: Breakout Failures (Phil’s Stock World - Members S..., 6/22/10)Dow Breakout (GreenLightAdvisor Views, 8/3/10)Day Trading Chart Patterns (Guerilla Stock Trading.com, 7/31/10) - Which Stocks Broke Out Today?
Question:
Ok, I may be asking for too much. Would it make more sense as soon as the BO happens,it would get displayed on the Breakout for Today. Sometimes, the stock may retract at end of day, but, it should still be considered as BO happened.
Also, sometimes the stocks disappear from the "Breakouts Today" list.
My Response:
Yes, [...]
April 19, 2005
- Using the Tools At Self Investors to Find the Best Stocks
Question:
I am a new subscriber and novice investor. Currently I am trying your site for one week. I found the tutorial really helpful. However, I am not clear how your site can help me picking specific stocks. Should I pick stocks from the "stock watch"/breakout center llists? How does the "Model portfolio" come into the [...]
April 12, 2005
- Using the Demand Indicator Score in the Breakout Tracker
Question:
I am trying use the DI indicator pretty much like the signal bar of the cell phone. But, I also want to know the history.
1. Is institution start to accumlate?
2. Is institution accumlate more and more?
3. Is institution starting to unload?
4. Is institution unload more and more?
That is, Use the DI indicators to indicate current [...]More on this topic (What's this?)Invest in Cell Phone Infrastructure for Growth in 2010 (Penny Sleuth, 8/18/10)A Technique That Is Guaranteed To Help Your Trading… (FreeTradePicks.com, 4/21/10)Google's Gamble Fails: Nexus One Cell Phone Is Discontinued (Shocked Investor, 7/19/10)TLP: Just Think What John Gotti Could Have Done With BBM (Jr Deputy Accountant, 8/11/10)
April 5, 2005
- Additions & Subtraction of Stocks from the Breakout Tracker
Question:
So, how do I get informed of new additions and removals? I noticed that there are quite a few that were introduced in the early 2004. Would stock be removed from the watch list?
My Response:
You can sort by the Date Added column to see what stocks have been added recently.
I typically delete stocks from [...]More on this topic (What's this?)A Technique That Is Guaranteed To Help Your Trading… (FreeTradePicks.com, 4/21/10)Daily Market Commentary: Breakout Failures (Phil’s Stock World - Members S..., 6/22/10)Dow Breakout (GreenLightAdvisor Views, 8/3/10)RADS (Samurai Trader, 8/6/10)
