What trading strategy do you follow?

[burrocrat]

How do you carry your eggs?

The new year upon is us and resolving to do better in our TSP accounts is one thing, how to accomplish that may be quite another?

What strategies do people follow and more importantly why?

I found some good info in this post: http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/showpost.php?p=76255&postcount=8

I try to be a 3, but I supect I tilt more towards a 6. I go with a 3S strategy: stir-stew-strike. I fill the kettle with lots of ideas, let 'em bounce around 'till things start to gel, then hit it when i think it's hot.

Different investing styles (Or how do you carry your eggs):

1. Buy and hold: Last time you tried multiple baskets you couldn't carry them all and wound up dropping some.

2. Multi-fund diversified: You were going to make scrambled eggs anyway.

3. Multi-fund swing trade: The small baskets were on sale.

4. Single-fund swing trade: You need all your eggs, so dropping a basket with only some of your eggs is as bad as dropping a basket with all your eggs.

5. Day swing trading: Your baskets are really big and you can only carry one at a time.

6. Other: Because the little chicken that lives in my head told me to (please explain).

 

[Birchtree]

Many analysts are thinking 2004 is upon us - but I keep thinking that 1995 has returned. If that is the case the bullish stampede is waiting. Be long and strong. It took 5 years after the bull run from 2003 before we had a correction of 10% or more. There is no guarantee we will see one of that magnitude this year.

 

[tsptalk]

How do you carry your eggs?.

Do want the votes public (shows who voted for what) or hidden (anonymous)?

 

[burrocrat]

Do want the votes public (shows who voted for what) or hidden (anonymous)?

I like the public option.

(If I decide to run for office I'm sure that quote will be taken out of context in a health care forum).

 

[JTH]

I'm using a simple tripple EMA crossover using a muiltitude of charts for confirmation.

 

[Frixxxx]

I like the public option.

(If I decide to run for office I'm sure that quote will be taken out of context in a health care forum).

Or any other financial, banking, investment, currency forum!:laugh:

 

[burrocrat]

I'm using a simple tripple EMA crossover using a muiltitude of charts for confirmation.

From the first hit that came up on google:

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Triple-Moving-Average-Crossover-System&id=1999179

The description seems to explain the strategy well enough, but I could have made better sense of it with some chart examples. I guess that by varying the EMA's one watches would shade the signals more conservative or aggressive, 5-10-20 vs. 10-20-50, etc.

Which intervals do you watch? And which indexes or securities do you consider to be bellweathers?

I use charts when I find them as more of a gut-feeling confirmation, although this amounts to reading tea leaves, a while back james i think posted a quiz site where you are given an unknown symbol and buy/sell for a year as the chart reveals itself, turned some lights on for me.

I look at the charts on the TSPTalk market commentary and some that are posted in others threads, but not much else on a regular basis. I think the candlestick ones give more info, also the smart/dumb money and seasonality indicators can be useful for spotting where on the wave the market may be although the dates or specific numbers are more of a general range than gospel.

Where are sources for free charts, I'm not ready to fork over money for something I don't know has value to me.

 

[alevin]

I use charts when I find them as more of a gut-feeling confirmation, although this amounts to reading tea leaves, a while back james i think posted a quiz site where you are given an unknown symbol and buy/sell for a year as the chart reveals itself, turned some lights on for me.

Actually BC, I found it first, Jayhawker found the chartgame on his own, later. It's still a good game.

http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/showpost.php?p=238868&postcount=5


Where are sources for free charts, I'm not ready to fork over money for something I don't know has value to me.

As for free charts there are several available....BigCharts.com, StockCharts.com, Barchart.com. I use Big and Stock mostly. A few others out there-IncredibleCharts is another I use sometimes.

 

[JTH]

The description seems to explain the strategy well enough, but I could have made better sense of it with some chart examples. I guess that by varying the EMA's one watches would shade the signals more conservative or aggressive, 5-10-20 vs. 10-20-50, etc.

You can pick any time frame to fit your style. I happen to use a 9, 18, 45 or 9, 36, 66, it just depends on how many whipsaws you want to contend with.

Here is a picture example
View attachment 7856
http://www.onlinetradingconcepts.com/TechnicalAnalysis/MASimple2.html

 

[Viva_La_Migra]

Wing it and pray, baby!

I'm not a very aggressive investor. I don't like to see the market drop, so I tend to leave too much on the sidelines. I plan on being more aggressive this year.

 

[Birchtree]

I listen to my tonkinese, Mindylou, on a regular basis - the best investment adviser I've ever had. She knows a lot more than most of the jerks that work for Merrill Lynch.

 

[Silverbird]

The Chicke sez:
:nuts: Catsup...er Catchup Strategy. Usually I can smell a problem coming but miss the upsides, and usually get pulled away by work when I want to do analysis. Not recommended unless you want to never lose but have crappy gains. :toung:

 

[burrocrat]

That's a pretty even distribution we have here on TspTalk.

No suprise that no one voted for day trading with the 2 IFT limit. A bit surprised at the honesty of the chicken folks, I think we all have a little chicken inside us though maybe just don't care to admit it.

It seems a lot of folks value diversity, whether they prefer to buy and hold vs. allocate according to perceptions about the market.

Whatever the strategy you choose, I hope we all do well in our tsp accounts this year.

 

[2moryrs]

I must say that mostly I am very conservative. Managed to save a bit while I was working; however, I played alot as I raised and showed dogs for 20+ years. Still, managed to save a little investment nest egg for the 70+ age bracket if the Lord allows me to make it that long.
I guess you would say I am multi-distributed.

 

[grandma]

...probably should have asked before I voted -
what is the difference between the multi-fund of : Diversified & Swing?

 

[FAB1]

What
Trading
Strategy
?

Its a secret, of course. :toung:

 

[burrocrat]

...probably should have asked before I voted -
what is the difference between the multi-fund of : Diversified & Swing?

I think Diversified means buy-and-hold several funds in a long term allocation.

I think Swing means several funds that you adjust allocations to time the market.

James has a good description in a post, link to it is in the first post in this thread.

 

[burrocrat]

What
Trading
Strategy
?

Its a secret, of course. :toung:

we'll just put you down for chicken then.

 

[grandma]

...probably should have asked before I voted -
what is the difference between the multi-fund of : Diversified & Swing?

JAMES !!! I voted wrong !

I should be in the swing View attachment 7915
not the old folks steady as she goes....