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[kathode]

Ha, no, I definitely research stuff before I go diving in. Probably not to the extent that I should, but I try to do my homework first. I definitely waste too much time at work surfing investment sites. I jumped into MON after they had their massive 3Q earnings drop AND Goldman-Sachs put them on their "America's Conviction Buy List." Fat lot of good that did. I think it would be a good long-term hold, but unfortunately my call expires August 15th

I want the risk though, which is why I'm mired in that shit-tastic subpenny stock too. I am just fed up with the slow lane of eking out 10-15% gains a year on principal that I just can't grow that fast. So I am on the prowl, so to speak! I fully realize the risks, but I'm relatively young and have a very stable job. So far, buying options is turning out much better than the other plan I was considering - cashing out and betting the farm on one or two stocks a day that were showing upward momentum :lol If nothing else, it's fun to watch the swings, and it's fun to put in that limit order for a few cents over the bid and refresh, refresh, refresh to see if it goes through.

 

[Ether_Snake]

There are a lot of indicators that we had just possibly hit bottom.

Also as I said last week it seems indeed that EA is about to go forward and acquire T2.

ERTS was up 4% today and THQI down 4%.

Meanwhile I'm still sitting on ADSK (bought at around 32, missed my chance to sell at 40, but it will go back up), ATVI, NVDA, IMMR, and CGT. ATVI is by big performer of course, other than that NVDa and IMMR are hurting me. ADSK and CGT are alright.

 

[RSTEIN]

There are a lot of indicators that we had just possibly hit bottom.

Yes, for the past week we've been bottoming which is why I've been buying calls almost exclusively.

I fear that I have sold too early as we could see this turn into a mini buying panic.

 

[RSTEIN]

Trying to sell my T calls...

Just bought some AMGN puts.

 

[kathode]

Bought some HAL calls this morning @ 1.85. Up to 2.04 currently
Bought some GE calls, hoping Alcoa earnings would buoy expectations. Enter a Goldman Sachs downgrade Going to hold on to them for a bit still. Hopefully can dump before earnings.

MON making a very strong comeback today. NFLX doing very nicely as well. Got 5 NYX calls that didn't get sold yesterday so looking for an exit point there.

My T calls aren't moving much. I think the ones I bought are just too low volume.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Hmm, CGT up almost 4% on no news today, even with higher oil prices. Weird.

 

[kathode]

Hmm, CGT up almost 4% on no news today, even with higher oil prices. Weird.

Aerospace looks to be up pretty strongly. I should've held on to those Boeing options

I'm getting trashed today. I had put in an order to sell my HAL options but it didn't go through and the stock nosedived. Doesn't look like we're going to see any sort of turnaround today.

 

[RSTEIN]

Aerospace looks to be up pretty strongly. I should've held on to those Boeing options

I'm getting trashed today. I had put in an order to sell my HAL options but it didn't go through and the stock nosedived. Doesn't look like we're going to see any sort of turnaround today.

Strange day. Higher than expected inventory draw... oil goes down... Dow/S&P goes down...

I sold my KFT calls this morning (14% gain). Still holding onto T calls, AMGN puts, DOW calls, repurchased UNH calls.

 

[RSTEIN]

Ugly finish here...

Put a lot of money to work today!

 

[kathode]

Well, that sucked my balls!

I sold out of my last 5 NYX calls for 10 cents more than they went for yesterday (so basically a tidy 44% gain!), but other than that, my unrealized value is way down today. Nothing much to say other than I hope tomorrow is better! F you Cisco!

 

[Tarazet]

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

My portfolio of mutual funds went from 6% up to 7% down in the space of less than a month. WTF economy.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Yeah I am down 2700 on around 21000 of investments. Was up around as much recently before the latest downturn NVDA is what is killing me. It sucks because now I feel like I HAVE to invest in the market to make up for it. I think I'd make a good amount (around $8 to $10 a share) with ERTS, but right now I'm not really willing to put more money in the market unless I sell something, and the only thing I can really sell right now would be ATVI (bought 120 at around $17).

I don't really want to sell it, and at the same time I feel like EA's portfolio has gotten a lot better recently, altho I wonder if titles like Dead Space, Mirror's Edge, and the Battlefield games, while of apparent higher quality, will really turn into high sales and profits. Also, Dead Space and Mirror's Edge are not multiplayer-oriented. Of course Spore will be a big hit tho.

So I'm stuck between putting more in the market and having less back money at a time when the economy is down, which is really risky because I was looking into selling everything recently when I was up around 12%, but at the same I fear I'll miss my chance again.

I wanted to buy CELG, BA, CM, ERTS, back in early March. I would have made a killing, but I was in the same situation I am now financially.

I could always sell IMMR and NVDA at a loss. A 2000$ loss. And buy ERTS with that + some money and hold on. Or potentially buy UBI instead in August at a 15% discount.

EDIT: BTW, Iraq wanting a timetable for US exit is not a good sign either for the markets. Remember when the bubble started, Feb 15 2003. Look at any chart of any big company, you'll see.

 

[kathode]

Man I wake up thinking things are going to be better today. I'm in the gym getting changed and of course what are they talking about on CNN? Freaking Ahmadinejad fired off another missile. What a jackass!

I'm hoping we see some short covering and/or bargain hunting today to send the market up a bit so I can close out some of these calls. Futures are up about twice as much as they've been in previous days. Of course that means TWO tenths of a percent instead of one :lol

Meh, now they're underwater. Sigh.

 

[RSTEIN]

Man I wake up thinking things are going to be better today. I'm in the gym getting changed and of course what are they talking about on CNN? Freaking Ahmadinejad fired off another missile. What a jackass!

I'm hoping we see some short covering and/or bargain hunting today to send the market up a bit so I can close out some of these calls. Futures are up about twice as much as they've been in previous days. Of course that means TWO tenths of a percent instead of one :lol

Meh, now they're underwater. Sigh.

Yeah... down, down, down. I still think there's a good chance for a positive day. Cramer pumped T last night on his show so hopefully the stock will go up and I can sell my calls. I own DOW calls so this little acquisition of theirs isn't too good for me.

 

[Ether_Snake]

And China cracked down on muslim terrorists in CHina who were targeting the Olympics

Anyway I'll pay close attention to ERTS today and in the following days.

EDIT: Argh, ERTS was down over 1% in the high 43 and now it's up 1%. COuld have been a good time. I'm just too hesitant

EDIT2: BTW I believe the reaction from the US and Israel to Iran's second missile test speaks for itself:

"Israel: Iran exaggerates its power"

"Iran Test Signals Resolve, Not Military Breakthrough"

Both are downplaying the excecises instead of condemning them. So maybe they really don't plant a strike against Iran. And like the New-Yorker article seemed to point to, they would prefer to simply destabilize the regime. Remains to be seen thought, anything could happen.

 

[kathode]

Time to really keep my eye on T. Ask is up to .64. I paid .60. I am considering going ahead and bailing given the conditions out there. Things are positive right now but I don't trust them to stay

And just like that, I missed that chance We'll see if it comes back up.

 

[kathode]

Man, after yesterday all my stuff is still just barely hovering below breakeven and can't seem to get through. Worried I'm going to be stuck waiting to hear about earnings because I don't want to sell my GE calls for a 2 cent loss.

 

[RSTEIN]

- Isreal says it's ready prepared to strike Iran if need be.
- Oil up $5
- Lehman brothers trading like it's insolvent
- Freedy/Fannie failing


yet..


the Dow is + 10.

 

[kathode]

Looks like it was mostly Paulson's comments that kept things positive, along with the DOW acquisition (not so great for DOW though).

I wasn't able to make any moves today. I had a limit order to sell my T calls at .65 open all day long but it didn't get triggered. Looks like I'm making the best on GE earnings tomorrow after all...

That last second surge helped me out a bit. GE call now at breakeven. We'll see if that matters at all tomorrow AM.

 

[Stele]

- Isreal says it's ready prepared to strike Iran if need be.
- Oil up $5
- Lehman brothers trading like it's insolvent
- Freedy/Fannie failing


yet..


the Dow is + 10.

Seriously, wtf is up with Lehman? Was at its worst nearly 22% down today on the PIMCO rumor. Not to mention 10% decline yesterday too. David Einhorn must be making tens of millions off his short position. What a bastard. I currently have 187 LEH shares with a $18.03 basis (closed at $17.30 today). Could have been much worse since I bought 50 at $20.29 yesterday and another 37 at $19.37 before the PIMCO bomb dropped. Double downed my bet when it headed under $16.50 with 50 shares at $16.30 and another 50 at $15.87. The stock is definitely still trending downwards but I think (hope) tomorrow will be one of the rare rally days. I need to get out of this position. It's like messing with a girl with AIDS. Fun but way too risky.

 

[RSTEIN]

(hope) tomorrow will be one of the rare rally days. I need to get out of this position. It's like messing with a girl with AIDS. Fun but way too risky.

:lol That's why I sold my GE calls. There's no rhyme or reason to the market. They could meet expectations tomorrow and the stock could fall depending on what the rumour du jour is... or where oil is trading... or the dollar... this is a trading market.

My T didn't get executed either Kathode. I had it in all day... got within $0.01 of my limit but that's it. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

I'm buying massive puts on AMGN.

 

[kathode]

Yeah it's basically a bet on red vs. black at this point. But I'm still stubborn-headed enough not to sell at a loss. I think there's slightly more positive potential than negative, but it's a crapshoot.

What makes you so down on AMGN? Just their run-up recently?

 

[Ether_Snake]

CELG continues its ascension. Wish I had gotten back at 50

And one of Iran's own photos of their missle shooting exercise was fake!

http://blogs.news.com.au/dailyteleg...elegraph/comments/irans_photoshoppery_guards/

:lol

EDIT: And now I wish I had gone with INTC instead of NVDA a few months ago. I wouldn't have made money, but I would have lost nothing.

 

[avaya]

NOTHING is wrong with Lehman.

I have a lot of good friends there. The problem is that the rumours become self-fulfilling.

I know for a fact that their traders across all asset classes have been told to come out of all of their large long-term positions and the new firing round is set to begin.

Lehman is going to be sold. Probably broken up and sold.

 

[RSTEIN]

NOTHING is wrong with Lehman.

I have a lot of good friends there. The problem is that the rumours become self-fulfilling.

I know for a fact that their traders across all asset classes have been told to come out of all of their large long-term positions and the new firing round is set to begin.

Lehman is going to be sold. Probably broken up and sold.

That may be true but Bear was 'fine' and had "no liquidity problems" a couple of days before its forced sale. These I banks are levered 25/30-1... a few write-offs here and there, trading partners drop out, over night lenders back out, counterparties close out positions... TU can happen over night.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Asian markets are dropping further.

 

[Fjord]

Doing a bit of investing tomorrow, any thoughts on my mix or companies?

25% XIU iShares CDN LargeCap 60 Index Fund
15% XFN iShares S&P/TSX Financial E.T.F. -
15% EWA iShares MSCI Australia Index Fund
10% WMT Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
10% BA The Boeing Company
5% LGO Largo Resources
5% GES Guess?, Inc.
5% AIR AAR Corp.
5% NUS Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.
5% SAIA Saia Inc, trucking

 

[Chris R]

Why BA?

 

[RSTEIN]

Futures down big time. NYT reporting that Executive Branch thinking of taking over Fannie/Freddie... leaving shareholders with basically nothing. Oil up $3.

GE earnings in line (rev. exceeded), bid at $28.00 pre-market.

 

[kathode]

Well crap. Did not expect that. Today's going to be bad for me. I guess your puts are going to do well

 

[RSTEIN]

Well crap. Did not expect that. Today's going to be bad for me. I guess your puts are going to do well

:lol yeah, knowing AMGN tho it will probably be up!

I have more calls than puts!

 

[RSTEIN]

:lol told you AMGN would be up today!

 

[kathode]

:lol told you AMGN would be up today!

:lol

So far not quite as terrible as I was worried. Just sold my HAL calls for around a 12% gain. Probably could have held on a bit longer but with current conditions I know it could turn around at any second, so I'm basically looking for 10% gains.

T definitely getting hurt though.

 

[RSTEIN]

:lol

So far not quite as terrible as I was worried. Just sold my HAL calls for around a 12% gain. Probably could have held on a bit longer but with current conditions I know it could turn around at any second, so I'm basically looking for 10% gains.

T definitely getting hurt though.

T just turned positive... thank you Cramer & iphone.

 

[kathode]

You are just full of lies.
Looks like we'll be flirting with a sub-11k close today.

 

[RSTEIN]

You are just full of lies.
Looks like we'll be flirting with a sub-11k close today.

:lol it briefly went positive!

 

[Fjord]

Why BA?

Well mainly because Airbus makes them look good by comparison. Old DC-10s are getting replaced all over. Solid company with international exposure.

 

[Ether_Snake]

CRDN up 4% after upgrade. Forgot about them.

 

[Stele]

I took a $500-$600 hit from LEH today. Had to sell at $15 to get rid of the margin and re-entered at $14. I think if it goes down further, there should be a takeover soon or maybe it'll just go bankrupt the old-fashioned way. Nearly 40% decline in 3-days. And it was already at a decade low. Just wow.

 

[Ether_Snake]

And here we go below 11k.

AMD down 5%. ERTS lost yesterday's gain. ATVI and TTWO up. INTC earnings on the 15th.

 

[Chris R]

Well mainly because Airbus makes them look good by comparison. Old DC-10s are getting replaced all over. Solid company with international exposure.

Still think they will go lower. Not saying its a bad stock, just an interesting buy right now with gas prices so high.

 

[kathode]

Still think they will go lower. Not saying its a bad stock, just an interesting buy right now with gas prices so high.

They've got a lot of upside through military contracts and foreign sales. Fairly low P/E ratio of 11 right now as well. I think it's a great buy. Airplanes have a lot of life left in them. I got some calls today myself.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Long term I too have a lot of faith in BA.

CRDN up 7% today. TTWO and ATVI also performed nicely.

 

[Stele]

The SOBs that were lucky enough to time a long while FNM was -50% today must be some rich bastards right now. Would have done it too if I had unlimited capital.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Activision announces two-for-one stock split. Woot

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that its Board of Directors approved a two-for-one stock split of its outstanding shares of common stock to be effected in the form of a common stock dividend.

Stockholders will receive one additional share for each share of common stock held on the record date. The company expects that the record date for the stock split will be a date shortly after the closing of the company's previously announced self tender offer. Additional information regarding the stock split, including announcement of the record date, will be provided by the company following completion of the tender offer.

"This action reflects our strong financial position and our confidence in the opportunities for further growth," said Robert Kotick, President and CEO of Activision Blizzard. "We believe the stock split will lead to wider ownership by making our stock accessible to a broader base of investors."

So that's why it was up today. Just found that in my mail.

Now, do I buy ERTS, or do I keep my money in case I have to pay 300$ a bag of rice because WWIII breaks out?

Advise me!:lol

 

[Ether_Snake]

BTW here's my updated watch list:

BA
NOC
ERTS
KO
PEP
CM
CRDN
CELG
WFR
RTN
MMM
ORB
STP

Most of them IMO are at interesting prices at the moment.

 

[RumblingRosco]

-

 

[Stele]

Well, if Treasury securities are on the table, then you might as well try Munis, unless you plan to pay no taxes.

 

[Ether_Snake]

I'm also looking at the solar sector, mainly STP and a few others. It's a volatile sector, but I could do with some short term volatility. Argh so much potential investments, so little funds. I need that promotion at work. We'll see in October.

EDIT: Added PTR to my list.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Tomorrow will be ugly with the war talks.