John's Trading Journal

[HFTrader]

Hello everyone. I'm finally starting my journal. the delay hasn't been because I don't believe in the journal concept, but rather I'm been wrestling with a few issues that I need to resolve...(mostly in my own mind). some of the are:

OVERALL Strategy:

To double an account. 5-15 trades per day. Ambitious goal is to make avg $200/day. Would be happy with half that. With a small account to start...ie say $5,000, I'm risking up to 2% per trade. With futures I can't be as precise with committing an exactly % amount per trade like you can in Forex. Once the account attains a larger size 1% Max will be in effect. I'm VERY VERY familiar with probability theory, Law of large Numbers, Law of Averages, etc.

1. I'm trading US Futures markets....not Forex
2. I'm trading on a different Platform....
3. I've been SO used to other indicators, it's taken awhile to abandon them and to only use Gator and AO.
4. Deciding in my own mind which strategy to use....have finally decided on just The Setup and leave Hunt for later
5. Going back to platform, I can use Gator, Purple, AO, but there are no AIMS boxes and no other AIMS indicators.

My first t20 is already complete...actually 21 trades. These are being done on the following US Futures markets. Also, we use "ticks" and not pips:

1. Gold (Comex)....tick value is 10 cents = $10 (US of course) Denoted on the chart as GC
2. West Texas Crude...tick value is 1 cent= $10 Chart symbol is CL
3. US/Euro Currency pair...tick value is .00005 =$6.25 Chart Symbol is 6E
4. US/Yen Currency pair....0000005 =$6.25 Chart Symbol 6J
5. US Stock Indices
A. Emini S&P....tick value .25 =$12.50 Chart Symbol ES
B. Nasdaq....tick Value .25....=$5.00 Chart Symbol NQ
C. Emini Dow....tick value 1 point =$5 Chart Symbol YM

Timeframes

Gold, Currencies, Emini Dow & Nasdaq 144 tick charts...ie each bar is 144 ticks
Crude: 233 tick Charts
Emini S&P: 610 tick Charts

Entries: S0, S1, S2, and Monarch.
Exit: Predetermined PT
1. On Monarch trades 8 ticks for Gold & Crude, 11 for currencies, 6 for emini S&P, 10 tick Nasdaq & Dow. On an S1 that is going into Wave 5, the PT MAY be the same or MAY be in the vicinity of the previous swing high/low. Allowing myself some discretion here.
2. Initial SL 7 ticks for Gold & Crude, 9 for currencies, 6 for emini S&P 10 for Nasdaq & Dow. SL moved to 1 tick above/below entry bar after entry bar closes, SL moves to 1 tick above/below each succeeding bar until either it's hit or PT is achieved.

NOTE: I need to come up with some way to stay in trades longer....thinking either using a bigger initial bigger profit target (since TZ1 doesn't show on my platform and I'm not fast enough to calculate it manually, or us a little wider trailing stop.

I can hear Immy, Pedro, and others YELLING at me right now! Too many markets, Too short a timeframe, You can't trade more than an hour or 2. Well....you certainly may be correct but we shall see!

To be continued...

[HFTrader]

I had hope to get this first T20 batch posted today, but will have to do this tomorrow

[immy]

Hey John

Congrats on "starting" your journal. I hope you will continue updating it.

You have chosen your own path and thats fine, that's how it should be. I have no idea about tick chart or whatever but I know this for sure. The Setpu pattern works on any charts. There is a strong push followed by sideways that creates the box. the next wave, if happens, is often the 5th wave up. Surely you can find Fib Expansion tool on all charting software or simply use cross hair. If what you consider as 3 is lets say 100 pips, and the pullback is between 25 to 50 pips (or whatever your counting method ticks or points etc) ... then possibly the next push will be between 50-100 points... if markets enters that range above 62% of previous wave most probably it will either stop there take a pause or reverse.

all the best...

[HFTrader]

6/12/17 Note to myself from Immy in this am's Skype:

once your T20 plan is decided. NO ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS. this rule will serve you well. you have to wait for the Review Date.. preplanned date in time/space or a milestone. e.g. the best way to bring about any change to your plan would be ste at , planned review date based on "when the T20" is finished I will review and bring about changes if needed.

A trading plan is a not a plan if its so flexible to change that you can add or remove items in random, haphazard "unplanned" way.

A PLAN is something you decide now for the future... the plan is incomplete if does not control its own structure.
How you bring about a change in a plan must be stipulated within the plan. The plan itself should have a plan for how to change the plan.

[HFTrader]

Thanks Immy! Couldn't agree more, and I know the Fib Exp tool is on both my platforms, so that won't be a prob.
FYI, I'm in the process of putting my home on the market and doing a move...also I'm acting as the Real estate agent. So til the end of summer or so, I won't be able to devote as much time to study, trading, etc. But once i'm moved in I'll be on this full time (a lil different than your goals as I know you're trying to devote less time to screen watching. but that's totally understandable since you've been doing this for so long!

Eventually I hope to have as detailed a journal as Grant was doing (and hopefully can achieve a decent fraction of his results!) )

Ok first T20 is complete. for succeeding ones I hope to update this daily.

Trade #1
Nasdaq Stock Index
In my mind this was more a Monarch than an S1. Broke out of consolidation, small pullback, and went long on new high. Out with a small loss on candle trail.
Result: - 3 ticks (-$18.68) All profit/loss #s will include commission
DS: 1

6-1-17 NQ 0812M.JPG

[HFTrader]

Trade #2
EurUDS (6E)
Broker my TP already. I saw this as a seed on the pullback and went short on it. Automatic DS0 for breaking my TP rules. That didn't take long!
Result: -7 ticks (-$47.43)
DS0

[HFTrader]

Trade #3
Crude Oil (CL)
Monarch Trade ie breaks out to new swing high, short pull back, go long on new high. Exit supposed to be candle trail. Market moving fast with some slippage. Probably will need to change exit plan on next T20
Result: +5 ticks (+$46.32)
DS1
http://www.itradeaims.net/forum/downloa ... w&id=15296

[HFTrader]

Trade #4
Gold (on the Comex exchange....GC)
Monarch trade. I was a little apprehensive with the former "High" over on the left of the chart about 45 min earlier. Execution Ok and candle trail exit
Result: +1 tick (+US 6.32)
DS1
http://www.itradeaims.net/forum/downloa ... w&id=15297

[HFTrader]

Trade #5
Nasdaq Stock Index
Monarch (with a seed 2 bars earlier. Forgot to mention Seeds (ie inside bars) are being plotted with Blue colored bodies on the candles
Hit Profit Target
Result: +10 tick (+US 46.32)
DS1
http://www.itradeaims.net/forum/downloa ... w&id=15298

[HFTrader]

Trade #6
Emini S&P Stock Index (ES)
Well I'm not sure what to call this one. My thinking was...1. Market had opened for just a few minutes and usually good strong moves come early 2. My entry was below 2 recent fractals and also below a Globex low an hour earlier 3 it was making a new low for the day. however, since I was confused I should not have taken the trade...thus DS0
Result: -2 ticks (-US 28.68
DS0
DS0http://www.itradeaims.net/forum/download/file. ... w&id=15299