3.23.2018

A trifecta of bounces

This was certainly a week to remember. I scored a rare triple hit combo.



So many successful and profitable bounce plays. Where do I start? Maybe with the one that failed.

March 19

I was with my family at the airport waiting for our flight. I spotted MoneyGrowers plotting and saw the chart of MRC with the massive drop. I remembered the potential bounce areas since I finished reviewing earlier that morning and just placed some bids which were hit at the close. Boarded the plane feeling content even if it closed a little lower than my aep which was a little over 57 cents. Wasn't too bothered by it because only my initial tranches were hit.


March 20

The day started out bad since I had to cut my positions when MRC tanked in the early hours of the morning. On to the next stock on my watchlist then. 

NOW was number two on my watchlist since it was well into it's second consecutive 20% drop. 

Remember, massive drops = massive bounces. So at about 10am in the morning it hit my identified support areas. Darvas + Fibo 78.6.




I watched the support hold and started placing my tranch buys. The next 45 minutes went by quickly. The price held and was starting to creep upwards. By this time I was already at full allocation with both ports. 



This time, the waiting game begins. I wanted to see if it could clear the 50ma and hold above that maybe sometime after lunch. But the bulls were too strong and pushed it all the way over the 50ma and into a nice green candle by lunchtime. 



This prompted me to believe that this was a good ODR play. I only needed to watch it until closing to make sure that 10 would hold. Why 10? It was a good round number and would make it easy to put a stop on it. Plus the fact that I already have a good profit if I sell there. In the afternoon session, 10 was broken but I was able to sell all my shares around that area. Not bad for a couple hours holding time. 



But wait, that day wasn't done yet!

I looked back at MRC but I already missed the optimal buying window so I had to go to the last stock on my watchlist. 


PXP. 

The drop wasn't as violent as NOW or MRC but it was behaving very well. At about 245pm, it was hovering over two support areas, the 100ma and the Fibo 78.6. 



Those two points stated above led me to believe that this could have found a recent bottom. I proceeded to set my initial tranches and even bought some more near the close. For these kinds of bounce plays, the key for me is to watch the opening the next day if there is strength. 

March 21

Unlike the day before, this day started out pretty promising. PXP made a gap up and seemed to be gathering some strength before making a push to break the 50ma. So far so good right? 



Then the price went bananas in the next 15 minutes. Buyup after buyup. As with NOW, I made a stop of 13. 



Same reasons, same concept. For me any sell above the price of 12 was already considered a bonus. And it was a pretty sizable bonus even if I didn't put it my whole allocation.



After these two massive trades, I was ready to call it a week. I did one final scan and was intrigued by another stock that was crashing big time. 

VUL.

This setup was actually a first for me since I've never traded it with actual money before. Just did paper trades and that's it. This was the reason for the lower allocation. So let's take a look at VUL. 



What made it special was that after it's massive move, it never made any significant bounce yet. That 3/8 candle was a fake and unfortunately trapped more people. It just kept breaking down from all the significant MAs. Now on this particular afternoon, it was making a small cute candle and it reminded me so much of the SSI trade of I think Zee last 11/17/15. Go check it out. You're back? Good. 

So I placed my orders and got it just before the close. Again, the wait for the next day's open begins. 

March 22

The open started strong enough. A small gap. Then before 10am it blasted all the way above 80 cents which was the over the high of the previous day. That just means that the bounce is well on it's way!



My initial target was the reverse Fibo 23.6 levels. But judging by the move and the board, it looked like it would have difficulty reaching that level. This was the reason for me to sell at the levels that I did. 



And this ends my short and detailed walk-through on my bounce trades this week. I'm sure some would ask if I felt remorse or regret that I sold at the levels I did since the prices still went up after my selling. I was happy with all my selling. Profit is still a profit. 

And bounce trades are very tricky, sometimes all it takes is just one person to do a sagasa sell and like a house of cards, everything will fall apart faster than the blink of an eye.