Welcome in my trading report for September 2015. After record-breaking August, came much calmer, and basically I would say boring and weak September with good signals for me.
Are you interested what result I achieve and to overview statistics? I invite you to my report 🙂
The most important events on stock exchange in September
September – it was the month of crisis – as many analysts worldwide expected. As for now, it looks that August settled the matter. All decline sessions in September were pretty quickly saved by bulls. Despite everything the changeability in August was quite considerable.
Number of trading days
In September there was 21 trading days. 7 September was a holiday.
Personally I trade in September in 16 sessions. I missed 4 sessions. I took a few days off – I simply had to rest.
Events affecting trading
In spite of changeability on the market, I had far less interesting signals at the entry. Why so? Above all it was related with low number of orders on quotes – which I use under tape reading, thus support in decision to open/close the position. Also due to greater spread on many companies – strategies didn’t work on satisfying me level.
This has its pros and cons. For me such a period is always a good time to test some new things. From over a month I just tested few new ideas, which in the assumption are supposed to reduce number of played companies, enable to focus on the most profitable strategies.
Since the last week of September, tests in a form of elaborated assumptions, I transferred already to real trading. As for now, this effect is satisfactory – but I can assess it already after a few months.
Monthly balance sheet
I finished the September with a result: 2.25%.
Previous month: 35.3%
This is a result including average capital, which in the month scale was invested in opened positions.
Usually after good period, our self-confidence and complacency firmly grows. As it was this time, the August was busy, accustomed to great changeability, large volume, many signals in every session. The beginning of September was like a bucket of cold water – showed how fast friendly market for played strategies can change. I don’t trade from yesterday, but already for 8 years in such a form – so it wasn’t a surprise for me. I turned my old mode – switch to other conditions. Therefore, this month maybe is more modest, but on the plus 🙂
Summary result from the beginning of year: 97,62%.
This is a result including average capital, which in the month scale was invested in opened positions.
I have a constant level of used capital. I don’t raise it, because I don’t have such a need – I use solid strategies that are adapted up to specified value of opened position. Invested funds are increased, when I raise the volume of opened positions. Therefore, it is included in the monthly balance sheet.
Generated profits in a given month are paid from the trading account.
Transaction statistics
Below I present analysis of concluded transactions. This analysis is carried out by me every day before the session. Below I place an analysis in the scale of entire month along with information which from my point of view are the most important and to which I pay attention modifying my strategy in subsequent sessions.
In September I conducted 3511 transactions to the total number of 203 companies. Majority of transactions were carried out with a use of momentum and scalping strategies. As always, everything is supported with tape reading. I try slowly to diverge from the part of scalping strategy.
Average value of a single position
Average value to opened position: 1071 shares.
Previous month: 1062 shares. It is possible to say that without changes.
Average size of the position is invariably in approximately 1000 shares. I note that this is a size of opened position, not total size – to opened positions I select (up, I don’t average of loss positions). In September I tested new things in played strategies, it caused that sometimes I opened quite small positions on a level of 100-500 shares. Ultimately, new strategies I want to use up to opening the position on a level of 3000 – 20 000 shares.
Average time of keeping all positions.
In May: 4 minutes 1 second (in August 2 minutes 45 seconds).
With division into positions:
- long: 2 minutes 53 seconds
- short: 5 minutes 47 seconds
Again short positions were held longer. What again is a confirmation that short trading is more often and longer used by me. I like such trade far more.
Transaction effectiveness
Effectiveness in May: 45,74% (in August 47.59%)
With division into positions:
- long: 45.21%
- short: 46.57%
The effectiveness of short transactions is greater than long. In May my effectiveness was slightly reduced. Mainly in second period of the month – between 19 and 22 May.
To 10 opened positions 5-6 is profitable positions. For years I keep my effectiveness on the level mentioned above.
Effectiveness with division into hours
Great effectiveness in pre-market – again mainly on VXX; I like to trade it in pre-market when there is a changeability, it is far more “legible” to play.
I limited trading to 11 am – 1 pm. Recently it is much less – an exception constitutes sessions when on the index in these hours is break/large changeability/volume.
Strong decrease in effectiveness in the last hour – a bit too much overtrading; During few sessions I made many mistakes of which I am aware. However, overtrading I extinguish quickly – it’s like epidemic without purpose 🙂
How it looked like in last month:
Effectiveness with division into weekdays
Effectiveness as in hourly division decreased.
Fixed costs from trading
Below I present costs that involve use of: platform, quoting, additional orders of shorts from the HTB list (hard to borrow).
- Trading platform: 130$/month
- Quoting: 285.74$/month
- Sterling Scanner: 40$/month
- Trade Ideas scanner: 43$/month
- Benzinga PRO news: 39$/month
- Hard to borrow list: 55,2$
Fixed costs is a platform and quoting (in case of quoting I use all data, hence the maximum price). Additionally, I use scanners and system of news.
Hard to borrow – it’s cost of order additional shorts, which aren’t free available in a given session.
Note that I don’t treat the above mentioned charges as an expense. Of course, if they weren’t – I wouldn’t be mad 🙂 However, they constitute an indispensable monthly element. The same as loss positions, there are costs which I incur in order to use fully my strategies.
Thank you for reviewing my report trading. In consecutive month there will be other! Meanwhile, feel free to add comments below!
Described above statistics concern the account, which I use as part of RemoteDayTraderGroup.com; It is group of Proprietary Trading type – focused on trading on American stock exchanges of NYSE | NASDAQ | AMEX.
