Trading style of tuffy88
Still look in on Traders-Talk most days, at least once, Toni. To answer your question the above quote from my post on August 24th should answer it. I re-entered my position in SPY's in trading account on that date with a 1/3rd position. 2nd third after a 2% advance and 3rd third after next 2% advance. Remain 100% invested in trading account since then. Our main retirement portfolio is now 71% in Vanguard Index Funds (50-50 stock-bonds) 29% in the trading account. When I started the trading account in April, 2003 it was 20% in trading account and 80% in main portfolio. The trading account has outperformed the main account by that much since 2003. And the main index portfolio has been no slouch. It was down 22% at the close of business on 12/31/08. I did no trading at all in that index portfolio except to re balance at the end of 2007 & 2008. That is down from its closing high on October 9,2007 until December 31,2008. The top of the bull market. As of last Friday it was up 19.22% YTD. Getting close to break even since top of bull market. The profits in the trading portfolio make the combined portfolio's well into all time highs.
The reason I don't post much here anymore is that there is really not much for me to say regarding my method of trading.
(1) be invested when the markets are going up.
(a) Never call tops or bottom. Just stay invested when the market is in a confirmed uptrend. Exit only after it goes into a downtrend. NEVER try to predict when that will happen. The market will tell you.
(2) be in short term bond funds (SHY) when the market is in a downtrend.
(a) Never predict a bottom. Just stay in SHY when the market is in a confirmed downtrend. Re-enter only AFTER it goes into a confirmed uptrend. NEVER predict a bottom. Market will tell you.
(3) Repeat.
(4) That is all there is to my style of trading.
Pretty simple. As one poster here posted a few weeks ago The system is "not nearly good enough to get a job on the street." Those street pro's must have made a lot of money in the bear market. So it is a good thing I don't want a job on the street.
Will post when I exit in trading account.
Charles
