Primary reasons I look for to buy a stock:
Chart/channels
recent news
recent runs (I love stocks that have run up and pulled back to support since there are many averaged higher who will probably average down)
pending news
In big board stocks:
Cash, debt, net tangible assets - not book value, earnings, revenue growth, margins . . . and any little thing I can find in the filings that may give it a boost.
But making the decision when to buy, my number one indicator is VOLUME. And when to sell, my number one indicator is VOLUME. BUY when no one is interested, meaning selling volume has dried up (yes you may miss a few pennies or get caught in another wave of selling - thus scaled buys - but why catch the falling knife and get blood all over you unless it's for a quick bounce scalp. SELL, at least a portion, at a key resistance level when there's volume. Lock some profit, a third or a quarter. Then you're not giving so much back.
People lose money in the markets because they are
afraid to buy when no one else is
they chase stocks up
they are afraid to cut losses quickly
they are afraid to lock a profit for fear it will go higher
Buzz rule beginners: Always take a third at 40%. End of story. You'll never go broke taking a profit, as brig says.
Buzz