newbie question on red portfolio

[gerihearne]

Do you hold onto investments and wait it out?
or
Do you cut losses and get out when the market is ugly?

Any comments appreciated as I weigh what to do with my own red portfolio.

Muchas gracias senors y senoras,

Geri

[DSteckler]

Hi Geri,

Ask yourself this question: If I didn't already own the stock, would I buy it now? If the answer is yes, then hold the position; if the answer is no, then sell the position.

[Lyehopper]

How about this idea Geri?.... Tell us what stocks you are holding and get an overall opinion from the fellas....

[gerihearne]

makes sense

Hi Geri,

Ask yourself this question: If I didn't already own the stock, would I buy it now? If the answer is yes, then hold the position; if the answer is no, then sell the position.

Thanks Dave .. always appreciate your direct answers. This one makes a lot of sense ... cents/hopefully

Cordially,
Geri

[gerihearne]

an offer i can't refuse

How about this idea Geri?.... Tell us what stocks you are holding and get an overall opinion from the fellas....

Lye .. I feel like i'm cheating on a test .. but your offer is way too good to refuse ... here goes:

i'm holding ge, exc, and msft (plan to keep on holding)

i'm in the red with mot, egn and cers
and mr markets bbd, mflx and bel

my objective when i started in september: to find good stocks and hopefully make 10- 15% on a trade.
To that end, don't know if i should cash in and start over when the market is better .. or to ride the storm. I don't plan to day trade, or even weekly trade .. I prefer to purchase a stock and wait and see.

i like what you said in an earlier post about how important the management team is to a company ... wondering if there's any way to judge management ... especially at mflx.

i'm thinking in the future i will use 10 - 15% stops ... that would have saved me some losses ... but not sure ... still willing to wait it out ... just not sure, so new at this.

Thanks,
Geri

[lemonjello]

Can someone help this person!

IMO all of them except for exc and egn are pointed down in the short term and unless something happens I assume they will probably continue. exc is the only one I would possibly buy today as scared money rotates into utilities.

The MM stocks are getting pasted because money is moving out of growth stocks as a recession and international problems loom. MM stocks are the hyper growth stocks, so they get beat up the most.

Other stocks will always come along when the market heads back up, so you want to make sure you have some money left at that point.

Then again, what do I know. Please see the disclaimer in my thread.

Good luck.

[gerihearne]

thanks

IMO all of them except for exc and egn are pointed down in the short term and unless something happens I assume they will probably continue. exc is the only one I would possibly buy today as scared money rotates into utilities.

The MM stocks are getting pasted because money is moving out of growth stocks as a recession and international problems loom. MM stocks are the hyper growth stocks, so they get beat up the most.

Other stocks will always come along when the market heads back up, so you want to make sure you have some money left at that point.

Then again, what do I know. Please see the disclaimer in my thread.

Good luck.

Thanks Lemonjello ... I appreciate the help.

Now i have to figure out how long "short term" is ... and
is there/will there be a Recession? Anyone want to tackle those?

To all readers:
Thanks for putting up with my basic questions.

Cordially,
Geri

[lemonjello]

Where have all the stock market geniuses gone?

For me short term is a few days to a few weeks. Basically, I was trying to politely say - I would not buy or hold a position any of them except the utility - at this point.

But that's just me. Things could eventually get a lot worse without getting much better in between. Like I've said in other posts you can always sell and buy back later or maybe sell half.

My question is - where are all the market geniuses that seem to have an opinion on everything under the sun? Missing in action? Hmmmm.

Good luck.

[peanuts]

My question is - where are all the market geniuses that seem to have an opinion on everything under the sun? Missing in action...

I happen to be licking my wounds... but I'm no market genius. I don't know where they are- probably shorting everything they can get their hands on.

Geri, the more you post, the more I like you. I wish I could help, but if you saw what I see in my portfolio (today) you would run for the hills

[IIC]

For me short term is a few days to a few weeks. Basically, I was trying to politely say - I would not buy or hold a position any of them except the utility - at this point.

But that's just me. Things could eventually get a lot worse without getting much better in between. Like I've said in other posts you can always sell and buy back later or maybe sell half.

My question is - where are all the market geniuses that seem to have an opinion on everything under the sun? Missing in action? Hmmmm.

Good luck.

They're on the sidelines...Geniuses don't try to beat the market...They respect it...If I ever think in my mind that I know more than the market...I'm doomed....Patience Patience Patience...IIC

[Runner]

I think this is something you will need to work out depending on your plans and risk tolerance. Not sure a forum in cyberspace is where you need to find your answer.

My advice is only probably only good for me. Many different systems used around here and so the question is do you have a system? If you buy without thinking where you will sell is not good practice IMO. Some will bail under the lod off a daily chart, some will bail at 7-8%. Some will hold through the huge down drawls. Then you have some that if given a profit will trail this profit up until they get stopped out with a profit. I personally think we probably spend more time thinking about where we’ll buy a stock instead of thinking where we will sell. Many also have not a clue as how much to buy based off the size of their port. I’ve said this before it is where you sell that determines the outcome of your portfolio..

Not the advise your looking for I’m sure but really dude you need to figure these things out on your own.

[gerihearne]

good experience

I happen to be licking my wounds... but I'm no market genius. I don't know where they are- probably shorting everything they can get their hands on.

Geri, the more you post, the more I like you. I wish I could help, but if you saw what I see in my portfolio (today) you would run for the hills

Thanks Peanuts ... I think this brutal market is a good experience for us newbies ...

btw: I hope you and Ski make up. Both of your threads rock!

Regards,
Geri

[gerihearne]

Great Advice Runner!

I think this is something you will need to work out depending on your plans and risk tolerance. Not sure a forum in cyberspace is where you need to find your answer.

My advice is only probably only good for me. Many different systems used around here and so the question is do you have a system? If you buy without thinking where you will sell is not good practice IMO. Some will bail under the lod off a daily chart, some will bail at 7-8%. Some will hold through the huge down drawls. Then you have some that if given a profit will trail this profit up until they get stopped out with a profit. I personally think we probably spend more time thinking about where we’ll buy a stock instead of thinking where we will sell. Many also have not a clue as how much to buy based off the size of their port. I’ve said this before it is where you sell that determines the outcome of your portfolio..

Not the advise your looking for I’m sure but really dude you need to figure these things out on your own.

Runner .. u are so right! I do need to figure out a system and stick with it.
Still working that out. This is EXACTLY the advice I'm looking for.
I will have to decide where I'm going to 'SELL' when I buy. And that means putting in stops.
I'm just learning Runner ... so what seems rote to you is really? to me ...
BIG THANKS!
Graciously,
Geri

[Runner]

Geri, once you get YOUR system figured out you need to give it time to prove if it is a good system. Hey you will not make a lot of money in the beginning. Who cares it might even be a good idea to trade fewer shares. This way if you need to tweak your system and you will, you won’t have as many chips on the table.. Your not concerned about making a fortune but fine-tuning YOUR system to fit your personality. Another thing many will do is constantly jump from one trading plan to another. They never find something that works. Different market environments will have different impacts on any system.

Best with your system and keep at it and it will come!!