Investments

[austingirl]

Very displeased with the Trump pronouncement about Pharma prices. I believe drug prices are a small percentage of health care costs. Developing new drugs costs a fortune. Portfolio took a hit.

[bolobaby]

Yeah - I was down in line with the market today. Basically because my silver hedge kept me from being down further.

[Frank Cannon]

Yeah - I was down in line with the market today. Basically because my silver hedge kept me from being down further.

I would sell everything and go 100% into Theranos! They look bad now, but it will be like getting in on the ground floor of a rocketship to Mars soon!

BTFATH!

[bolobaby]

I would sell everything and go 100% into Theranos! They look bad now, but it will be like getting in on the ground floor of a rocketship to Mars soon!

BTFATH!

@Frank Cannon

I'm not buying anything new right now, just holding, so your snark is ill-applied. Moreover, my non-play money - my 401k - is now 80% cash because of a possible correction.

In the meantime, I'll happily take the 10k I made the past two weeks to offset potential future losses.

[Frank Cannon]

@Frank Cannon

I'm not buying anything new right now, just holding, so your snark is ill-applied. Moreover, my non-play money - my 401k - is now 80% cash because of a possible correction.

In the meantime, I'll happily take the 10k I made the past two weeks to offset potential future losses.

Don't be a loser. You are missing out in one of the biggest come backs in corporate history.



BTFATH!!!!!!

[austingirl]

@Frank Cannon

I'm not buying anything new right now, just holding, so your snark is ill-applied. Moreover, my non-play money - my 401k - is now 80% cash because of a possible correction.

In the meantime, I'll happily take the 10k I made the past two weeks to offset potential future losses.

My 401K is 87.6% cash. Market has been going nowhere the past two weeks- each day a different sector takes a hit. Wait and see attitude here.

Rumors about GILD and PFE meeting in Davos and what it could mean. Still holding onto GILD 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I don't do anything with my 401k, i allocate it to a few funds and leave it alone. I never touch it.


It has doubled since 2006 (my MIT one).

[Joe Wooten]

I got some excellent advice from a very wise man that I worked with years ago.  He said....buy 3 or 4 solid oil co's, put it in dividend reinvestment and leave it alone.  Energy isn't going anywhere.  He had purchased Phillips Petroleum, Mobil, and Burlington Resources.  This was back in the late 70's.  He put in around 30k in each.  When he died a few years back the stock was worth millions and the dividends were huge.

I did the same with Exxon back in the early 80's, though just not with quite as much initial investment. It's turned into quite a nice little nest egg over 36 years.....

[Slip18]

Uh... disclaimer: do not trade in stocks without doing your own research. The post above is not meant as investment advice. Trade at your own risk. Yadda yadda yadda.

Love your disclaimer!

I am a newbie in here, just looking around.

I used to trade commodities as opposed to stocks.  I actually made a little bit.  The best part of trading commodities were the seminars! Just too much fun!

I was a position trader as opposed to a day or long term trader.  Always put in stops!  LOL!

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

I;m just learning, while sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else make money.  My 401k did great for a few years, but things are just nuts.

I was looking at options the other day to see if there was a way I was comfortable with to expose myself to some gains and/or hedge against losses, and maybe take a gamble on a big correction.  As expected, options are more expensive the longer the maturity.  Except, they drop between the end of December and January.  In one case they were still cheaper for Feb 2018 than Dec 2017.  Something to do with end of the year and taxes maybe?  I don't get this.  Anyone?

[Free Vulcan]

I;m just learning, while sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else make money.  My 401k did great for a few years, but things are just nuts.

I was looking at options the other day to see if there was a way I was comfortable with to expose myself to some gains and/or hedge against losses, and maybe take a gamble on a big correction.  As expected, options are more expensive the longer the maturity.  Except, they drop between the end of December and January.  In one case they were still cheaper for Feb 2018 than Dec 2017.  Something to do with end of the year and taxes maybe?  I don't get this.  Anyone?

Maybe dividends. What symbol were you looking at?

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Maybe dividends. What symbol were you looking at?

I'm looking at SPY.  I looked just now to give you an example, and the numbers look correct, nothing like what I copied down the other night.  Weird.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

I;m just learning, while sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else make money.  My 401k did great for a few years, but things are just nuts.

Speaking of 401k and being out, one of my previous employers changed 401k providers recently.  I just went in to check on it, and they had taken my 100% conservative option on the old plan and moved everything to the "retire in 2035" plan.  It's up enough in a few months to cover my home, flood, and half my auto insurance for the year.  Darn it.  Of course, it was the little 401k, but I'll take it.

[Free Vulcan]

I'm looking at SPY.  I looked just now to give you an example, and the numbers look correct, nothing like what I copied down the other night.  Weird.

I trade bi-weekly SPY options but not the long term so guess I've never looked that hard. Sometimes the SPY gets wonky for reasons I don't know, but other than dividends or some snag in the quotes, not sure what would make them invert like that.

[austingirl]

I got out of MU way too early, it turns out. It went up to $42 from $9. I made money but could have made a lot more. Watching it now.

I am stuck in GILD. They had the hepatitis C cure and have been roundly punished for it. They have the best Hep C drugs but many competitors and that revenue has declined. However, they can now sell in China which is a huge market. Of course, the Chinese will rip off the formula. Wall Street was waiting for them to buy someone and they finally bought KITE and will soon have a CAR-T cancer drug on the market. They beat earnings last week and have been thoroughly trashed since. I am holding my shares until it comes back, but it could be a good entry point.

CELG The stock went from $147 to 119 after a drug trial was halted. However, they have a very healthy pipeline. I bought some. They also beat earnings but guided down slightly. The stock went down to 94. I bought some more. It closed over $100 today- has a lot of ground to make up. This stock is a favorite of the disgusting Cramer who pumps it since his "trust" owns it. I hate Cramer but hope to make some money here.

[austingirl]

I;m just learning, while sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else make money.  My 401k did great for a few years, but things are just nuts.

I was looking at options the other day to see if there was a way I was comfortable with to expose myself to some gains and/or hedge against losses, and maybe take a gamble on a big correction.  As expected, options are more expensive the longer the maturity.  Except, they drop between the end of December and January.  In one case they were still cheaper for Feb 2018 than Dec 2017.  Something to do with end of the year and taxes maybe?  I don't get this.  Anyone?

@InHeavenThereIsNoBeer

Options can be very tricky. Do you know how to trade them?

I've been waiting for the big correction for YEARS and have cash on the sidelines. The slight downturn today is supposed to be about the rumor that corporate tax cuts could be phased in 3% a year. If that happens then we may see a correction.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

@InHeavenThereIsNoBeer

Options can be very tricky. Do you know how to trade them?

I've been waiting for the big correction for YEARS and have cash on the sidelines. The slight downturn today is supposed to be about the rumor that corporate tax cuts could be phased in 3% a year. If that happens then we may see a correction.

@austingirl

I do not.  But I am attracted to the limited downside in buying options, especially in a market that is IMO ripe for a serious correction, but could remain irrational for a long time.  I put together a spreadsheet showing various bets (buying calls on continued insanity, buying puts on a necessary correction, and a combination of buying actual shares with puts as a hedge) along with a combination of possible market outcomes to see if there was anything I found compelling, but also just to learn.

I have a lot to learn, but I'm not going to bet anything I can't afford to lose and I won't make any bets I don't (think I) understand.

[austingirl]

@austingirl

I do not.  But I am attracted to the limited downside in buying options, especially in a market that is IMO ripe for a serious correction, but could remain irrational for a long time.  I put together a spreadsheet showing various bets (buying calls on continued insanity, buying puts on a necessary correction, and a combination of buying actual shares with puts as a hedge) along with a combination of possible market outcomes to see if there was anything I found compelling, but also just to learn.

I have a lot to learn, but I'm not going to bet anything I can't afford to lose and I won't make any bets I don't (think I) understand.

Good deal. Always proceed with caution. Good luck.

[Free Vulcan]

Hedging is beyond my wheelhouse as I buy and sell naked options, but for learning more I recommend reading Sheldon Natenberg.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sheldon+natenberg&sprefix=sheldon+naten%2Caps%2C527&crid=2HPBBB6JDBX9C

[Slip18]

I have no problem talking about these things in general terms but not at all comfortable with telling anyone exactly what I'm doing  or why I'm  doing it.

To me that's like asking a fisherman to tell you where he caught those fish. 

This is an old post, but hahahaha!

When I hear some big corporate head or hedge fund manager come on Fox Business and say, "Bitcoin is just going to keep going up," I have to laugh.  You just know that is the time not to get in on the action, or if you are brave enough to sell the stock.

This happened about two weeks ago.  I told my husband, and he laughed, too, at the hussling to get people to buy that stock.

And as I suspected, Bitcoin took a major dump.  Caveat emptor!

I do not read a lot on this thread, but this is very useful for people who buy and sell stocks.  I am more of a commidity type of person, rather than stocks.  I used to trade a lot.  Not as a day trader, but as a position trader.

But with our 401(k) going through the roof (thank you, President Trump), it is nice to come in here and see what the individual stocks are doing.

Thank you for having this thread here!

[Idiot]

This is an old post, but hahahaha!

When I hear some big corporate head or hedge fund manager come on Fox Business and say, "Bitcoin is just going to keep going up," I have to laugh.  You just know that is the time not to get in on the action, or if you are brave enough to sell the stock.

This happened about two weeks ago.  I told my husband, and he laughed, too, at the hussling to get people to buy that stock.

And as I suspected, Bitcoin took a major dump.  Caveat emptor!

I do not read a lot on this thread, but this is very useful for people who buy and sell stocks.  I am more of a commidity type of person, rather than stocks.  I used to trade a lot.  Not as a day trader, but as a position trader.

But with our 401(k) going through the roof (thank you, President Trump), it is nice to come in here and see what the individual stocks are doing.

Thank you for having this thread here!

I've been waiting for bitcoin's demise as well.  When your barber mentions bitcoin, you know it's about to crash...lol.

[catfish1957]

I've been waiting for bitcoin's demise as well.  When your barber mentions bitcoin, you know it's about to crash...lol.

I have averaged an overall annual increase of 30-40% in worth the past 35 years.  Now in my retirements years, its not that spectacular gains, but am set.

All I will say is fundamentals don't support a 25,000 DJIA.  When I see PE ratios @25, 50, and higher (even with good sound companies) , we know this market is oversold and over-speculated.

[catfish1957]

But with our 401(k) going through the roof (thank you, President Trump), it is nice to come in here and see what the individual stocks are doing.

I am sure you remember '08, but how about '00, and '87?   Just keep it in perspective.

[Slip18]

I've been waiting for bitcoin's demise as well.  When your barber mentions bitcoin, you know it's about to crash...lol.

Exactly!

 

[Slip18]

I am sure you remember '08, but how about '00, and '87?   Just keep it in perspective.

I sure do!  We took care of that last year by putting half of the 401(k) portfolio into slow growth; 25% into small caps; the other 25% is still in large caps. 

Not trying to be greedy here.