***Official*** 2014 Stock Market Thread

[Imp]

And I'm back up to pre-"crash" levels... Wish I realized this when I started "investing" years ago.

 

[JEDI]

And I'm back up to pre-"crash" levels... Wish I realized this when I started "investing" years ago.

realize what?

 

[JEDI]

is a trailing stop the best way to maximizing profits?

ie: the stock u picked has reached your target profit lvl.

how to limit downside and maximize profit?

 

[Imp]

realize what?

To not freak out every time the market moves up or down if I'm not holding speculative stocks.

 

[velillen]

To not freak out every time the market moves up or down if I'm not holding speculative stocks.

haha i learned that last election time. Sold at a minor loss (couple hundred bucks) thinking the election would drop and keep it low for some time. Well nope i sold more or less rock bottom and it only went back up. Sold at 14800 (dow) and rebough it at like 15700

O well now i dont even really check other than once or twice a week to see how its doing.

 

[xaeniac]

What are your thoughts on Leapfrog LF and Microsoft MSFT?

 

[Corporate Thug]

is a trailing stop the best way to maximizing profits?

ie: the stock u picked has reached your target profit lvl.

how to limit downside and maximize profit?

you limit downsize the same way. If you buy a stock for $10 and set a 10% trailing stop, it will trigger a sell @ $9. But if the stock goes to $11, the stop is still there at $9.90 (10% of $11).

 

[JEDI]

you limit downsize the same way. If you buy a stock for $10 and set a 10% trailing stop, it will trigger a sell @ $9. But if the stock goes to $11, the stop is still there at $9.90 (10% of $11).

if I speculate on a new stock, whats the general concensus to set the trailing stop at?
5%?

 

[Corporate Thug]

if I speculate on a new stock, whats the general concensus to set the trailing stop at?
5%?

that all depends on your risk appetite, the % of your overall portfolio the stock compromises, and how speculative the stock is.

100% of my portfolio is small cap biotechs (highly speculative) and I don't use any sort of stop losses.

However, if I'm going to do a quick swing trade with a modest investment, I'll likely set a stop loss for 8% or so (again, flexible depending on a lot of factors).

 

[AmdEmAll]

The latest was on penny stocks. They tend to be a complete crap shoot so I suggest having nothing to do with them.

Michael

<typing on my phone without my reading glasses ...>

Yeah thats normally true but not with MJ stocks.. There is going to be nothing but good news about legalization.. just watch after this November.

 

[debian0001]

I've been wanting to get into the market but I keep thinking it's gonna crash.... should I still wait? this sucks. I would have def made some money if I started this time last year on what I was watching.

 

[velillen]

I've been wanting to get into the market but I keep thinking it's gonna crash.... should I still wait? this sucks. I would have def made some money if I started this time last year on what I was watching.

If you are in it for the long term.....just invest in smart index funds. They might go down but in the long run you will most likely make money. Just have to be smart in what you pick and then just keep a general eye on the news to 1) know why the market is going up down and 2) forsee any major issues upcoming that could cause a crash.

 

[KB]

I've been wanting to get into the market but I keep thinking it's gonna crash.... should I still wait? this sucks. I would have def made some money if I started this time last year on what I was watching.

It is impossible to time the market. If you don't need the money in the near term, then the best time to invest is whenever you have the risk capital to invest. Just buy some index funds or good stocks and forget about them.

 

[Michael]

I have TWC shares which had already been doing well before the takeover offer. Now I need to decide if I should take the money or the Comcast shares and become a Comcast shareholder.

Michael

 

[KB]

I have TWC shares which had already been doing well before the takeover offer. Now I need to decide if I should take the money or the Comcast shares and become a Comcast shareholder.

Michael

Its better to lock in the profits now than risk the chance of the deal falling through because of regulators. Its highly unlikely that a second offer will come through raising the price any further. Charter communications bid was 132.50 a share so if the deal falls through then that is where the price may drop to.

 

[Michael]

That was my thought as well. I can always buy Comcast later if I like the company.

Michael

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

That was my thought as well. I can always buy Comcast later if I like the company.

Michael

I honestly don't see it going through.

#1: Comcast
#2: TWC

And WAAAAAAAAAY down the list as far as overall customer count is DirecTV and Dish Network. It's the 2 cable giants uniting to fight against Dish? In all honesty, dish and cable are 2 different markets - This is Monopoly 101 written all over it IMO. I can't believe our system would even consider allowing this bullshit.

 

[Michael]

Sold my TWC today. Pretty good net gain from where I bought it, now I have to come up with a new idea for the money.

Michael

 

[baydude]

Anyone ever held a stock for long term? When do people hold stock for more than 12 months?

 

[zephyrprime]

Market's are going down this year due to the end of QE. I expect some new highs to be made soon and then a resurgence of emerging market problems.

 

[Michael]

I have owned a bunch of stock for over 10 years. I have been investing in Exxon starting when oil was $14 a barrel. I keep good companies that keep performing.

Michael

 

[Joe1987]

Anyone hold Tesla through earnings?

 

[JTsyo]

Tried my had with options by selling a covered call of NVDA. Strike $18, $.81, due in June. The price shot up the last few days, much faster than I expected considering how NVDA was hovering around $15-$16 for a year.

 

[baydude]

Can someone recommend a good online broker? I'm currently using TradeKing and I like their mobile app, but their restrictions aren't that great. Would be interested to try something new.

 

[Michael]

I have used TDAmeritrade for years (started when they were Waterhouse Securities and also with TD Greenline in Canada). I find them to be quite good overall.

Michael