Quick Trades: IDMI

I grabbed a nice trade in IDMI today. I grabbed some at the open and sold my positions for a nice 13% gain. Not too shabby!

In Play: GEL

Yes, I daytraded this a few sessions ago but judging from todays positive action on a negative day, I say that GEL is looking poised to head higher real soon. It's time to jump back in...

Industry Group Strength: Chilean Beverage Stock Bonanza

Hey folks,

Out of the entire beverage stock industry group, there are two stocks that seem to be currently outshining the competition (JSDA is currently a mess). The two gems are Vita Concha y Toro S.A (VCO) and Compania Cervecerias Unidas (CU). Both stocks are slow and steady growers, so they make good longer term trades and investments rather than quick swing trades. Regardless, if you are looking for a few beverage stocks to squeeze into your portfolio then CU and VCO are the way to go.

Here are the charts....

VCO

CU

End of the Semester and Finals.....

Hey folks,

Its that time again! That's right, the end of the semester is coming up and I will be swamped with exams, finals and many other fun things. Because of this, I will not be able to post about any trades, developments or other stock-related info as often as I would like. For the most part, most of the trades that I have recommended should be more than enough to keep you busy. If not, check out the blog once in a while as I may have time to sneak in a few trade ideas here and there.


-Nick M. H.

From Trashy to Classy: A closer look at Waste Mangement Co. Stocks

Hey guys,

Lately, I have noticed some strength in waste management company stocks.

First up....

Perma-Fix Environmental Svcs (PESI) Currently trading at 2.59

PESI has bottomed out and is ready to continue its uptrend...

Wca Waste Corp (WCAA)

WCAA has recently begun its breakout this past Thursday. Fortunatly, the stock has not caught the attention of the big boys so you still have a chance to jump in before it heads even higher.

Ecology and Environment Inc (EEI)

Quick Trades: GEL

Hey folks,

I made a quick day trade on GEL. I bought some in the open and simply just sold right before the market close. Now while I believe that GEL will head higher in the upcoming days and weeks, I felt like taking a decent profit and jumping back in when it comes back down a bit.

What's Hot and What's Not 4/25/07

Hey folks,

Today, I think it's easier if we first go through the "what's not hot" section. First off, as a new short, check out AKAM. Today, AKAM has sliced down, right through the 50day MA and closed below it on higher than average volume. Hence, it makes a good short.





What's Hot: LIFC ( I mentioned this one when it was just bottoming, around 23/24), DXPE ( I just mentioned this one a few days ago as a new buy. Today it has broken out to a new high).

Unfortunatly, some of my best movers are stocks that I sold way to early. One stock that I took profits in too early was MTOX. Although I still like MTOX and would like to re-initiate a bigger position, I have to take into consideration that the stock has become too extended for a safe entry point. I will wait for a pull back and then jump back in. Otherwise, check out stocks that are just begining to breakout.

Take Advantage of the Dips...

Hey folks,

If you missed INXI yesterday, you have another chance to grab it up at a discount. Take advantage of the intra-day dip and snatch up INXI below 12.30...

In Play: LACO

Hey guys,


Check out LACO. It is a small gaming stock that looks promising...

End of Day Recap..

Hey guys,

Today was a quiet, lazy trading session that ended with a low-volume pullback. Despite this, I managed to pull in a decent gain today. I also took some profits in certain stocks. Of course, there have been some new buys as well.


New Buys: GTA - I have mentioned GTA before on some of my stock lists. Although the stock looked good, the stock was stock in a tight range. With the stock breaking out last Friday, today was a good time to initiate a position. Although I got in at a good price, I would have liked to have seen more buyers jump in. I am sure that even more traders will find it on their watchlists and screeners later on in the evening.

PCS- A fairly new issue with all the inner-workings of a real winner. I like PCS and although it's been trading for only 3 days, I like what I see.

SNHY- I've known about this stock for a while now. I picked some up today because the chart has shown considerable improvement. SNHY has formed a cup with handle-like formation and has recently broken out of it. Still, I would like to see it take out its all time high before I add any more. Its all time high is around 32/33.

APOG- Been watching this one for a bit and decided to push the trigger on this one. The accumulation on this one is nuts.

AAC- Another mainstay on my watch-list. I decided that today was a good entry point so I took it. Lets see how this little momo play pans out.
---------------------------------------------
Profits/Sells: MTOX - although I didn't get a chance to re-add to my position, I did sell some more today. So far, I have sold 3/4 of my position.

SPAR- I am starting to not like the chart on SPAR so I decided to sell most of my position in this security today. I did make a profit on it.

ZOOM- I sold most of my position in ZOOM for a 12% loss (-12%). I will keep it on the watchlist just in case it fixes itself.

TTEK, TTES - All sold. More risk than reward, so no thanks...

GRIL: I hate to have to constantly beat a dead horse, but if you still haven't sold GRIL, today's close below the 50 day MA is a definite sell signal. There is no need to drown yourself in a loss and try to cost average down and all that nonsense. Just sell, take the loss and hop into another trade. If you are a long-term investor then you are used to taking the occasional punishment from a failing stock.
------------------------------------
Add-Ons: BLX - I added a little more today...

CCIX- I took advantage of the intra-day dip and add some more.

SGU- SGU is looking good with a clean bounce up off of the 50 day MA.

FTK - looking good today...

INXI - hottest chart out there. I added a tiny bit to my position. I still like this one and I believe that we have more upside in store. Stick around...

Dow does it Again...

That's right. Once again, the DJIA manages to pull of a new high. Even more impressive is the fact that we closed at the HOD. Now that's saying something. No profit taking, no pessimissm, no nothing. I like the confidence of the market and I believe that we have a good shot at avoiding a double top. Just to be safe though, I took a few profits here and there. Nothing big, nothing major....I'm just exercising a little precaution. I also cut loose a few laggards as well. In my opinion, if you had a stock that didn't perform well or even at least finish closer to the high end of the day, then get rid of it! There is no reason that you or I should hold onto losers. Only winners please! I should also mention that if you notice that certain stocks in your holdings are lagging, that means that they are not taking part of the new rally that is taking place. In a sense, they could be considered old and not interesting to the new money that is pushing other stocks higher. The best thing to do is take your profits, take your losses and start snapping up some new charts that are showing up on your radar screens.


Profits/Sells: TONS ( I've been long since 41 and below, so it was only right. Keep in mind, I only sold a quarter of my position.)
KHDH: I also took profits some profits on KHDH. Although I really like this stock as a long-term play, I can't ignore the fact that the stock looks like it needs to come down a little bit and take a breather. I would wait until it drops down and shows a clear support level. When it does, jump back into it.
MTOX: Took some profits. I will re-add to the position if it can hang above 20 and straighten out its chart.

Sells: GRIL ( I gave it a chance and it continues to let me down. I am leaning on the sell side on this one. It seems to me that the trend has been broken. There were several clues to this in the begining of April. During the first few trading days in April, the stock always seemed to open up at around 9.30 and then close at the LOD. This happened several times in a row and seemed like a bad signal. Then the big drop that sliced through the 10 and 20day Ma's on heavy volume. That was the tipping point on GRIL. For now, avoid this stock and move onto better plays.)

Add to: BLX (this S.A bank play is looking strong. I would continue to hold it and add to it.)
CCIX (CCIX is currently resting and readying itself for its next monsterous up move. If I were you, I would quietly add on new shares every time it takes an intra -day dip.
SYNL (I've been long since 23 on SYNL. Todays breakout is a signal to buy, so I bought some more. I think we are heading higher now that SYNL has the Street's attention).

New Adds: IPAR, DXPE ( I first played DXPE nearly 2 years ago when I first started out. I remember buying it when it wasn't trading for more than $6. Thinking back, I wish I would have held onto it as a longer-term investment, instead of selling it so soon...oh well..you live and you learn).

Saved by the 50 Day MA: GRIL

Hey folks,

It seems like GRIL may be bouncing off of the 50day MA. The bounce is on above average volume, which is a good sign. Still, I am little hesitant about adding more shares. If you feel confident that the stock will continue to resume a positive uptrend from this point on, then feel free to buy it up. I on the otherhand will wait until I see some more positive signals.

Add On: CBI

Hey folks,

Now is a good time to add to CBI. It is starting to set-up a bullish pattern that suggests that it is ready for the next leg up.

In Play: FARO, BARE

Here are two more stocks to check out. Both FARO and BARE have been mentioned in the past. I picked them today because of their strong chart patterns.

BARE is showing a pivot point that is helping it start a new uptrend closer to the 10 day Ma. Its previous uptrend was faulty and way to choppy. This the time to buy it. Note: Perhaps we should wait a bit because volume is pretty much lackluster at the moment. If this is indeed the right point to buy it, shouldn't there be more volume to confirm it??

FARO has been sidewinding along for a while between 24 and 28. Unfortunatly, it didn't seem like it wanted to head any higher than this defined channel. Today, the stock seems to breaking out the channel. I am still looking for above average volume. It would be nice to see the stock close at the HOD on volume of 400k or above.

In Play: PAE, TTES

Hey guys,

I have to stocks that you should check out for today. I have been looking at PAE for a few days now and I believe that it is a good buy and add on at this price level. It was all about waiting for the price to stabalize a bit and create a pivot point. This current pivot point at the 2.00 level is fine. The stock has bounced up from the days low of 1.86. The stock is currently at its HOD.

TTES has a beautiful chart filled with accumulation. It is a top quality stock that is working its way along the right side of its base. The stock has come out of a double bottom-like formation a few weeks ago.

In Play: INXI

Hey folks,

INXI is down right about now. This is a good time to load up on it before it pops up again...

In Play: BMTI

Since most of the stocks that broke out yesterday are taking a rest, it is important to grab new stocks that are showing strength the following day. BMTI is such as stock.

Breakout!

Hey guys,

Today's action was simply awesome. But you didn't need me to tell you that. That's because most stocks were up today (except for a few bad apples). Many more have even begun to breakout or put the finishing touches on their cup w/ handle formations. There are several winners that stand in my mind including: INXI (I've been recommending this one since $8/9), SPAR, KHDH, MTOX, FTK, TONS...etc. Also keep an eye on TWI as it looks ready to breakout to new heights. Despite the fact that I already have plenty of stocks in the portfolio, I am tempted to pick up a few new names and take some profits on some older holdings.

Now onto bad news...

One of my fav plays, GRIL just got hit with a big sell off earlier this afternoon. The drop was 11% on huge volume. I am looking for a bounce off of the 50day MA. If the stock performs an encore tommorow, I am selling. It is a clear sell signal if the stock drops down a lot on big volume or if it closes below the 50day. There are so many other stocks that are performing well that it doesn't make sense to hold onto GRIL if it can't perform well. Remember, trading stocks is like a summer fling, never confuse it with a marriage or long term relationship....

Industry Group Strength: Aerospace & Defense Equipment

When looking for good long candidates, I like to sift through the various industry groups and sectors in order to find stocks that are setting up to run higher. One industry group that has recently caught my attention is the Aerospace & Defense Equipment group. In the group, there are three stocks that I find are good set ups. They are: ASTI, HXL and DCO




Ascent Solar Technologies (ASTI)


Yeah I know that this one has had quite the run up already, but with merger & acquistion (M&A) talk abound as well as higher oil prices making solar attractive, ASTI may go even higher. Perhaps we will see a little side ways consolidation before the next move up. I would wait until the stock takes a dip near its 20 day before grabbing a position, just to be safe.

You can also see that money flow hasn't been too healthy. I like to see money flow in the positive, not the negative....

Ducommun Inc (DCO)






I like DCO because its in the process of taking out some multi-year highs. What I don't like about it is that it has a very erratic and choppy chart pattern. This is a wild, undulating mover, so becareful where you snatch it up..

Try to grab it low 26 and cut your losses if it falls below the 50 day.



























Hexcel Corp (HXL)




I like this one because of its strong accumulation. I am a little iffy on it and would like to see more positive action before fully recommending it.

Interesting Stocks and Picks for the Upcoming Week

Hey guys,

Here are a few interesting stocks and charts for the week of April 16, 2007...

ZIXI, ZAP, TWI (still like it), SUP, SWHC (will it form a high handle??), FLIR, MKSI, IFSIA, SYNL (still like it), TGS, TGX (good time to add)

There are many others that I like but this is a good list to start you off on.

Add to: FTK, FCN, BKE

Gold Rush...

Hey folks,

As the market fills with worry and uncertainty, the gold and silver stocks begin to climb above their 200 day MA's and start working on the right side of their bases. I just wanted to highlight several of the speculative plays that I find interesting.

Gold, Silver, etc Plays: EMU, EXK, UXG, OZN, MRB, GRZ, RNO, HL

Safer Plays: GOLD, SLW (i), SA (let it come down a bit), HMY, GFI, LIHR, NG

What's Hot and What's Not...

Hey folks,

Just a heads up:

Took some profits in FCSX. I've been long since low 34, so it was only right that I took some off the table. I plan to add more to my remaining position once it pulls back from todays breakout. Overall, I think that FCSX will continue to outperform the market.



Some of the my stocks that haven't been doing so well lately:
VCC (I still like it for the longterm)
AFCE
SGU
CLRT
ASYS
GOT
ECI
ESC
PMRY

Most of my other holding are outperforming these stocks.

In Play: PTNX

Hey folks, here is another stock that has bottomed out and is begining to look like a good trade - PTNX. The chart is starting to show some accumulation so this is a good time to initiate a starting position.

In Play: SPSS, KHDH, AKRX, FUEL, FTK

Here are a few stocks that are at good buy points and are good longs (as long as the market holds up at least).

SPSS, KHDH, AKRX, FUEL, FTK

Low of the Day Close...

Hey guys,

What a lousy day Still, we have recently seen worse and need to take todays action as it is. It is frusterating but what can one do? The U.S. Markets have been shaky lately and have not been giving great returns. Despite this, there were several stocks in my 'folio that did ok. PKOH, HWCC, NGLS and a couple of new ones such as ETWC, POSH and ID did well also. Still, the majority of my stock holdings closed south of the border. Despite this, I am taking todays action rather lightly and do not plant to get rid of everything just yet. We have to wait and be patient in order to see what the markets next move will be.

New Long Ideas: BLX, FCN, PCR

In Play: VCC, TA, MTOX, SPSS, PMRY, PHMD, DYS and CORE

Here is a whole bunch of stocks that are doing well today. I particularly like VCC as it is a low float stock that has a chart full of accumulation. Today's low volume pullback is the perfect opportunity for one to initiate a position.

Indecisive Action

Hey guys,

April 2007's first trading day is off to a wobbly start. Despite some positive action in the Dow, everything else is indecisive. Well what else is new? Since we bounced off from the early March bottom, the markets have been pretty much directionless. Still, I did not hesitate to make some new moves in my portfolio.

New Buys: HGR, OFI, SGU, MTOX, INXI (rebought), ETWC, HOOK, HRSH, CJBK, IAO, LSR, PHC, TGX

Stocks up: KHDH, UUU, GRIL, GOT, CCIX, BBND, FCSX, NX, RS, SMCI, ZOLT

Stocks down: AFCE, CBI, ROCM, TONS, IGTE

What's Hot and What's Not....

Hey folks,








Welcome to another installment of What's Hot and What's Not. It's been a while since my the last installment, but since I found a little time in my schedule, I decided to drop another post on this topic. First off, what are some hot stocks that are getting ready to breakout or are begining to breakout.


What's Hot (Hot bets)-


CCIX - I have recently recommended and mentioned this one several times. The stock's chart is full of accumulation and looking very healthy right now. I think CCIX has more room to go. Watch for the support at 20. I have a feeling that the stock will shoot off to new highs once the 10 day MA plays catch up.

Coleman Cable (CCIX)


















Gotta love the chart action on this one. Also becareful when adding or selling a position as this stock is prone to wild swings in either direction.


HGR - I've liked this one for a while now. The recent consolidation on the base's handle is a good buying opportunity for those who still want to jump in. HGR still has a long way to go if it wants to take out the 3 year high. I believe that in due time it will hit new multi-year highs. I beleive that HGR is also a great long term play for the very same reasons why I think nursing and retirement homes are.

Hanger Orthopedix (HGR)
























Capital Senior Living Corp (CSU) - I have been bullish on CSU for a long time (since the days on ACR). I have made quick trades on it in the past, but now, I believe a longer term bullish trend is in the works. The stock is currently working on a multi-year cup base and is ready to blast off to new highs. Any positive news or increased buying volume can send CSU skyward.

Capital Senior Living Corp (CSU)













Great long term trade potential in CSU.









INXI- I have liked INXI for the past several months. I had made a very nice trade on it and then took some profits. Now that the stock has consolidated for a bit, it is ready for another impressive run.

INXI

After consolidating for a while and bouncing off the 50 day MA, INXI is ready for more action

Health Grades (HGRD) - HGRD is an interesting small cap that provides ratings about doctors and hospitals to the general public. I've known about this one for some time but I just recently checked out the chart and it looks interesting. Although the chart looks a bit choppy at the moment, I still think that you should keep an eye on HGRD just in case.

HGRD

The technicals are starting to improve on HGRD. Soon, so will investors and traders opinions on HGRD.





































Overhill Farms (OFI) - Did you miss the initial run? Not to worry. OFI is ready for run number two.



OFI



OFI's chart is full of accumulation. Notice that the volume has been slowly drying up as the stock has consolidated.





















































ETrials Worldwide (ETWC) - a low float, speculative stock that has a great chart and strong technicals? I like!





ETWC

















































Redhook Ale Brewery (HOOK) - Not saying this will be the next Budweiser, but still, HOOK makes a great swing trade at the current price level.



HOOK




Now is a good time to add or initiate a position while the stock is close to its moving averages. If HOOK fails to stay above the moving averages, sell it.

















HRSH- nice chart, low float and ready to head higher...

HRSH


Add while the stock is bouncing off its 10 day MA....

Diversification or Diworsification?

Hey folks,

Yeah, I know, the top analysts and brokerage firms always suggest that as an investor, it is best to diversify in order to reduce your risk. All I have to say is, "Shut up!". In my opinion, diversification is a positive strategy...if your investing in the 1950's that is. In our modern day trading environment, diversification bears a new name- Diworsification. That's right. Diworsification is the new term that applies to diversification because while diversification helps you reduce risk, it can also cripple your portfolio and prevent it from making substantial gains and returns on your investment. That's because the more positions you add, the more you are increasing your risk and the more you are decreasing your chances of scoring a nice gain on your winners (what are the chances that all the stocks you pick will be winners??). Instead, it is better to allocate most of your money in a few top stocks that are at a proper buy point instead of buying lots of different stocks hoping for winners. It is much easier to pick 2-3 winners than to pick 15 winning stocks. Adding extra stocks is unnecessary. Instead, continue to add to the 2-3 winning stocks and take advantage of pullbacks and bounces off key support levels and moving averages. I use another strategy. I like to buy a lot of stocks that I like. The thing is, I just buy a little bit at first (for ex, 50 shares). In the next couple of sessions, if the stock continues to perform well, I will add to it. If it doesn't look good anymore, I sell and minimize my losses. By doing this, I am continuously adding to my winners and letting go of my laggards. In the end though, you need to develop and stick to a strategy that works well for YOU.