So, how are we doing....?

We wrapped up the week managing swing and trend trades, powered by Chaikin Analytics. Here's where you can watch a recording of Friday morning's trading meeting.

2018 Performance

• Q1 Bullish Trend Trading (click to view) - We started 2018 from scratch with a new trend following portfolio less than a month before the market top, followed by weeks of volatility.  Remember, these were non-diversified holdings, with only stop-losses applied as risk management.  We didn't use our real money.  This exercise was about forward testing Chaikin signals on Best of the Best stocks in strong industry groups with Very Bullish Power Gauges and model-confirming relative strength.  Because we started a new portfolio in a market that had been trending higher for over a year, there were plenty of Momentum Breakout signal trades with price extended well above the long term Chaikin trend that dotted the financial landscape.  An almost perfect storm portended potential portfolio disaster! Sure, we racked up a ton of losers. We got hammered. But you know what, when all is said and done (still a bunch of trades working), we might actually turn a profit from our aggregate Q1 entries, thanks to a handful of huge winners offsetting a substantial string of losers.  It just goes to show that if one keeps trading systematically, fearlessly and while adhering to a strict set of rules, the Chaikin model can protect from disaster in the toughest of times, and ...
• Q2 Bullish Trend Trading (click to view)...magical things can happen to one's account when market conditions change, and the overall trend supports the underlying strategy,  Now, the market will have to cooperate for a few weeks longer for these results to stick.  No weeks-to-months trend following system works well in choppy-volatile market conditions. That's where cutting position sizes down, managing overall portfolio heat, selling covered calls, trading in both directions and especially this...
• Q2 Bullish Swing Trading  (click to view)...swing trading over shorter time-frames...are all the keys to protecting capital in directionless markets.  And with Chaikin Analytics to provide the directional trading edge, performance can be quite good. 

All our trading is for the purpose of demonstrating the Chaikin Analytics platform only.  This is not financial advice, nor are we licensed to provide such guidance.  We have day jobs outside the financial services industry. The fact that we still have to work for a living is all the proof you need that while Chaikin Analytics may be wonderful tool for traders and investors, it doesn't work miracles.  When you trade, you are taking risk and you can lose money.