Portfolio Update

Today I closed my STO put position for CPLP. With the stock value going up slowly and the month of time that has passed, the value of the 2 put options I sold at $0.30 a contract share has dropped down to my trigger price of $0.05. After commissions, this is a profit of $37.47 and I free up the $1,500 that would have been needed to purchase the 200 shares of CPLP had it dropped below $7.50 a share. Total profit on the sale is just short of 70%, but if you look at it from the perspective of the $1,500 that was frozen to secure the puts, it is only a profit of 0.025% for the past month. Sadly enough, that is still better than bank interest. That is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

CPLP - Capital Product Partners, LP
STO - sell-to-open/sold-to-open

Portfolio Update

I have been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time. Tonight I get to report that I collected 100% profit on one of my positions today. AMR had a large run up two days ago on it's earnings report.

From what I have been told, it is risky to hold onto a position on the week of its earnings being reported. Although I had looked it up before I bought in, I honestly forgot that earnings for AMR was to going to be reported this week. Fortunately for me it performed the way that it did and didn't trigger my STC stop order on that day. The only other way that I know of to trade on earnings is to set up a BTO limit-stop order contingent on a set stock price followed by setting up an STC stop order after the BTO triggers. This would require more time than I have because of my normal work day demands.

Following the move up, I was astute enough to update my stop-loss order to position myself to capture some profit. The following day it traded near the stop without triggering, but then dipped below my trigger price, stopping me out for the gross 100% profit. Currently I believe AMR will be pulling back a little bit, so I might get back in. But first, I want to see it test the break out level of $6.50. There is nothing yet to report on my other positions. That is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

AMR - AMR Corp (American Airlines)
BTO - Buy-to-open
STC - Sell-to-close

Portfolio Update

As the market proceeded to move up for the past week, I did not enter into a put position on QQQQ. On the other hand, I also did not enter into a call position on BAC. Both of these went completely against my analysis. The choice to take advantage of contingency orders is definitely worth the time it takes to make the calculations and set the order.

It is also worth the time to reset ones stops every day. Unfortunately, I did not do that last night. As a result, the stop I updated to the night before last persisted for today's down turn in C and as a result I was stopped out at a loss of $10 on top of commissions and fees. This will result in a lost of ~21%. The good news is that this is keeps me in my 25% loss tolerance.

On other fronts, CPLP has been moving up. This means for me that the puts I sold to be assigned at $7.50 have been started to lose value after gaining value over the previous week. Although a slower strategy, selling cash-secured puts looks to be a promising revenue stream. That is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

BAC - Bank of America Corp.
C - Citigroup, Inc.
CPLP - Capital Product Partners, LP
QQQQ - Powershares QQQ Trust ETF

Portfolio Update

Yesterday I said I would think about a few option trades, and after careful deliberation over the list I decided to place two orders. The first was 3 AMR Nov 20 2010 $6.00 calls and the second was 3 BAC Nov 20 2010 $14.00 calls. Long-story-short, only the first one was executed. AMR decided to gap up on the open and then pull back to the highs of the previous day. The close on AMR was higher than the previous day despite pulling back from the open. As a precaution, I have my GTC stop in place at a 25% loss and will wait to see how tomorrow fares for my position.

Although I believe AMR is prepared to have a short term bullish move, I am also perceiving the possibility of a bearish move in QQQQ. Because of this prognostication, I am going to also place another order for Thursday. This order will be for 2 QQQQ Nov 20 2010 $49.00 puts at a limit of $1.58 contingent on QQQQ dropping below $48.83. That is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

AMR - AMR Corp.
BAC - Bank of America Corp.
GTC - good til cancelled
QQQQ - Powershares QQQ Trust ETF

Portfolio Update and Option Picks

An interesting day in my portfolio. With today's bullish performance of the indices, I was stopped out of one position, but not the one I though I would be. Instead of me being stopped out of BRKS, I was stopped out of BAC. My BAC Oct 16 2010 $15.00 put stopped out at $1.50 for a 16% lose before commissions. After the weak movement that occurred on the day I entered the position I started to suspect that this could happen. I am thinking that the trend is changing. I believe I will look into a long call position.

Other possible trades I am looking into are AMD for long puts and AMR, BRCD, and UNG for long calls. That is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com/

AMD - Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
AMR - AMR Corp.
BAC - Bank or America Corp.
BRKS - Brooks Automation, Inc.
UNG - United States Natural Gas Fund ETF

Portfolio Update

Today, I entered two option trades. The first was 5 C Nov 20 2010 $4.00 calls at $0.25 after C climbed over $4.10. I followed this entry with a stop of $0.18 to minimize my losses to approximately 25%. As of the close. I am still in the trade but only by $0.01 as the close was at $0.19.

The second trade was 3 BRKS Nov 20 2010 $5.00 puts at $0.20 after BRKS dropped below $6.49. I am following this entry with a stop of $0.15 to minimize my loses to about 25%. I have concerns that I was the only player on this trade. And although the underlying stock moved in my favor, unlike C, I might get stopped out before it really has a chance to move due to the wide spread in the option bid and ask prices and the low volume.

My previously entered trades are still open. My long BAC Oct 16 2010 $15.00 put is not yet profitable but the underlying is going in my favor. My short CPLP Dec 18 2010 $7.50 puts are continuing to hold since there seem to be buyers of them at higher prices than I sold sold mine despite the underlying has been relatively flat for weeks. I still want the stock if it drops to $7.50 so I am in no rush to BTC my position. However, if it does clime towards $10, I have an order to sell a short term call at the $10 strike. That is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

BAC - Bank of America Corp.
BTC - buy-to-close
BRKS - Brooks Automation, Inc
C - Citigroup, Inc
CPLP - Capital Product Partners, LP