Last Updated : 23-Julay-2021
“Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get slaughtered” – Old Wall Street Saying
From April-2018 till 31-Mar-2021, I have been exactly that – a pig, getting slaughtered in the stock markets.
So my goal for FY 2021-2022 is simple : Don’t be a pig.
And I am hoping, writing stuff down will help be get a little better at investing/trading which I consider to be the biggest, baddest and the most rewarding game ever created.
Trade Journal
Current Holdings (Last Updated : 23-Jul-2021)
Date | Action | Stock | Comments |
01-Apr-2021 | Add | RPSG Ventures | Was liking price action so added a wee bit to existing position |
09-Apr-2021 | Add | Bajaj Consumer | Bought Bajaj Consumer on breakout over recent high of 284.70 on decent volumes. Felt like an idiot buying 10% higher but buying breakouts on stocks I like, is a new skill I am trying to acquire. CANSLIM methodology of William O Neil basically. Here is the book which describes the system: How to make Money in Stocks by William O Neil |
12-Apr-2021 | Add | Piramal Enterprises | Added about 10% to existing position as I have good conviction on the stock. It has multiple triggers in next few months both negative and positive which can come in any order. I am expecting a price of above 2000 in under a year. Bad news on DHFL, NPA rising could take the stock lower but volatility in this stock has always been very high. |
13-Apr-2021 | Reduce | RPSG Ventures | An indicator I follow from a paid subscription indicated a market downtrend. I have planned to cut exposure however little when the indicator goes south hence sold off RPSG Ventures as I felt it was giving a decent exit point |
13-Apr-2021 | Entry | KEI Industries | Good growth company derailed by pandemic a little. Good support around 505 so bought a little today. Weekly MA (10-40) also giving a buy but will be confirmed on weekly close. Business wise cash generation seems a bit of an issue |
19-Apr-2021 | Add | KEI Industries | Added a bit to position. My good till cancelled orders for buys at 489 and 479 got triggered. I have started putting these orders to avoid second guessing myself when price actually drops and waiting for still lower prices. |
22-Apr-2021 | Add | Sanghvi Movers | 126 was the breakout point. So bought on retest around that as it went to 144 and retraced. My brain was screaming why did you not buy at 100 and why buying at 126.55 but I still pulled the trigger as I need to learn to buy on the way up |
22-Apr-2021 | Entry | Mastek Limited | Came in annual growth screen, quarterly growth screen and near breakout. Cheat entry as breakout did not happen but something seems to be changing in company plus i was keen to increase exposure to IT |
23-Apr-2021 | Entry | Indus Tower | Came in some growth screener I was testing |
23-Apr-2021 | Reduce | Tv18 Broadcast | Had failed breakout. Overstayed welcome. Good results giving exit near break even. Taking it |
26-Apr-2021 | Add | Sanghvi Movers | Adding to position |
29-Apr-2021 | Reduce | Tv18 Broadcast | Had failed breakout. Overstayed welcome. Good results giving exit near break even. Taking it |
30-Apr-2021 | Exit | Tv18 Broadcast | Had failed breakout. Overstayed welcome. Good results giving exit near break even. Taking it |
30-Apr-2021 | Reduce | RPSG Ventures | Losing patience. Other ideas looking more tempting so trying to create a bit of cash |
30-Apr-2021 | New Entry | Ashiana Housing | Been studying this for a long time. Today announcement of new project land acquisition. Took small entry |
30-Apr-2021 | Exit | Indus Tower | Discovered some errors in screener. No longer makes the cut. Exited trade |
04-May-2021 | Reduce | RPSG Ventures | Reduced position in 379-389 range. Several sharp retracements from these levels in past so thought better to take some money off the table |
06-May-2021 | Bajaj Consumer | Exit | Stop loss of 7% hit. Looked okay but stuck to discipline of taking loss as decided and not shifting goalposts mid way (a very slippery slope indeed) |
10-May-2021 | Reduce | RPSG Ventures | Reduced position at 399. Several sharp retracements from these levels in past so thought better to take some money off the table |
10-May-2021 | Reduce | Sanghvi Movers | Reduced position. Pure need to book some green. Nothing indicated weakness. Maybe infleunced by old painful loss in same stock 3-4 years back. |
11-May-2021 | Add | RPSG Ventures | New ground for me. Added after recent exit at lower price. Great price action on heavy volume. new 52 wk high hit. Try for buy high sell higher here. Stop loss already placed in the system |
14-MAy-2021 | Exit | Mastek | Ran up quite a bit quite. Had put a stop protecting 80% of open profits. Got taken out |
18-May-2021 | New Entry | Rain Industries | Recommended by a service I follow and was suggested earlier by a friend who is very astute investor too a few days back. Two signals so took the plunge |
19-May-2021 | Reduce | Sanghvi Movers | Reduced position. Large moves looking like climax run. Nearing book value too and margin of safety in trade reducing |
19-May-2021 | Reduce | KEI Industries | Reduced position. Large moves looking like climax run. Cash flows also not very good. Think better opportunities exist. |
20-May-2021 | New Entry | Acrysil | Ashish Kacholia pick. Also in my growth screeener |
24-May-2021 | Exit | Acrysil | Too fast a move. Exited. Probably too early. |
27-May-2021 | Add | Sanghvi Movers | Looks like a breakout on charts so added even though I just reduced a few days back |
27-May-2021 | New Entry | Rubfila International | Came in growth screener. Looks good. Niche biz, growing steadily. Capacity Expansion |
01-Jun-2021 | Add | Rubfila International | Came in growth screener. Looks good. Niche biz, growing steadily. Capacity Expansion |
04-Jun-2021 | Reduce | PEL | Again selling too early I think but position size getting uncomfortable, hence the reduce |
04-Jun-2021 | Reduce | Sanghvi Movers | Fearing a sharp drop, irrationally. Old wounds of losing a lot in this so desperate to end in green on this one |
08-Jun-2021 | New Entry | HIL | MarketSmith Recco. In our screens too |
08-Jun-2021 | Reduce | RPSG Ventures | Looks a good run. Taking money off the table. Sinks like an anchor when it does so not waiting for that. Again might be too early |
08-Jun-2021 | Reduce | Raymond | Pre planned exit at 20% profit |
08-Jun-2021 | Reduce | Sanghvi Movers | Fearing a sharp drop, irrationally. Old wounds of losing a lot in this so desperate to end in green on this one |
08-Jun-2021 | Reduce | PEL | Again selling too early I think but position size getting uncomfortable, hence the reduce |
09-Jun-2021 | Add | Rubfila International | Came in growth screener. Looks good. Niche biz, growing steadily. Capacity Expansion |
09-Jun-2021 | Reduce | RPSG Ventures | Looks a good run. Taking money off the table. Sinks like an anchor when it does so not waiting for that. Again might be too early |
10-Jun-2021 | Reduce | RPSG Ventures | Looks a good run. Taking money off the table. Sinks like an anchor when it does so not waiting for that. Again might be too early |
11-Jun-2021 | Reduce | RPSG Ventures | Looks a good run. Taking money off the table. Sinks like an anchor when it does so not waiting for that. Again might be too early |
11-Jun-2021 | Exit | HIL | Read Concall Transcript. Growth out look not too rosy. Too many moving parts in biz. Called it a day |
11-Jun-2021 | Add | Rubfila International | Came in growth screener. Looks good. Niche biz, growing steadily. Capacity Expansion |
14-Jun-2021 | Exit | Sanghvi Movers | Fearing a sharp drop, irrationally. Old wounds of losing a lot in this so desperate to end in green on this one |
15-Jun-2021 | Exit | Navneet Education | Original thesis broken. Was hanging on hope. Buyback giving me chance to exit with minor injury |
15-Jun-2021 | Add | Ashiana Housing | Liking price action so adding a little |
17-Jun-2021 | New Entry | Agarwal Industrial | Came in screener, low PE. Taking a punt |
18-Jun-2021 | Exit | RPSG Ventures | Sharp drop from 575. Probably to shake out scaredy cats like me and they succeeded. I am out of this one |
21-Jun-2021 | New Entry | Excel Industries | Came in screener. Looks good. Checks boxes though very volatile. Let us see how it goes |
22-Jun-2021 | Add | Excel Industries | Came in screener. Looks good. Checks boxes though very volatile. Let us see how it goes |
22-Jun-2021 | Reduce | Raymond | Pre planned exit at 20% profit |
23-Jun-2021 | Reduce | PEL | Again selling too early I think but position size getting uncomfortable, hence the reduce |
23-Jun-2021 | Add | Excel Industries | Came in screener. Looks good. Checks boxes though very volatile. Let us see how it goes |
24-Jun-2021 | Add | Excel Industries | Came in screener. Looks good. Checks boxes though very volatile. Let us see how it goes |
30-Jun-2021 | New Entry | Zensar Technologies | Came in some random screener I was testing and same day recommended by somone on CNBC. Took it as a sign and took entry |
05-Jul-2021 | Reduce | Agarwal Industrial | Too volatile for my liking. Booking profit to avoid pop corn trade |
07-Jul-2021 | New Entry | Kirloskar Ferrous | MarketSmith reccomendation. Ferrous metals so took it as was looking for a play in that space |
08-Jul-2021 | Reduce | Agarwal Industrial | Too volatile for my liking. Booking profit to avoid pop corn trade |
12-Jul-2021 | Exit | Agarwal Industrial | Too volatile for my liking. Booking profit to avoid pop corn trade |
23-Jul-2021 | New Entry | Manapurram | Came in screener of Steady Compounders. Breakout above 194.80. Text book entry at 194.90 albeit on correction as I forgot to put the order earlier |
# | Stock |
1 | Hemisphere Properties |
2 | Piramal Enterprises |
3 | Raymond Ltd |
5 | Take Solutions |
6 | Ashiana Housing |
7 | Rubfila International |
8 | Ganesh Ecosphere Limited |
9 | Zensar Technologies |
10 | Kirloskar Ferrous |
11 | Rain Industries |
12 | Excel Industries |
13 |
While my investing errors are far too many and too painful to recount, I will summarise them under a few headings:
Going on tilt – This is a common well known behavioural trait when you go a bit crazy trying to get back from a losing position. In my case it usually meant averaging losing positions like a maniac in the hope of a turn. Needless to say the turn did not come while I had the position was open. I have had two painful episodes of this in the last five months. One a short bet on the market after Trump lost hoping he would do something crazy and a BAnk Nifty Short early feb at 31000. Yes I know there is something called “stop loss” but nothing matters when you are on TILT.
According to Wikipedia, Tilt originated as a poker term for a state of mental or emotional confusion or frustration in which a player adopts a less than optimal strategy, usually resulting in the player becoming over-aggressive.
Betting too large – Sometimes one bets too large a position which clouds your thinking and messes with your decision making. I had an outsized position in NIIT in Feb 2020 at about 93 which I panic closed at about 83 after seeing it dip to 67.40 on 20-March-2020. For those who have not followed NIIT, it went up to 202. In hindsight, it was the position size that did me in, as I have held to some other stocks through the panic sell off and recovery because the position size was not large enough to create unmanageable stress.
Disclosure: Though I am pretty certain no one will be idiotic enough to buy or sell shares based on what is written on a blog, nevertheless this does not constitute financial advice or recommendations of any kind. This is just a personal account of my attempt to avoid getting slaughtered in the stock markets.