SPY Puts Purchased

Earlier today, I was able to get a Put position in on C. At about the same time, I put in a limit order for some SPY April 130 Puts at $1.89. I wasn’t really watching the market later in the day as it just seemed to be doing nothing and next thing you know…my [...]

Building Short Position in Citi

I tried to get short C on Friday via puts at a decent price, but nothing was really working out for me. I was looking for some sort of up-tick before I got in. Well, today, that came. Breaking news out of C that they are restructuring its global business into three regional units and [...]

Altria to Phillip Morris

I was incorrect on Friday when I assumed that Altria (MO) would be spinning off Phillip Morris International with the ticker symbol PMI. The new ticker symbol is PM. My apologies to the PMI Group.

Georgia On My Mind

Today, I left Raleigh and headed south to Savannah, GA. I had to get out of the cold weather or at least make an attempt to get warmer. Yesterday, Raleigh’s high was 44 F. The day before was absolutely beautiful. The wild swings just weren’t working for me anymore.
Let me update everyone on my stay [...]

Breaking Up Altria is Easy To Do

Today, Altria (MO) is spinning off Phillip Morris International to separate an overseas growth company and a value domestic. The breakup will happen today and for each share of MO you own, you will get one share of PMI (by the way, what is happening to the PMI Group, Inc. which already has that symbol??). I own [...]

Heading to Raleigh

Today I leave Greensboro and head to Raleigh. Only staying 2 nights in Raleigh and then I am going to try and go to Charlotte, provided I can get a room for a decent rate.
Yesterday, I pretty much relaxed all day. Ran some updates and scans on my computer and watched television. Last night, I [...]

Can You Short the Financials?

For the most part, you can’t short any of the financials. The Fed is on the case. However, I think there is one financial you can short before earnings next month and that is Citigroup (C). I think this company is a disaster. Remember when it was at $50 a share with a 5% dividend [...]

Same Old Itchy Feeling

Sometimes this market makes me feel like I have some sort of skin-itching disease. It’s all quiet on the bull-market front. That makes me feel uneasy. Sometimes even queasy. I hope I don’t need a trashcan for tomorrow’s action as I will be traveling.
It’s just too quiet and the action too weird. Everyone is still [...]

Relaxing in Greensboro

I have slept so good over the past few nights. I think it is the bed in my hotel room. King-sized bed with four fluffy pillows. Yeah baby! Yesterday, I stayed in my hotel room for most of the morning watching CNBC and doing some online things. There is a free breakfast in my hotel. [...]

Marginalize Margin Use

Are you using margin in your trading account? I read all the time about people who use margin in their trading accounts. Everyone has heard about margin calls lately, but what does that really mean? Should you use margin in your account to leverage your trades?
Let me first say that I have never used margins [...]