The door that opened up victory to winning the October thru December Wall Street Survivor contest was unlocked by three keys. First, I needed a couple of tools that gave me a good visual map of the market each day. It was vital to have real time charting and a scanner that revealed high volume gains and losses. Volume and price were the main indicators of detecting a candidate to add to my watch list. As my list was developing, I noticed a trend in sectors which brings me to the next key. The stocks that were hot and those that were ice cold falling like a rock. Based on volume and price, these stocks were: China stocks (mainly new IPO’s), Solar and Finance. There were a few odd balls that were also added such as: VG, WCG, TBSI & RIGL. The key china stocks were: KUN, RCH, CPSL, CBAK, ASIA, CDS, CHINA, SCON, CHNR, CNTF, CTRP, FFHL, FUQI, GBT, GSI, GRRF, JADE, JRJC, KONG, NOEC, ORS, STV, SEED and XFML. Solar stocks: LDK, SOLF, CSUN, ESLR, CSIQ, AKNS, JASO. Financials were: CFC, ETFC, NFI, ABK, MBI, CIT, WM, ACF, FNM, FRE, FMT & PMI.  There you have it. These were the stocks that shot me to the top. All of these stocks I began either long or short. When the trend changed, I would reverse my position. You may have a hot bullish stock today, but tomorrow, the bear may kill the bull and suddenly its time to go short. I made a lot of trades during the two months and many times than not, I was dead wrong with my timing. It has been an unusual choppy market. Certainly in hindsight, the market was more bearish than bull. There were many times the market in general was down big, but my china stocks were flying like a rocket through the roof. One thing is for certain, what goes up, must come down. So, it is important to keep a sharp eye on your portfolio. In summary, the three keys that I used to win were: Tools (real time charts and scans), Sector Trends, Price & Volume (hot & cold stocks).

As for this contest, at the moment I do not have charting and scanning software. I let the subscriptions expire. I have shorted the financials. I’ve been up and down. I am eagerly awaiting a reversal. I was on the wrong side of the fence last week when Countrywide went up 60%. With this market, all of the financials may soon reverse upward if the right anecdote is subscribed by the powers that be.

 Late next week, I will receive my new computer via UPS. I bought a custom trading computer from “TradingComputers.com”. It’s exciting! Hopefully WSS will pay up soon because I’m $5000 in debt at the moment. That’s right this computer cost over 5 g’s.

 Dojimon, you are so cool!!! Thanks for all the info. I am glad you shared your strategies. I came into the last contest and have learned allot from you, ann Parker, Barb , Melany and others. I am doing a little better this contest because of others  sharing ideas and wits. Research is the key and you proved it.

I am excited for you! I hope your new computer is all you expect it to be.  

 Thanks for the info. I will look forward to seeing you in the top ten. I think you are talking some serious trading with that new computer. I am happy for you. WSS send money.........

Dojimon you are the best, thank you for sharing. Although I am not doing at all well, I am extremely encouraged by what you have posted, because that is what I have been trying to go by- Charts,scans, sector trends, and price and volume. I only use free sites so that limits what I can do, but at least I feel like I have somehow stumbled into a good way of going about picking stocks. I still have an awful lot to learn, but at least the things I have been concentrating on are good, I just have to learn how to use them better. For those like me that are short on money or don't feel they have enough knowledge yet to justify spending money on market tools Nasdaq.com always has unusual volume and price change stock posted daily as a freebie, Scott's trades has some really good free charts, and Yahoo finance, cnnmoney.com, and msnmoney.com have the closest I could find to real-time quotes. Briefing.com gives stocks due for earnings updates which are good to watch because the earnings reports usually cause a rise of fall in stock prices. 

Good luck for this contest, it would be something if you won again.

Thanks for the info. You're new computer sounds awesome! Mind sharing those specs? ;) 

Thank you so much for the great info.

Thanks very much! I'll give that a shot. I hope WSS sends you your money soon. You deserve it.

  Thanks Dojimon, that is very interesting, the volume and price movements, I dont think for now I will subscribe to any of the real time services but I might when I get more time to devote to this.

  What exactly is a scanner, is that like a stock screener in real time that showed you everything you needed to know.

  I was also on the wrong side of CFC, I had them shorted on the banktruptcy news and then BofA came in, now I hear on CNBC that the credit crisis could unravel that whole deal.

Dojimon,

That is one awesome post.  Thank you for taking the time to explain to us what you did and how you did it.  Hopefully you will get your moeny from WSS soon and payoff the computer.  I had a friend in NY that bought a computer that he used for gaimng as well and it cost him almost $7k.

Great post, dijimom, and thanks so much for sharing, and best wishes with your new computer!

Thanks for all the great info.  Congratulations on your new computer, it sounds cool.

You are my hero...to hear you describe how you manuevered your trading is awe inspiring....thank you for sharing that with us....

thanks for the info :)

Thanks for the info

Dojimon, great strategy--obviously worked extremely well.  Look forward to seeing you rising back to the leaderboard once you're new computer is all set.