Wednesday, January 15, 2025

BETA Trading Action Review – January 15, 2025: Tactical Exit Amid Volatility

Contents:

  • Overview of Today’s Action
  • Why This Was a Tactical Move
  • Alignment with the Modified 10-Step Trading Plan
  • Lessons from Today’s Trading Action
  • Next Steps
  • Final Thoughts

In today’s trading session (January 15, 2025), we executed a tactical exit in our Budget Ethical Trading Account (BETA) by selling 100 shares of URC at Php 70.00. This move represents nearly half of our total 210 URC shares, as part of our ongoing effort to refine our risk management approach in line with our Modified 10-Step Trading Plan. Here's a detailed review of today’s action, focusing on its alignment with our strategy and the lessons we learned.


URC 5-minute chart on January 15, 2025, showing key tactical exit at Php 70.00, highlighting risk management and tactical position management strategies.

URC 5-Minute Chart (January 15, 2025): Tactical exit executed at Php 70.00 as part of disciplined risk management under the Modified 10-Step Trading Plan.


Overview of Today’s Action

  1. Action Taken:
    We sold 100 shares of URC at Php 70.00, close to a critical support level. This tactical exit was made to reduce exposure during a volatile session while retaining flexibility for potential re-entries or further exits based on upcoming price action.

  2. Remaining Position:
    After this tactical exit, we retain 110 shares of URC in the BETA account. This ensures we remain partially exposed to any upward movement while minimizing downside risk.

Why This Was a Tactical Move

The decision to sell 100 shares at Php 70.00 was guided by our tactical position management strategy, which emphasizes:

  • Reducing exposure near key support levels when uncertainty is high.
  • Locking in value while retaining some shares for potential gains if the price rebounds.

By executing this tactical exit, we:

  • Reduced our exposure without fully exiting the position, ensuring flexibility for future trades.
  • Preserved capital while remaining engaged in the market to potentially benefit from a reversal or upward trend.

Alignment with the Modified 10-Step Trading Plan

  1. Step 5: Place and Monitor Stop Loss
    Today’s action closely aligns with the updated Step 5 of our trading plan, which includes dynamic stop-loss monitoring. While we had a hard stop-loss set at Php 67.75, we opted for a tactical exit at Php 70.00—just above a critical support level—to minimize potential losses and maintain flexibility.

  2. Step 9: Tactical Position Management
    This tactical exit is a direct application of Step 9: Tactical Position Management, where partial exits are executed during periods of heightened volatility or when prices approach key levels. By selling part of our position, we adhered to our plan of staying agile and limiting downside exposure.

Lessons from Today’s Trading Action

  1. Discipline and Execution Matter
    We strictly followed our predefined strategy and executed the tactical exit at a critical level. This discipline ensures we remain consistent in our approach, avoiding emotional trading decisions.

  2. Managing Volatility with Tactical Exits
    By executing a partial exit rather than a full exit, we retained exposure for potential future gains while managing the risk associated with a volatile session.

  3. Balancing Risk and Reward
    Selling 100 shares allowed us to lock in partial value while still holding 110 shares, striking a balance between reducing risk and staying engaged in the market.

Next Steps

  1. Monitor Key Levels:
    We will closely observe the price action near Php 70.50 (potential tactical re-entry level) and Php 67.75 (hard stop-loss level).
  2. Be Ready for Tactical Re-Entries or Further Exits:
    If the price stabilizes or shows signs of upward momentum, we may consider re-entering a small tactical position. If the price continues downward toward Php 67.75, we are prepared for another tactical exit to protect the remaining position.

Final Thoughts

Today’s trading action highlights the importance of tactical position management in real-time trading. By executing a partial exit at a critical support level, we adhered to our strategy, managed risk effectively, and retained flexibility for future trades. This disciplined approach is a key element in our ongoing effort to refine and test the Modified 10-Step Trading Plan through our BETA account.

Stay tuned as we continue documenting our progress, including key lessons learned from this trading journey!



Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research before making any trading decisions.


Related Readings

Micro Stock Trader: Week 2 Trading Update: Detailed Assessment and Outlook

Micro Stock Trader: My Stock Trading Plan: Inspired by Oliver Velez’s 8-Step Strategy

Micro Stock Trader Portfolio Tracker Page

Micro Stock Trader: Revealed: Our Top 3 Shariah-Compliant Stocks for a Winning Portfolio

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SCC): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Monde Nissin Corporation (MONDE): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Premiere Island Power REIT Corporation (PREIT): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

The Modified 10-Step Trading Plan: Enhancing Risk Management and Flexibility

Contents:

  • The Modified 10-Step Trading Plan
  • Journal Keeping – A Strong Suggestion
  • Why This Modified Plan Works

At Micro Stock Trader, we continuously refine our strategies to improve our trading outcomes. One of the most significant steps in this process is updating our core strategy—now called the Modified 10-Step Trading Plan. This latest version incorporates new strategies for tactical position management and stop-loss monitoring, both of which were crucial lessons learned during our live testing period, particularly with our Budget Ethical Trading Account (BETA).

This updated plan provides a structured approach to entering, managing, and exiting trades while ensuring flexibility during volatile market conditions.

The Modified 10-Step Trading Plan by Micro Stock Trader highlights disciplined execution, risk management, tactical position management, and stop-loss strategies.

Creating a focused trading environment is key to executing the Modified 10-Step Trading Plan, emphasizing discipline, strategy, and continuous learning.


The Modified 10-Step Trading Plan

  1. Step 1: State
    The first step involves identifying the current market phase (Up, Top, Down, or Bottom) and assessing whether the 20-MA and 200-MA are in a tight/narrow state or wide state.

  2. Step 2: Position and Location
    Evaluate whether the price is above or below the key moving averages and determine whether it’s near a critical support or resistance level.

  3. Step 3: Assess Power Bars
    Look for key price action signals such as green power bars or narrow-range bars, which could indicate potential breakouts or breakdowns.

  4. Step 4: Entry
    Enter a position when clear technical signals are present, such as breakouts above resistance or rebounds from support with strong volume confirmation.

  5. Step 5: Place and Monitor Stop Loss
    This step now includes dynamic stop-loss monitoring:

    • Place an initial stop loss at a logical technical level (e.g., below recent swing lows).
    • Adjust the stop loss dynamically as the price moves in your favor.
    • Use a hard stop-loss limit to avoid endlessly lowering your stop loss during downturns.
      This approach ensures disciplined risk management while allowing flexibility to protect gains.
  6. Step 6: Color Change
    Watch for a color change (e.g., from red to green candles) near key support or resistance levels to identify potential trend reversals.

  7. Step 7: Profit Take (with Tactical Exits)
    Introduced under this step is the tactical position management strategy, which recommends partial exits near key resistance levels or profit targets:

    • Sell part of your position to lock in gains and reduce exposure while keeping a core position to benefit from further potential upside.
  8. Step 8: Re-entry
    Re-enter positions when clear signals indicate a continuation of the trend or after a pullback to support.

  9. Step 9: Tactical Position Management
    This new step formalizes tactical position management, a strategy designed to balance short-term volatility with long-term positioning:

    • Use tactical exits to reduce risk during periods of high uncertainty or as the price nears key levels.
    • Re-enter with small tactical positions when opportunities arise at critical levels.
  10. Step 10: Counter-Trend Entries
    Execute counter-trend trades only when specific conditions are met, such as multiple gap-downs or significant drops below the 200-MA. Use smaller position sizes and tighter stop losses for these trades to limit risk.

Journal Keeping – A Strong Suggestion

While not a formal step in the plan, tracking all trades in a journal remains an essential practice for every trader. By keeping a detailed record of trades—including entry and exit points, reasons for the trade, and outcomes—traders can identify patterns, improve decision-making, and refine their strategy over time.

Why This Modified Plan Works

The Modified 10-Step Trading Plan introduces more flexibility and risk management tools, which are crucial in real-world trading where market conditions can change rapidly. By incorporating tactical position management and dynamic stop-loss monitoring, traders can stay engaged in the market while protecting their capital and maximizing opportunities.

Key benefits of this plan include:

  • Disciplined risk management through well-placed stop-losses and tactical exits.
  • Increased flexibility to handle both trending and volatile markets.
  • Improved adaptability by allowing tactical re-entries after partial exits.
  • Consistent learning through detailed trade tracking and review.

Final Thoughts

Our journey in refining this trading plan has been a valuable learning process. The addition of tactical position management and stop-loss monitoring ensures that we remain disciplined while adapting to ever-changing market conditions. As we continue testing and refining our strategies, we aim to build a robust approach that balances both risk and reward.

Stay tuned for more updates as we document our progress with the Budget Ethical Trading Account (BETA) and further improvements to the trading plan!



Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research before making any trading decisions.



Related Readings

Micro Stock Trader: Introducing BETA: Budget Ethical Trading Account for Live Strategy Testing

Micro Stock Trader: Week 2 Trading Update: Detailed Assessment and Outlook

Micro Stock Trader: My Stock Trading Plan: Inspired by Oliver Velez’s 8-Step Strategy

Micro Stock Trader Portfolio Tracker Page

Micro Stock Trader: Revealed: Our Top 3 Shariah-Compliant Stocks for a Winning Portfolio

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SCC): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Monde Nissin Corporation (MONDE): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Premiere Island Power REIT Corporation (PREIT): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Introducing BETA: Budget Ethical Trading Account for Live Strategy Testing

Contents:

  • Adjustments to Our Strategy for BETA
  • Updated Trading Scenarios for BETA
  • Why BETA Matters
  • Key Takeaways for BETA
  • Final Thought

As part of our ongoing refinement of the Modified 10-Step Trading Plan, we have launched the Budget Ethical Trading Account (BETA). This account is dedicated to live-testing our trading strategies with a smaller, focused position. For the time being, we will set aside our primary account holding 1,500 shares of URC and shift our focus entirely to BETA, which starts with a manageable 210 shares of URC.

The purpose of BETA is to concentrate on the active trading aspect of our strategy while keeping our risk exposure minimal. With this account, we aim to continue exploring small position sizes, tactical entries, and core positions in a real-world trading environment.

Micro Stock Trader BETA

Micro Stock Trader Budget Ethical Trading Account (BETA).

Adjustments to Our Strategy for BETA

Given that BETA starts with 210 shares of URC, we have made the following adjustments to our position sizing and risk management strategy:

1. Position Sizing for BETA

Since the total number of shares in BETA is 210, we will scale our tactical and core positions accordingly:

  • Core Positions: 50% of trading shares → 100 shares
    Core positions in BETA represent half of the total account and are used for medium-term trades when we have high confidence in a setup.

  • Tactical Entries: 10% of trading shares → 20 shares
    Tactical entries are smaller, speculative trades used to test the market during uncertain periods or near potential reversal levels.

This scaling ensures that we maintain the same proportionate approach as in our main account, but with a smaller capital base.

Updated Trading Scenarios for BETA

Scenario 1: Testing Key Support Levels

If URC approaches a key support level, such as Php 70.50, we can:

  • Start with a tactical entry of 20 shares to test the market.

  • If the price holds and shows signs of upward momentum, we can add a core position of 100 shares, increasing our exposure as confidence in the setup grows.

Scenario 2: Profit-Taking at Resistance Levels

If URC reaches a significant resistance level, such as Php 73.50, we will:

  • Take partial profits by selling 50 shares, ensuring that we lock in gains while leaving some shares to ride further upside if momentum continues.

  • Use a trailing stop-loss for the remaining shares to protect profits while staying engaged in the trade.

Scenario 3: Stop-Loss Strategy

We will maintain a hard stop-loss at Php 67.75, similar to our primary account, to limit downside risk. If the price breaks below this level:

  • We will exit the entire position to preserve capital.

  • Tactical re-entry will only be considered if the price stabilizes and forms a new support level.

Why BETA Matters

BETA serves as a controlled environment where we can test real-time applications of our trading strategy with lower risk. This approach allows us to:

  1. Focus on Execution:
    With a smaller position, we can concentrate on fine-tuning our entry and exit strategies without the emotional burden of managing a large position.

  2. Improve Tactical Decision-Making:
    BETA helps us refine tactical entries and exits, especially during high-volatility sessions, ensuring that our strategy remains adaptable to different market conditions.

  3. Document and Learn:
    Every trade in BETA will be documented meticulously, allowing us to gather insights and lessons that can be applied to our primary account once the testing phase concludes.

Key Takeaways for BETA

  • Position sizing has been adjusted to fit the smaller scale of BETA, with 100 shares for core positions and 20 shares for tactical entries.

  • The hard stop-loss at Php 67.75 remains a critical part of our risk management strategy.

  • BETA allows us to stay committed to disciplined execution while reducing risk exposure.

Final Thought

By launching BETA, we reinforce our commitment to refining the Modified 10-Step Trading Plan through disciplined, real-world testing. This focused approach ensures that we continue learning and improving while keeping risk under control.

Stay tuned as we document our progress with BETA, sharing key trades, lessons learned, and further adjustments to our strategy!

Would you like to follow our BETA journey? Keep checking in for our latest updates as we put theory into practice!



Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research before making any trading decisions.


Related Readings

Micro Stock Trader: Week 2 Trading Update: Detailed Assessment and Outlook

Micro Stock Trader: My Stock Trading Plan: Inspired by Oliver Velez’s 8-Step Strategy

Micro Stock Trader Portfolio Tracker Page

Micro Stock Trader: Revealed: Our Top 3 Shariah-Compliant Stocks for a Winning Portfolio

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SCC): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Monde Nissin Corporation (MONDE): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Premiere Island Power REIT Corporation (PREIT): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

Micro Stock Trader: Investing in Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI): What the Technical Indicators Are Telling Us

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