Okay heres the long and short of what has happened over last week.
I jumped out of GOOG and PBR with profits of 5.5% and 9.5% respectively. I jumped into ARTW a big mistake, thinking that this stock was going to go higher than the 400% it had traveled. I lost big time (16.25%). Enough to send me into a state of deep anti-blog depression.
I wanted to take time and analyze the state of paralysis that overtook me as I started to watch double digits percentage losses. I wanted to take a moment and think about the big mistake that most investors make when they start seeing a decision they make go south - hoping they will make back their profits. This only works on companies that have a sound foundation and Art Way Manufacturing does not. They make farm machinery. Farmers are strapped for cash! This stock was more than likely overinflated and I thought I could ride this wave but when the floor fell out from under me, all I could do is sit there and watch my hard earned dollars evaporate into the same diesel smoke Art Way Manufacturing machinery emits! I have learned my lesson and now I am ready to get back on that horse.
I finally sold the ARTW stock and immediately reversed my position. I took whatever money I had left and sold ARTW short. I held my breath and on Friday it dropped. Today it looks like it will drop 10%. Lets keep our fingers crossed.
For the beginning investor who is new to the idea of making money when a stock price falls - its called shorting a stock. Whenever this stock drops too, I make money. Its like betting the stock is going to fall and is a handy investment tool for the bad news scenarios. Usually brokerages won't charge you anything to sell a stock short. It is usually an option when you go to trade a particular stock. You might see buy, sell, sell short, or buy to cover. Buy and sell are obvious. Sell short is what I did to ARTW. When I make back the 16.5% I lost, I will buy to cover and hopefully recoup my loses late last week.
Oh and in the time it took me to write this I have purchased a small amount of Etrade (ETFC). I couldn't resist and I think it will be a good long term play.
