Trading Plan for July 14, 2010

Current Long Positions (stop-losses in parentheses): None

Current Short Positions (stop-losses in parentheses): ESV (42.84), MR (33.39), SPY (109.07), WTFC (37.71), SLAB (44.80), CERN (83.56), ALB (43.59), HIBB (26.65)

BIAS: 81% Short

Economic Reports Due Out (Times are EST): MBA Purchase Applications (7am), Import and Export Prices (8:30am), Business Inventories (10am), EIA Petroleum Status Report (10:30am), FOMC Minutes (2pm)

My Observations and What to Expect:

• Futures are higher after blowout earnings from Intel (INTC), but well off their highs and continue to trade lower as the morning progresses.
• Despite yesterday’s heavy buying, my projections on this market still remain that it will move much lower in the near future.
• Volume was higher than previous days, but still below average and less than previous big down days.
• Market will always try to make you squeamish in your positions, even when you are on the right side of the market – it takes joy in sowing seeds of doubt.
• If the market opens flat or in the red, could be a prelude to a significant market reversal taking place.
• Retail report at 8:30am, should have a significant impact on the market today.
• Heavy selling at end of day yesterday is a strong bearish development. Rally is a shorting opportunity until it proves it can break the high from 6/21.

Actions I Will Be Taking:

• May add another 30% of my capital to the portfolio, resulting in 3-4 additional short positions.
• Will only hedge my portfolio if we move higher today, and would only do so at the close.
• Willing to take my portfolio up to as much as 110% short today.
• Target prices set for each position. Once/if reached, I will cover the entire position.
• No changes in my current stop-losses.