Many individual investors have been frustrated by the growing prominence of High Frequency Trading. Complicated algorithms can process new information and react in fractions of a second. It sounds intimidating, and in some sense, it is. Individual Investors would be poorly suited for direct competition.
Instead, stick to what the market is giving you. The connections made by these programs are often spurious – totally unrelated to the fundamentals of a given business. This is intentional. After all, they’re after a quick buck rather than a long-term investment.
For that reason, a stock being walloped for frivolous story in the 24-hour news cycle may present an attractive buying opportunity. It all comes down to the individual investor’s process and commitment to their goals.
To help give us perspective this week, we’re bringing in earnings expert Brian Gilmartin. Since 1995, Brian has managed Trinity Asset Management. You can find his regular writings on Fundamentalis.
Background on the Stock Exchange
Each week Felix and Oscar host a poker game for some of their friends. Since they are all traders they love to discuss their best current ideas before the game starts. They like to call this their “Stock Exchange.” (Check it out for more background). Their methods are excellent, as you know if you have been following the series. Since the time frames and risk profiles differ, so do the stock ideas. You get to be a fly on the wall from my report. I am the only human present, and the only one using any fundamental analysis.
The result? Several expert ideas each week from traders, and a brief comment on the fundamentals from the human investor. The models are named to make it easy to remember their trading personalities. Each week features a different expert or stock.
This Week—Holmes sniffs out a deal
It can be tempting to make a trading decision based on a glance at its recent chart. Unfortunately, a stock that has underperformed in recent days might be providing a big opportunity. Holmes uses a mix of advanced trading techniques and technical analysis to avoid significant drawdowns. When he chases after a down stock, it’s because he sees some serious upside. Let’s see what he’s up to this week:
