The Nightly Newsletter

            

For March 6, 2003

(Provided to you in advance of the Trading Session)

 

Summary: 1295 is important support...


The Market has been range bound for some time now and unless 1295 breaks lower it is likely to turn up and retest 1355.


Technical Analysis

Support in the NASDAQ exists at 1300 then 1295.

Resistance in the NASDAQ exists at 1315 then 1355.

Initial Trading parameters:  1300-1315

These charts suggest that the Market starts the day with a bias to decline.

1. If 1300 is broken lower expect to see 1295
2. If 1295 is broken lower expect aggressive selling
3. If 1315 is broken higher expect to see 1355.
4. Otherwise expect the range between 1300-1315 to hold

These charts are telling us that the Market is near the bottom range of its recent flat channel, and unless the Market breaks 1295 soon, we should expect an increase back to 1355.

Therefore, these charts tell us to look to buy near this test of support in expectations of moves higher.

Volatility should be moderate.

Click here to view the individual charts


Market Commentary

If the Market doesn't break below 1295 soon it is likely to bounce higher and test 1355 before finding meaningful resistance again.


Traders Psychology

  • Traders are beginning to acclimate to a slow Market that still has many unanswered questions because they have come to terms with many possible outcomes.


Trading Approach

Expect the Market to begin the day with a bias to decline.

Trading parameters exist between 1300-1315.

If the Market breaks below 1300 expect to see 1295.  If 1295 is broken lower expect aggressive selling.

If the Market moves higher and above 1315 we should expect rather aggressive buying and a test of 1355.

We should look for a dip to near 1300 early in the day, and so long as 1295 does not break lower, we should develop a long bias from that point on.  That means watch for a dip to 1300, and then buy near 1300 with expectations of higher Market levels.

It also means that if 1295 breaks lower wait until the Market moves above 1300 again before re-instating long positions.


Trading Ideas

MXIM short 34.8 target 32.8 stop 35.

CCMP buy near 40 target 43 stop 39.8

Use the ideas listed above to day trade.  Swing Trading ideas are offered over e-mail and on the Trades Page.  Watch for adjustments in the Morning Report as well.  Read the Traders Guide Completely and understand it before attempting to follow any trades.


After-Market News

1. BMY: 
Bristol- Myers Squibb Co.'s Elliott Sigal, senior vice president of global clinical and pharmaceutical development, comments on the experimental cancer drug Erbitux and other products in development.

``We're still very confident in the potential of Erbitux. The issue is to work collaboratively with'' the Food and Drug Administration. ``We can't say exactly when'' Erbitux will be sold.

``We have several programs at work on cancer drugs, including those we're developing in-house. We will have more to say about our epothilone compound at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in May.

``Bristol-Myers will also have more to say about expanded uses for (the schizophrenia drug) Abilify at the American Psychiatric Association meeting in May. And we hope to launch the HIV drug atazanavir in Europe and the U.S. this year.''

2. IMCL: 
ImClone Systems Inc. said it received a $60 million payment from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. as part of their agreement over the development and marketing of the cancer treatment Erbitux.

The payment was part of an amended agreement for the drug, New York-based ImClone said in a statement distributed by Business Wire. The agreement was revised one year ago to give greater control to development partner Bristol-Myers and less money to ImClone.

ImClone is working to obtain U.S. approval for Erbitux since the Food and Drug Administration refused to review an application for the product in December 2001, citing problems with the company's research. The shares fell 77 percent last year on the FDA decision and the indictment of founder and former Chief Executive Officer Samuel Waksal on insider trading charges.

3. XOM: 
Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's largest publicly traded oil company, secured a $6 billion letter of credit, according to Bloomberg data.

Irving, Texas-based Exxon Mobil received the 364-day commitment arranged by JP Morgan Chase & Co., the second-largest U.S. bank, according to Bloomberg data.

Market Reaction: This news is positive for IMCL.
 

NASDAQ Futures:  NQ03H

Futures were flat at the time of this newsletter and this suggests a flat open on Thursday...


Economic Reports

Economic Data:
ET Release Consensus
08:30 Initial Claims 403K
08:30 Productivity-Rev. 0.2%
10:00 Factory Orders 1.8%
 
Market Reaction Watch the Factory orders data and be braced for a weak number.
 

Earnings Reports

Before The Open  
 
Dillard's DDS 1.26
ICN Pharm ICN 0.13
During Market Hours
 
 
National Semi NSM -0.03
After The Close
 
 
Interpublic IPG 0.18
Mandalay Resort MBG 0.13
SeaChange SEAC -0.03
TiVo TIVO -0.31

We are not expecting any Market reaction to this news.


Potential Market Moving Events

1. INTC will have a mid quarter update after the close on Thursday.
Market Reaction: We expect this to impact Friday's session.
 

 




The Last Trading Session

The Market on Wednesday was range bound and directionless as Traders monitored the political goings on in the World.  The Market broke below support and above resistance slightly at various times due to geopolitical news, but ultimately the Market was drifting.  The Index closed the session near resistance and sentiment was mixed.


Lesson from the session:

Trading parameters are critical elements to trading the Market.  These parameters tell you when to lighten up on long positions, or when to jump into them.  The same with shorts.  They tell you where to set protectionist stops and they warn you in advance of Market moves.  Simply, they are crucial tools to help guide your trading activities day in and day out.


Performance

Day Trades:  

We made .42 points trading on Wednesday.  We trade effectively early but we continued to short DRYR as it spiked in expectations of a reversal lower than didn't come until very late in the day.

Stock Long/Short Buy/Cover Price Sell/Short Price Profit (loss)
MXIM Short 33.6 33.4 (0.2)
EXPE Long 69.05 68.85 (0.2)
EXPE Long 69.05 68.85 (0.2)
SYMC Short 41 41.5 .5
DRYR Short 60.2 60 (0.2)
DRYR Short 58.9 60 1.1
DRYR Short 60.2 59.97 (0.23)
DRYR Short 60.2 60 (0.2)
SYMC Short 41.65 41.47 (0.18)
DRYR Short 62.2 61.98 (0.22)
DRYR Short 62.2 62 (0.2)
QLGC Long 35.4 35.2 (0.2)
DRYR Short 63.3 64.15 .85

Total

     

.42

View Our Day Trade Performance page for past performance statistics.


Swing Trades (The focus 4 list)

We were stopped out of EBAY.

If the Market fails to break 1295 we may close this strategy in favor of a long strategy.

There are only 2 open positions here so as 1295 is tested we are likely to call 1 or 2 long plays.

STOCK Short Entry Target Approx. Entry Current Price Net Gain: Target Price: Entry Date Exit Date Stop Limit: Status Re-entry strategy if stopped:
ERTS 51.9 51.9 52.15 -.25 47.9 2/18/03 2/18/03 52.15 Stopped  
ERTS 51.9 51.9 52.15 -.25 47.9 2/19/03 2/21/03 52.15 Stopped  
ERTS 53 53 53.25 -.25 47.9 2/24/03 2/27/03 53.25 Stopped  
ERTS 53 53 52.79 .21 47.9 2/27/03   53.25 OPEN 53
EXPE 63 63 63.25 -.25 50 2/18/03 2/18/03 63.25 Stopped  
EXPE 63 63 63.25 -.25 50 2/18/03 2/18/03 63.25 Stopped  
EXPE 63 63 63.25 -.25 50 2/20/03 2/20/03 63.25 Stopped  
EXPE 63 63 63.25 -.25 50 2/20/03 2/20/03 63.25 Stopped  
EXPE 63 63 63.25 -.25 50 2/19/03 2/19/03 63.25 Stopped  
EXPE 63.4 63.4 63.65 -.25 50 2/20/03 2/21/03 63.25 Stopped  
EXPE 65.8 65.8 66.05 -.25 50 2/24/03 2/24/03 66.05 Stopped  
EXPE 66.3 66.3 66.8 -.5 50 2/24/03 2/24/03 66.55 Stopped  
EXPE 66.6 66.6 66.85 -.25 50 2/24/03 2/24/03 66.85 Stopped  
EXPE 66.6 66.6 66.85 -.25 50 2/24/03 2/27/03 66.85 Stopped  
EXPE 66.6 67.1 68.15 -.25 50 2/27/03 2/27/03 68.15 Stopped  
EXPE 66.6 67.9 67.35 -.25 50 2/27/03 2/27/03 67.35 Stopped  
EBAY 76.85 76.85 77.1 -.25 67.5 2/19/03 2/20/03 77.1 Stopped  
EBAY 76.85 76.85 77.1 -.25 67.5 2/20/03 2/21/03 77.1 Stopped  
EBAY 78 78 78.25 -.25 67.5 2/24/03 2/24/03 78.25 Stopped  
EBAY 78 78 78.25 -.25 67.5 2/24/03 2/28/03 78.25 Stopped  
EBAY 78 78 78.25 -.25 67.5 3/3/03 3/4/03 78.25 Stopped  
IBM 79.8 79.8 77.73 2.07 72.8 2/20/03   80.05 OPEN 79.85
Total:       -3            
 

Click on the link below to review our Swing Trading results.

Swing Trades Performance page


Long Term Holds:

When we initiate a long term portfolio like this we will find ourselves very happy when the Market is moving higher, but rather upset when it moves lower.  The purpose of this strategy though is to disregard the fluctuations in the Market in favor of longer term gains.  Please do not get excited by the increases in this portfolio, and do not let the declines worry you.  We have stops in place to prevent losses in case we are wrong on our timing.

IMCL:  this is a long term hold.

TYC:  this is a long term hold.

AMAT:  We have not yet triggered AMAT

CSCO:  this is a long term hold.

GE:  this is a long term hold.

AMGN:  this is a long term hold.

DELL:  this is a long term hold.

MSFT:  this is a long term hold.

INTC:  this is a long term hold.

STOCK Long or Short Entry Target Approx. Entry Current Price Net Gain: Target Price: Stop Limit: Status Re-entry strategy:
TYC Stops # stops: 5   -4.75        
TYC Long 12 12 14.5 2.5 long term 15.75 OPEN
IMCL Long #stops 3   -.75   9.75    
IMCL Long 10 10 16.23 6.23 long term 9.75 OPEN  
AMAT stops # stops: 9 -2.75    
AMAT Long 13          
GE Stops # stops: 14 -4    
GE Long 23 23 23.88 .88 long term 22.75 OPEN  
AMGN Stops # stops: 10 -2.5    
AMGN Long 36 36 55.1 19.1 long term 35.75 OPEN  
DELL Stops # stops: 6 -1.5    
DELL Long 23 23 26.63 3.63 long term 22.75 OPEN  
MSFT Stops # stops: 15 -3.75    
MSFT Long 24.25       long term 24    
INTC Stops # stops: 12 -3    
INTC Long 16 16 16.99 .99 long term 15.75 OPEN  
CSCO Stops #stops 2 -.5
CSCO Long 14 long term 13.75
Totals: 12.8

Click on the link below to review our Special Situation trading results.

Special Situation Performance page


Good Trading,

BM.