Thursday, January 3, we had three Stocks to Watch and five Around the Horn subscription trades on our radar. Of these, three were profitable, one was a loss and four were no-shows.

Affiliated Computer Svc (ACS) was a Fastball short for Thursday’s Around the Horn subscription trade list. Entry was in the first half hour of the session, and pulled back, trading in a wide consolidation below the Stop Loss Level. Later in the day ACS again traded below the Entry Level and then below the 50% to Target Level. Our stop was then moved to breakeven, but it never traded back that high. Later in the afternoon ACS traded within 10 cents of the profit target. The stop is then moved to 50% to Target level. Exit was at this level.

Affiliated Computer Svc (ACS), 5-Minute Chart


Helmerich & Payne Inc (HP) was a Sinker short for Thursday’s Around the Horn subscription trade list. This was a classic Sinker set-up, with an entry that pulled in then challenged Wednesday’s high. Entry was on the breakdown from these highs, and it was smooth sailing down to the initial profit target and beyond. Exit was either at this level, or partial shares on the reversal from lows crossing the 8 period moving average. Trader’s with wider stops could also have used the initial profit target as a stop level and exited end of day. A good trade at any of these exits!

Helmerich & Payne Inc (HP), 5-Minute Chart


R.H. Donnelley Corp (RHD) was a Fastball short for Thursday’s Around the Horn subscription trade list. RHD took us for a ride today, triggering our entry with what looked to be a beautiful short, only to stop us out. Later in the day RHD again triggered our entry, but this time it only “tagged” us in, going 10 cents against us before trading 10 cents for us, thus we exit for a 10 cent scratch. This kept us from going to the stop loss for a second time and we don’t take third entries, where, as it turns out, some of the losses could have been recovered. They say in baseball and trading you can’t win ‘em all, and they speak the truth.

RH Donnelley Corp (RHD), 5-Minute Chart


Analog Devices Inc (ADI) was a Fastball short for Thursday’s Stocks to Watch trade list. ADI was in a consolidation for much of the morning, but traded down below our price and off of a support level later in the afternoon. This was good for fast, modest money.

Analog Devices Inc (ADI), 5-Minute Chart


Extra Innings and Opportunities for Friday, January 4, 2007:

Choicepoint Inc (CPS), 30-Minute Chart


Ecolab Inc. (ECL), 30-Minute Chart


Helmerich & Payne Inc. (HP), 30-Minute Chart


R.H. Donnelley Corp (RHD), 30-Minute Chart


Parker Hannifin Corp (PH), 30-Minute Chart


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Julie Peterson-Manz is cofounder of TraderInsight.com. Email her at julie@traderinsight.com.