Slope of Hope Blog Posts

Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.

Where Are You?

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Four-Star Sloper Iggy suggested that readers mark where in the world they are located. This is a great idea. Don't worry, you don't have to tell us your address – – – just a city is fine. Just from Iggy mentioning this in comments, a lot of folks have chimed in so far:

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It's easy. Just click this link, select this menu item:

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And then enter your name and where you are. If you just want to be a lurker, put any name you like. It'll be fun just to get a sense as to where folks are:

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I'll probably make this map a permanent part of the menu. So let's get started!

A Sloper’s Roadmap

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Some weeks ago, a reader wrote to me with his roadmap of the market, comparing 2008 with 2011. He just wrote me again, minutes ago, to remind me of the roadmap. Here's a portion of his email:

Sorry to hear you've been dealing with some trolls on your site of late. Anyway, you were kind enough to post my S&P Roadmap a month and a half ago. While I think its obnoxious when people tell you they were right about the market in hindsight, my S&P Roadmap has worked perfectly since its first posting on your site.  I'd love it if you'd post the attached chart as the similarities are breathtaking and I believe we just completed Leg 13 (rally up, corresponds to May 2008).  Perhaps it will add some clarity to a very murky market picture. I just loaded up on Jan 2012 124 Puts.  I have to trade a map that has worked so far!!

I have to admit, it's a really amazing analog. Here's the image; please click on it for a bigger picture with more clarity:

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CVR Energy and its Target

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By far my best performer today has been symbol CVI. I was scratching my head about it, since crude oil was zooming higher, so I asked Slopers what was going on. One kindly responded (and has given me permission to reprint his words here):

 

The reason your refining shorts are working so well is because the spread between WTI crude and Brent crude is completely unraveling. Guys have been long refiners because they buy cheap WTI crude and sell gasoline and diesel that is priced off the more expensive Brent crude. Now, that is completely reversing as the gap between WTI and Brent is completely unraveling. So its game over for refiners. When the technicals meet the fundamentals, special things happen. Great call. 

 

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Bragging Rights

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This isn't my "real" post, by the way. I just wanted to toss off a comment-cleaner and dispense with something that's on my mind.

Iggy dispatched a troll last night who hopped on to the comment section to bellyache that he had lost money by following this blog. Errr, first off, no one should base their trades on anything but their own decisions. One can garner ideas from anywhere – – blogs like this, CNBC, the newspaper, friends, alien space messages – – but the analysis and execution is your own. If you make money, terrific; I get no credit. If you lose money, that's too bad; I get no blame.

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Mayday Radio

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Slopers are a diverse and talented bunch. One wrote me two days ago:

I’ve been a day trader for the past 7 years and I am a fan of Slope of Hope. 

I’m also a musician and I recently recorded a song inspired by trading.  The song is called “Fear is Born to Us Alive” and chronicles the mental rollercoaster one experiences in trading.  The chorus speaks to the all-too-familiar “Deer in the headlights” phenomena that traders are often caught in.

Thought it might be a nice change of pace for your readers if you want to share it.

Mayday Radio – Fear is Born to Us Alive

Click on the link above to listen. It's pretty rockin'.

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