Day 60

Market Recap

The market took a hit today:

• SPY: -2.21%
• QQQ: -3.00%

Last week, I wrote this:

There's still some volatility out there, but I think we may have seen the bottom over the past few weeks. My guess is that any future downward moves probably won't go below that recent floor.

Well, the volatility persists and I’m starting to wonder if the uncertainty is truly priced in. For now, the markets seem stuck in a choppy pattern.

Still, as a Foolish Trader, the goal is to find an edge. Even (or especially) in this topsy-turvy climate.

Trading Update

• Sold META 5/23 $440/$430 Put Credit Spread for a premium of $175 (~19Δ)
• Sold QQQ 5/30 $400/$395 Put Credit Spread for a premium of $58 (~19Δ)

I thought I had set a stop loss at 200% of the premium received or a profit target at 50%, whichever came first. However, TastyTrade closed the QQQ position with a $75 debit, which surprised me. I think it was a misunderstanding on my part about how their platform handles auto-closing. So, I ended up with a $17 loss and a day-trade flag.

Not upset about the loss - just annoyed at myself and the tool. Lesson learned.

Portfolio Status

The portfolio mirrored the broader market today:

• Today's Change: -0.91%
• Year-to-Date (YTD): -27.43%
  • SPY (YTD): -10.11%
• All-Time: -36.78%

Here are the open positions.

Trade History

Here are my last 20 trades:

Plan for Tomorrow

In my previous post, I said:

I’d really like to refine my spreads. My Put Credit Spread strategy has only lost $44 in the past 3 months, so I’m optimistic about dialing it in further.

Today, I opened two new spreads. One (QQQ) was closed unexpectedly, but I’m optimistic about the META position. The markets are still uncertain - particularly around policy direction - but I don’t want my success to hinge on things outside my control.

The goal remains: to consistently earn from the market. That’s what this whole journey is about. And even if I don’t crack the code, I’ll know I gave it everything. I won’t be left wondering what if.

See you in the next one.

📌 Disclaimer: Nothing on this site is financial advice - I’m just here to entertain! Here’s my introduction, my trading philosophy, and some ground rules.