Thurs Jan 24 Trades & Journal

20130124
Short 2 NQ 2727.0, 2727.0, -0, -1.5
Short 2 YM 13768, 13768, -3, -7
Short 3 TF 901.1, 901.3, 901.2, +0.2, -0, -0.5
Short 2 YM 13796, 13797, -4, +7
Long 2 YM 13780, 13781, +5, +5
Short 2 NQ 2740.75, 2741.25, +2.0, +3.0
Short 2 YM 13811, 13809, +7, -2
Total YM +4
Total NQ +3.5
Total TF -0.3

Habits are very hard to mold. With the growing disparity in relative strength and leadership between these four contracts we trade each day, it has been more important to trade them separately. Today was one of those days where a sharp impulse rally exploded upwards shortly after a very jarring gap down NQ opening. But the signals to guy that impulse came in the NQ and the YM, not the relative strength leader TF. Such things can be a distraction and cause hesitation. And once spent, that early rally left little for trade opps than counter-trend shorts at the highs, where precise levels were harder to find. (My current trade plan quits taking trades around 11:15pm, before a fresh bear impulse trend got underway.) Stay alert. Be ready for anything. The market is most likely to surprise you, in the opposite direction to your expectations.