Stocks Update: out of SO/GRMN, in WFR/TTWO

Numbers below are based on prices at market's close on August 5, 2008.

I sold Southern (SO) after seeing it listed as one of the highest sold-off stocks (largest outflow of money) this week. Someone seems to know something I don't, and that makes me uncomfortable. I lost about 30 bucks on the trade, including the dividend payout.

I sold Garmin (GRMN), taking a loss. I violated the rule of never catching a falling knife. However, I wasn't completely off my rocker, because I bought only 80 shares, intending to average down slowly. In the end, I only lost around 180 dollars.

Since posting trades publicly, SO and GRMN are the first times I have lost money on short-term trades (held less than 7 days). Most of my short term trades--the ones I intend to be short-term--are major trades of 500 shares or more. My losses on SO and GRMN were about two hundred (200) dollars total, and I did not intend for them to be short-term trades, so I'm not concerned.

My two main holdings now are WFR (bought more today--stock went down because a storm might affect production--unless this storm is called Katrina's Sister or the Second Coming of Katrina, wake me up when it's over) and TTWO. I sold 150 shares of my TTWO holdings today, and now own 250 shares. I also have CCT, most of which was bought many months ago, and I am slightly positive on CCT.

The Fed decided to stay pat on interest rates. This should be good news for my international bond funds.

Open Positions
DUK = [bought on 8/7/08]
EWM = -5.73
EZU = +1.55 [excluded from average, insignificant movement; will be excluded completely in the future b/c I realized I only own 30 shares, below the 2,500 dollars basis or current value threshold for inclusion]
IF = -7.13
TTWO = +4.89
WFR = 0 [excluded from average; new position]

[Average of "Open Positions": losing/negative average 0.72% [changes with addition of DUK and sale of VNQ on 8/7/08]

Closed Positions:
Held more than seven days but less than one year (from May 30, 2008):
CNB = +10.0
EQ = -8.83
GE = -6.4
INTC = 0.0 (excluded from average; insignificant movement)
PFE = -5.5
PNK = -16.7%
PPS = -2.8
VNQ = +2.37 [sold 8/7/08]
WYE = +2.4%

[Overall Record: Lost an average of 3.97% [does not include 8/7 sale of VNQ]]

Held less than 7 days:
GE (1.0%); GOOG (0.8%) [7/28/08 - 7/29/08]; GRMN (-6.2%) [Sold 8/5/08]; ICE (2.0%), MMM (0.5%), MRK (0.1%), PFE (1.3%), SCUR (15%); SO (-0.3%) [Sold 8/5/08]; TTWO (4.3%) [partial sales on 8/5/08 and 8/7/08]

[Overall Record: Gained an average of 1.72% [does not include 8/7 sale of TTWO]]

Daytrades:
PFE = +0.5%
GE = +0.5% (Updated on July 14, 2008; bought at 27.15, sold at 27.30)
XLF = +4.3% (Updated on July 15, 2008)

[Overall Record: Gained an average of 1.76%]

Compare to S&P 500: losing/negative 7.27%
[from May 30, 2008 (1385.67) to close on August 5, 2008 (1284.88)]

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