Day Trading Journal

Growing a small options trading account demands patience and adaptability, and today’s trading session tested both, resulting in multiple losses but valuable lessons.  Every trading session, even a challenging one, provides insights for improvement, and this post offers transparency on my experience to help you scale your account, using today’s struggles as a practical example.  My goal is to share actionable strategies to refine your trading system and foster growth through disciplined reflection. Economic News: U.S. Initial Jobless Claims and Market Influences Today, U.S. initial jobless claims for the week ending June 14, 2025, dropped to 245,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week’s revised 250,000, aligning with economists’ expectations and indicating a stable labor market despite recent volatility.  However, ongoing geopolitical tensions, including Israel’s missile strikes on Iran and President Trump’s tariff threats, are contributing to market uncertainty a...

Growing a small trading account is a test of discipline, and today’s SPY trading session was a challenging one, marked by losses but rich with lessons.  Every trading session, even a tough one, provides valuable insights, and this post offers transparency on my experience to help you scale your account, using today’s struggles as a real-world example.  My goal is to share actionable strategies for navigating challenging market conditions and fostering growth through disciplined trading. Economic News: U.S. Retail Sales and Market Influences Today, U.S. retail sales for May 2025 fell by 0.9%, a steeper decline than the expected 0.5% drop, reflecting consumer caution amid trade uncertainties.  Additionally, escalating geopolitical tensions, including Israel’s missile strikes on Iran and ongoing tariff threats from President Trump, are driving market volatility and influencing SPY’s choppy behavior. Today’s SPY Trading Session: A Lesson in Restraint SPY gapped down below the...

Growing a small trading account requires discipline and a strategic mindset, and today’s SPY trading session yielded a remarkable 42% gain by adopting a “one-and-done” approach.  Every trading session, even a profitable one, provides valuable lessons, and this post offers transparency on my journey to help you scale your account, using today’s trade as a real-world example.  My goal is to share actionable insights on sticking to a system and prioritizing high-probability setups to foster growth. Economic News: U.S. Empire State Manufacturing Survey and Market Influences Today, the U.S. Empire State Manufacturing Index for June 2025 dropped to -16.0, significantly below the expected -5.5 and down from May’s -9.2, signaling a sharp contraction in New York manufacturing activity that may pressure the broader market.  Additionally, heightened geopolitical tensions, including Israel’s missile strikes on Iran and ongoing trade uncertainties from President Trump’s tariff threat...

Growing a small trading account demands patience and discipline, and today’s trading session delivered a 13% gain with a larger position size on a “one-and-done” Friday.  Every trading session, even a successful one, offers valuable lessons.  This post shares my experience transparently to help you scale your account, highlighting the importance of journaling and analyzing data for growth.  My goal is to provide actionable insights from today’s trade, highlighting how adhering to a system and exercising emotional control can drive progress. Economic News: U.S. Consumer Sentiment and Political Climate Impact Today, the University of Michigan’s preliminary June 2025 Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 60.5, up significantly from May’s 52.2 and exceeding expectations of 53.5, reflecting improved consumer confidence amid easing economic concerns.  However, escalating political tensions, including Israel’s missile strikes on Iran, boosting oil prices, and President Trump’s ...

Growing a small trading account is a journey of resilience, and today’s SPY trading session was a challenging one, marked by a 15% gain amidst multiple losses due to choppiness and emotional struggles.  Every trading session, even a rough one, offers valuable lessons, and this post aims to share my experience transparently to help you grow your small account.   My goal is to provide actionable insights from today’s battle with position size, market volatility, and fear, using my trades as a real-world example. Economic News: U.S. Initial Jobless Claims and PPI Update Today, the U.S. initial jobless claims for the week ending June 7, 2025, rose to 248,000, unchanged from the previous week’s revised figure, indicating a stable labor market despite economic uncertainties.  The Producer Price Index (PPI) for May 2025, released yesterday, increased by 0.1% month-over-month, below the expected 0.2%, and rose 2.0% year-over-year, suggesting mild producer inflation that may have ...

Growing a small trading account involves navigating wild swings, and today’s SPY trading session was a testament to resilience with a 32% gain that erased earlier losses. Despite facing multiple setbacks, I stayed determined and turned the day around, offering a valuable lesson in perseverance. My goal with this post is to offer transparency on how to scale a small account, using my session as an example, and share actionable tips for small-account traders. Economic News: U.S. CPI Update Today, the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) for May 2025 rose by 2.4% year-over-year and 0.1% month-over-month, both slightly below expectations of 2.5% and 0.2%, respectively, indicating a cooler inflation trend.  Core CPI, excluding food and energy, increased by 2.8% year-over-year and 0.1% month-over-month, under the forecasted 2.9% and 0.3%, suggesting reduced inflationary pressure that may have influenced SPY’s volatile price action. Today’s SPY Trading Session: A Rollercoaster with a Redemptio...