** My new book - about spreadbetting - has just been published, you can order it here:

http://books.global-investor.com/books/401334.htm?ginPtrCode=10453

Welcome to any new readers coming to the website from the new book, I would suggest you read the spreadbetting book in conjunction with Naked Trader, available here:

http://books.global-investor.com/books/27120.htm?ginPtrCode=10453

Gosh, what happened? It's the start of the summer hols officially.

Where's the year going? Won't be long before the Xmas stuff is in the shops.

We're off for a week down to a castle in Devon so I shan't be updating next week. But back the week after.

Parents everywhere are in panic. What will we do with them for so many weeks?

Well, we have the first week wrapped up anyhow, together with another family we have our own lodge in the grounds of the castle.

So we have our own kitchen etc, get all the hotel facililities without having to eat there every night.

We've access to the golf course, tennis, trampolines, kids club and there are some great pubs around the area so we are going to have a good time!

Well, I am worried about the golf. My friend has booked us in for Monday and Wednesday yet I still can hardly hit the ball anywhere.

Desperate, I have booked some more lessons for the end of this week in a futile attempt to learn how to hit the ball somewhere further than I could just throw it.

Oh well. Hey. I have the golf uniform ready. Yes, the "tailored" shorts and the "predominantly white socks." Still no idea what a plus four is but it isn't compulsory.

Plenty for all the kids to do, they have a good kids club.

I'll let you know how we got on when I'm back week after next. The laptop of course comes with me, I'll try and not trade much as it is a holiday but it's useful to check in 2-3 times a day to manage the positions or if anything unexpected happens, which of course, it always does.

After the castle visit, next event is the music festival to look forward to, after that no plans except if the weather takes a bad turn in August we might well jet off to Europe on a last minute deal. Who knows.

When you don't have a boss and so don't have to "book" a holiday anything goes.

You might remember I went to the Kempton Park Races last week. By race four I'd done £200 - backing longer odds doesn't work when all the effing short priced favourites win!

Still, lucky for me got the 5-1 winner of the second last race, so ended up just a bit down. Boo Hoo.

Not too much boo hoo as has a nice £50 each way on Dream Carrier in the big one at Newmarket on Saturday. Low draw, best horse. Nice. 8-1.

So, Peter Andre played after the racing had finished. Thousands of mums and daughters in the audience screaming.

The blokes? Well, they are in the bars, I heard conversations which mainly consisted of "He really is s***".

Hmm, well I stayed for a bit - and he doesn't really sing that well, the backing tracks help a bit.

But it doesn't really matter. It's just entertainment and the mums and daughters lap it up and have a good time so good luck to him!

In fact good luck to anyone pushing 40 who gets teenagers lusting after him! He tries his best to put on a good show, but you could also argue the blokes' verdict in the bar equally valid...

It was all very atmospheric and quite amusing to have two totally different sets of people together in one place - middle-aged bloky racegoers together with teenagers (some looked to have hidden small bottles of booze in their garments).

Bit of a sad day today - Christopher's last day at his school before he moves to his new one in September.

He's had a good time there and it's a bit of a gamble moving him which we can only hope pays off. But of course we have forged some good relationships with some of the parents etc but we hope to stay in touch.

I'll really miss cycling there with him - the new school is about 4 miles away making cycling a bit out of reach though we will have a go at it once or twice.

So the end of an era but I have taken some mini videos to remind us of these times.

Good to meet some of you again at the follow up seminar on Friday. Great to see you and I enjoyed the day a lot and some interesting things came up.

I was mega glad to hear so many of you have been doing very well since the seminar you attended with many doing yearly profits of 20%-40% which is very encouraging.

Anyone doing between these figures regularly is doing very well indeed and many of you are beating fund managers. Very impressed too with the research you've all been doing and the effort and determination put in by the participants is paying off and that is marvellous.

You really can win at the markets with the right determination, discipline and a trading plan. Without these you could lose.

And none of you who attended the follow up made the mistake of so many new entrants. That is buy up loads of penny shares in risky businesses with wide spreads because you think you are a clever so and so who knows what they're doing and you'll make money.

Nearly everyone comes unstuck at this, sees the shares go down even more or go bust and they end up losing capital. Be sensible and buy companies in the main making profits.

Thanks for the continued great feedback to the last seminar. I thank you all for that because as you now know I put a lot of effort into them.

I get especially rewarded when I get mails from those who attended seminars way back who are doing well.

If you missed this one, I've just booked the next date!
Booking is now open then for Friday September 16th at Heathrow. If you are interested, mail me at robbiethetrader@aol.com with "September seminar interested" in the subject line.

There is a decent early bookers discount for, er, well, early bookers which you will be if you book at this time! If you book later the discount will get smaller and then disappear, you have been warned!

Beginners and improvers welcome! Come and spend the day with me, the markets and some lovely people - and of course, lunch!
If you mail me I will then send you details and a full agenda of what is covered. Also more details below somewhere.

My seminars are designed for beginners, dabblers and improvers and deals with everything from how to look for winners, how to research, spreadbetting, level 2 use how to time trades and short, how to use advfn properly and run your portfolio without having to spend money on systems and tipsters.. and tons more.
A lot of the day comes directly from the live markets and I show you many of the tricks I use to get good prices live. And there might even be the odd live trade or 2!

I get quite a few mails asking what magazines or news services I subscribe to etc. Well, hardly any!
However I do take (£8.99 a month though take the yearly option at 20% discount to that) a daily email which is my main source of news about such things as broker upgrades, main news items, analysis of stocks and markets, forthcoming company statements and events, stock recommendations and targets from the top brokers, what kind of earnings expected from companies and a whole heap more useful stuff.
I sometimes get ideas from this for companies to watch or monitor or even buy. And it's handy to get a summary of what the brokers are saying and looking at future earnings etc.
It usually arrives around 5ish every day.
I contacted the people that put it together and they offer a free 14 day trial of it to my readers - so you can cancel after 14 days if you don't feel it's useful enough.
Once you cut and paste this link into your browser, click "uk 14 days free trial" then I would go "yearly option" which gives a 20% discount making it just over £7 a month, as you can still cancel seems worth it. Hope you find it useful like I do. It's one of the few paid for news services that has really impressed.
http://bit.ly/eBPXuG

I do also get the Investors Chronicle delivered by the newsagent every Friday. It's always worth a read and brings to my attention things I may have missed.

An interesting email from a reader. The thrust of it was he was going to buy a share after doing a lot of research but then it went up 12% and he hadn't bought it yet. So he felt angry.
How does he stop/halt the feelings of anger?
Well, you have to take the emotion out of trading. Which isn't easy.
I suggested he should read this book.. by Jason Zweig
http://books.global-investor.com/books/256158.htm?ginPtrCode=10453
This is the one to read on psychology. Great read.
Fancy getting the naked trader updates direct into your inbox? And a bit before it gets updates on the net including news from my pension trades made from my SIPP?

All you have to do is take a phone or energy service from the Utility Discount Warehouse at www.utilitywarehouse.org.uk/fabdeal.

I get some commission and you get the service! On top of that you ought to make some amazing savings on your phone, broadband, or energy use or all! There's even an internet phone where you can make free calls from wi fi hotspots!

Prices are guaranteed lower than the top 6 suppliers but even better you can get huge discounts on your energy/phone bill if you shop at places like Marks and Spencers, Boots, Sainsburys and a whole load more. 5% of your spend comes directly off your billl. Many are saving a fortune from their energy bills.

So save a few quid, and get my stuff in your inbox! A win win? Mail me at robbiethetrader@aol.com with "mail service" in the subject line and I'll send you details.

Spreadbetting firm Tradefair Spreads has upped its offer exclusively to Naked Trader readers to a £100 credit. This offer is exclusive to me and not available anywhere else...
I've been using them for a few weeks to check that I'm happy with the service. As you know I don't take ads or allow referrals on the site unless it's a company I've used and I feel confident about.
What I like about it is it's easy to use, spreads are surprisingly tight on the smaller companies and interestingly an automated stop loss is applied to each trade - so beginners know what their max loss is from the outset.
Anyway they now offer a £100 credit as long as you deposit £100. You get the credit after you placed 5 trades (Terms and conditions apply)
If you'd like to apply for an account with Tradefair Spreads and get the freebie click this link:
http://www.tradefair.com/promo/spreads/nakedtrader100/

The number of emails to me is nearly reaching saturation point and I'm struggling! I'm getting 100s which is lovely in a way but killing me in another.
The main problem is the length of some of them, indeed some run to the length of novels, so, please, help save my eyes and please keep mails to under 150 words.. you can do it! It's close to the stage where I am going to have to say I will answer all mails but those over 200 words will get deleted. Keep them short and sweet, please!!
Also, it's possible the answer you seek from me is already in FAQ's. And do remember I can't discuss individual shares with you as it would be classified as investment advice which I'm not authorised to give.
Many of you enjoy the cheap advfn toplists bronze deal through me as do many of you with the cheap level 2. However many of you say you want a half-way house to include real-time share prices always on.
So I'm pleased to announce I've managed to seal a new deal with Advfn for its "Silver" service - that's always on real-time share prices for a good saving (Bronze toplists etc are included in this).
The deal is via me you can save £30 for your first year by paying just £138.06 inc vat via me instead of £167.47.
Just mail me for full details if you'd like it with "silver" in the subject line.

They've just re-published "The Zulu Principle" by Jim Slater who's written a 2008 update at the beginning.
This is a brilliant classic book. Reading this is a real pleasure and it was a great idea to republish.
Jim believes like I do the best gains can come from smaller stocks and in an easy to read style takes you through how to evaluate smaller companies that are about to become bigger ones - he uses some excellent examples.
Really this is a must read for all more longer-term investors or anyone looking to grow their money... a number of you have also written to me about this book and praising it.
Here is the link to buy it:
http://books.global-investor.com/books/167207.htm?ginPtrCode=10453
Here's a very topical one: The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets by Peter Schiff.
The book is all about how to keep portfolios up in a down market. He focusses a lot on how to play commodities and win with some sensible advice especially on natural resources and precious metals. He is very much a realist and there is no rubbish here: some straight talking and some interesting strategies.
Everyone who invests should think seriously about keeping portfolios up in bad times so this book should be read.
Well worth picking up at this link:
http://books.global-investor.com/books/271958.htm?ginPtrCode=10453
To order my new book Naked Trader 2 for next day delivery click this link... or the cover of the book top right!
http://books.global-investor.com/books/27120.htm?ginPtrCode=10453
Several people have asked me for a recommendation on a book which shows how to study accounts in a reasonably easy way. The one I like the most is http://books.global-investor.com/books/15717.htm?ginPtrCode=10453 by Robert Leach. Ten crunch questions to ask before buying any company.
It' s a decent easy-to-read book with several key chapters and it's highly recommended. It's one I keep and dip into from time to time. To order, click this link... http://books.global-investor.com/books/15717.htm?ginPtrCode=10453
The best book on charting and easiest read on the subject is http://books.global-investor.com/books/15618.htm?ginPtrCode=10453 by Alistair Blair. Click here -> http://books.global-investor.com/books/15618.htm?ginPtrCode=10453
Another good one is the second edition of http://books.global-investor.com/books/23792.htm?ginPtrCode=10453 by Peter Temple. Included in this one is how to use spreadbetting, CFD's warrants and trackers to reduce risk. And there are some decent trading strategies too.
This is an excellent book for new investors and also experienced ones. It explains all the things you may not be sure about in the markets and will explain the tools that are there. To order The Investors Toolbox by Peter Temple (new edition) click the following link for delivery in 24 hours... http://books.global-investor.com/books/23792.htm?ginPtrCode=10453

**** BOOKING FOR FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16TH AT HEATHROW NOW OPEN**

Fancy spending a day with me, learning all the ways I have learned over the years to find good shares and play the markets? Well, you can at one of my seminars!
Booking is open for the Naked Trader seminar on Friday September 16th

Price is £550 plus vat. There is an early bookers discount currently available.
That includes three course lunch, coffees, snacks etc. There is an early bookers discount currently available.
The seminar is mainly aimed at beginners and dabblers though improvers are welcome too.
Topics covered using live market feeds all day include: Market psychology, level 2 - a simple guide to how to use it for better timing; how to value companies; finding companies that are about to rise. I will also cover techniques for handling events such as the recent meltdown and volatility.
Spreadbetting: How to use it to gain an edge and go short. Market makers - how they work and how to beat them; how to stop losing money and make it instead and plenty more.
How to plan trade entries and exits - how to research companies and understand reports, plus all those niggly questions you always wanted to ask. How to set stop losses and targets. Charts and how to use them.
Also covered: Market maker tricks: How to spot tree shakes and use them in your favour, How to tell when NOT to buy a share. I use live ADVFN all day with lots of level 2 and looks at all kind of live market data.
The idea behind the seminar is SIMPLICITY. I don't use jargon or fancy words - everything is in PLAIN ENGLISH! No question is too stupid and the event is held in a friendly relaxed and supportive environment.
The idea is you will come away from the event I hope a wise and better investor with lots of new ideas. I try and translate complex topics into easy bite size pieces. I also aim for it to be entertaining as well as instructive.
If you are interested please e-mail me at robbiethetrader@aol.com with "seminar interested" in the subject line and I will send you full details of the event including comments from those who have come to previous seminars and you can then decide whether you would like to come. See you there!
One seminar attendee Clare wanted to write a testimonial about her experiences at the seminar which follows now!
"I've just come back buzzing from one of Robbie's seminars. What a day! He's just brilliant, and manages to pack an awful lot into one day, and with his enthusiastic and humorous delivery the day just flies by. There are no gimmicks, no sell, no "˜get-rich-quick' promises, just his own solid, sound approach which he has learnt over the years and which works.
He shows you how to minimise the risks and maximise the profits and points out the banana skins on the way. Where the seminar really comes into its own is when he teaches using live level 2. Hearing him talk through his thought processes and reasoning is invaluable, and really brings home everything from the book. He has endless patience answering peoples' questions, and really seems to care that everybody understands.
On top of that, you meet some really nice like minded people and swap e mail addresses, you're plied with
chocolates and coffee all day, have a great lunch and spend the evening getting tiddled with Robbie in the
bar afterwards! You might even get to see the amazing crocodile boots . . . .
Don't worry about the cost, it's easily worth it, and you'll soon make it back with your new-found investment skills, and in what you're no longer losing. If you're thinking of going along to his next seminar, whether you're a novice or an experienced trader, don't hesitate ""just go!
Thanks Clare, did you want the tenner in cash, or will a cheque do?

I've started using Tradefair for spreadbetting - I like the auto generated stop losses which help to maintain discipline and that's good for beginners I think. And exclusively for Naked Trader readers they upped the offer to £100 credit.
So there's now a £100 credit on offer for anyone opening an account via me. You get that after 5 spreadbets (terms and conditions apply)
To get the offer, click here:
http://www.tradefair.com/promo/spreads/nakedtrader100/

hate to say this but I for one am completely bored with the phone hacking thing.

Honestly aren't there more important things going on in the world? Yes I know it's bad the hacking went on and it's awful for those affected.

But for now I've switched the news off. I can't take any more of it. Yes, okay, we have some corrupt journalists, politicians, and police.

But we really did know all this already didn't we, sad though it might be. The old saying is oh so true, power corrupts whichever department the power is in.

Shame I'm not famous in a way. If I was they would struggle to hack my mobile. I haven't got one!!!

It's not surprising we're in a mess, figures reveal thanks to Gordon Brown it's the equivalent of £80,000 per household. Or £2 trillion. Can't even think of how much it is.

The figures are so bad because Brown simply ignored them and didn't publish them. Clever accounting you could say. Hiding the figures under the carpet you could also say.

It is pretty unlikely we are going to clear this debt in any of our lifetimes. The wartime generation must be shocked at all the spending and the debt that has built up.

At last I found a political party I can confidently vote for. Sadly it's only in Switzerland.

Yes it's the Anti-Powerpoint Party!

Banishing needless Powerpoint presentation would save the world £330 billion a year! Research shows these presentations cause people to sleep and take them away from real work.

It's definitely the case. Glad to say I have no idea how to use it and all my presentations come direct from the live market.

But I wonder if said party could be extended as a party that would put a stop to idiotic things that take up our time.

I remember those idiotic long-winded meetings when I worked.

How's about no meetings longer than 15 mins? No e-mail days so employees would actually be forced to talk to each other properly. I can think of loads more.

I'm going to think about my policies. It's time for a new party. With new ideas, full of people who have really worked for a living, who've owned businesses and understand time pressures and stress and people.

None of the lot currently either in power or opposition have got a clue. No wonder nothing ever gets done.

The Apprentice moves into its last stages. (What is inventor Tom still doing there?)

Helen looks the easy winner. Lord S has probably already decided who it's going to be.

Who'd have thought nodding dogs would be such a good seller?

If the markets crash and I lose all my money I'm going out selling nodding dogs (together with my window cleaning business).

The Greek problem is so bad that all production of taramasoalata and Humus has been stopped.....you got it, it's a double dip recession.

The spreadbetting firm I use for sports betting is here:
Via this link Open a Sporting Index account and there's £100 cash offer - please check terms and conditions which apply.

http://www.sportingindex.com/?tpid=6755
Do remember if you do bet you ought to treat sports spreadbetting as entertainment - and expect to lose! Also with spreadbetting work out what your max loss could be and make sure you can afford it! In other words if you say backed the favourite at 15 for a fiver and they come nowhere your max loss is £75.

Chris writes :
Chris the builder from sunny Wigan here, fan from day 1, (well about day 323 but who's counting eh?)

Anyway....I feel the need to say THANK YOU again for staring at me via (the first book) on Waterstones bookshelf on that faithful Christmas weekend a few years back, then the seminar at posh Heathrow that i drove to in my van! Ha!

Patience is free, watched my portfolio turn to poo, then back into gold, bought another house with profits, ISA is crammed with good earners, and KENTZ? Need I say another word? Here's one... wow, and another, did I mention thank you Mr Burns

Thanks Chris, I remember you well! In fact I remember you giving me some "humble builder" type nonsense and so glad you've done well and I helped with the book and the seminar. One thing you picked up is the ability to hold onto the good winners for yers to get the real rewards.

I'm happy for you. Great thing about trading is it doesn't matter who you are, what you do, or how you perceive your "status". We are all equals in trading and that is just great.

Duane writes:
Wanted to say a big thank you to you and Mrs NT for an amazing day of learning and fun at your seminar.

The way you explained the share trading from start to finish was understandable and really interesting, well worth the seminar fee!
It was great to hear such down to earth and honest assessment from a successful trader like yourself. The way you explained everything was good revision from your book and gave further insight into successful share trading.

I particularly liked your live trades and going through your accounts when you gave snippets of why you invested in certain shares and why you kept/dumped them. Also helpful was the way you searched for prospective shares and within minutes discounted them or put them on a short list for further examination and correct entry points. Amazing!
You could really tell that you loved doing what you do and your energy levels to keep going till 10pm was well....... I had to leave at 9pm I was shattered!

Thanks again Robbie I am keen to put into practice what you have taught me. Even though you make squillions from your trades and I am sure don't need to do the seminars for financial gain, but please keep doing those seminars for newbies like me!

Thanks Duane! Don't expect to be doing them foreever but very rewarding for me to help people so expect to carry on for a while longer.
Malcolm writes:
A thousand thanks for the seminar, which I found both informative and inspiring. If I can keep my own psychology somewhere near balanced I can make steady money at this until I pop off.

I was particularly pleased to find your approach so simple. This chimes with Warren Buffet, who of course says,

'If calculus or algebra were required to be a great investor, I'd have to go back to delivering newspapers.'

It also confirms my own prejudice, and what my friends in the City have told me, namely, that the financial complexity is unnecessary, only there to bamboozle the unwitting public, and doesn't make it any easier for the City boys to make money. Hence nine out of ten funds haven't beaten the index in any four year period since 1914 (Motley Fool).

Thanks Malcolm. Glad to hear and hope you don't pop off just yet. I agree: simplicity is best and all the jargon tends to be just there to make the jargon talker sound important or that they know what they are talking about.

Terry writes:
Fantastic seminar.

I have always been sceptical of the public testaments you see on web sites
saying how great an event was. Now I'm one of those people!. I
genuinely believe that the tips and techniques as well as the overall
approach you demonstrated will radically improve my trading performance

Thanks Terry, well all the testaments are real but know what you mean and glad you feel it was worth it!
Stephen writes:
I read your book and did the course - and I wasn't sure if I'd recoup the cost, it's been 2 years and I've made £38k + saved a loss transferring a Jupiter ISA heavily invested in BP. I can't tell you how important this is or how grateful I am. That's just me, who knows how much people have made with your help and saved by not making mistakes. I wanted to get into shares as they recovered after the crunch, but I assumed I had to put a large amount in one company I thought would make a big jump.
But what happens when you make £1m on the website, will you still do courses? I don't know how you do your ISA and SIPP investments, write the website, books, courses and answer e-mails. But please don't give it up. Couldn't you do the courses and have a standing website which gets updated with your trades say once a month so people can see what you do..

Stephen thanks so much for such a nice mail and much appreciated! Dunno about the future, I feel like I'm getting jaded. It's possible I might just reduce it all at some point to twice a month after going weekly - that would probably help. The other problem is other people's angst is getting to me and the email workload becoming overwhelming. I think after ten years it might be time for me to quit. Anyway good luck with your trades and hope you make a lot more.

I have 3 great offers from ADVFN.

SAVE OVER £120 !
First great deal: If you want level 2, though me it is only £305 for your first year including VAT!
This compares to £432 direct from advfn so this deal saves you over £120! ADVFN level 2 also includes all the live trades made through Plus Markets which I find invaluable.
To accept this great deal just e-mail me at robbiethetrader@aol.com with "Level 2 offer" in the subject line and I will tell you how to get it. Level 2 gives you access to all the market maker positions and the order book and I would not trade without it! More on level 2 in my book and I spend hours on it at my seminars.

Deal two is ADVFN's bronze subscription - normally £72 pa - available from me for only £41! (inc vat) That's a saving of over £30! You access to the premium bulletin board which contains my discussion forum with direct access to chat to me and some very good traders. Plus you get ADVFN's premium top lists which I think are a must for finding great stock picks. That includes great lists like ex dividend dates, market maker buys plus chart breakouts and downs. All as explained in the book.
To take up the offer, e-mail me at robbiethetrader@aol.com with Bronze in the subject line and I will tell you how to claim the deal.

Bronze is included inside the level 2 deal.

Deal three is ADVFN's silver subscription - for those of you who want all the benefits of Bronze AND always on real-time prices.. no more using the back button and getting frozen out!

The deal is via me you can save nearly £30 for your first year by paying just £141 inc vat via me instead of £169.20.
Just mail me at robbiethetrader@aol.com if you'd like this deal with "silver" in the subject line.

Want to try out broker Selftrade superb trading system for no risk? You only have to trade once to get £50 bunged into your account! You get £50 and I get £50.
All online deals are just £12.50 with no funny small print. Charges for phone deals are higher, check terms and conditions. They also charge £35 plus vat pa for all accounts. Follow this link...
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Well, we're heading into the usual summer malaise (probably not the right word but kinda nice anyway) - people are away, market maker offices are understaffed and often there isn't much going on.

This often means shares get more volatile than usual with bigger spreads making it pretty difficult.

In the main given I'm away a lot over the hols I expect to trade sparingly, buying only where there looks like real value and maybe topslicing here and there stuff that has done really well.

Well, I did manage to get a FTSE short on near 6100, I had intended to hang onto it.

But other people are terribly persuasive. That's why I try and avoid Bloomberg, and bulletin boards etc. I try and steer my own course and not worry about what others are up to or forecast.

By Friday afternoon I was a nice £700 up on the short and felt I would probably keep it for a while this week. Then because I was doing a follow up seminar with people in front of me I couldn't help but be influenced, they reckoned take the profits. So I did. What a mistake that was! If I'd held on there was another £2,000 profit there. Thanks, everyone!

There, I feel better! Someone else to blame!

Remember, when you lose on a trade, there is no point blaming the tipster, the magazine, the bulletin board guru, the guy in the nice suit on TV.. you made the trade, you're taking a loss on it and you are the only one to blame.

Of course the FTSE continues in its 5700-6100 range. Buy in the 5700s and 5800s sell and short near 6100 for the time being! Needs to go under 5700 or over 6100 properly for any new trend to establish.

As per usual this year the best time to buy is at the worst moment of panic which was sometime in the middle of yesterday. Maybe this is a new buying plan: Just as you are about to press the sell button, buy instead.

In fact, given most people lose, and perhaps if you are losing why not do the exact opposite of what you were going to do? Sounds like a winning idea?

Smith DS (SMDS) looks good value even after a good run - I bought a few but then they went down and with sellers coming in I took a small loss. Looked for a reentry and found it I think getting £20 a point at 247.3 on the spreads (that includes the div). Probably a tight stop as it is influenced by the main market but good potential too for more rises. However a market meltdown and it would sink too.

The Supergroup (SGP) bet paid off well with very good figures today, liked the look of those so surprised myself by increasing my stake by another tenner a point at 940 after the auction even though it was already up a great deal. While it was well overvalued at its peak of 1800, at around a tenner looks good value and I'm looking for a run up to 1200, maybe 1300 and consider it a shorter-term trade.

I shorted Tullet Prebon (tlpr) for a tenner at 375. It's on a pretty continual downtrend so I've hopped on board as it looks like a bit of more downside to come. Probably not a massive amount but I'd have thought at least 350. of course the trend could change and if it did I'd get out for a small loss. Which is kind of what I try and do with shorts.

I've shorted Carpetright (CPT) for a tenner at 650. Like Ocado, I can't see why the share price is so high, it's not a great business at the moment and I would have thought about a fiver was the right price.

I've taken massive profits in both my bid target shares. Both because the potential upside left in both wasn't worth the potential downside of bids being pulled. In other words after such big rises it might be a mistake being too greedy for more and in any event there isn't so much more that makes it worthwhile holding further.

Charter's gone at 828 to bank a profit of £3,130 (Actually nearly £10,000 in real life)

Laird has gone at 190.1 and 190 to bank a total profit of £3,458.

Obviously very happy with both those and in real life profit of over £15,000 banked.

Electro went at 260 for a loss of £390 - shares were being hit by negativitty in the sector so it seemed best to quit. Two dull spreadbets quit: Homeserve went at 505 to bank £110 and Hiscox at 420 for breakevenish. I topsliced a bit of Volex at 329 to bank a profit of £1,310 but keeping most longer-term.

Xaar has soared since I bought but though a great company it all looks in the price, so I've sold at 284 to bank a very nice profit of £2982.

That's a nice profit of £10,600 banked for the site bringing the total profits banked since I started to nearly £930,000 inching closer to the £1m mark and the point at which I say farewell.

Telecom Plus put out a statement today. It says profits are going to be significantly ahead of last year. And everything looks very rosy there, not much move on the day which is fine as it went ex dividend for 14p today which means a nice fat cheque for over £6,000 is coming my way! And as usual it is unaffected by the main market moves.

I think I'll be selling these shares one day in the 1500-2000 area. Just a question of waiting. Website profit for the shares must be well over £30,000 though I'm too lazy to add it up. Profits in real life are nearer £150,000.

Recent buys go well. Especially Dominos Pizza which is already 40 pts higher though surprisingly volatile.
It's getting close to target so considering a profit take. Croda has rocketed and already up by nearly £3,000. Gamble Filtronic holds higher. The two oil plays Coastal Energy and Aminex both go reasonably well.

Surprisingly given recent falls the shorts aren't going down! Ocado incredibly has gone up. Can't be long before it tanks properly. It looks to be like it is being held above the float price artificially. And Inmarsat is a little higher, but I'll stick with both for the moment but also mindful it's usually better to exit shorts fast in a rising tide.

Oxford Instruments goes well as it heads above 900. Hoping for at least a tenner there.

The wonderful Microgen continues to go higher (and ignored by all private investors except me, not an exciting enough name!) It remains a cracker and some lovely profits of more than £20,000 for the site. What a lovely share this has been since I bought it live at a seminar at 45p. It holds its value and slowly advances. Up again today, and it has also paid out some nice dividends.

Ms International and Latchways have both held some decent gains. Long-term slightly boring hold Bioquel seems to be picking up new contracts and slowly goes higher. . Exillon my energy play does ok in a bad week after another encouraging well report. Also Porvair came up with good figures, I have doubled on that one now.

Alternative Networks heads back up after the profit takers have done. This one I feel is a bit like Telecom Plus were barring an exceptional event it ought to carry on higher with profits and dividends just keep rising . I would expect them to hit 400 within a year.

Gresham is quietly still going higher under the radar! It's gradually lifting unnoticed by the market, which is fine by me! Entertainment One has risen a few points. I reckon it will power up to 200 odd from here in time.
The Vitec Group, an unsung hero of the portfolio reported great results and I'm up and over £4,000 profit here. Looks good for a few more points. Dialight can't crack the 750 though support in the low 700s. it is expanding into Japan. The website holds profits of nearly £40,000. In reality, as those who've come to seminars have seen, my profits actually way greater than this.

Similar story with Carclo this is a nice long-term hold where I have doubled my money. There could be a lot of excitement about Carclo later in the year. Avon Rubber holds well, already up more than 30% since buying recently, it is testing support now at 300ish.

Affero's price continues to be nuts and is hard to value, still together with my free shares it goes back into a pretty decent profit even taking into account the loss on the top up.

Yule Catto has some bid stories swirling around, as usual best to take with a pinch of salt though this seems to have got it over 220. Obviously I hope the bid story at 350 will turn out to be true!

Another good statement from BTG, long-termer continues to look good has nicely doubled and looks strong this week after another good statement.

Petrofac remains a core hold. Though easy for me to say that as I bought in the 350 area. Together with spinoff Enquest sees me sitting on profits of £30,000.

I've been getting e-mails regarding my use of direct market access and who I use. I've tried a few and for me the easiest system for me is here:
http://www.igmarkets.co.uk/?QPID=1079&QPPID=1
Direct market access means you can place orders directly onto the order book bypassing brokers and market-makers with a chance to buy at the "sell" price. I would suggest you ensure you know what you're doing first but IG does provide much education with its "tradesense" educational tool which comes with it.
I also use its spreadbetting service too along with other firms like Tradefair because it now provides trailing stops which to me is a pretty sensible way of trading. Link is here: -
http://www.igindex.co.uk/?QPID=1078&QPPID=1
that also includes a pretty decent educational programme. As usual before opening accounts please read all the warnings on the sites. You can lose a lot of money if you're not careful so pay close attention to them and make sure you always understand what you are doing and what your potential losses are.

I've also started using Tradefair for spreadbetting - I like the auto generated stop losses which help to maintain discipline and that's good for beginners I think. And exclusively for Naked Trader readers they upped the offer to £100 credit.
So there's now a £100 credit on offer for anyone opening an account via me. You get that after 5 spreadbets (terms and conditions apply).
To get the offer, click here:
http://www.tradefair.com/promo/spreads/nakedtrader100/

If you want to get the contents of The Naked Trader website into your mailbox instead of waiting for the update to come through, plus exclusively news on the progress of my SIPP from the old Sunday Times column inc new higher risk Aim buys made for that, e-mail me at robbiethetrader@aol.com with SIPP in the subject line for details of how to get it.

Want to quit the rat race? Try and start a new source of income so one day you can tell the boss to stuff it? You could do what I did to escape my grotty office job and become an independent distributor for the Utilities Discount Warehouse.
You get to sell great broadband, phone packages and energy to friends, relatives, contacts and anyone else you find and you get cash for each sale but more importantly you get a cut of their spend EVERY MONTH for as long as they are a customer!
It's called residual income and is a far better way to enjoy a ripe old age than relying on a pension. Because even after you stop selling the money STILL comes in!
I still get paid EVERY MONTH for sales I made back in 1999! Every time a customer uses broadband or the phone or switches on a light you get paid.
It's a great business and backed by a stock market company (Telecom Plus), a dedicated team of advisors.. and me to help you on your way!
Not only do you get paid out every month for each customer you can take on distributors. encourage them like I do and get paid on their sales as well.
One day, say you could made redundant, needed a year off or wanted to retire early can you imagine what joy it is to have the regular income coming in. It's wonderful.
You have to work at it, but if you do genuine repeat wealth could be yours. I did it. You can too. For full details, why not email me at robbiethetrader@aol.com.
An overview is also available at http://www.telecomplus.org.uk/fabdeal you can sign up directly there but do tell me!
****
Trade tables follow! Trades are current open and recently closed trades. Closed trades feature the closing price and the amount I won or lost. All others are open. Trades get updated a little later than the narrative. Trading costs are ignored, however I also do not add in dividend payments and with the kinds of companies I buy, dividends tend to equal or outweigh costs. Spread rollovers ignored for web purposes. Tables as accurate as poss however a mistake or two can creep in and very occasionally if I forgot I sold or bought something it will be added at a later time.
Trades first reported Wednesday afternoons under "Markets" section..