I can't wait to spend a day with some of you and live markets on Friday at my seminar. Hope you all have a good time, more news on that further down.

I've had plenty of people telling me because of Xmas parties they couldn't come this Friday so I've booked a date for the next seminar which will be Friday Jan 27th and that is now open for booking, mail me if interested at robbiethetrader@aol.com with "seminar interested" and there more on it further down too!

The all new edition of my book Naked Trader 3 is out now !!! And there is a special offer right here if you order it from this website..

The two benefits of the offer are:

1- You will get your copy next day delivery!!

2 - But second and most important the first 500 to order from this website only gets an exclusive

Yes a very nice indeed (I can guarantee that!) NT choc bar comes with each order if you are in the lucky first 500 to order! And there are only a few bars left so get cracking!

So what are you waiting for order here or by clicking on the book on the right! Or on the link coming up in a mo..

Markets change so I have learned a lot since 2007 and it is all in the new edition.

But lots of new strategies including my top 20, lots more mistakes to avoid, loads of new trader tales, cartoons and a bit of fun too.

Those who bought NT 2, there is plenty of new stuff in it for you and if you are a beginner, you can buy NT 3 without having to buy NT 2.

I hope you all enjoy it - and can tell I put a lot of effort into it and I really hope if it just stops one person from making the mistakes I did it will be worthwhile.

Indeed I hope the book is worth it even if you read about other people's stories, it is amazing how so many make exactly the same mistakes.

Anyhow if you buy it I hope you enjoy it! Click here:
http://books.global-investor.com/books/818560.htm?ginPtrCode=10453

** My book about spreadbetting , you can order it here:

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

A busy weekend...Christopher had his second birthday party, this time the boys he knows from the local street and his old school rather than the new one.
He got a whole stack of presents and it looks like there is going to be Lego scattered about the place for a long time.
He loved our present of two goalposts. The only thing is I'm totally worn out from "playing football".
It's been non stop since he got them. Most of my goals still appear to be disallowed for some strange reason....
I'm still looking at his cards with "7" on them and think: how did that happen so fast? Next thing I know he'll be a teenager.
Grandma was here for the birthday weekend and she has learned lots of "football skills".
We have cones across the living room and he's been teaching all of us how to dribble (I'll be doing more of that in my 80s) and pass and to be good footballers.
Grandma went home totally worn out but she has definitely gone back to Ireland a much better footballer!
Thanks to those of you who mailed saying you enjoyed my rant on the non joys of small talk last week. I sent you some emails back full of small talk. Getting colder now, doncha think?
The mail had advice this week how to make small talk. Except some of the advice is pretty poor.
The Mail suggests "Be original. Try opening up with "Who would your celebrity mum and dad be?"
Or "What era would you like to have been born in?"
Honestly!
Erm right, if you come to one of my seminars and the first thing I say is: "What era would you like to have been born in?" You know I am struggling...
Since you didn't ask I would like to have been a gangster in prohibition America. Bet you wish you'd asked now...
Talking of small talk me and Christopher went to the park to play a spot of football, there was another family there (looked like Mr and Mrs top city bankers plus grandma).
I said "Hello" to grandma and she blanked me. Then Mr and Mrs Smug top banker (w*****) come out of the football area with their bankerette daughter in her designer gear.
Me and Christopher tried again and it wasn't even smalltalk - just trying to be friendly. Nothing. We simply weren't there.
To them we were something the cat dragged in through the catflap overnight.
"How dare you even say hello to someone like me," is the message. Very sad. However of course generally it isn't representative of most people thank goodness.
I was imagining they probably hold posh dinner parties. Where all the guests drop in how much they are worth or what they own into seemingly innocuous statements:
"Yes, we are spending Xmas in our country house, it is good to get out of London!"
"I can't believe my bonus is going to be under 3 mill. That's recession for you."
"What terrible rain tonight. Thank goodness we bought the new Lexus model with self-cleaning windows.."
Surely it would be easier for the middle classes to simply wear T shirts at dinner parties with their net worth printed on the shirt? (Only down 12 mill this year not bad)
Lovely to see a small group of you for a follow up seminar last week. Great to see some old friendly faces and Lionel, thanks for the apples, Dave, thanks for the book, and Simon, great research!!
I found the whole day fascinating, we spent the whole day on the live markets, level 2 etc and some future trades showed themselves I think. Thank you all for concentrating so hard and for some very interesting trading stories. Hope to see you all again soon.

I llook forwards to meeting some of you at my seminar on Friday.

I always end up enjoying them. Every one ends up being a bit different as it all depends on who is there and sometimes there are some very different roads we end up in. Quite a few beginners coming to this one so there will be a beginners session, I really enjoy the basics.

And often seminars are also great for my trading as inevitably in all that time some shares come up that I might not otherwise have spotted and researched.

In the years I've been doing them I remember some fantastic ones popping on screens, the best one was the seminar where Mulberry kept appearing at 250... I remember buying the following Monday and although I sold out too early at 950 it was a tremendous profit. And the other really good one was Dialight that was 150 at the seminar and pushes 700 now. Microgen was also a goodie I remember.

Of course we will probably be facing the current hard and volatile situations but that could make it even more interesting, I hope so. I'll definitely have some ideas on how to handle it.

Those of you coming on Friday doors open 9.30am... follow the signs to Naked Trader..

Please come and register first from 9.30am and then find a seat - coffees will be there waiting for you..... And there's another load of coffee and tea and snacks due to arrive at 11am.

Hopefully something nice for lunch and then more snacks a bit later.

Please do not worry if you are late, it's easy to get delayed Mrs NT will direct you to a seat.

Grab a coffee and just relax, I promise to be gentle with you all. I hope you all enjoy the day, as it's live from the markets who knows what will come up. And as you know I talk plain English with none of that idiotic jargon.

If you missed this seminar or couldn't make it, I've booked a date for the next one - the date is Friday January 27th.

Many of you said you couldn't make it to this one or one in December so the end of January seemed a good date!

So booking for January's seminar is now open! The good news is as I am only just starting to take bookings there is a very decent early bird discount on offer!

For details on the new Jan 27th date , email me at robbiethetrader@aol.com with "seminar interested" in the subject line. I'll send you everything that I cover and all about the day itself.

Do not forget to claim the decent early bookers discount!

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 JANUARY 27TH 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 Jan 27th

Price is £550 plus vat. There is an early bookers discount available.
That includes three course lunch, coffees, snacks etc.
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/

The news is so bad around the place at the moment I'm switching it off or closing my eyes sticking my fingers in my ears and going "la la la...."
There are economic woes, fighting in the mid east, mad politicians and religious nuts everywhere.
Trouble is I think most of us are normal - how come we let all the idiots take control?
Fascinating to see Hugh Grant and Steve Coogan up before the committee.
Amazing that fans can learn a lot more about what they are really like from this rather than from any made up tabloid story.
I think they were fair: they know being celebs that they are fair game in a way but it isn't fair to get stories by such foul means.
While it is no excuse those doing the hacking were probably under intense pressure to keep coming up with stuff and then convinced themselves it wasn't that bad to listen to voicemessages.
Hugh was funny, while Steve was... well a little scary actually. I wouldn't like to be his enemy. But he made some very good points about the press and privacy.
The Government says stores should stop discount promotions for their credit cards. I think that isn't far enough: in truth I would like them banned totally.
They just con students into piling up debt for the future. YES! You CAN buy this today!!! Don't worry about the future you can have it NOW!!!
And that is the problem with today's society and why we are in so much trouble.
We are simply in an I WANT IT NOW society. No-one is prepared to wait till they can afford what they want to buy. The war generation must be shocked.
And in the main it is the fault of the greedy banks and credit card companies offering too easy "credit" which is course should be called "debt".
I won't rant on any more but you know what I mean.
Boardwalk Empire has had a good season, very watchable, not quite The Sopranos but getting there!
I'm A Celebrity continues to entertain with Sinitta providing lots of it. The producers seem to think we care whether vacous handsome man gets off with vacous pretty lady. We don't! Cover Sinitta in bugs, that;s what we want!
I have to say Pat Sharp! Who'd have thought he would have been the most entertaining one. After all he was never anything but a really bland DJ but he's come into this as a game and is playing it very nicely.
Why not tell people what you think? Better than backbiting. Get the silly public to vote for you.
I love his "can do" attitude. His attitude towards the tasks should be shown in schools. Go for something! Do it! You never know you might find you can do it! Don't be scared of things!
We are all too fearful! You only live once, give something a try. Go on!!!
Even Ant and Dec are struggling to sneer at him. I hope he wins though of course expect the public to vote him out.
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...
http://tinyurl.com/57hp4n

Goodness gracious.
(That's the polite way of putting it, make up your own version using your favourite swear words I really don't mind)
Markets continue to be, treacherous is the word that best sums it up and excited to see I spelt that right first time (I think)
Those overtrading will find it has become a giant casino where whatever you trade will inevitably be closed out at a loss by the casino. And the more chips you scatter about the more the casino will rake in off you. Don't let this happen.

Often it is better to leave the casino before all your chips have gone and return another time - at least then you still have some chips.
It really is better to simply sit back during uncertaintly, a trade is not compulsory. Any trades which in hindsight could be dodgy should be closed up and cash on the table for future use. Or, to buy something from the shops...

"Traders" think they must constantly trade when sometimes nothing at all is a good trade.
I feel a lot of people are chasing share prices about up and down, wondering why whereever they stick stop losses they get closed out. (It is always someone else's fault, usually the spreadbet firm or your broker and nothing to do with you. Of course the bastards closed you out, they were waiting all day just to get you. Ha ha!!)
More seriously it is very hard going at the moment and patience is the key. I have 6 trades in mind I would like to make at certain prices but I am happy to wait for the right time and the right price. I'll discuss those with those of you coming to the seminar on Friday.
I actually think a lot of shares have been re-rated to what is a fair level not an inflated one, so bargains are beginning to appear.
Another point is that the more it goes down at the back end of Nov and early Dec, the best chance we have of a massive Santa rally! In fact i feel pretty good because I think there will a lot of money to be made next month. I am waiting.
So I haven't been doing that much, outing the odd trade that hasn't worked, taking a small loss on the chin before it becomes a massive one, taking the odd profit here and there, a bit of topslicing too. And simply waiting and being patient for a time to buy the bargains.
Carpetright (CPR) looks pretty worn around the edges. It looks too high despite recent falls and I really wish I'd shorted some more at 650. Well, I did short some more at 550 though did not declare it here and also at 500 and now have a hefty short on. Indeed I shorted yet more and will add this one to the website another tenner at 444. Its recent statements are pretty gloomy. Its debt isn't too bad which is the only upside apparent and my thoughts are it'll sink to 300 ish. At which point I hope to bag an enormous profit. Downside? Well. I guess someone could make a bid but I can't think who. Still I guess it is possible so some risk.
I've also shorted Imagination (IMG). Actually it's a pretty good company, gets lots of royalties and it has cash so this is a short-term idea and only looking for 50 points or so if I can get them. I just think it is slightly too high and could come back a bit as tech companies are being rerated down a bit. I shorted at 439.
And Halfords (HFD) is back on my shorting list and I've shorted that for a tenner at 328. It's been in my bad books ever since they refused to sell me a bike that was sitting there. I went and bought it elsewhere instead... but with retailers under the cosh this could bring a few points to the downside, though to be fair it doesn't look in dire straits. Looking for about 280-290 on it.
Don't remind me that recently I took out a Thomas Cook short in the 70s ! I know I took profits on it and if I had waited those profits would have been enormous. Poo.
I've taken some profits and losses, reducing what I have a bit more... I'm taking profits in volatile ones quicker than eariler this year given the conditions.
I took a loss of in SportingBet of £535 - it came down to the stop and once there level 2 continued to look bad so I activated it. An easy decision and it has since gone a little lower so taking the loss before it got bigger worked here. It is looking very cheap now though and there is probably money to be made but judging when the bounce will come could be hard.
Profits taken in Exillon spreadbet, it hit its target though I missed it, but sold a bit lower down, profit is £610. TT just hasn't been going anywhere for so long boredom closed me out for a loss of £100 at 136.
Afren couldn't get through the 100 barrier and then began to sink, with sellers crowding in on the order book it was time to grab profits, should have done it earlier, still profit of £617 at 89.75. Actually considering a buy back at around the mid to late 70s perhaps as it seems to have support there with a tight stop as a drop below say 70 would look bearish.
Gulf K shot higher up to 200p. Oh why oh why didn't I take profits Dumbo? Greed, I guess. I let it drift all the way back to 172 before taking the profit of £1,320.
That's total profits banked today of £2,012 - those could have been a lot higher if I had acted quicker in this much more volatile markets to take profits faster.
Those of you who came to the follow up seminar know from my accounts I have a nice FTSE short at 5730 and another at 5570, though I haven't put these on the website but they are obviously going well!
The porftfolio has held up really well during the ftse mauling I think mainly because good companies can often hold their value and they are a little bit off radar.
I am thrilled with some of the excellent reports made by a number of the companies in the portfolio in the last couple of days and many of gone up very nicely against a falling market which is very rewarding!
Amazingly they are all good. Looking at them I do wonder if we are talking ourselves into a new recession. Each report does say something like, we're doing really well but with all the talk of gloom and doom, we have to be mindful of the future etc...
Looks to be as if the newsmakers could look at some of the good news, and there is some around that would be rather helpful!
So some comments on portfolio companies reporting.
Wow! Is all I can say about the fabulous statement from MS International (MSI) - a share I guess that is simply under the radar - what great management here!
All its divisions have had a fantastic half year, both forecourts and defence have been doing well. I thought that might be the case given MS were advertising recently for staff. Looks like they might do 8-9m in the full year throw in the cash they have and despite a rise on the report it still looks undervalued and looks good value up to 400-450. The dividend has been increased by 50% too showing confidence. Big well done to the management at that company. Anyhow should be 100p higher than it is.
Telecom Plus reported too - looks good, in particular the dividend rise of 25%. This is my big income earner, with more than £300,000 worth in real life the yield brings in a fantastic income every year - I should pick up around £13,000 in divs in the net year. The share price looks about right for now but at the current rate they'll probably be rerated again at some point up towards a tenner and watch for FTSE 100 entry in 2020 ! (Hope I am still around to see it!) Total profits here are well in excess of £90,000 and way more than that personally - plus all those lovely dividends.
A fantastic report from Kentz, all on track - some huge contracts, plenty of visibility, long-term work and a whole heap of cash - this ought to hold up if the market tanks further and still looks very cheap - I hope this will be a big winner in 2012.
And Avon Rubber reported half year figures, nice rise in profits here, obviously a question mark over defence spending but even so, a great set of figures, and its dairy business is also doing well. Nice rises for all the above companies!
CML reported a decent set of figures too, and there are some hints in the statement that look interesting about next year, maybe something they can't explain fully but looks like there is some confidence about the markets they are in. I also wonder whether this looks like a potential takeover story, a bigger rival could easily buy this out for loose change.
And the brilliant Coastal Energy has put out yet another encouraging drill report. with upgrades all over the place and now pretty much a doubler for me and a pretty fast douber too! Glad I topped up last week. This good news story just keeps getting better and better...
New Brit also reported: excellent profits here and also a pretty good outlook statement, very nicely in profit since the first buy on this one. Carclo's statement was inline. We await news of developments in its CIT technology. If it pulls it off the shares could get rerated a lot higher. There is some risk as if it doesn't they will get hammered but risk reward looks weighted to more reward. I bought at well under half the current price anyway so it would just be lost profit if anything goes wrong as the business without CIT is worth 180-200p. If I was in charge I would rename the company Touchscreen Tech, get it relisted under tech and see an immediate 100p upside! The market seems happy to wait events for now.
Entertainment One looks like it will stay where it is for a bit. I actually think a bid is now in this one for next to nothing! To me the shares are pretty much worth 190-200 quid each without a bid and I would now imagine any bidder would have to pay nearer three pounds than 250.
Long-term superstar Dialight remains where it is for now. But it is in a rapidly growing market. Much is in the price admittedly but with patience there is a tenner to come. Well, I have been patient all the way from 150p to 750 and as those of you who have to my seminars have seen from my accounts my profits in real life are something like £70,000. For the website profits are more than £40,000 - and of course there have been dividends on top.
The shorts continue to shine: Ocado continues to gradually drift down: I keep wondering whether to bank the rest of the Ocado short as there is a profit there of more nearly £4,000 It doesn't go up much with the main market but wonder if I am being too greedy expecting any further falls.
I tend to forget about little LOQ but it has made me some very super profits and indeed I haven't looked at it for months except noted the share price stays strong. Last week it announced a smartphone trial which could prove very promising indeed. The share price is rising nicely again and it could surprise some more to the upside so I'm staying in there!
Overall I am getting excited because I have some cash and bargains galore are appearing everywhere. Remember especially when there is fear around shares will overshoot on the downside - there could be a lot of money to be made in December. I am ready with my ideas.
Biggest three winners in the portfolio are: (rough profits!)
1. Telecom Plus profit £92,000
2. Dialight profit £43,000
3. Microgen Profit £27,000
(which doesn't include thousands of pounds worth of dividends from all three!).
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..