Daily Trading Report — 2025-11-18

2025-11-18 · 4 min read

A qualitative run-through of every trade from 2025-11-18: setups, thought process, and outcomes.

Running P&L for 2025-11-18

Day P&L: $+70.77 | Total R: +0.16R

At 9:30, I saw OLMA opening strong, so I took a short position after the initial spike. I entered at 26.72 and exited at 25.43, banking $1,285. The tape showed significant weakness as it failed to hold above the opening levels. The initial volume was there, but it quickly faded, confirming the downward momentum I was anticipating. This scalp trade was solid, and the quick execution helped maximize the gain.

Mid-morning, I shifted my focus to LFS. I spotted a sub VWAP trap setup, entering at 6.34. The stock reclaimed VWAP shortly after, and I exited at 6.60 for a gain of $383.26. The tape was choppy but showed signs of strength with buyers stepping in, enabling a smooth ride up. However, the next trade on LFS didn’t go as planned. I jumped back in at 6.70, but it quickly reversed, leading to a loss of $303.78. The tape revealed a lack of follow-through, and I should have respected the signs of exhaustion.

LFS continued to be a focal point for the rest of the morning. I took another stab at it with a washout long setup after a drop to 6.83, but this one didn’t stick either, resulting in a loss of $460.42. The stock was simply too volatile, and I misread the strength of the pullback. I regrouped and took a more measured entry at 6.83 again, this time exiting at 7.08 for a gain of $358.03. This trade felt much cleaner, as I waited for the stock to stabilize before entering.

The action around LFS was intense, bouncing between levels with significant volume. It showed a clear pattern of washouts followed by recoveries, which I capitalized on again when I entered at 7.27 and sold at 7.58 for a profit of $433.63. The stock was clearly in play, and my timing was just right. I could feel the momentum shifting as the tape indicated strong accumulation.

Then I pushed my luck with LFS once more, entering at 7.77, but the stock rejected the higher levels and I exited at 7.58, taking a loss of $439.95. It was a reminder of the importance of reading the tape—there was no real conviction behind the moves, and I should have cut more quickly. I did manage to catch another washout long at 8.04, exiting at 8.19 for a gain of $521.43. This trade was textbook; I waited for the setup to confirm before pulling the trigger.

The final notable trade was on CGTL. I attempted a washout long at 0.752, but it quickly reversed, leading to a loss of $759.53. The tape showed a lack of buying pressure, and I misjudged the potential for a bounce. It was a tough day for CGTL, which struggled to find support. I need to be more discerning with these lower float names, especially when the market sentiment is shaky.

What I did well: I executed quickly on the OLMA scalp and recognized the washout setups on LFS.
What I did poorly: I overtraded LFS and misread the tape on CGTL.

Trading grade: B — Solid execution on OLMA and LFS washouts, but poor judgment on timing with the trades that didn't work.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, I’ll focus on improving my reads on tape and avoiding overexposure on volatile names.