Daily Trading Report — 2025-12-17

2025-12-17 · 4 min read

A qualitative run-through of every trade from 2025-12-17: setups, thought process, and outcomes.

Running P&L for 2025-12-17

Day P&L: $-3910.91 | Total R: -6.50R

PCSA was the name that caught my attention early, and it turned out to be a wild ride. I entered a washout long at 5.39, thinking it would bounce off support. Unfortunately, it didn't hold, and I had to exit at 5.01 for a loss of nearly $950. The tape was brutal right from the start; I could see heavy selling pressure and it just kept fading. I should have recognized that the overall market tone was shaky, especially with biotech names like MBRX and YCBD also struggling.

Next, I shifted my focus to VYNE, attempting to catch a bull flag setup. I took multiple entries between 0.72 and 0.77, but this stock was just as unforgiving. Each time I thought it was ready to break out, it faded back down. My best trade here netted a small win of $76, but overall, I lost way more than I made. The volume was decent, but the price action felt choppy and unreliable, which should have been a red flag.

I then switched back to PCSA, looking for a sub VWAP trap. I thought there was a chance for a reclaim after it dipped below VWAP. I was wrong. I took several more stabs at it, including entries at 8.29 and 7.87, only to get squeezed out as it continued to break down. The only highlight was one washout long at 6.84 that turned into a solid win of over $3,000, but it was too little, too late. The tape on PCSA was all over the place; I could see buyers stepping up, but they were quickly overwhelmed by sellers.

As the day progressed, I kept looking for that elusive setup that would turn my P&L around. I tried to keep my emotions in check, but with 39 trades executed, it was clear I was overtrading. My entries were often forced, and I was chasing moves instead of waiting for high-probability setups. I had a couple more small wins, but the losses kept piling up, leading to a total loss of nearly $4,000 on the day.

The overall market sentiment was heavily tilted towards the healthcare sector, particularly biotech. Low-float names like MBRX and PCSA were volatile but lacked the follow-through I was hoping for. The high gap percentage on VYNE initially looked promising, but that gap quickly faded. I should have paid more attention to the short interest and float dynamics, especially since the volume rotation was concentrated in these lower-float names.

What I did well today was recognize when to cut my losses and not hold onto positions for too long. I kept my risk in check relative to my account size, which saved me from deeper losses. However, I didn’t execute well on my setups and allowed myself to get caught in the noise of the tape. I was too eager to make back losses and didn’t stick to my trading plan.

Trading grade: C. My entries were often off high-probability levels, and my win rate was abysmal. I was wrong more often than right, and my average loss significantly outweighed my average win.

Going forward, I need to focus on quality over quantity. Less trading, more waiting for the right setups. Tomorrow’s a new day, and I’ll be looking to reset and come back with a clearer mind.