Daily Trading Report — 2026-01-20

2026-01-20 · 4 min read

A qualitative run-through of every trade from 2026-01-20: setups, thought process, and outcomes.

Running P&L for 2026-01-20

Day P&L: $+567.83 | Total R: +1.22R

The day started with POLA, where I attempted a couple of longs after it pulled below VWAP. The first entry at 3.48 didn’t hold, and I got out quickly for a loss. I thought the sub VWAP trap would hold, but it quickly faded back down to 3.41. The tape was choppy, with no real buying interest, and I should have read the weakness better. I took another stab at 3.12 shortly after, but that was a mistake, too. The stock just wasn’t ready to reclaim any strength. I ended up with a couple of small losses totaling around -0.68R before I shifted my focus.

Then came SEGG, which turned out to be the star of the morning. I jumped in at 2.58, catching a bounce as it reclaimed VWAP after a heavier pullback. The stock had a float of just under 5 million and was showing decent relative volume. It shot up to 2.70, and I was able to lock in a solid gain of 2.01R. I followed that up with a few more trades, and even though I had a couple of small losers in the mix, the bullish momentum kept coming. I caught a nice move to 3.88 from 3.58, banking over 2R again. The buying pressure was palpable, and the tape reflected it with consistent bids stepping in.

After that hot stretch, I got a bit too aggressive. I started forcing trades on SEGG as it pulled back. I tried to catch washout longs, but the stock was showing signs of exhaustion. I got caught in a few of those, which led to losses that chipped away at my earlier gains. The tape was showing more selling pressure than I anticipated. I should have respected that and waited for clearer setups rather than trying to catch falling knives.

The midday session was a mix of scalps and washout longs. I had a decent win on a parabolic squeeze, but then I gave back a chunk on failed attempts to reclaim prior highs. The stock was moving in fits and starts, and I was too eager to jump in on every pullback without waiting for solid confirmation. I took a loss on a scalp that didn’t work out and then tried to get cute with a few washout longs that just didn’t hold.

In the late afternoon, I attempted one last washout long on SEGG at 2.89, but it was a disaster. The stock dropped significantly, and I ended up taking a big hit there. I should have recognized the signs of exhaustion and avoided the trade altogether. It felt like I was trying to force a reversal that just wasn’t in the cards.

What I did well: I executed well on entries during the early part of the day when the momentum was strong. I capitalized on SEGG’s moves effectively, locking in profits at key levels. My patience on those initial trades made a difference.

What I did poorly: I overtraded, especially in the latter half of the day. My attempts to catch washout longs were poorly timed and reactive rather than strategic. I ignored the tape's signals, which ultimately led to significant losses.

Trading grade: B+. I had solid entries when the momentum was right, but I let emotion and impatience dictate my later trades, which cost me.

Heading into tomorrow, I need to focus on sticking to my plan and respecting the tape. Clearer setups and waiting for confirmation are essential. No more forcing trades.