2026-01-21 · 4 min read
A qualitative run-through of every trade from 2026-01-21: setups, thought process, and outcomes.
Day P&L: $-4146.32 | Total R: -8.82R
Caught a bit of a bounce with PAVM early, but it quickly turned into a grind. The first trade was a parabolic squeeze setup, and I jumped in at 16.98, hoping for a quick move. It didn’t take long to realize I was too early; the stock faded down to 16.82, and I got out for a small loss. That set the tone for the morning—lots of volatility, but not much follow-through.
I tried to catch a washout long on PAVM again at 17.67, which worked out better for a brief moment, and I locked in a small win. But then I overextended myself. I chased the stock up to 19.15 and ended up taking a significant loss at 18.50. This was definitely a moment where I didn’t respect the price action. The tape showed a lot of sellers stepping in, and I ignored the signs. PAVM was volatile but ultimately uncooperative, and I let my emotions dictate my trades.
Next up was GITS, which was showing a nice gap and some early momentum. I took a couple of sub VWAP traps but struggled to get consistent wins. I had a good trade when I entered at 2.77 and exited at 2.86, but then I gave back those gains and more on the subsequent trades, where I didn’t respect the stop-loss. The stock was flipping between buyers and sellers, and I wasn't quick enough to adapt. The tape was choppy—lots of noise and not enough direction.
Then I shifted gears to BNAI, where I managed a small scalp trade. It wasn’t much, but it felt good to catch a little win after a rocky start. This stock was in a better flow, and I capitalized on that momentum for a quick gain. But I quickly went back to PAVM and got caught in a few more washout longs. I took a hit again at 27.66 when I should have recognized the weakness instead of trying to force a reversal.
NAMM had a few decent setups throughout the day, and I got a couple of good washout longs in there. I entered at 1.9 and managed a nice exit at 1.92, but I also had a couple of frustrating trades where I chased and ended up with losses instead. The lower float stocks like NAMM were moving better during midday, but I was still battling the emotions from my earlier trades.
Overall, the market felt fragmented, with healthcare and tech stocks showing some movement but not in a way that aligned with my trades. GITS had a higher relative volume, but the action was too erratic for my style. I need to be more selective and focus on setups that align with market momentum instead of forcing trades in choppy conditions.
What I did well: I managed to cut losses quickly on a few trades and recognized when to take small profits. I also had some good entries on GITS and NAMM that worked out.
What I did poorly: I overtraded, especially with PAVM, and didn’t respect the signs of weakness. I chased a few trades without confirming the tape, leading to larger losses than necessary.
Trading grade: B-. My entries had potential, but I let my emotions get the best of me and didn’t maintain discipline, which cost me significantly.
Moving forward, I need to focus on sticking to my plan and being patient. If the tape isn’t confirming my trades, I have to step back and wait for a clearer opportunity.
Trade charts
Selected notable trades (by P&L) with time-of-day vs price (entry → exit).
NAMM 15:40:42 – 16:18:10 — P&L $-2595.16
Entry $2.61 — Exit $2.35 $-2595.16
PAVM 11:09:14 – 11:09:45 — P&L $-781.01
Entry $27.66 — Exit $26.22 $-781.01
GITS 10:32:54 – 10:41:40 — P&L $+466.85
Entry $2.19 — Exit $2.22 +$466.85
GITS 10:15:56 – 10:17:48 — P&L $+429.22
Entry $2.78 — Exit $2.87 +$429.22
PAVM 09:10:38 – 09:12:17 — P&L $-428.66
Entry $19.15 — Exit $18.50 $-428.66