Daily Trading Report — 2026-01-23

2026-01-23 · 5 min read

A qualitative run-through of every trade from 2026-01-23: setups, thought process, and outcomes.

Running P&L for 2026-01-23

Day P&L: $-3458.90 | Total R: -8.20R

The first trade of the day was a quick move in MOVE, where I caught a parabolic squeeze. I entered at 19.88 and exited at 20.22, banking a small win of $66.94. The tape was strong off the open, pushing through key levels with momentum. I felt good about the entry, but it was just a warm-up for what was to come.

Shortly after, I took another long in MOVE at 19.61, and this one worked out nicely, netting me $251.88. The stock formed a solid bull flag, and I was able to ride that momentum into a decent exit at 20.03. The volume was active, and the price action was clean. I was feeling pretty confident at this point.

But then came SLE, and I misjudged the strength. I went long at 10.83, expecting a breakout, but the stock quickly faded, and I was out at 10.30 for a loss of $895.76. The tape didn’t show the strength I anticipated. It was a classic case of forcing a trade that wasn't there. My read was off, and I paid for it.

Next, I shifted back to KUST, which was showing potential with a washout long setup. I got in at 3.52 and exited at 3.61 for a solid win of $735.79. The stock bounced nicely, and I was able to see the reversal coming. I followed it up with another washout long, but I started to get a bit too aggressive with my entries. I took a loss on a sub VWAP trap, which was a reminder that not every setup is going to work out, especially in a choppy market.

The morning session was all about KUST, and I traded it multiple times, trying to capitalize on that volatility. Unfortunately, I got caught in a few traps, including a couple of sub VWAP attempts that didn’t pan out. The stock was whippy, and while I caught some decent moves, the losses added up, especially when I didn’t cut my losers quickly enough.

By midday, I turned my focus to QCLS and AUST, which were also on my radar. QCLS had some good bull flag setups, and I managed to snag a couple of wins, including one at 5.85 that I exited for $275.57. The volume was decent, and the stock had some solid movement, but I still found myself overtrading, taking too many shots when I should have been more selective.

AUST gave me some mixed results. I tried to catch a few washout longs, but the tape was weaker than I expected. I had a small win but followed it up with a series of losses that chipped away at my gains. The market was beginning to feel heavy, and I should have recognized that sooner.

As the afternoon rolled in, I made a couple of scalp trades on SLV, but nothing significant. I was just trying to recover from earlier losses. Then came a late-day disaster with DRCT. I thought I was catching a bounce off VWAP, entering at 4.65, but it crumbled, and I took a hit of $1,340.40. The tape was all wrong, and I should have known better than to fight that kind of momentum.

Reflecting on the day, I had a mix of decent setups and some poor decision-making. The market was tricky, with low-float names like MOVE and KUST showing volatility, while others just fizzled out. I was too eager at times, and that led to unnecessary losses.

What I did well: I executed well on high-probability setups when I was patient, particularly in MOVE and KUST during the first part of the morning. I also recognized when to take profits quickly.

What I did poorly: I overtraded, especially in KUST, and failed to cut losses quickly in SLE and DRCT. I let the day’s pressure affect my decision-making, leading to revenge trades that didn't pan out.

Trading grade: B- — I had some good entries but let losses accumulate due to poor management and overtrading. I need to focus on discipline and cutting losses sooner.

Tomorrow is a new day, and I need to remember that patience and selectivity are key. I’ll aim to take fewer trades, focusing on quality over quantity.