I have done quite well this year with my investments. I beat my 20% target for the first time. I am very pleased.

Surprisingly, Trump getting elected seems to have had a positive impact on the stock market. I thought the market hated uncertainty.

My portfolio has done quite well this year. We are up almost 17%.

I was a little bit restless, wanting to lock in my gain from the " Brexit " shudders, so I put in sell orders for half my position in apple and goldcorp.

11% gain on apple, a whopping 78% gain on goldcorp. (but goldcorp was bought long ago)

apple;       bought $93, sold $104.00
goldcorp;  bought $14, sold $25.00


This isn't really investing, this is playing the market, a dangerous game.

As a result of the Brexit vote(and other world events);
Bought Apple at $93 and it is now $95.89. Goldcorp, which I had, is up significantly. About 5% just today.

today:
G 25.90 4.77%
AAPL 95.89 0.30%

Brexit

Everything was down (except gold; goldcorp was up 6.37%) because of Brexit. But, does Brexit effect eveything? Possibly, but immediately? I don't think so. I think this is an opportunity. Stocks that really won't be effected were down.

For example,
Apple Inc.(NASDAQ:AAPL) closed at $93.40, down -2.70 (-2.81%). The day Range was 92.65 - 94.65.

Does Brexit mean apple revenue will drop 3%? Not at all. I think this is a chance to make 3% on stocks like apple in one or two days....if I'm not too late already. Placing an order for tomorrow as we speak.

American, but relevant and well worth watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvZSpET11ZY

Well, I finally got tired of waiting for KKR & Co. L.P. (NYSE:KKR) to recover, and sold it. I lost about 12% on it. I know, it is 7% above my 5% rule and should have dumped it a long time ago.

All this does for me is confirm the validity of my 5% rule. Generally, if a stock drops 5% it is going to drop more, and you should sell it.

Was buying Goldcorp and all that oil and gas stock at their recent low a good idea? I think so. Just look at the increases below.

ARC RESOURCES           +10.30%               
ENCANA                  +96.04%
GOLDCORP                +44.17%
KINDER MORGAN           +11.04%               
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL    +12.03%
SUNCOR ENERGY           +21.67%


Isn't oil and gas being supplanted by renewables?

To a degree, yes, but it is not happening over night, and may not completely happen in my lifetime.

I would really like to buy some Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) stock ($250.07 down $-7.13 (-2.77%)) but by my own investing rules I can't.

See, I can't really read a balance sheet or income statement, but I know they are important. So, I do the next best thing. I invest by color. If I'm considering  investing in a company and its balance sheet and income statement is all black I'll give it further thought. If there is any red, I steer away.

Tesla, right now just has too much red. Will the pre orders of the model 3 offset the red? I don't know! I can't even read a balance sheet for crying out loud.

Well, after 2 months and 11 days and I am finally back up to where I was at the close of last year. It took like 3 days in early January to wipe out all my gains from the year before, and then some. But we are now back in black. My only loosing stock is KKR, down -13.49%. Yes, I know, I should have dumped it a long time ago.

Well, I don't know if this is a good thing or bad thing; it looks like all my stock orders were filled.

There is talk of OPEC and Russia cutting oil production, the markets are up 2~3%...I we are at or slightly slightly past the bottom. Time to start buying. Late Friday I put an order in for the following;

19-Feb Buy     ECA     @ $4.91
19-Feb Buy     ARX     @ $18.39
19-Feb Buy     SU     @ $30.57

If I don't get them early Monday I will change the orders to @market price.

These are my latest stock buys.

KINDER MORGAN INC     @ $14.13
KKR & CO LP        @ $14.30
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL ADR-A    @ $41.42
GOLDCORP INC         @ $15.36

Overall I am pretty happy with them, except KKR. I am seriously considering buying some more apple. If our dollar was higher I'd jump right on it.

I think there is great opportunity with KINDER MORGAN INC, and may buy more.

Trying to guess the top or bottom of anything is always risky business. For buying, the best strategy is to let it hit the bottom and buy as it starts to climb. Of course, the natural fear is that you are going to miss an opportunity.

With WTI Crude Oil  at $30.44 and Brent Crude Oil at $30.86 I think we are close to the bottom. I am not going all in, but nibbling at oil stocks. Only go for the robust, well funded stocks. For example, in Canada, go for Suncore or Arc resources over batex. You may make more money with batex, but it is way more risky.

Anyway, nibble away.

Wow. Eight days and all the gains of last year wiped out, and then some.