The SDN Pharmacy Stock Market Challenge v2.0 (2015)

[confettiflyer]

It's been 7 years since the last challenge, I figure it was time to bring back...

The SDN Pharmacy Stock Market Challenge 2015!

Click on this link, register (and use your SDN screen name so we know who you are), and make trades! Simple as that. The site is on Marketwatch.com so if you have a previous account, create a new one (so you don't blast your real name out there or something).

There are no prizes, no fees, just bragging rights on here. I'll post monthly standings in this thread starting April 30th for the first full month. The game starts NOW and runs through March 8, 2016. If you're new to trading, don't be intimidated...remember, it's fake money anyway, so have fun. Check in here from time to time for market comments and other cheerful banter.

Here are the details/parameters: $500,000 starting portfolio, $7 trade commissions, 0.5% interest rate on cash, $0.01 minimum stock price, advanced trade options available (short, limit orders, margin trading, stop loss), and full shares only (no partial).

So what will you do...dump all of your money into big pharma? Go crazy with penny stocks? Sink $500k into your favorite retail chain? Buy all GLD to go with your aluminum foil hat and CB radio?

For old time's sake, check out the SDN Pharmacy Stock Market Challenge 2008 thread.

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[hurx]

Perfect timing! I know almost nothing about stocks but I've been researching. Was literally just referred to Market Watch a few hours ago! Guess I'll get some good practice in

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I'll take 2 shares in Berkshire Hathaway A and the rest in Vanguard large cap index.

I'll see you at the end of the competition.

 

[297point1]

Oh, it is so ON!!!

 

[confettiflyer]

I don't know how day traders do this...I feel like I'm going to vomit and it's not even real money.

I'm going to sell my positions at the end of trading day, mirror my portfolio, and check in next year. Hahaha.

On the upside....my 1% loss is less than the S&P's 1.5% loss....

 

[Dred Pirate]

I'll take 2 shares in Berkshire Hathaway A and the rest in Vanguard large cap index.

I'll see you at the end of the competition.

this would be great long term real world advice, but probably not going to win this competition. This is all about boom or bust

 

[confettiflyer]

I traded on margin in an ultra-leveraged fund and look what happened, haha...but you're right, boom or bust, I figure I'll know the results of prudent investing w/ my own portfolio, time to find out what it's like to play like a day trader hopped up on meth.

 

[BenJammin]

When dividends are issued, is that reflected in the game?

 

[Jibby321]

This is a good intro to trading for me. Thanks.

 

[confettiflyer]

Well....on the upside, I've essentially erased 2 days worth of losses ($25k) in 1 day...so I'm almost back to even now.

I seriously don't know how day traders do this.

 

[Jibby321]

Well....on the upside, I've essentially erased 2 days worth of losses ($25k) in 1 day...so I'm almost back to even now.

I seriously don't know how day traders do this.

I'm down pretty decent. Lol

 

[xiphoid2010]

this would be great long term real world advice, but probably not going to win this competition. This is all about boom or bust

exactly, with a 1 year horizon, it's basically try your luck at picking a/few winner. Not going to be anything I would buy in my 401k, but might be fun to look up a couple new play money stocks. Will look into it this weekend.

 

[Whereismynorco]

I am on Top........hahaha

 

[confettiflyer]

I am on Top........hahaha

You're killin' it dude, haha

 

[farmadiazepine]

I'm in

 

[Jibby321]

Making money today..... Barely. Haha

 

[confettiflyer]

holy **** this was a fun day to day trade

 

[PolarPop]

Holding ABBV until first quarter reports come out next nonth. Might hold till the second too.

 

[297point1]

Looks like I picked the wrong time to short Sears...they are up 11% in the last five days

 

[confettiflyer]

I was hoping Williams Sonoma would have a breakout quarter on that earnings report...doh

Too busy to day trade the next few days, I'll jump back in later.

I was too conservative on my leveraged positions the day of the fed meeting and lost out on an extra $24k in gains. Went up $5k instead. Oh well.

 

[SClENCE]

I joined GL haha

 

[297point1]

United is buying Catamaran at $61.50/share...ka-ching!!
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money...ets-sail-for-drug-manager-catamaran/70658720/

(Wish I had that in my real-life portfolio; I'll have to be satisfied with this instead)

 

[SClENCE]

I think I'll sell GPRO and buy KR if I can remember my password lol

 

[Jibby321]

^i just stay logged in from my phone in an open browser. Don't have to worry about signing in.

 

[Swishers]

I think I'll sell GPRO and buy KR if I can remember my password lol

You've been cruising with only GPRO since this thing started and have outperformed almost everybody so far. I'm impressed.

 

[SClENCE]

Yeah I slept in and GPRO fell 0.5% while KR rose 0.5% so I didn't make my trade in time!!! Luckily in my real portfolio I did haha.

 

[SClENCE]

Made 18% this week on GPRO earning, too bad I forgot about this challenge. In other news, do you guys foresee a pullback in crude oil prices?

 

[UGAZ]

Why don't we start our own group in real trading with real money with alerting each other which stocks to buy and sell? If people are interested...you can PM me your sn , your phone numbers....and we can start this group in real trading.

I have a background in trading stocks for 7 years. FYI....I trade mainly on technical analysis , momentum. I don't buy and hold long...Doing good so far.

 

[Momus]

I am too lazy to join >_>; I am spending my time productively instead... playing Clash of Clowns hahahaha...

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Made 18% this week on GPRO earning, too bad I forgot about this challenge. In other news, do you guys foresee a pullback in crude oil prices?

Its hard to guess. It depends on if the world economy continues to accelerate, if the Saudis feel like reducing output at some point, and the vitality of US shale production.

 

[Jibby321]

Why don't we start our own group in real trading with real money with alerting each other which stocks to buy and sell? If people are interested...you can PM me your sn , your phone numbers....and we can start this group in real trading.

I have a background in trading stocks for 7 years. FYI....I trade mainly on technical analysis , momentum. I don't buy and hold long...Doing good so far.

I'm in. Pmed

 

[confettiflyer]

Alright everyone, here's the ~2 month update & standings as of today:

 

[pharm B]

I just signed up fashionably late.

 

[PolarPop]

Does anyone know what happens in this game to shares of a company we own that is being sold?

 

[UGAZ]

Does anyone know what happens in this game to shares of a company we own that is being sold?

It will reflect at which price was sold.

 

[297point1]

And I was all proud of my 8.6% return ytd...we've had a few folks (U Gaz, Mylanta BigD) crack a 100% return in 5 months. Impressive!

 

[PharmacistReb]

How do I change my name on Market Watch? I'd my username from SDN be utilized. Right now it's showing up as my first and last name.

 

[confettiflyer]

How do I change my name on Market Watch? I'd my username from SDN be utilized. Right now it's showing up as my first and last name.

PM me I'll see what I can do

 

[moose10]

Does anyone know wtf happened to my Actavis (ACT) stock?? ive never invested or done this game before but I bought 70 shares for like 20k, and its just like gone. Its still listed in my holdings but isn't changing value or letting me trade/sell it, and has a white color in my allocations bar thing!?! its currently skyrocketing and im missing out haha....

 

[Swishers]

Does anyone know wtf happened to my Actavis (ACT) stock?? ive never invested or done this game before but I bought 70 shares for like 20k, and its just like gone. Its still listed in my holdings but isn't changing value or letting me trade/sell it, and has a white color in my allocations bar thing!?! its currently skyrocketing and im missing out haha....

Actavis bought Allergan, so that's what they're calling themselves now. The new ticker symbol is AGN.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/actavis-changes-name-to-allergan-after-deal-for-botox-maker-1434370774

 

[297point1]

Looks to be about time to wrap this up...I'll settle for 10th place and a minor profit; in this market, I'll take it.
Good job Pez Dispenser! $3.66m in the bank.

@confettiflyer - what does our grand prize winner get?

 

[Jibby321]

**** I forgot about this. Haven't been on sdn in awhile

 

[Momus]

Look at the trend there, the more you trade, the more you lose. Yesterday winner is today biggest loser... Even with play money people are barely breaking even. Imagine what kind of damage you can do to your real money.

 

[BMBiology]

Looks to be about time to wrap this up...I'll settle for 10th place and a minor profit; in this market, I'll take it.
Good job Pez Dispenser! $3.66m in the bank.

@confettiflyer - what does our grand prize winner get?

What the? How did Pez make $3.66m from just $500 k?

And why are you working in a pharmacy, and not Wall Street?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[MatCauthon]

What the? How did Pez make $3.66m from just $500 k?

And why are you working in a pharmacy, and not Wall Street?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

I would love to know their strategy, but realistically a simulation account is very different from a live money account. The stress of massive swings dramatically alters behavior.
In the past, I have simulated options trading and it is not even in the same ballpark as real trading.

 

[pezdispenser]

I was just gambling on the TVIX, trying to beat some guys playing ETNs like UWTI/DWTI, but they ended up getting destroyed anyway when oil took a dump, so it wasn't even necessary to get to over $3 mil. Gotta quit when you're ahead, right?

No way I would do this in real life though. Way too risky and stressful. I'd rather be debt free, stress free, financially independent and content with what I have.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Look at the trend there, the more you trade, the more you lose. Yesterday winner is today biggest loser... Even with play money people are barely breaking even. Imagine what kind of damage you can do to your real money.

I don't see this trend, there were a couple people with 10 or less trades at the bottom and the winner had a high amount of trades.

 

[Momus]

I don't see this trend, there were a couple people with 10 or less trades at the bottom and the winner had a high amount of trades.

You need to look better. 1 out of 47.. Sort by trades then you will see.

 

[wagrxm2000]

You need to look better. 1 out of 47.. Sort by trades then you will see.

So first traded over 100 times, I would consider that a lot and was the 4th most trades. Also near last you have a 10 and 7.

Also if you personally would have been in it and bought an index fund you would have been flat. That is the most important thing.

So what's your point exactly?

 

[Momus]

So first traded over 100 times, I would consider that a lot and was the 4th most trades. Also near last you have a 10 and 7.

Also if you personally would have been in it and bought an index fund you would have been flat. That is the most important thing.

So what's your point exactly?

Top 10 most trades, only 1 makes money, 1 barely breaking even, most have negative account (lucky this is NOT real life, otherwise they are flat broke), and the rest of them losing close to 2/3 of their investment. Do you have tunnel vision? You can't reasonably deduct that yourself? The more trades you do, the worse your performance is. This has been studied numerous times in so many academic papers.

You are expecting to mimic the result from virtual money account, 1 out of 39 people (2.5% chance of success) and you HOPE that person is you? I'd play roulette, it gives you better odds of winning. What makes you think you can do it? You have been trading with very limited success 6% a year gain so far in small part of your portfolio so that's like what? Probably about 30% from your total money? So basically, you gain 2% out of your total money. And you think you can get 6000% gain with real money.

There is a difference in expectation vs. reality. I am all for dreaming big but right now you are just talking a bunch of hot air.