Would you believe it, half the year is over?
And it has been a surprisingly excellent year so far. I have had some spectacular gains and I am sure many investors have done the same.
It's been relatively easy. But there are been some nasty ones lurking around as well, it you have managed to avoid those then some shares have put on huge gains.
This has made me a bit wary for the rest of the year. I am more than happy and happy to hang onto the gains and not give some back.
So it makes me a bit wary for the rest of the year given potential political pitfalls looming. I might go back into more cash over the summer.
Surprise! Despite a lot of fear about, and problems across the world, markets don't seem to care.
What's interesting is they don't seem to care about brexit which makes me wonder whether they simply expect Theresa May's deal a bit fudged, or let's say with some sprinkles of sugar on top to go through.
From an investor's point of view, that's probably the best outcome, clear out uncertainty, get an election out of the way and see the end of Corbyn.
Worst scenario? No deal worked out and a Corbyn government by default which would see a massive market tumble.
It's going to be a very interesting autumn!
Two seminars in close succession, the one for beginners and then the one for those who've been before has left me with a whole bundle of great trade ideas!
Some of the ideas I have already acted on and bought and some are on the back burner waiting for the right price.
I simply don't have the energy or patience to list anywhere near all of the buys here, so I will go some instead.
I haven't bought a retailer in years - I have only shorted because the retail space is in such a terrible state.
So I kind of surprised myself by buying one!
Shoe Zone (LON:SHOE) actually looks pretty decent! It sells shoes obviously but is changing its format from small stores on small high streets to mega stores and this switch seems to be working.
It looks mega cheap, it actually has net cash so it's not going bust, and directors seem very confident and are buying shares.
As well as the new big store format being rolled out its digital offering is being upped too which seems very sensible.
The margins it makes on its strongest products is on the up and now at 62% which is decent.
Dividend payout is nearly 7 per cent too. Plus I can buy near lows AND a massive support point on the chart.
So though not a shoe buyer as I knock about in trainers (I know disgusting for someone my age, it shouldn't be allowed) I find myself a fan
of Shoe Zone!
I've bought some Argentex (LON:AGFX), another we discussed at the seminars.
An interesting new issue liked by the market which marked it up from the issue price right away.
It provides foreign exchange services to institutions, corporates and the wealthy.
Digging around to find figures took ages with lengthy documents to bung though.
But overall it looks good. Profits and revenues have risen every year for many years and it looks a healthy business.
It also wasn't floated on too high a price. Whether the mark up so far is right or not is hard to tell but a toe in the water on this one.
The Mission Marketing (LON:TMMG) kept showing up on share scans and it was chosen by two at the follow up - it looked good fundamentally so I bought some live.
Most investors are too fearful to buy shares that have already gone up a lot but always seems crazy to me, why not buy a winner?
This marketing outfit is strong and keeps on performing. Profits are up and they are paying off the debt and there is not much of that left.
The only thing that put me off was the chairman started off his statement thus: "Quaquaversatility: it's what it's all about."
(I always thought it was you put your left leg in, your right leg out - that surely is what it's all about?)
Some share holds dropped for a short time for no real reason so I took advantage for some top ups!
Synthomer (LON:SYNT) announced a massive placing and a huge buy of another company.
It is enormous for the company and it's going to be transformed.
I would expect the shares to gradually rise and I'll definitely take part in the 1 for 4 share offer at 240.
In the meantime I have added some more, I would think another 100p will be added into the price by winter.
Solid State (LON:SOLI) did that "fall on results day for no real reason other than profit taking" so I topped up with another buy. Looks extremely cheap and I'm after a target of 600p. Perhaps when it can get past 500p it could motor.
Iomart (LON:IOM) a long term hold fell, again for little reason and I topped up there, a similar story with GB Group (GBG) which again overfell and I was happy to average up yet again there, a big future still lies ahead for GBG.
I shorted Dominos (LON:DOM) as it looks to be toppy at 280 and it has a range of 240-280. If it happens I would take profits at 240 then maybe go long unless the downtrend continues.
I tried a small short in Pennon which failed for a tiny loss at a get out quick stop we did at one of the seminars. I have tried once again today with another short as it is close to the top of its range.
Massive profits banked in Future of £6,172.
Been a brilliant buy but not sure why, there seems to be a downtrend. I didn't get out anywhere near the recent top but a decent ride all the way from 387p !
Big profits on CCC have become too hard to resist so banked they are and a nice quick profit of £2,850 on those.
I took more profits on Safecharge which got bid for as another bid hasn't materialised - profits for the website are more than £18,000 and more than £100,000 personally. That doesn't include the massive dividend payouts over the last years.
I took profits on Spirent as it doesn't seem to want to go higher for now so that's profits banked of £1,180.
The M and S short has been a dream short but time to bank profits of £970 there.
That's site profits banked of £11,172.
Phew, that's about as much as I can cope with writing, for those of you who subscribe to the email there are a couple of extra higher risk trades there.
It's quite possible we might be in for a decent summer in the share market but autumn could be tricky so I think I will do some quiet profit taking over the summer and build up cash.