Three stocks, two longs and a short idea in a pear tree

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. Just like the ones I used to know. There’s over a foot of snow on the ground outside on Silver Fox Ranch here in Ruidoso, NM, and it’s still softly coming down. Makes trading stocks seem a little insignificant, except for the fact it takes money to live here or anywhere and since trading stocks is all about growing and protecting our money…well, let’s talk markets instead of weather.

Apple’s over $400 a share again. Within 5% of its all-time highs. I need to get more Apple exposure after covering my short put position in the name earlier in the week, but I’m not rushing into it today. Am likely to short some AAPL puts again before earnings season comes, in another six weeks.

FIO’s also up again today, up another $1 and now nearly 30% above its lows last week. Wild ride this one is. I’m still holding my FIO common and calls steady for now.

And LPS is finally bouncing for the first time since last Friday’s news of the Nevada AG filing big charges against the company. LPS is already by far my biggest position and with the puts I own in this one being worth so much more than I paid for them, I’m not likely to add to it just yet, but a lot of you were asking if and when we should add to our LPS shorts and I would suggest doing starting a short or a put position in this one that’s about a 1/4 or 1/3 the size you eventually want it to be. Tranche it, that is.

Ho ho ho.