The StockTwits® Edge: 40 Actionable Trade Set-Ups from Real Market Pros

CHAPTER 5

Insider Information Is Reflected in the Charts

Keith Kern, @stt2318

The most successful traders have simple strategies. Keith understands that less is more and he focuses his efforts where it really matters—price action. He shows up every day on the StockTwits stream and shares an incredible number of ideas. He gets that StockTwits is an “idea network.”

There is no substitute for hard work. Hard work creates good luck.

—Thomas Edison

MARKET BIO

I entered the trading business as an investment representative, working briefly for Merrill Lynch and also Edward Jones. As a broker I discovered that a brokerage house focused more on sales than on proper equity selection. I realized that the only way to learn about what drives stock prices is to study market psychology by researching the behavior of thousands of individual stocks in different time frames. My studies led me to technical analysis.

When I became confident enough in my ability to trade based on technical analysis, I left my position at Merrill Lynch in 2001 and began trading my own account full-time. While it was a huge decision to do this while supporting a young family, I quickly realized it was the right one for me. Trading successfully led me to meet others online who were pursuing the same goal but using techniques different from my own. I would say a key milestone in my success has been marrying my own technical skills with those of a fellow trader (full partner since 2006) who uses fundamental stock analysis. ...