OT: Stock and Investment Thread

RUBlackout

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Mar 11, 2008
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GameStop up to 209 after hours. Correct me if I am wrong these Reddit investors are trying to take down people who short is that the deal?

exactly what they are trying to do. Using short dated options out of the money to force short sellers to cover their shorts forcing a gamma squeeze. This Friday will see how this whole thing shakes out
 

rurahrah000

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Aug 21, 2010
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exactly what they are trying to do. Using short dated options out of the money to force short sellers to cover their shorts forcing a gamma squeeze. This Friday will see how this whole thing shakes out


The traders shorting GME set themselves up for this swing. While no one could have predicted a massive upswing and I don't know at what level some of these guys started their short positions, these traders should have closed their short positions when the stock was $2-3 in September. If you are shorting a stock, your maximum profit would be if the stock reaches $0 and therefore the further upside is limited when GME was at $2-3. Moreover, as a trader, you have to realize that if the short interest is higher than the number of shares in float, then you are at high risk of a short squeeze. The traders shorting this stock got too greedy. That's their own fault.

"Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get slaughtered"

Maybe next time, traders will be more careful with their short positions.
 
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ruready07

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Unbanked or unbankable? Very big difference.

Hey we’ll see . Some people will be crushed by the weight of that responsibility and some will flourish. There are talented people around the world, this is a good opportunity for them
 

rurahrah000

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exactly what they are trying to do. Using short dated options out of the money to force short sellers to cover their shorts forcing a gamma squeeze. This Friday will see how this whole thing shakes out


Good point. However, technically it isn't the short sellers covering their shorts that create a gamma squeeze. It is the broker writing the call options that need to buy the stock results in the gamma squeeze. Short sellers buying stocks to cover their position results in a short squeeze.
 
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Oct 21, 2010
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GameStop up to 209 after hours. Correct me if I am wrong these Reddit investors are trying to take down people who short is that the deal?
Yes and no, the ultimate goal is to make a shitload of money! Some guys have already made millions, life changing money....but it’s a huge pissing match right now between the shorts and the longs. The TLDR version is: the shorts have shorted 140% of the float of shares they have to buy shares to cover or continue paying interest on the borrowed shares. The longs are holding onto their shares. One of them is going to get destroyed. The shorts were down $10 billion with an almost $3 billion dollar rescue package needed to keep them in business. If the price keeps rising like it has, the shorts will eventually get margin calls and have to buy huge numbers of shares at astronomical prices. The pressure is building and someone is going to blink, I hope it will last! Too the moon!
 
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robcac26

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My son is 28, a second year medical resident, carries about 5 dollars in his pocket. When he either needs to pay me or I need to pay him, it’s through Venmo. You can scroll and see who your contacts pay and what they post about that payment or you can keep it private. He’s had a bank account for many years and only had to start writing checks when he moved into his apartment for his rent. He had to go to the bank because he didn’t have a checkbook. You have to have their mindset to understand the wave of the present/future.
I started using Venmo when I was 25 or 26 and I think you are overstating the social aspect of it to be honest with you. It became more popular than PayPal because it is easier to avoid fees, withdrawals get from your Venmo account to your bank account faster, and it's easier to use. You don't need to know someone's email address to send or request money, you can type their name and usually they will come up because of past transactions between them and other people you have transacted with, and then you can add them to your contact list to make it very simple to transact with them in the future. Alternatively, if you are physically with the person, one of you can just scan the other person's QR code in the app. Its popularity wasn't because kids are attracted to emojis and seeing what transactions their friends are making, it's just a better app for person-to-person transactions.
 
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RU05

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Thank you. Appreciate the response.

That said, I don’t see Venmo as a game changer, really. It facilitates a non paper transfer of money, Credit cards accomplish a non paper transfer as well. Venmo is nothing more than a pipeline allowing transfers to occur. It’s not clear why a crypto currency would be advantaged over a dollar, euro, pound or yen in that environment. The latter are the currency of governments with major economies.
Just jumping in here, but I don't know if Venmo is a game changer as much as another brick in the wall. This may be a very big brick? I don't know, but there are so many institutional moves pointing to crypto becoming more and more established.
 

RU05

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GameStop up to 209 after hours. Correct me if I am wrong these Reddit investors are trying to take down people who short is that the deal?
I think it actually got way up into the 300's. $250 right now.
 

robcac26

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Jump into blackberry. Seriously. All that GME money is gonna get funneled into BB next, setting off a similar chain reaction (the magnitude will be less, but I'm expecting the stock to hit at least $50)
As an avid BlackBerry user hoping that their new phone comes out before I need to replace my 5-year old Priv, I hope you're right, but with BB already up about 50% this week I feel like I may have missed the boat on this opportunity.
 
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RU05

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Let the record show -- I attempted to enrich the lives of my fellow Scarlet Knights with a definitive proclamation on Jan 5th. I hope somebody, somewhere out there in the interweb looked at my post and believed.
I saw it, checked the stock page, didn't see the growth, so I didn't jump in. But yeah, I remember the post. And I do appreciate the effort.


Sidenote AMC, which has been on fire, continues to be on fire this morning.
 

RU05

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I started using Venmo when I was 25 or 26 and I think you are overstating the social aspect of it to be honest with you. It became more popular than PayPal because it is easier to avoid fees, withdrawals get from your Venmo account to your bank account faster, and it's easier to use. You don't need to know someone's email address to send or request money, you can type their name and usually they will come up because of past transactions between them and other people you have transacted with, and then you can add them to your contact list to make it very simple to transact with them in the future. Alternatively, if you are physically with the person, one of you can just scan the other person's QR code in the app. Its popularity wasn't because kids are attracted to emojis and seeing what transactions their friends are making, it's just a better app for person-to-person transactions.
Forgive @ScarletNut he's a boomer. But he's trying.

Edit: Seriously though he got me in on GBTC in Sept, so while he may be off on some of the details, he has been right, or at least fairly early, on the crypto thesis.
 
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jordkap

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That is so funny. I've been holding onto my FCEL investment for quite a long time - probably over 5 years now. This has been by far my worst investment since Alta Vista (they were the Google of 20 years ago).

On a good day, my FCEL investment is only down 98%. FCEL has a permanent problem of not making a profit. Maybe hydrogen fuel cells are going to finally realize the promise of abundant clean energy. I see the stock is actually up 700% this year and 29% today. Quarterly earnings will be announced Friday, so you may have a chance to make some money - or be in the crapper with me.

Even with all their losses, FCEL somehow stays in business.
Do you still own it?
 

RU05

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Not true! The old lady that is always in front of me at the grocery store checkout still writes checks. And it takes a long, long time.
Funny stuff.

But seriously old folks, even with their money, taking out their wallet, counting out paper dollar, cashier taking that money, counting out change, giving change to the old folk, the old folk then sorts it, puts dollars into their wallet, and the change into the change purse, all while standing in the middle of the counter, can be an incredibly slow process.
 
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Jtung230

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Good point. However, technically it isn't the short sellers covering their shorts that create a gamma squeeze. It is the broker writing the call options that need to buy the stock results in the gamma squeeze. Short sellers buying stocks to cover their position results in a short squeeze.
The stock will run up unchecked because puts are expensive and no stock to short? Best way to play it is to write uncover calls.
 

RU05

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And before that it was barbers, cabbies and the shoe shine stands. The more things change the more they stay the same.
Just that today's barbers and cabbies can reach many more people with their opinions.
I don't know if this difference changes the outcome, but unlike previous era's this time the barbers, cabbies and shoe shiners, can inject money, trade, take out money, right from a tiny computer that they carry in their pocket.
 

T2Kplus20

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As an avid BlackBerry user hoping that their new phone comes out before I need to replace my 5-year old Priv, I hope you're right, but with BB already up about 50% this week I feel like I may have missed the boat on this opportunity.
Holy S! I am still rocking a Priv. No joke. I also have a work iPhone, but I love the Priv. It's essentially an Android phone with buttons and BB features.
 

Jtung230

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Jun 30, 2005
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Is Elon just trying to punk everyone? I still don't get it. GME?
New target is AMC. It’s a short squeeze created by “flash mob” retail investors. Don’t worry, the smart money is already using calls and puts to manage these positions. The one thing no one is telling these “investors” is that it falls just as fast as it’s going up.
 
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Frida's Boss

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You’re discussing this with a few other posters so I don’t want to make their point for them, but touching on something you mentioned earlier - that you can already make payment between actors in two well-established economies, so why the need for crypto?

I don’t see it as a small thing that the world economy opens up to include a few billion more people who are currently not living in first world countries. Cryptocurrency gives the unbanked around the world a better opportunity. They now join the overall market.

Thanks. My point was a bit different. I was responding to an assertion that use of Venmo was a game changer for cryptocurrency, and it’s not clear to me that’s the case for reasons I’ve discussed in this thread.
 

Jtung230

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You can see everyone reallocating crypto to these trades. I’ll bet when these names sell off, crypto will rebound.
 
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mdk02

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Aug 18, 2011
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I don't know if this difference changes the outcome, but unlike previous era's this time the barbers, cabbies and shoe shiners, can inject money, trade, take out money, right from a tiny computer that they carry in their pocket.

They've been able to do it from their desk for a quarter of a century unless you consider an $8.95 commission ($4.95 for the last 15 years) to be an insurmountable barrier. At this point I wonder what impact Schwab "Slices" and similar programs have. I see both good and bad in those.

And hell, I can go back 30-35 years and remember 25 year olds in my office sign up with what I call a boiler room for a $5-6k account and add 2K of margin to "make big money in penny stocks" with a "broker to talk to", at least until the margin call 6 months to a year later. So much for the down payment.
 

bob-loblaw

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Jan 23, 2011
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They can magnify volatility in less liquid names, for sure, but I don’t think they will influence the ultimate outcomes of the issuers themselves.

Let the record show -- I attempted to enrich the lives of my fellow Scarlet Knights with a definitive proclamation on Jan 5th. I hope somebody, somewhere out there in the interweb looked at my post and believed.
I saw that and wish you provided more context at the time. Seemed like a troll post

It’s a mindset, open to concepts that traditionalists wouldn’t consider. You write checks, they Venmo. You call your friend, they text. You value gold, they value crypto.
Love this commentary.

There you go. It’s not currency. Its like gold . Couldn’t have said it better myself. Btw, no one writes checks.
So you're admitting its a store of value?

Thanks. My point was a bit different. I was responding to an assertion that use of Venmo was a game changer for cryptocurrency, and it’s not clear to me that’s the case for reasons I’ve discussed in this thread.

I still stand by my original game changer comment. Just as covid has help expedite the digital economy, Venmo has done the same for digital transactions. Then add in crypto payments on their platform and ya, I still stand by my gamechanger comments.

Just like Paul Tudor Jones' commentary this year or Bill Miller or Stanley Druckenmiller.
Microstrategy's purchases
Square's purchases & adoption on their Cash App platform
MassMutual buying in
ARKK
Blackrock
Even Cramer is a believer now

The list goes on and on. The gamechangers for BTC that happened simply cannot be ignored. I ignored BTC and thought it was dead until this year. The amount of institutional support getting behind it is simply impossible to ignore at this point.
 

Jtung230

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Jun 30, 2005
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@bob-loblaw

Yes, it stores value. Not sure how anyone can dispute that. Now, the question is valuation based on that utility. This is the same as TSLA just a car company and valuation based on that.
 
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Frida's Boss

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@bob-loblaw

Rather than responding to your latest response, which included multiple posters, I’ll address your comments towards my posts here.

First, I stated that the issuers would not have their ultimate outcome changed. Issuers are the businesses, not the investors. GameStop is an issuer. Melvin is an investor.

Second, I appreciate your point of view on Venmo, but I don’t agree with it. Venmo has been around for a decade, and it’s impact on cryptocurrency has been minimal. The willingness of individuals and institutions to transact digitally is not synonymous with their willingness to transact with a new form of payment.
 
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bob-loblaw

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@bob-loblaw

Rather than responding to your latest response, which included multiple posters, I’ll address your comments towards my posts here.

First, I stated that the issuers would not have their ultimate outcome changed. Issuers are the businesses, not the investors. GameStop is an issuer. Melvin is an investor.

Second, I appreciate your point of view on Venmo, but I don’t agree with it. Venmo has been around for a decade, and it’s impact on cryptocurrency has been minimal. The willingness of individuals and institutions to transact digitally is not synonymous with their willingness to transact with a new form of payment.

Forgive my naivety on your first point as I misunderstood you.

But it's impact hasnt been minimal. When the announced they would enable there 300 and something mill users to easily purchase btc in late October, the price hovered in the 11k-12k range. In the weeks following saw the price hover between 16k-19k.

In the month of Nov. Paypal & Square purchased 70% of newly minted BTC. That's without the Venmo rollout.

In the interim, I'm off to buy more of the dip.
 

robcac26

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Holy S! I am still rocking a Priv. No joke. I also have a work iPhone, but I love the Priv. It's essentially an Android phone with buttons and BB features.
Yeah I like the Priv but the battery is toast now, and of course you can't just pop it out and put a new one in like you used to. I'm torn between getting a repair place to install a new battery, going with the KeyOne or Key2, or continuing to charge my phone multiple times a day until the new BlackBerry comes out.

And hell, I can go back 30-35 years and remember 25 year olds in my office sign up with what I call a boiler room for a $5-6k account and add 2K of margin to "make big money in penny stocks" with a "broker to talk to", at least until the margin call 6 months to a year later. So much for the down payment.
There aren't a whole lot of 25-year olds that have $5-6k just laying around these days, hence the popularity of investing in cryptocurrencies, or more traditional investments through Robinhood since they don't have a minimum initial deposit to open an account. I wanted to start investing when I was in college but quickly learned that I needed at least ten times more money than I had just to open an account.
 
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RU05

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They've been able to do it from their desk for a quarter of a century unless you consider an $8.95 commission ($4.95 for the last 15 years) to be an insurmountable barrier. At this point I wonder what impact Schwab "Slices" and similar programs have. I see both good and bad in those.

And hell, I can go back 30-35 years and remember 25 year olds in my office sign up with what I call a boiler room for a $5-6k account and add 2K of margin to "make big money in penny stocks" with a "broker to talk to", at least until the margin call 6 months to a year later. So much for the down payment.
No way it was as easy to trade 25 years ago. Certainly wasn't as prominent.

And yeah $9 a trade vs commission free is a huge difference. Opens the doors to high frequency trading.

I certainly made a couple hundred trades last year.
 
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