The first quarter of 2025 was a rollercoaster ride! Tech stocks took a hit, with the Nasdaq tumbling as heavyweights like Nvidia, Apple, and Google pulled back, shaking up the dominance of the Magnificent Seven. Meanwhile, across the globe, Hong Kong stocks made a stunning comeback—the Hang Seng Index surged, and the Hang Seng Tech Index skyrocketed, proving that markets never move in just one direction.
My Trading Journey in Q1 2025
This quarter tested my trading strategy, and I certainly had my ups and downs. January started off weak, and I saw red in my P&L, but as the quarter progressed, my portfolio improved. I actively bought and sold a variety of stocks and ETFs, learning valuable lessons along the way.
Here are my most profitable trades, ranked by realized gains:
SOXL (Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X)
TMF (Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X)
TNA (Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X)
SOXS (Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X)
TSLL (Direxion Daily Tesla Bull 1.5X)
NAT (Nordic American Tankers)
AES (The AES Corporation)
APA (APA Corporation)
WU (Western Union)
AEO (American Eagle Outfitters)
KHC (Kraft Heinz)
PFE (Pfizer)
CRI (Carter’s)
F (Ford)
NOG (Northern Oil & Gas)
STLA (Stellantis)
HIBS (Direxion Daily S&P 500 High Beta Bear 2X)
DRIP (Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp. & Prod. Bear 2X)
NEWT (NewtekOne)
This mix of leveraged ETFs, value stocks, growth plays, and energy names provided opportunities for both short-term momentum trading and long-term positioning.
Lessons I Learned in Q1 2025
Trading Can Sometimes Be More Profitable Than Investing
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While long-term investing is great, short-term trading allowed me to capitalize on market fluctuations and reinvest profits into more shares.
Only Buy What I Am Willing to Hold Long-Term
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Even if my intention is a short-term trade, I should be comfortable holding the stock through volatility. This reduces panic selling and eliminates FOMO.
Patience and Discipline Matter
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I learned to wait for good setups instead of forcing trades. This helped me avoid unnecessary losses.
Diversification Helps
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Trading multiple sectors and ETFs allowed me to balance risk and hedge against market swings.
Trading Should Be Fun, Not Stressful
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I remind myself that I trade as a leisure activity, so there’s no reason to stress. No overtrading. No chasing. Just executing my strategy.
My Plan for Q2 2025
Relax and trade at my own pace – No stress, no pressure.
Stick to what works – Continue focusing on ETFs and stocks with strong price action.
Take profits when available – Lock in gains instead of getting greedy.
Learn and adapt – Stay updated on market trends and refine my strategy.
Q1 was a wild ride, but it was also an opportunity to grow as a trader. Now, I’m excited to see what Q2 has in store!
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