Inspired by his high school economics teacher, Rick Pendergraft fell in love with the markets at an early age. He entered his first investing competition at 17, and opened his first brokerage account before he finished college. At the age of 23, on the third options trade he had ever placed, Rick turned $1,800 into $22,000 in less than a week, when the company he bought became the target of a takeover. He admits it was a stroke of luck, but it was a memorable education as to the leverage that options can provide.
After a ten year career in banking, Rick decided to pursue trading full-time. To get his foot in the door, he started out in the sales department at Schaeffer's Investment Research. It was not long before his talent was recognized and he was invited to apprentice under Bernie Schaeffer, one of the top options traders in the world. Rick thrived in his new position and twice received the award for "Top Trader."
Rick has developed a loyal following of readers who are grateful for his timely warnings and profitable advice. He is widely recognized as a market expert and has been frequently quoted by Reuters, BusinessWeek, Forbes, USA Today, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. Rick's primary focus is on identifying short and intermediate term rising and falling trends in the major market sectors. His analysis is based on technical factors along with indicators of market sentiment
Rick lives near Delray Beach, FL with his wife and three children.
Read Rick Pendergraft's previous newsletter articles below:
You are probably familiar with the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 Rule. It states that 80 percent of your results will come from 20 percent of your efforts. And this applies to investing as well as most other endeavors. For instance, 80 percent of your gains will likely come from 20 percent of your investments.
By Rick Pendergraft | Thu, Jan 22, 2009
So far, 2009 is starting off much like 2008 ended: not good for the market. But I remain bullish about the year as a whole. If you are a long-term investor, you have an incredible opportunity to pick up some stocks that are trading well below where they were at the beginning of 2008. Granted, some - if not most - stocks deserve to be down where they are. They were way over-priced this time last year, and now they are priced accurately.
By Rick Pendergraft | Fri, Jan 16, 2009
Thank goodness it is 2009! The fourth quarter of 2008 was crazy for the market. The wild swings and incredible volatility were maddening. Most investors don’t want to be reminded of how bad it was, but it was apparent in their monthly statements. The good news is that it is over.
By Rick Pendergraft | Tue, Jan 13, 2009
I have been beating the bullish drum rather loudly of late, because I think 2009 will be a good year for the stock market. I’m convinced that the bearish sentiment that has been holding the market down is about to end. I have expressed this view several times in the pages of Early to Rise as well as in Investor’s Daily Edge.
By Rick Pendergraft | Thu, Jan 8, 2009
This morning, one of my co-workers asked me, “What turns around first - the economy or the job market?” My answer: “The economy usually turns first. Employment is a lagging indicator, because companies need to see an increase in demand for their products before they see the need to start increasing their payrolls.”
By Rick Pendergraft | Wed, Jan 7, 2009
I was back in my old stomping grounds of Indiana and Ohio over the weekend. I was there for pleasure, but I ended up with some useful information from a friend.
By Rick Pendergraft | Fri, Jan 2, 2009
The November employment report showed that 533,000 jobs vanished from the U.S. economy for the month. This, along with a revision to October’s numbers, brings the total number of jobs lost this year to 1.8 million - making it the worst employment report since December 1974.
By Rick Pendergraft | Fri, Dec 26, 2008
To me, the holidays are all about the kids. At some point, we all reach the age when our parents have to get us up to open presents rather than the other way around. And once you reach this age, the holidays are a lot more fun when there are little kids around.
By Rick Pendergraft | Thu, Dec 18, 2008
Knowing the personality of a stock will determine how you want to trade it. You want to own happy stocks… short depressed stocks… buy options on the manic stocks… and sell options against the plodding ones.
By Rick Pendergraft | Wed, Dec 17, 2008
This past May, I wrote an article for ETR detailing how much money was being taken from the economy by $4 gas. Now that gas has dropped back to $2 a gallon (and even less in some places), could this spur an economic recovery?
By Rick Pendergraft | Fri, May 8, 2009
0 Comments