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Today I'm setting you up with five ways to profit from the Greek Debt Crisis and any other sell-offs that come along.
The market swoons and soars we've seen over the past couple of weeks are part of a long-term trend.
Just in the last week, we saw enormous battles between the bulls and the bears as a bevy of market "pundits" tried to factor in what the dramas in Greece and China will mean for the markets.
So today, I'm going to lay out five fundamental portfolio-management tools that you can use to make money no matter what happens in the market – to make what I like to call "volatility profits."
The first one puts you in charge.
Volatility Profit Tool No. 1: Buy Test Shares
This strategy puts two powerful tools to work in one simple move. When markets are choppy, rather than making your normal entry in a position, you start with just a few "test shares."
By doing so, you greatly reduce your risk and can determine if the timing is right for the play. After all, getting the timing right is hard in volatile markets.
We're making sure we're set for any sudden rallies and at the same time reducing our risk of losses.
Here's how buying test shares works. Let's say your standard market order for a stock is $2,500. Instead, you would cut that to as little as $500. That way if either the stock or the market retreats quickly, your portfolio won't suffer much damage.
But at the same time, if the stock starts to move quickly, you can always add to your position over time.
Volatility Profit Tool No. 2: Use Stop Losses
There are two ways to employ these essential portfolio tools. The first is a stop loss that protects against losses getting too deep on a new entry. I suggest a stop loss of no more than 20%.
This is a classic tool designed to avoid suffering any catastrophic losses. I always set my stops on what's known as a "good until canceled" basis, which means having a 60-day stop in place.
The second method is a "trailing stop" used to protect gains. This is one that moves up as the price of the stock advances. Use the same 20% figure in this manner.
Let's say you bought a stock at $15 that's gone up by 66% to $25. A 20% trailing stop gets you out at $20. That way you make profits of 33% no matter what happens.
About the Author
Michael A. Robinson is a 36-year Silicon Valley veteran and one of the top tech and biotech financial analysts working today. That's because, as a consultant, senior adviser, and board member for Silicon Valley venture capital firms, Michael enjoys privileged access to pioneering CEOs, scientists, and high-profile players. And he brings this entire world of Silicon Valley "insiders" right to you...
- He was one of five people involved in early meetings for the $160 billion "cloud" computing phenomenon.
- He was there as Lee Iacocca and Roger Smith, the CEOs of Chrysler and GM, led the robotics revolution that saved the U.S. automotive industry.
- As cyber-security was becoming a focus of national security, Michael was with Dave DeWalt, the CEO of McAfee, right before Intel acquired his company for $7.8 billion.
This all means the entire world is constantly seeking Michael's insight.
In addition to being a regular guest and panelist on CNBC and Fox Business, he is also a Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer and reporter. His first book Overdrawn: The Bailout of American Savings warned people about the coming financial collapse - years before the word "bailout" became a household word.
Silicon Valley defense publications vie for his analysis. He's worked for Defense Media Network and Signal Magazine, as well as The New York Times, American Enterprise, and The Wall Street Journal.
And even with decades of experience, Michael believes there has never been a moment in time quite like this.
Right now, medical breakthroughs that once took years to develop are moving at a record speed. And that means we are going to see highly lucrative biotech investment opportunities come in fast and furious.
To help you navigate the historic opportunity in biotech, Michael launched the Bio-Tech Profit Alliance.
His other publications include: Strategic Tech Investor, The Nova-X Report, Bio-Technology Profit Alliance and Nexus-9 Network.