in my case if going long, I start with the fundamentals of a company, previous years earnings, forcast earnings and as to whether I consider the stock good value ie. cheap........that exercise should avoid duds as you call them....... doesn't mean that I might get something wrong though, or that the market might just turn against me.
technical analysis comes after this.......
my position on the china A50 is based on a totally different rationalle
what stocks or instruments are you holding at the moment misty ??
