The Dow is the market index I watch the most every trading day, because it is where many of the equities I trade are traded. Not all of them…but many of them, and it’s easier to closely watch one index than three. The image above is the Dow Jones index over the last 30-days as of today (Sept 25. 2026).
Even in this market I have been able to successfully (profitably) trade. It is generally true that I would have likely traded more in an up market, but that is not always true on a daily basis. While the overall stocks in the Dow are down, there are peaks and valleys, so there are times when the market is up. Even with a market like this, you can buy low and sell higher. That is where the profits are. And two additional points:
Just because the overall market is down, does not mean every stock in that market is down. Some of my stocks during this time period were flat, or even up a small amount (on and off) during this time period. You CAN successfully trade during overall down time periods.
Also, for me, trading is selling and buying – right? And sometimes knowing when to buy (I think) is more important than knowing when to sell. Smart buying is the 1st step to profitably selling. If you buy smart, it’s almost hard not to make money.
Don’t believe all the negative hype, that short-term selling is impossible. It is not. I agree that trading can be risky for a new untrained undisciplined trader just starting out. Almost anything can be risky or dangerous if misused. Properly utilized and understood, trading stocks/equities can be very profitable and enjoyable.
Copyright 2026, JaggedTrading.com, Jagged Trading™