A beginner in stock trading

Greetings Reader!
Now that I have finally become debt free and have been able to stash away a small chunk of change I decided that I should start making that money work for me.

First I looked into CDs, 2.30% a year? "WHAT?" I thought "My money, locked away for a year, and I only make $$?!" I couldn't believe it. Maybe if I had a million in it it would look nice. But I'm small time. I make in a day at work what that CD would make in a year!
I also checked out a few other savings options but they didn't look much better.

I want greater growth! So I decided to try the Stock market.
So I opened two accounts with online trading outfits and transfered funds into them.
From one Account I purchase shares of Airel Fund at $52.86.
The other account I will use for purchasing individual stocks.

I spent a few days researching different stocks, thier market ups and downs, company news, etc.. And decided to make a play on these two IPXL (, Impax Labs, Specialty Drugs) and DITC (Ditech communications inc, Telcom supplier) I found Ditech while searching for the Loan Giant Ditech.com's stock, which I found out was privately held. I placed market orders for both, to be placed on Monday 11/8.

Remember, I am an amature and don't really know what I'm doing but here are some things that helped me choose these two;

Both companies had bad news on 11/3 and dropped.

IPXL, which floated around $13 through Sept. and Oct. dropped to $10 on 11/4 on news of a delay in thier 3rd QTR report due to customer rebates that had to be figured in. On friday 11/5 they closed at $11.17. They will announce 3rd QTR earnings on tuesday 11/9.
OK, I'm thinking that most bailed on the 4th because of the news and the stock bottomed out in its current valley of ups and downs and now is on its way up again. I have a hunch the report on Tuesday won't be soo bad. They will also announce sucesses and future plans. Plans that will hopefully excite investors. I plan to watch it closely on monday & tuesday, to see if it rises on anticipation of the report being not as bad as expected. If it increases $1 or more during that time I might try to sell and run with a small profit. Or I'll wait till after the announcement to see if it spikes. Who knows, I may end up holding it for a few Months.


DITC has a similliar story, it has floated around $23 through Sept and Oct and dropped on 11/4 to $16.60 on news that they would cut 2nd QTR earnings forcasts due to a shipping delay to Asian Wireless Telephone Companies. On 11/5 it climbed to $17,16.
Again I'm thinking that most bailed on the 4th because of the news and the stock bottomed out in its current valley of ups and downs and now is on its way up again. The Company makes Voice quality equipment for Wireless companies that include Nextel, Verizon, and several Asian Companies. Asia has a HUGE Wireless Industry and growing! Ditec is also working on equipment for Voip, or Voice over IP, which is suppose to be the next big thing in voice communications. I know that the Cable industry is Investing heavily in Voip to be thier method of delivering phone service over thier broadband systems, directly competing with local service providers like SBC. I'm gambling the stock will slowly increase back to the $23 mark within a week or so and continue to grow into the new year as they fix the delays and start moving product to Customers.

Well, wish me luck and we'll see what happens on Monday. Stay tuned for Updates.

Carl