Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo SystemEOD accountability report: +$790
Sleep: Great Overall health: :check:
Overall pretty decent trading day, spotted long term sell signals on market across the board this morning pre market so I was expecting thing to be bearish and drop. It played out as expected and helped with the trades today as thing went according to plan most of the time.
I did expect a V shape recovery at some point but that didnt happen.
Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo System
10:36 AM VXAlgo NQ 10M Buy Signal,( didn't work that well)
1:30PM 10min MOB bounce :check:
2:09 PM VXAlgo ES 10M Buy signal + 10min MOB (Double Signal) :check:
3:36 PM VXAlgo NQ 48M Buy Signal :check:
Es_f
Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo SystemEOD accountability report: +$786.25
Sleep: :ok: Overall health: Day 1 of fasting, edgy as f
I finally got to test Caffeine and lions mane on an empty stomach and it was crazy, really sharp focus but jumpy as well.
We started the day off pretty scary, Huge drop to 5720 and instant recovery to the top. Traded a bit on one of my APEX evals that renewed today but
Didn't really touch the funded account until 11:20 when we hit the 48m resistance and got a 10m signal.
Overall day was pretty decent, 10m and 5 m chart worked really well.
Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo System
9:50 AM VXAlgo ES 10M Buy signal 2x
11:10 AM VXAlgo ES 10M Sell Signal 2x
12:24 PM Market Structure flipped bearish on VX Algo X3!
Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo SystemEOD accountability report: +$760
Sleep: Bad Overall health: drained
Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo System
9:50 AM VXAlgo ES 48M Sell Signal ( didn't work that well)
10:10 AM VXAlgo ES 10M Buy signal (Double Signal) :check:
12:47 PM VXAlgo ES 10M Buy signal (Double Signal) :check:
3:30PM doji trade + expecting 48m to flip up
Market stalled a it today as expected because we ran up a lot yesterday,
We did go a bit higher but not much up from yesterday's high.
Overall decent range day if you trade the 1 min MOB.
Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo SystemEOD accountability report: +$650
Sleep: 🆗 Overall health: feeling drained today.
Health wise, Feeling really tired today, might need to really add red light therapy to my morning process.
Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo System
11:39 AM VXAlgo NQ 48M Sell Signal (took mes but got stopped out)
12:26 PM VXAlgo ES 48M Sell Signal +NQ 48 sell (made money)
1:30 PM VXAlgo ES 10M Buy signal (avg down at support & made money)
In regards to the market today, we broke over the 48 min resistance yesterday night when market opened and it pushed us into bullish zone,
naturally when market is in bullish zones, it can push hard so you just have to sit back and watch if you missed the entry.
Which was what I did and just waited until we get a sell signal.
ES Futures Weekly Trade Plan & Navigating Turbulent Waters CME_MINI:ES1!
Macro Analogy
The current market landscape and macroeconomic environment can be compared to the dynamics of "sticks and carrots." The market is largely headline-driven, responding to the shifting expectations surrounding the Federal Reserve's stance, political events (such as the ongoing influence of the Trump administration), and sidelined investors who are waiting for a clearer signal on where to allocate capital.
Looking at the market action, the low on March 13th, 2025, could mark a point of sector reallocation. Specifically, the Russell 2000 index is currently leading, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq trailing behind. This suggests a shift in investor sentiment from large-cap stocks to smaller, potentially more dynamic sectors.
In the backdrop, Federal Reserve speakers scheduled throughout the week may help clarify their position on the evolving macroeconomic situation, notably the persistent risk of stagflation. The challenge for central banks is becoming increasingly apparent: balancing rising inflation, increasing unemployment, and slowing growth while striving to meet their dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment. These pressures are intensifying the difficulty of effective policymaking.
If we liken the US administration to a ship navigating through turbulent waters, the Federal Reserve could be seen as a submarine working behind the scenes to stabilize and support the administration. Chair Jerome Powell, at the controls, is leveraging all available tools to ensure financial stability. Meanwhile, at the helm of the ship is the US President, whose decisions and actions impact the broader economic environment, either calming or exacerbating the turbulence. The new adventures of the Gulf of America have entered uncharted territory.
In this context, last week's actions, slowing the pace of Quantitative Tightening (QT)served as the "carrot," aimed at cushioning the economic pain despite worsening economic forecasts. However, the message that FED sounded was that, due to uncertainty, our forecasts are subject to change. Take them with a pinch of salt.
ES Futures Big Picture:
The ES futures market is currently testing key resistance levels, and this zone will serve as a critical inflection point for both bulls and bears. The next steps will likely hinge on the clarity emerging from both macro events and Fed commentary.
Key Levels to Watch:
• Yearly Open 2025: 6001.25
• Key LIS (Last Important Support/Resistance): 5850–5860
• Low Volume Node (LVN): 5770–5760
• Neutral Zone: 5705–5720
• Key Support Mid-Range 2024: 5626.50
• 2024-YTD mCVAL (Market Composite Value): 5505.25
• 2022 CVAH (Composite Value at High): 5341
Scenario 1: Rejection at Key Resistance
In this scenario, we expect rejection at the key LIS levels, with further consolidation below the 5850–5860 range before the April 2nd reciprocal tariff deadline. This could lead to a retracement back toward the LVN area (5770–5760) and a potential drop to the neutral zone around 5705–5720.
Scenario 2: Market Participants Expecting Less Severe Tariffs
Should market participants anticipate less severe reciprocal tariffs than initially planned, but remain uncertain about the broader macroeconomic picture, we could see the price push above the key LIS levels. This would likely result in a consolidation phase until more clarity emerges, with the market continuing to trade in a volatile range above key LIS.
Recap ES Futures Weekly PlanCME_MINI:ES1!
In this TradingView blog, we’ll recap the price action and share our insights from the weekly trade plan posted on March 3rd, 2025.
Our Scenario 3 highlighted mounting risks, with weaker economic data reigniting the stagflation theme. While the price action largely aligned with our expectations, it extended further downward than anticipated. Economic data was mixed: PMIs exceeded expectations, while the NFP report came in lower than forecasted. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.1%, and average hourly earnings data showed mixed results. The Month-over-Month figures were in line with expectations, but Year-over-Year average hourly earnings came in slightly lower at 4% versus the consensus of 4.1%.
In addition, headline news and tariff uncertainties dampened sentiment across the board.
Our approach primarily involves volume profiling and market auction theory to map out price levels and set expectations based on the prevailing market context at the start of each week. However, as fundamentals, macroeconomic factors, geopolitics, and headline news gain increasing significance and impact the market, we draw on our accumulated experience to incorporate these elements into our analysis.
When market regimes shift, technical analysis alone often proves insufficient. A strong understanding of fundamentals, macroeconomic conditions, and geopolitics is crucial to staying aligned with what’s actually happening in the markets, rather than relying on your personal thoughts and assumptions.
Given the myriad factors influencing the economy and markets, traders should recognize that each approach has its merits. We recommend sticking with the strategy that works best for you.
ES Futures & Macro Trends: Key Levels and Market ScenariosCME_MINI:ES1!
Macro and Geopolitics:
There was continued news flow over the weekend after derailed talks between Trump and Zelensky. Europe, UK and Saudi Arabia are still pushing for a Russia-US-Ukraine peace deal that will likely include rare earth minerals.
We also heard Trump commenting on an executive order on digital assets strategic reserves helping reverse losses in CME BTC futures. Investors see this as a positive development prior to the upcoming Crypto Summit in Washington on March 7th.
US March 4th tariff deadlines loom for Canada, Mexico, and China. Trump repeated America's first stance commenting that border security and stopping illegal drug trades should be America’s prime focus.
Economic Calendar:
Looking ahead this week, key economic events include manufacturing PMI data on Monday, employment and services data midweek, and major central bank decisions and labor market reports toward the end of the week. Here’s a breakdown of important releases:
Monday:
Manufacturing PMI data release
Wednesday:
ADP Nonfarm Employment Change
Services PMI
Crude Oil Inventories
Thursday:
European Central Bank (ECB): Interest rate decision & monetary policy statement
U.S. Data:
Weekly Initial Jobless Claims
Continuing Jobless Claims
U.S. Trade Balance
January 2025 Imports & Exports data
Friday:
U.S. Employment Data:
Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report
Average Hourly Earnings
Unemployment Rate
Federal Reserve Speakers:
Bowman & Powell scheduled to speak
ES Big Picture:
Despite increased volatility and risks mounting, looking at the daily chart shows that ES futures are still within range and trading above Nov 4th, 2024 and January 13th, 2025 low, however, 2025 mcVAH and R1 confluence has been acting as strong resistance and keeping the markets from reaching new all-time highs.
Despite the risks, our analysis suggests that with the U.S. economy showing resilience, a "buy the dip" approach remains favorable. However, staying selective and strategic with opportunities is key to balancing risk and reward.
Key Levels:
Key levels represent areas of interest and zones of active market participation. The more significant a key level, the closer we monitor it for potential reactions and trade setups in alignment with our trading plan.
2025 VAH: 6,150
2025 VPOC: 6,133.75
LVN: 6,113.25
Neutral Zone: 6,000 - 6,015
2025 VAL: 5,972.50
LIS/Yearly Open: 5,949.50
Neutral Zone: 5,916.50 - 5,927.25
Feb 2025 Low: 5,848
Jan 2025 Low: 5,809
Scenario 1: Range bound week
Market remains volatile, however, within the neutral zone below key LIS/yearly open and neutral zone above Key LIS/yearly open.
Scenario 2: Weak data points slowing economy
Worsening economic data points along with progress in Ukraine- US minerals deal points towards further buying. Weaker data points may provide room for further rate cuts should economic weakening further materialize.
Scenario 3: Mounting risks and weaker economic data
On the contrary, mounting risk and weaker economic data may point towards stagflation as inflation remains sticky while the economy weakens. This provides room for further decline in ES futures.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 03.02 - 03.07.25Last Week :
Globex opened above VAH of 6054 - 5933 HTF Range and February RTH Cost basis which gave a hold to start the week to push us into the above Edge but more strength didn't come in, instead we ended up holding under 6074 - 60s and closer to Monday RTH open price failed in the Edge giving us a move into lower Value with a close inside it. Holding under Cost Basis meant weakness for longer term buyers and triggered moves lower all week as they needed to get out closer to month end we got. Lower Edge kept giving bounces back into Value which kept building more supply and when MM Month end came on Thursday we were able to take the stops under 5930 to give us continuation to test lower Value under 5870s. To finish the week we found buying inside lower Value and what I think was end of the Week short covering before the weekend which pushed us back into the Edge in the afternoon, all momentum traders had to do was buy it up under the Edge to push price back inside which triggered stops on the way up to give us end of day squeeze back into above VAL where all the supply was.
This Week :
We are starting a new Month and things can be tricky to start, we are at interesting locations on Weekly, Daily and Hourly charts with quite a few options going into this week so we really have to be open to different scenarios as things are not as clear as they were last 2 weeks going into Month End.
On Daily TF we have showed a failure over Daily Edge Top and at the same time have transitioned into a correction mode under it which gave us the move from Daily Edge into Daily VAH at 987 - 67 and flushed the buyers under it through Daily Mean towards Daily VAL at 846 - 28 without tagging it. End of week covering took us back into Daily VAH but left Daily TF in Correction mode under its MAs.
On Weekly TF we had a long consolidation in new Weekly balance over 5950s but we never transacted through the whole balance which means no acceptance in it, instead we built up a lot of Supply inside which at the end of the Month gave us this move back into lower Balance with a strong break and close under smaller MA with price closing right at the top/bottom ( depends which way we look at it ) of Weekly Balance. For now this tells us that we could see more weakness going into this new Month, as long as we hold under Weekly Smaller MA which is around 6010s and don't accept back above Daily VAH of 5987 - 67 then that could bring in continued weakness to rotate lower back towards Daily Mean and possibly test Daily VAL and maybe see a push under it.
Holding under the Daily Edge of 6073 - 43 implies continued weakness as well and will continue to target lower Daily areas all the way down into its bottom Daily Edge at 5754 - 24 which has Weak Stops and a Gap to fill under which was made during contract roll. Does not mean we will go there right away or go there at all of course BUT there are lots of things stacked up for more downside so far, of course we have to watch each area for continuation through but if there is still more sell volume to come out then we have to watch out looking for much higher prices from here and instead look for balances with weakness and rotations back down.
This week could play out as an inside week with weakness towards the bottom of previous week and IF there will be stronger volume then we could see last weeks lows get taken to give us pushes towards Previous Distribution Balance that we have made back in October which would be next big spot to visit.
On the Upside IF buying from Friday sticks and we start holding over 5930 - 40s then need to be careful forcing downside as we could build up enough and bring in more buying to push into above Value again, we do have trapped buyers inside it from last week so it would be a spot to be careful at as we could continue to see selling out of that Value on any pushes into it, for more strength inside that Value we would really need to push through VAL and start holding over 5970 - 90s which would signal stability and could have the price balance inside that Value and of course for anything higher we would need to take out February RTH cost basis above VAH because we have most of the buying from last few months trapped over it.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 2.23 - 2.28.25Last Week :
Globex opened inside the Mean of HTF Ranges Value where we found balance to start the week, we had supply over 6144 so any pushes over which were made during afterhours kept coming back into the Mean but failing to continue tag VAL which kept the market stable and balancing over until we had RTH Volume make a push over 44 which held and brought in more buying to test previous ATH areas at 6160s but market needed to hold over 60s after such a move to bring in anymore strength, instead we came back in, trapped more volume over 44s towards the end of the week once we flushed into VAL, holding under 44 into the end of the week forced all the trapped volume over to sell out which started taking stops giving the move lower we were looking for that kept triggering continuation with every lower area it hit to finish the week right at lower VAH inside the RTH Cost Basis that was build on top of the gap down that failed to continue during beginning of the Month.
This Week :
A bit tricky week to start here or should I say finish this Month off as we are heading into last week of February we have few things to look at here. Yes we had strong selling, trapped a lot of buy volume this month over 6050s which is not getting the upside and time to pay or close has come, we finished last week with a strong sell back into 6054 - 5933 HTF Range which tells us that as long as we stay under the upper Edge could bring in more weakness and we should see continuation inside and towards lower targets BUT question this week is will it come during the beginning of the week or will February RTH Cost Basis make us wait until later in the week, of course that is IF more weakness comes at all right ?
For now what we know is we have close Friday inside 6064 - 6023 Intraday Range, we have a cost basis here under 6034 which could possibly prove to be good enough to give us some sort of a hold/balance at/over it to start the week, if this will be the case then we need to watch out for slower action again and some back and forth in this 6020 - 40s area, with any pushes towards 43 - 54 - 58 areas to be possibly met with weakness so need to watch out for price not sticking around there too long or not continuing over and instead returning back towards VAH into that cost basis. How long this area would hold is for us to find out but we don't have much market moving data to start the week, unless whatever news from Friday or this weekend will be enough to give us bigger moves to start the week. IF we do hold over to start the week I would still watch out for thinking bigger bounces from here back over upper Edge as we could find more sell volume come in Tuesday or Wednesday as long as we hold under 6050s that can bring in more selling closer to Month End as that will force more size to close out above positions.
If we do have strong volume and can open under VAL or get under 6023 - 18 area and hold under then that would change things and could bring in more selling sooner. Either scenario if we get under this cost basis we would be looking for continuation towards lower Globex Cost basis into VAL and that area may fold with volume and can give us pushes out of Value again for the lower Edge which would be the spot to watch again for any more weakness.
And of course for any strength to the upside from here we would need to climb back into the Edge and start holding over 6054 area AND see strong push over 70s that can hold over, until then really need to be careful with looking for more upside from 40 - 50s as selling could come and push us lower. If we do start holding inside/around the Edge then will need to be careful looking for too much downside from here as we need to keep holding under 50s to really bring in that weakness and cause more selling, if selling doesnt come this 6064 - 23 Intraday Range could become our balance range until we will be ready to accept above or below it which would cause back and forth inside it with pushes out coming back in.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 2.16 - 2.21Last Week :
Sunday Globex again opened on a gap down just like previous week but this time it opened right at lower VAH and got a push back into over 6074 - 54 Edge. Holding over 6050s and inside/over the Edge meant stability for the market which brough in more buying but as we can see it took us a whole week of consolidating under VAL before we were able to push into upper Value towards the end of the week. We pushed into the Mean right up against our previous Supply area and that served as good resistance to keep us in small balance to finish the week on Friday.
This Week :
Tricky spot we find ourself in this week, on higher time frames like Monthly we are having inside month, weekly we are still holding sideways/up trend inside this 6230s - 5950s balance but one thing to note is we have mostly been back and forth between this balances Mean area and the low, so far dips under the low kept getting bought but we are not really getting any upside or holds over the Mean areas which could mean no acceptance inside it to cause continuation towards the top. On Daily TF we have been holding over between the Daily upper Edge of 6073 - 43 and upper Daily VAL of 6144 - 25 where we found balance to end the week on Friday.
Going into this week we are again inside the Value of this 6074 - 6195 Hourly's range and there are few things we can watch from here. If the market has truly accepted inside this range then we may hold inside the Value which will mean ranges will tighten up and we look to balance inside Current Intraday Range of 6155 - 6114, we have supply over 6144 so any pushes over it towards 6155 could find their way back into the Mean and we could see covering under 6125 over VAL. BUT something we have to watch out for is IF we again fail inside this Value and get into/under VAL this will be our first signal for a failure which can bring in weakness towards lower Edge, IF that happens and we find ourself inside lower Edge under 6074 - 60s that would confirm the failure and may bring in more weakness for market to try and go find Value lower, we do have lots of HTF stops lined up under us which would keep bringing weakness if we start taking them. We don't have any market moving data until Fed on Wednesday which could mean a slow start to the week and we must be careful forcing for downside IF we are holding over VAL because that keeps us stable. Of course IF we do again open on a gap down like we did last 2 weeks then that could change things BUT this time around IF we do then we need to be careful looking for a full return back like we had last 2 times.
For more strength out of this Value we would want price first show us holds over 6144 AND find stronger buying that can take us into/over upper VAH, until this happens we really need to watch out over 6140 as we may finish this month either inside +/- month inside this Value under 6160s OR since its our 3rd month in these areas without any upside, we could see size sell us back down towards Monthly balance lows which are down at 5950s.
Recap: CL and ES Weekly Plan analysis & Key LevelsNYMEX:CL1!
CME_MINI:ES1!
In this trading trading view blog we will refer to our February 3, 2025, weekly trading plans.
Our main idea for ES futures was to get long above yearly open, also our key LIS (Line in Sand). And our main idea for CL futures was to stay short below February monthly open targeting mcVAL and then waiting for an opportunity to get long at our key bullish support zone.
Below we explain our thoughts behind these ideas and how we choose our key levels and the process to create our plan.
ES Trade Idea: Key Levels and Strategies Amid Macro Uncertainty :
From our ES trade plan, scenario 1 played out. The line in sand for long trades was Key LIS/Yearly open. Click on the link above to see how this played out!
Our key levels for the trade idea noted in the blog were:
(mcVAH) micro composite value area high: 6,134.25
Key LIS/Yearly Open: 5,949.25
(mcVAL) micro composite value area low: 5,914.25
(CVAH) Composite Value Area High: 5,924
mcVAH held as an area of initial resistance. Our neutral zone at 6,068.25 - 6,051.50 acted as a zone for pullback after initial push higher. The remaining week was choppy with some days more volatile and playing out per our scenario 1 in our trading plan.
CL Trade Idea: Key Levels & Strategies Amid Volatility:
From our CL trade plan, scenario 1 also played out.
Why we favored this as scenario 1 was due to rejection confirmed at January 2025 mid range. The provided a good short opportunity below Jan 2025 mid or February monthly open towards our key levels as specified in the trading plan. We mentioned the following key levels in last week’s plan.
Micro Composite Value Area High (mCVAH) January 2025: 76.00
January 2025 mid- range: 74.96
February Monthly Open: 74.14
Micro Composite Value Area Low (mCVAL) January 2025: 71.82
Yearly Open: 70.52
2024 Mid- Range: 70.40
mCVAL provided a good target for short trades, while Yearly open and 2024 Mid-range confluence at our key bull support provided a good spot to initiate the long trade idea.
Following a consistent process can help traders stick to a trading approach that can help them achieve consistency. Losses are an inherent part of trading, executing the trade plan also involves weighing which scenario will play out on the hard right edge in real- time. However, our market analysis blogs are aimed to educate traders, showing whatever their methodology or approach, consistency in preparation and having a roadmap of important price levels will help them distinguish between getting caught in noise versus important areas to engage with markets.
ES Trade Idea: Key Levels and Strategies Amid Macro UncertaintyCME_MINI:ES1!
ES futures opened with a gap down on Sunday.
With numerous macro headlines, President Donald Trump’s comments on the Fed’s decision last week, and ongoing trade war tariffs, traders may struggle to distinguish what truly matters for the markets from the noise.
In our opinion, do not let macro headlines cloud your judgement. Have a trade plan and be ready to adjust with market conditions and volatility. One way to mitigate risk is by utilizing micro CME contracts , allowing for more precise risk management during volatile market conditions. Additionally, you can participate in the CME and TradingView paper trading competition, giving you the opportunity to test your skills in The Leap without risking real money.
Remember, it's NFP week, and several other key economic data releases are also on the calendar.
In our view, it is important to zoom out and reduce key levels on your charts to ones that are significant.
Key Levels:
Key levels represent areas of interest and zones of active market participation. The more significant a key level, the closer we monitor it for potential reactions and trade setups in alignment with our trading plan.
(mcVAH) micro composite value area high: 6,134.25
Key LIS/Yearly Open: 5,949.25
(mcVAL) micro composite value area low: 5,914.25
(CVAH) Composite Value Area High: 5,924
Scenario 1: Long above Key LIS
Our key LIS is still Yearly open as it was discussed in last week’s idea. We are looking for long trade setups at this level.
Scenario 2: Short below Key LIS
If the price moves lower and holds below a key level, we will look for short trade setups targeting our green support zones on the chart from mcVAL and CVAH confluence.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 2.02 - 2.07.2025Last Week :
Globex opened inside VAL under the Weak stops from previous sessions that we have market off which signaled weakness, under 6100 market started taking out lower stops and key areas which gave a big flush into lower Value during ON hours to start the week but we ran out of selling after looking below lower VAL and rotated out of Value from there. RTH Session did not bring anymore size selling, instead we were able to hold above Value take in all the Supply and move back into/above upper Edge which brough stability and pushed us into 6114 - 064 Intraday Range where we found balance. End of week price made a push into upper Value again but the move was done during ON lower Volume hours and once we hit the bigger area of supply/where we previously found bigger sellers over 6144 the whole push came apart and gave us another move under VAL into the Edge where we closed right at a big area without really breaking under.
This Week :
This week is really tricky to try and call because we have new month starting, we had some news over the weekend which has made a lot of people bearish or at least think that we should be bearish and either open on gap down or continue lower, we have seen strong selling from above areas which probably trapped buyers to give us more weakness BUT as much as I like to cheer for the downside and a good correction most of the time as I am a short seller, we have to be careful here because we are at important HTF areas which if we don't get the needed volume to stay under could bring stability and continue to give us balancing action over them.
We will have to see what we do on the open tonight and during ON sessions to really get a better picture but we can have a plan and keep things in mind that IF they start happening then we can be ready. Daily TF for now is still in uptrend after a failed correction in mid January and we are just grinding over smaller Daily MA with buying interest running out over 6100s which is giving us this sideways/selling action, weekly TF also grinding over its smaller MA and has closed right around weekly balance mid area after failing to hold under its low which is in 940s this could mean that we may potentially continue holding and grinding/sideways with weakness until we see some bigger change.
Daily Edge top is around 6070 - 40s we would need to either see a push that can close under 50s to signal acceptance back in lower HTF Range or a push under with continuation to/through lower VAH which can then bring in more sellers and give us continuation towards lower targets at VAL/Edge and if things get really ugly to push us through 933 - 913 Edge from where we need to watch out for further continuation towards our Previous Distribution Balance.
On the other hand we need to be careful forcing the short side under 6060-50s unless market can clearly show us that it wants to be under, if it does not then we can watch for us to stay inside Current Intraday Range where we could balance and maybe tighten up the ranges as things have been pretty wild, if this will be the case then we could see stronger sells coming from areas closer to above VAL and from inside/above it, weakness from VAL can continue until we can push into Value and start balancing around the Mean area without getting back under 6114.
Is This Sell-Off Another "Buy the Dip" Opportunity?Macro Update
Index futures sold off during overnight trading as market sentiment turned risk-off.
Newswires reported that, after Colombia denied entry to two U.S. deportation aircraft, President Trump announced emergency tariffs of 25% on all Colombian imports, with plans to increase them to 50% next week. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal noted growing support among President Trump's advisors to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico as early as Saturday to initiate negotiations.
Meanwhile, Chinese startup DeepSeek is challenging U.S. dominance in the AI sector by introducing a low-cost model rivaling OpenAI's o1. This development may intensify geopolitical and economic tensions.
Adding to the unease, Chinese Manufacturing and Non-Manufacturing PMIs missed expectations. Manufacturing PMI came in at 49.1, below the forecast of 50.1. Markets in China and most of Asia will remain closed starting Tuesday for the Lunar New Year holiday, which could lead to lower regional liquidity.
Looking ahead, the week features several high-impact events:
Wednesday, January 29:
Federal Reserve interest rate decision and the first FOMC press conference of 2025.
Bank of Canada interest rate decision.
Thursday, January 30th:
ECB interest rate decision
Preliminary Q4 GDP data (QoQ).
Friday, January 31st:
Core PCE Price Index (Dec).
ES Futures Update
This week is packed with critical data releases, and macroeconomic developments are having a stronger influence on short-term price fluctuations. It’s an important time to step back, zoom out, and identify key levels of interest to engage with the market.
Despite the overnight sell-off and heightened volatility, the auction process remains orderly. Managing risk is paramount, as losses are an inherent part of trading.
Key Observations:
ES futures bounced off the yearly open in overnight trading, marking it as our critical Line in the Sand (LIS).
If prices stay above the LIS, markets are likely to consolidate further this week, with FOMC and other data releases determining the next move.
A break below the yearly open could open the door to short trade opportunities targeting the support zones identified on the chart.
Scenario 1: Wait and See
Allow the market to digest the sell-off. Look for long setups from the LIS. Key events like the FOMC decision will likely influence market direction, but unexpected negative news could overshadow these data releases.
Scenario 2: Sustained Sell-Off
If a catalyst triggers further downside, the market may test support levels near 5,750 and 5,800. Below the LIS, short setups may be viable if supported by news or price action that aligns with a bearish trade thesis.
For traders looking to manage risk more effectively, consider using Micro E-mini S&P 500 contracts , which are 1/10th the size of standard ES contracts.
This week’s data releases, geopolitical developments, and tariff announcements are likely to shape market sentiment. Stay cautious and adapt to new information as it unfolds. Risk management remains the cornerstone of success in volatile markets.
Not confident to incorporate these into your trading plan? Why not incorporate our trade ideas to your trade plan in TradingView and CME’s paper trading competition; “The Leap”.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 1.26 - 1.31.25Last Week :
Last week we opened over the Value of 6054 - 5933 HTF Range and were able to hold over, when we got over the Edge that brought in more buying that gave us a push into new HTF Value of 6195 - 6074 Range where we have sold off from before after contract roll and we closed Friday with a rejection from a push into VAH.
This Week :
Last week of the month, new president is in, what can we expect this week ?
Well looking at the structure we had a perfect rejection from the top on Friday which of course doesn't exactly have to be a top but if it were one it would be a very good looking one on the Daily TF if it was one.
Going into this week IF we can't get over VAH and hold over 6160 - 70 to build supply to take higher over upper Edge then we could see balancing inside the Intraday Range of current Value to build supply and digest the move we had last week that is IF we have truly accepted in this 6195 - 6074 HTF Range. IF we have not found the needed acceptance here and we start getting continuation into VAL we have Poor/Weak RTH Lows there at 6111 which we could aim for, If taken out that could give us more selling to at least fill the Gap we created into 6093 area.
From there we would watch if we absorb all the selling and can get back into above Value or if we can't and we hold under 6100 then we could see more selling to push into lower Edge and IF we happen to get inside it under 6070 then moves back towards lower VAH/Value are not out of the question as long as we can get through 6050s
ES Futures Trade Idea - Trump Inauguration MLK weekMacroeconomic News:
US markets were closed yesterday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. ES, NQ and YM futures saw mild gains yesterday, RTY futures outperformed.
As the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump took the oath of office promising to protect the border, address inflation, and restructure trade policies. In addition to withdrawing from the Paris Climate Treaty and signing orders to cancel 78 Biden-era acts, he also started energy production reforms, such as drilling for oil in the Arctic. Trump discussed agreements over TikTok ownership, threatened global tariffs, and suggested imposing duties on the EU, Canada, and Mexico. He urged a speedy conclusion to the conflict in Ukraine and gave top priority to evaluating China's adherence to trade agreements. Trump stopped importing oil from Venezuela, emphasized energy independence, and lifted sanctions on Israeli settlers. The goal of bold measures is to put American workers and security first.
Following yesterday's strong selling pressure, which was brought on by the announcement that President Trump would not impose tariffs on the first day of his presidency, the dollar is now showing signs of recovery. Nevertheless, Trump's statement that he is considering 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and believes they would be implemented on February 1st shattered trade confidence overnight.
In our opinion, buy the rumor-sell the fact, sell the rumor-buy the fact, will likely be a key theme during Trump’s presidential term.
ES Futures update:
As we can see in the chart above, ES futures are currently above our Line in the Sand, Yearly Open at 5,949.25.
ES futures also made a higher low on Jan 13th, 2025 compared to Nov 4th, 2024 swing low.
ES futures formed a bull flag after the Dec 18th, 2024 FOMC announcement. Price has now broken out of the bull flag channel.
Key Levels to Watch
Key levels represent areas of interest and zones of active market participation. The more significant a key level, the closer we monitor it for potential reactions and trade setups in alignment with our trading plan.
Jan 6th Weekly Hi: 6,068.25
Jan 13th Weekly Hi: 6,051.50
Yearly Open | LIS (Line in Sand): 5,949.25
Resistance R1: 6,105 - 6,115
Resistance R2: 6,145 - 6,155
All time highs: 6,184.50
Scenario 1: Breakout continuation
Price has broken out of bull flag formation from the Dec 18th, 2024 FOMC announcement. Break above current area of consolidation marked in Blue zone forming the area between Jan 6th and Jan 13th Weekly Highs. Price heads towards R1, R2 and R3 targets.
Scenario 2: Further consolidation
Price further consolidates this week awaiting a catalyst to trend higher next week. Strong earnings season propels US futures and stocks higher.
We encourage you to monitor these levels closely and incorporate them into your trade planning. Share your thoughts or insights on these key levels in the comments below.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 1.20 - 1.24Market closed outside of Value after failing under 6074 - 54 HTF Edge.
We are set to open inside 6064 - 23 Intraday Range unless market gaps under/over after Mondays Holiday but if we open inside it then that tells us we are over Value and there are two thing we can do here, continue grinding/balancing inside the Intraday Range and try to push towards/into above Edge ?
Or do we find more selling over Value that would bring us back into/under VAH, if we get under VAH we would be under Daily Stops so that could trigger moves towards the Mean/VAL of the range. If we do get back inside the Value we could find support and holds around it BUT careful if we take out out and get under Value, that can bring in more weakness for lower targets where we would watch for any continuation.
IF the strength from last week stays, for us to see any bigger prices out of this HTF Range we would need to hold over VAH and have a strong push into or over the above Edge that would stay over, until then we have December supply trapped over 6050 - 74 so we may stay under this area and most of December Supply is valued over 930 - 70s and we have January month end approaching which means if more size needs to lighten the bag that could trigger some lower destinations.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 1.12 - 1.17.2025Last Week :
Sunday Globex opened inside the Mean of Previous HTF Range and got a push to VAH which held into RTH that brought in more buying to make a run at the Ranges Edge where we found Supply, for strength to remain we needed to stay and build over VAH instead we build supply at/under VAH and when buying ran out we made a move for VAL. From weekly plan this is what we were looking for a push back under 978 - 73 Intraday Edge to give us sells back towards the Edge where we saw covering and support which gave us holds for a couple days but over all we were ablet to stay under VAL and build supply which kept signaling weakness, Friday we built up enough supply to fully break through the Edge and this time around with more supply above us we had enough selling to get into new Value. Area over swing stops provided good covering which gave us a push back out of Value but we can see that selling was strong enough to get back into the Mean area of the Range to close just above those stops.
This Week :
This week we are set up open inside the Value of new/previous HTF Range of 913 - 792, We are inside 882 - 841 Intraday Range, Under the Daily Mean of 913 - 896 with now more supply trapped over it. The area where and way we closed Friday is signaling that we should see continuation to the current move or at least more weakness going into this week, as long as we hold under VAH under 5888 - 5900 we can continue with weakness towards current Intraday Edge lows at 841 - 36 which would also take out the swing swing stops under us to give us more selling to test lower VAL and possibly see sells under it towards Previous Distribution Balance we had which was a big cost basis area above Daily Edge that we consolidated at for some time before making new ATH 10.14. To me this was our real ATH and possibly a top area as everything after that was more of Election Speculations and Momentum which died out and now brough us back under that ATH.
Also mentioned last week that we had a big failure over Daily Edge which usually targets previous daily areas and so far we have visited Daily Mean which Friday we finally broke and closed under and tagged Daily VAL which is this 846 - 828, Daily lower Edge is 754 - 24 which has some Poor/Weak Lows and a contract roll gap under. Daily Edge and Gap under will still remain good targets going forward but need be careful as those are Daily targets and can take time for us to get there, current VAL and areas under it could provide good enough covering holds and new buying when prices hold to give us enough support to not continue for bigger targets right away but instead balance and build more supply which we will need to go and fill those areas out when we are ready.
Over all we are looking for more weakness going into this week but we have to be careful as we have that Previous Distribution balance at 800 - 750 area which had 2 weeks of consolidation that can keep us up and see covering at or over it. For bigger moves out of this HTF Range we would either need to hold and build supply under VAL before taking out the Edge like we did last week above or we would need strong volume that can break VAL and another strong push that can fully break lower Edge to hold under 780 - 70s, until then we may stay inside new current HTF Range and balance around its Value and areas out of Value without accepting under/over Edges.
For strength to return or to think higher prices out of this Range we would need to be able to hold over VAH and see a good push in above Edge that could hold inside it without coming back in, until then Higher Time Frames have been transitioning into a correction mode so far Daily is in correction as long as we keep holding under 960s and Weekly as well showing signs of corrections starting but it still needs time to set up which can take time so we have to be patient especially after big moves already taking place.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 1.05 - 1.10.25Last Week :
Sunday Globex opened inside VAH of 6054 - 5933 HTF Range after a Friday failure over upper Edge. Failures over/under HTF Edges usually provide good reaction back to previous Value and Edges which is what we got to start the week as we got a move from VAH to VAL and pushed out to tag lower Edge but the whole move pretty much happened during pre market hours so when we opened up we didn't get continuation, instead we got balancing/covering with weakness since we had supply that was coming out from above, we balanced most of the week between the lower Edge and Value of the range until we built up enough supply to flush it through the Edge, the sell through was strong but we only had enough supply to tag lower VAH where buying came in to push us back inside the Edge. Since it was end of the week we expected more covering to be done, since the Edge held pre market without any more size selling that brought in more covering and momentum buying to push back into our current HTF Ranges Value to close the week.
This Week:
Last weeks close may seem strong but we have to keep in mind that currently our structure is going through a change on higher time frames, for now Daily is slowly transitioning into a possible longer correction after failing and building supply over the Daily Edge which was 640s - 70s area ( Remember Failures over Edges bring us back to Value AND could target previous Edges, since its daily it can take time to get there but Daily VAL is 846 - 28 and Daily lower Edge is 754 - 24)
We are holding under Smaller and Bigger MAs and they are getting closer for a cross which will be signaling a correction lower, seems like this time around we are in for a longer/slower correction that can take time to play out and time to end. Last few weeks with failures over the Daily Edge we have been getting moves back to Daily Value and going back and forth between it's VAH and Mean areas with dips under the Mean that were bought.
Daily VAH is around 987 - 67 Area and going into this week if we can't show stability over it by holding over/between 5993 - 6007 areas and get tests at/over above VAH then we would look for price to return under the VAH back inside 973 - 932 Intraday Range and possibly start holding under Daily VAH.
Lower Edge 993 - 913 may provide enough support for us to continue balancing over it but we have to keep in mind that holding under current HTF Ranges VAL and building more supply at/over the Edge can bring in more weakness and if we get through Intraday area of 932 - 27 with more supply above that can give us sells towards lower VAH again and possibly this time around we can try to get inside lower Value again, we have swing stops to watch out for under 850s which if taken could provide more selling towards lower VAL and possibly moves out of it IF we will have enough supply.
We do have that area of 800 - 750 and next Edge below us which was our distribution balance for some time at one point, so we have to watch out what we do that as we may hold above it or price may want to try and get inside it again as that is an area where it found balance before. Of course all of this we have to watch area by area for continuation as we may keep getting buying at and under current Edge but things are set up for these moves if we want to go at least for lower Value but we MUST take out key areas for any continuation as price may find balance around current Value and stay in this range if we are not ready to move yet.
For price to remain stable we would need to be able to hold inside current Value without getting back under VAL that could keep us stable enough to balance inside the Value in current intraday range of 6018 - 78 which so far we haven't showed acceptance in, and for any strength beyond that we would need a strong push over above VAH and hold over it to start building new cost basis, even if we get moves to or over current VAH it's a place to be careful as we can keep seeing sells from there back inside Value.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 12.22 - 12.27/24Last Week :
Last week we had contract roll and Fed week, for over 2 weeks price kept holding around/over 6074 - 54 HTF Edge which also happened to be Daily Edge as well which makes it a significant area. We kept holding at/above it but we would not get any pushes or acceptance inside new Value and instead we kept seeing sells from every push attempt into new VAL. Contract roll came again giving us a gap in prices which put new contract inside the Value of new HTF Range where we were able to balance while waiting for the Fed. After the Fed announcement we got a sell down towards the lower Edge and filled the Roll Gap we created, but we also took out the Edge fully which had over 2 weeks of Supply built up over it and it caused more aggressive selling which gave us a HTF Edge to Edge move to finish up that Day which put back in 6074 - 5913 HTF Range where we have previously found acceptance in. Thursday we didn't get continuation under the Edge, instead we had selling from Ranges Value which closed right into the Edge. Friday Pre-Market price got under the Edge and made a push for lower Value but we didn't quite make it to take the swing stops which were under 5860s and instead we ran out of supply, rotated back above accepted Ranges Edge and pretty much got short covering before the weekend/holidays to take us all the way back up to the upper Edge where we failed under with price settling back inside Ranges Mean.
This Week :
We have last week of the year pretty much, Holidays coming up and we had some crazy moves up and down last week that gave us big ranges after we spent quite a bit of days going back and forth inside smaller ranges, so what can we expect this week ?
It could definitely be a tricky week, as there are always chances for more continuation to the downside, chances to keep rotating higher so we have to be on the look out, but from what structure and price so far is telling us is that we have found acceptance back inside 6074 - 5913 HTF Range, we are back under Daily Edge with Supply still above us, with shorter Holiday weeks coming and end of year, will we get more crazy action or will things possibly slow down again as we will have much fomo from the flush down and from the rally up that was probably missed by many. Price is currently back inside 6023 - 5973 Intraday Range where it found some balance before, IF we don't get the volume selling or buying then we could see price to balance inside/around this Intraday Range and stay around this current HTF Ranges Value, after failing at VAH we could still target moves towards VAL and if there is enough Volume we could even see it try to push out of VAL but we have to be careful because if we don't find acceptance on pushes over VAH or under VAL then we could continue seeing price come back inside the Value and continue balancing around it. Careful for ranges to become smaller again which means its not time to be greedy and focus on good entries and smaller profit targets.
If we do get acceptance over or under the Value we would need to see good moves into or through the HTF Edges for us to see attempts to move into different Ranges Values.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 12.08 - 12.13.24Last Week :
Last week Sunday Globex opened with a sell from the Edge towards VAH of lower HTF Range but we didn't have enough selling to get back into Previous Value where we have seen acceptance in previous week, instead we held over 6030s and pushed inside the Edge, as noted from last weeks prep to see higher prices we needed to stay around the Edge and hold over 6050s, I was thinking that this 6074 - 54 Edge would keep the price in but instead we were able to hold the Edge, got a failed breakdown from it on Tuesday RTH and a Wednesday Globex push over the Edge which couldn't get back inside during RTH Open, this move put us in new HTF Range and inside 6065 - 6115 Intraday Range. We finished the week with some sells from above VAL area and price holding above the Edge around VAL.
This Week :
As noted last week price action has changed, Volume has died out and it is really time to tighten things up and lower expectations from moves until we see new change. Going into this week we are inside 6070s - 6200s +/- HTF Range, we have buying over the lower Intraday Range and over HTF Edge, we have selling at VAL and so far attempts to push into above Value are not strong enough to give us a good break and hold over instead they find profit taking on every push. Holding over lower Edge implies stability and price can continue balancing over those areas, we can't expect too much selling from here unless we can get back under lower Intraday Edge and find Volume to get under 6050s, but we also have to be careful on the long side as we are now in distribution at higher prices on lower volume which means buyers don't have to keep chasing price up too much higher just yet. We could see price to continue holding and grinding around this new VAL area with attempts to push into new Value, inside the Value we have to be careful as until we accept inside its Mean and start transacting over it then we could continue seeing the price hold under the Mean and come out of Value towards VAL/under. I would watch for possible balancing in these 6090s - 6120s areas until we show acceptance over/under that would want to continue over the Mean or stay under lower Intraday Edge.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 12.01 - 12.06.24Last Week :
Last week market opened up inside the Value of this 930s - 650s HTF Range, beginning of the week we were able to stay around the Value and balance inside this 620 - 970s Intraday Range with pushes out of Value that got sold back in. Wednesday again opened over Value and sold back in with RTH Volume but closed right under VAH to finish regular trading week. Shortened holiday sessions didnt have much supply so we were able to hold over VAH which build up stops that got squeezed in upper Edge once end of week covering came in on Friday.
This Week :
This is technically the first tag of this new HTF Range Edge since our first push towards it failed just shy of it. More often than not first tests of big areas like an Edge provide a reaction in the oppositive direction, of course we could say the push that gave us selling from this area the first time was it and that this time we may hold long or continue but because this move was during shortened holiday sessions we need to watch out with looking for continuation from here unless market can hold over 640s - 50s, stay around/inside the Edge AND get through 670s with Edge top and start holding over it. Until this happens I would be looking for us to either try and balance around this Current Intraday Range of 620s - 670 which we pushed into Friday or if the buying just pushes us up during lighter volume days and wont stick come next week then we can see a move back towards VAH and if we can't hold over it then its possible to see continuation back inside the Value/Mean and if we have enough supply a push for lower VAL.
We have HTF stops built up there under 970s if that area gets taken it could bring in more selling to give us an Edge to Edge move from bottom to the top, if we can't take the stops at VAL then we could continue to balance inside this Value building Supply.
This is new month and last month of the year, will we start our first week with a sell towards the buyers who are under 940s or do we have enough buying to give us a hold over Value and try to test new one ?
On Daily TF we are still inside a 5720s - 6070s Range and currently we are inside Daily Edge, if we can't get through it then possible return towards Daily VAH which is in 980 - 60s Area.
#ES_F Day Trading Prep Week 11.24 - 11.29.24Last Week :
Sunday Globex opened and held over lower ranges Value which put is in this 940 - 880+/- Distribution Balance, holding under 930s Edge kept giving us weakness into lower VAH but Tuesday Pre Market move into Value failed after tagging the Mean, prices were able to hold and climb back over the Edge which brought stability and more buying to close things up with a push/hold inside above Value.
This Week:
We have a tricky week coming up as we have End of the Month Week, Holiday, Supply inside and above current Value and buying/cost basis that we built up under 940s. This could lead towards slower back and forth trading inside/around this Value. Probably not a week to push for too much continuation on either side and maybe watch for smaller ranges. We are now inside 970 - 620 Intraday Range and if we have enough supply around/above it and buying under that could keep the price balancing around it. Unless volume comes in to knock us back down under VAL and can get us under 940s or make a push over 620s and start holding over 630+ then id be careful on holding too long or looking for big moves on either side, might be more of consolidation choppier trading.
On Daily TF we have again made a move under Smaller MA, made a push for but no tag of anything bigger under and popped back out to finish the week, we may require more sideways action in this current HTF Range of 930s - 650s +/- Before we would be ready for any bigger corrections and this could take time to set up, and of course we arent looking for much higher prices unless we can built up under above Edge and get a good push through it with a hold without coming back in. Time to be careful and tighten up.