April 15th Trade Journal & Stock Market AnalysisEOD accountability report: +940
Sleep: 8 hour, Overall health: Good
**Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo System **
9:30 AM Market Structure flipped bullish on VX Algo X3! - easy money
10:10 AM VXAlgo ES X1 Sell Signal - easy money
1:02 PM Market Structure flipped bearish on VX Algo X3! - easy money
1:40 PM VXAlgo ES X1 Buy signal (triple signal) -a bit tuff but still work out
3:30 PM VXAlgo ES X1 Sell Signal (double signal) - a bit tuff but still work out
**Wed plan: ** Watch for 48M support or 195M support to tag around 5200-5300s.
MES1! trade ideas
Neutral zone marketThe structure in the S&P for the last couple days implies a neutral zone market. This means that both buyers and sellers are present with no one group being dominant. The expectation is for a sideways move until we get fundamental information primarily tariff information that will give the market an excuse to rally or break.
April 10th Trade Journal & Market AnalysisEOD accountability report: +$3087.50
Sleep: 6 hour, Overall health: going thru Flu symptoms
**Daily Trade Recap based on VX Algo System **
10:27 AM VXAlgo ES X1 Buy signal (double buy signal)
12:30 PM VXAlgo NQ X1 Buy Signal (triple buy signal)
1:45 PM VXAlgo NQ X3 Buy Signal (triple buy signal) + market structure = A+ set up
Took some time off the last few days from trading futures to
re-organize the options account and long term port, got back into trading futures today.
S&P - What will happen next for the S&P?The S&P 500 has been dropping quickly after Trump's tariff policies were announced. It fell from 5750 to 4900, and is now at 5053, all in just a few days. This is a sharp decline, and sellers are clearly in control right now.
However, after such a big drop, it's common to see a short-term bounce before the market continues to fall. There is strong resistance between 5400 and 5500, which lines up with the golden pocket (a key level in technical analysis). This could make it harder for the S&P to rise past these levels.
Looking further down, there is another strong support area between 4500 and 4600. This level also matches the golden pocket on the daily chart, making it an important point for potential support. If the market keeps falling, we could see this area tested before any significant recovery.
Right now, it seems likely that the market will keep going lower. My main expectation is that we’ll get a small rally first, which could trick some traders into thinking the market is recovering, before continuing down. However, with all the uncertainty around the news and policies right now, it's also possible the market could keep dropping sharply without much of a rally.
Keep a close eye on the markets and stick to good risk management practices. If you don’t, it could really hurt your portfolio. Stay alert and adjust your strategy as things change.
Thanks for your support.
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ES/SPY Bottoming Process Gaining More ClarityThe George W Bush pattern still seems to be forming...taking the longer larger and more powerful form. Will the right lower part of the W take place above the lower left side, dead even or below. Certainly sentiment would lead us to believe it will be well below the left side. However, today failed to make a lower low. Selling may resume Sunday night/Monday morning or the double bottom retest may be complete....OR of course we can keep charging significantly lower.
ES UpdateTrump is obviously gaming the market, so there's really no point in even looking at charts or indicators, lol. It's hard to take him seriously now.
The gap will fill, maybe as soon as tomorrow morning. Then we get another huge pump sometime within the next week when he repeals the China tariffs and sets then to 10% or something.
Just hold your favorite stock and wait it out. I bet he exempts AAPL, auto parts, and whatever else from the China tariffs. GM and even PDD went up today in anticipation.
I had a few GM puts, saw the jump, tried to climb on as fast as possible. I prioritized my retirement account ahead of my options play, but I made a little money, hopefully more the next few days, lol.
Expecting a melt up, then a jump when he caves in to China, no shorting anything for the next week until everything stabilizes. NVDA and TSLA still have other issues aside from tariffs, so those will be targets. Gotta let the short squeeze complete first, I have a 3 day rule. Wait 3 days, lol.
Using Put Options to Protect Your Stock PortfolioCME: Options on E-Mini S&P 500 Futures ( CME_MINI:ES1! )
Last week’s bloodshed of global financial market made history. Nearly all major asset classes fell into a market turmoil driven by tariffs and retaliations.
Let’s focus on the US stock market:
• Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 7.76% in the week of March 31st to April 4th, making it the 4th worst weekly performance on record
• S&P 500 slipped 8.77%, the 4th worst week in history
• Nasdaq Composite fell 9.18%, the 2nd worst week
• Russell gave up 9.34%, the 3rd worst week
All four stock index futures were in negative territory year-to-date. On Sunday evening, E-Mini S&P 500 opened 178 points lower to 4,932, losing 17.1% YTD.
All parties ultimately come to an end. After two years of double-digit gains, the unstoppable US stock market finally cracked. As more tariffs and retaliations are expected to escalate, I am afraid that we are only seeing the beginning, rather than the end.
For stock investors, this is a good reminder of market risk, something we always talk about but seldomly pay attention to. The “return of investment” should be focusing on the repayment of your money, a safety issue. Only after that should we talk about the gain from the investment. It is a necessity to protect your portfolio to achieve long-term growth.
Trading with Options on E-Mini S&P 500 Futures
For investors with a diversified portfolio, Put Options on the E-Mini S&P 500 futures are effective and cost-efficient tools. Investors who long the stocks will lose money, should stock prices fall. Put options would gain in value, providing a hedge to the portfolio.
The following illustration shows a hypothetical example, given:
• An investor has a $250,000 portfolio holding a diversified pool of U.S. stocks
• CME E-Mini S&P 500 futures ( NYSE:ES ) have a contract size of $50 times the index value
• The June contract (ESM5) was quoting at 4,935 Sunday evening Friday, making the notional value of 1 contract $246,750, approximately equal to our portfolio value
• Assuming the portfolio moves closely in line with the S&P 500
• The investor wants to limit the loss of his portfolio to 12%. If the S&P 500 index is currently around 4950, a put option with a strike price of 4350 would roughly correspond to a 12% decline
Hedging trade illustration:
• The investor buys 1 put option on the June futures with the strike price of 4,600
• CME quote on that Put option is 223. As the contract is $50 times the index, the premium upfront for one put option contract is $11,150 (223*$50), ignoring any commissions
• The put premium is calculated as 4.46% of the $250K portfolio
If S&P drops to 4,200 (-15.15%) by the end of April:
• Without the put, the portfolio lost $37,879, assuming the same loss with the S&P
• The 4600-strike put is now 400 points in-the-money
• The investor sells the put and receives $20,000 (= 400 x 50)
• The loss of portfolio will be 37879+11150-20000 = $29,029
• With an E-mini S&P put protection to mitigate loss from the stock portfolio, the investor lost 11.6% (= 29029 / 250000), which is 3.5% lower than the S&P loss and with the preset loss limit
If S&P drops to 4,000 (-19.2%) by the end of May:
• Without the put, the portfolio lost $47,980, assuming the same loss with the S&P
• The 4850-strike put is now 600 points in-the-money
• The investor sells the put and receives $30,000 (= 600 x 50)
• The loss of portfolio will be 47980+11150-30000 = $29,130
• With an E-mini S&P put protection to mitigate loss from the stock portfolio, the investor lost 11.6% (= 29,130 / 250000)
As we can see here, when the S&P falls sharply, the investor will be able to cap his loss to 11.6%. In a “protective put” strategy, we would consider the option premium an insurance contract for owning stocks. If the index rises, the portfolio return would be lowered a little because of the premium upfront, that is, the cost of insurance. However, the protection is a lifesaver if the index falls.
Before jumping into action, the investor needs to run a correlation analysis using the daily value of the portfolio against the S&P 500 closing prices. Here is how:
• Some trading software has correlation feature built in already
• If not, pull 1-year daily portfolio balance and 1-year S&P closing prices, export them to Excel. Run correlation test with these two data series using Excel data analysis tool.
• Alternatively, we could drop the data into ChatGPT and ask AI to do the work for us.
If the correlation is greater than 50%, it means that S&P 500 is a good fit to hedge the portfolio. If it is not, we could try the correlation analysis using the other stock index closing prices, such as the Dow, the Nasdaq 100 and the Russell 2000. Then replace E-Mini S&P 500 futures with the stock index futures contract best fit the portfolio.
Happy Trading.
Disclaimers
*Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
CME Real-time Market Data help identify trading set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
ES Premarket Update3hr MFI is headed quickly to oversold, and the dollar index is bouncing back a little. FUtures are also green.
I expect the market to bounce up when MFI gets oversold, so possibly a gap up which sells off then market goes back up?
Gold trade is on hold until currency direction is determined. The dollar will eventually break though, so holding the small position I bought yesterday morning..... that way I'll watch gold. We'll see where that goes....
US dollar is oversold on 3hr and daily charts, so there's a chance it will bounce back up.... or maybe it just goes into full tank mode and ignores indicators. Hard market to judge.
S&P 500 Testing Key SupportThis analysis aims to provide you with a clear understanding of the market’s direction and potential inflection points on the Weekly timeframe.
Bearish/Bullish Trend Analysis
Trend Condition:
Bullish Trends: 3
Bearish Trends: 11
Overview: The market shows a predominant bearish outlook with 11 trend lines indicating a downward movement. However, there are 3 bullish trends emerging, suggesting some areas of resistance or potential reversal points.
Price Action and Momentum Zones
Current Price and Change:
Currently, the S&P 500 Futures are at 4,979.75, down 117.00 points or approximately -2.30%.
Market Behavior: This week’s sharp decline is consistent with the dominant bearish trend but the presence of a few bullish lines hints at possible undercurrents of recovery or resistance.
Momentum Zones:
The index has recently entered a lower price band, testing significant support levels that could dictate the next movements within this bearish trend.
Fibonacci Retracement Levels
Current Position Relative to Levels:
The futures are hovering around the 50.0% Fibonacci retracement level.
Key Fibonacci Levels:
23.6% → 5,537.68
38.2% → 5,148.66
50.0% → 4,834.25
61.8% → 4,519.84
Analysis: The proximity to the 50.0% level at 4,834.25 is noteworthy, as this level often acts as a moderate support in downtrends. Remaining around this level could suggest a stabilization or minor corrective rally if buying interest increases.
Overall Market Interpretation
Despite the downturn this week, the S&P 500 Futures showing some bullish signals could indicate a complex market environment where traders are assessing whether the current levels present buying opportunities or if the bearish trend will persist.
Summary
The S&P 500 Futures have faced a significant decline early in the trading week. With the market currently testing the 50.0% Fibonacci level, this could be a crucial juncture. The market's next steps will depend heavily on whether it can sustain above this level, potentially leading to a stabilization or a continued descent. Monitoring these Fibonacci levels will be key in predicting the short-term future of the market.
ES Update, 104% China Tariff Edition, lol.As you can see, MFI hit overbought before open. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to post before work.
Stupid algos pumping before bad news again, they even pumped China, so I bought some MCHI (China ETF) puts in the morning. WHy would anyone pump CHina before a tariff announcement?!?!
I don't see Xi or Trump backing down, if anyone falters, it'll be COngress. The issue is that it will take a 2/3 majority in both houses to override a veto, so they probably won't be able to muster up enough support until next week at the earliest Then Trump can sit on the bill for 10 days before he vetos.
There's not a parts supplier in China that's gonna pay 104% tariff, which means stop ship on everything. And we're looking at bare minimum of 11 days before tariffs can be repealed, probably gonna be at least 3 weeks. Even at that pace, it's gonna create a shipping backlog, empty shelves, parts shortage, and temporary layoffs at manufacturing plants just like COVID did.
What's this all mean? IF YOU NEED ANYTHING THAT'S MADE IN CHINA, GO SHOPPING RIGHT NOW! I'm not kidding. It may cause issues even with stuff like frozen dinners because China makes all of the containers.
ANyways, the algos screwed up again. RSI probably goes deep into oversold again. We get a huge ass bounce when COngress gets their shit together in a week or two. Even then, some companies will have lingering effect because I can guarantee there will be a shipping backlog when the tariff is lifted.
Buyers entered the S&P 500 on FridayStructurally in the S&P 500 daily chart it appears that buyers entered the market on Friday but it is in a tenuous situation because all it will take will be a comment, a negotiated deal or some other tariff situation that can create tremendous volatility for this market. If those fundamentals do not occur the expectation would be a firmer S&P 500 starting in the Asia session Sunday night at 5 o'clock Chicago time.
ES UpdateI won't be able to post before work, so here's an early update....
RSI is barely touching oversold, I expect it to go a bit further, but don't expect a tank. Probably a double bottom because the algos want their money back, lol.
Daily and weekly RSI also oversold, and the algos appear to be looking strictly at indicators and not the news. They freakin pumped right before tariff announcements TWICE, lol. SO possible reversal tomorrow afternoon or Thu. Keep an eye out, they'll pump the market every time a country makes a deal. That's my prediction...
Inside dayThe expectation for Friday's price behavior in the daily chart on the S&P 500 is for Friday's action to trade within the range of Thursday's high to low price range. It will be interesting to see how the market unfolds going into this weekend after the tremendous volatility we had this week. We need new news to see a dramatic move in this market for Friday.
ES 3hr UpdateRSI hit overbought so we got a dip. We may get another dip when MFI gets overbought today, or just a bigger dip if it hits overbought premarket. Will we get a melt up instead? I dunno.
Keep in mind that China still has tariffs, but also keep in mind he's going to do exemptions. So that rules out shorting AAPL or any sector like auto.
We will get another huge pop when he pauses China tariffs eventually. Also, at this point the futures gap fill is inevitable.
Also, companies like NVDA and TSLA had issues even without the tariffs, so there's that as well. They probably overshot the target because of teh short squeeze.
I've got a PCRA trade that I posted yesterday. Other than that, I think I will just go back to playing the 3hr indicator, and buy when RSI or MFI hit oversold. Not gonna short anything until next week. Looks like GM is gonna lose half the gain from yesterday because they use Chinese parts, but Trump also said he'll do exemptions so not gonna play it. Also, EVERYTHING GOES UP in a major short squeeze, even garbage like FCEL. When he makes a China deal, you'll be hosed if you're short. PDD went up yesterday and premarket even though Trump hit China with 125%.
I can't predict what Trump will do with China, so just pay attention to the news.
The Trump PatternWhen Donald Trump took office in 2017, the U.S. stock market experienced dramatic fluctuations—marked by steep declines followed by eventual rebounds.
This pattern, which we'll call the "Trump Pattern," repeated itself during his presidency and is now emerging again as a point of interest for investors.
While the specific causes of these market shifts varied, key factors—particularly tariffs, inflation concerns, and Federal Reserve (FED) actions—played critical roles in the market's rise and fall during Trump’s presidency.
The Trump Pattern: The Market Fall and Recovery
🏁 1. The Start of the Trump Presidency (2017)
When Donald Trump was elected in 2016, the market responded with a combination of excitement and uncertainty. Initially, the market surged due to tax cut expectations, deregulation, and optimism about a business-friendly administration. But as Trump's presidency fully began in January 2017, concerns over trade wars and tariff policies began to dominate investor sentiment.
The market initially dipped after Trump began pursuing a protectionist trade agenda, especially with China.
As concerns about tariffs escalated, stock markets reacted negatively to potential trade wars.
💶 2. The Tariff Crisis of 2018
The first major example of the "Trump Pattern" emerged in 2018 when Trump began implementing tariffs, particularly on Chinese imports, and announced new tariffs on steel and aluminum. This caused major market disruptions.
The S&P 500 fell dramatically during this period, dropping by as much as 8.6% from its February peak in 2019.
Companies that relied heavily on international trade, like Apple, General Motors, and Ford, experienced significant stock price declines. In fact, Apple’s stock fell 9.5% on days when new tariffs were announced, as their costs for manufacturing overseas rose.
The uncertainty surrounding the global economy, combined with rising tariffs, created fears of a trade war, leading to sharp market declines.
📈 3. Market Recovery: FED Rate Cuts and Tax Cuts
Despite the tariff-induced volatility, the market didn’t stay down for long. After significant market falls, the Federal Reserve (FED) began implementing interest rate cuts to combat slowing economic growth. These actions helped stabilize the market and even fueled a rebound.
FED rate cuts made borrowing cheaper for consumers and businesses, stimulating economic activity and boosting investor confidence.
Additionally, tax cuts, a cornerstone of Trump’s economic policy, provided further support, particularly for corporations.
As a result, after the initial market drop in 2018 and early 2019, the market rebounded, continuing to climb as investors reacted positively to these fiscal and monetary policies.
🎯 The 2024 and 2025 "Trump Pattern" Emerges Again
Fast forward to 2024 and 2025, and we’re seeing echoes of the "Trump Pattern" once again. New tariffs, introduced in 2025, have reignited concerns about a trade war. These tariffs, particularly on Chinese imports, have once again caused market volatility.
The stock market has fallen in recent months due to concerns about these tariffs and the impact they might have on global trade. For example, when new tariffs were introduced in early 2025, the market saw a sharp sell-off, with the S&P 500 falling by over 1.8% in a single day.
Companies that rely on international trade, like Tesla and Ford, have seen their stock prices drop in response to concerns about increased production costs.
The broader market decline, much like in 2018, was driven by fears that tariffs could slow down the global economy and hurt corporate profits.
However, there is optimism that the same pattern will unfold, where the market eventually recovers after these initial drops.
⚠️ 4. FED Rate Cuts Again?
As inflation concerns persist, the Federal Reserve is likely to step in once again. Like previous cycles, we expect the FED to cut interest rates to stimulate the economy. This would be aimed at reducing borrowing costs, encouraging investment, and helping businesses weather the impact of higher tariffs and global uncertainty.
The FED’s actions are typically a key driver of market recovery in the "Trump Pattern." Investors have come to expect that a market downturn triggered by political or economic disruptions can be offset by the FED’s supportive monetary policies.
⚖️ Navigating the Trump Pattern: What Should Investors Do?
The "Trump Pattern" highlights that during periods of heightened uncertainty, especially due to trade policies like tariffs, the market will often experience short-term declines followed by long-term recovery. Here are a few strategies investors might want to consider:
Stay Diversified : During periods of volatility, having a diversified portfolio can help cushion against the risks posed by market swings.
Invest in Domestic Companies : Companies that rely less on international supply chains might fare better during periods of trade policy changes and tariff uncertainty.
Focus on Growth : Once the initial market decline subsides, look for sectors that stand to benefit from a recovering economy, such as tech or consumer discretionary stocks.
Look for Inflation Hedges : Given the potential for inflation, consider investments that tend to perform well during these times, such as real estate or commodities like gold.
📝 Conclusion: The Trump Pattern in Action
The "Trump Pattern" demonstrates how the market tends to react in cycles during the early months of each presidency. Typically, the market falls at the start due to the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s trade policies, particularly tariffs. However, after these initial drops, the market often rebounds thanks to FED rate cuts and other policies aimed at stimulating the economy.
Looking ahead to 2025, we're already seeing signs of this pattern in action as tariffs are back on the table and market volatility has followed. However, history suggests that patience might pay off. Once the FED steps in and cuts rates, a market rebound is likely, following the same trend we saw in 2017-2019.
VPO charts with MAsI have added the US02Y treasury to my RSI and WOW.
I set up some volume templates using CC colors. Kept it very minimal. Sessions in light blue teal. Days in blue. Weeks in yellow. Months in purple. Could add more or change as desired.
I turned off boxes for most but I like the weekle box. In fact the more I can turn price into boxes the better. Let me now finish talking to Grok and I'll send some examples.
Paradigm Shift or Panic Selling? ES Futures Weekly PlanCME_MINI:ES1!
Macro Update:
The escalation of reciprocal tariffs and China's countermeasures have sent shockwaves through markets, with widespread selloffs across asset classes, including gold. Fund managers and investors were forced to liquidate positions to cover margin calls. The likelihood of a global recession has surged, with Goldman Sachs raising the probability of a US recession to 45% from 35%. Meanwhile, JPMorgan increased its global and US recession odds to 60%, up from 40%, due to intensifying tariff tensions.
The March 2025 Federal Reserve’s SEP projections suggest slowing growth amid rising inflation concerns, pointing in the right direction. Is this a paradigm shift, or was it already set in motion earlier in the decade? Or is this simply panic selling, with the expectation that US administration policy will soon stabilize markets?
If it is a paradigm shift—as seems more likely based on recent developments—the current environment could prove historic, aligning with Ray Dalio's concepts on the changing world order, debt crises, and how nations go bankrupt.
Investor Confidence: ES futures are currently down over 20%, entering bear market territory for the first time since the 2020 pandemic crash. The big question now is whether we’ll see a relief rally or continued sell-offs with occasional pullbacks, or if markets are establishing a new value range based on auction market principles.
• 2024 YTD mCVAL: 5379.75
• 2022 CVAH: 5376
• March 2025 Low: 5533.75
• August 5th, 2024 Low: 5306.75
• Neutral LVN: 5191.50 - 5156.25
• April 4th, 2025 Low: 5074
• 2024 Yearly Low: 5016.25
• CVPOC 2022: 4610.50
Scenario 1: Further Downside The key downside level for ES Futures is 4610.50, where the most volume has been transacted since 2022. Currently, ES Futures are trading above this level. If the market establishes a value range between 4900 and 4500, further selling with brief pullbacks and consolidation above the 2022 CVPOC seems likely.
Scenario 2: Relief Rally For a rally to take hold, ES Futures faces key resistance levels: the 2024 Low at 5016.25 and the pWeek Low at 5074. If markets sustainably stay above these levels, we could see a rally toward the 2022 CVAH at 5376. However, the sustainability of such a rally remains in question given the mountain of uncertainties ahead.
It is important to note that uncertainty tends to create highly volatile market regimes. Traders should adjust the expected daily range accordingly. A good indicator to measure this is “Daily Average True Range”, many traders also rely on close-to-close standard deviation bands to gauge range on a given trading day. As such, we could see moves of 3% or more in either direction on any day.