The market closed RED to end 2025 as the Santa Claus Rally fizzled. Here is why "internal rot" and low-volume profit taking dominated the final tape of a historic year.
📊 THE SCOREBOARD
🚀 Winner: Energy (XLE) +0.8%
📉 Laggard: Tech (XLK) -0.3%
💎 Outlier: Silver (XAG) +7% V-Shape Bounce
🔮 THE LOOK AHEAD
The #1 thing to watch is the "January 2nd Jinx." We are tracking a 65% probability of a trend continuation to the downside. Keep a close eye on the 690 SPY Gamma Wall—if we lose the 688.20 pivot, the New Year could start with a high-volatility flush. 🔔
The final trading session of 2025 is here. We are breaking down the "Ghost Moves" and the massive technical divergence in the Magnificent Seven that retail traders are missing. Here is the trade setup for the open:
🚀 Stocks to Watch:
• Nike (NKE): CEO insider buy signals 2026 turnaround.
• Nvidia (NVDA): ByteDance $14B AI spend reinforces the capex thesis.
• Meta (META): AI acquisition keeps the arms race hot.
• FTAI Aviation (FTAI): High-volume re-rating in progress.
• Tarsus (TARS) & F&G (FG): Momentum and arbitrage setups.
📉 Key Levels to Watch:
• S&P 500 (/ES): 6,850 is the line in the sand. Resistance at 6,945.
• Nasdaq 100 (/NQ): Must hold 25,400 to avoid a bearish Q1 shift.
• 10-Year Yield: Watching 4.12% for any fiscal friction spikes.
🔔 Institutional desks are dark—tighten your stops and stay liquid into 2026.
The market closed as a choppy mess with the S&P 500 finishing flat and the Nasdaq slipping. Today’s low-conviction tape was driven by institutional profit-taking and holiday-thinned liquidity as traders square their books for 2025.
📊 THE SCOREBOARD
📈 Utilities: Leading as investors rotate into defensive yield.
📉 Technology: The primary laggard amid aggressive year-end selling.
📉 Silver (XAG): Plunged 13% after a massive social media bull trap.
📉 ABTC: A 50% reversal from its debut highs on retail exhaustion.
🔔 THE LOOK AHEAD
Tomorrow is the penultimate trading day of the year. Watch the 6,910 Gamma Wall on the SPX; if we don't break through in the first 90 minutes, expect a drift lower toward 6,860 as volume remains thin.
Here is the trade setup for the open. S&P futures are flat as institutions wait for the 2:00 PM FOMC minutes. Is the Santa Rally hitting a wall or ready for a 2026 breakout? 🚀 Stocks to Watch: 📈 META: AI acquisition of Manus 📈 HPK: Operational efficiency surge 📈 SMCI: Data center rebound 📈 FCX: Industrial metals floor 🔔 Key Levels: /ES Support: 6,936 | Resistance: 7,015 /NQ Support: 25,369 | Resistance: 25,830
The market closed red as investors locked in massive 2025 gains during a low-conviction, holiday-thinned session. Here is why the tape faded.
🚀 Energy (+1.0%): Geopolitical tensions and rising crude gave oil majors a late-year lift.
📉 Materials (-1.1%): A violent reversal in silver triggered a sharp pullback in mining equities.
🛑 Tech Fatigue: Nvidia and Tesla dragged the Nasdaq as valuation concerns took center stage.
The #1 thing to watch tomorrow: The 6900 Gamma Wall on the S&P 500 and the Fed Minutes to see if the 2026 rate pivot is reality or just holiday hope.
Here is the trade setup for the open.
🚀 Stocks to Watch:
• $PLTR: Tier-1 contract buzz; watching the $60 breakout for a gamma squeeze.
• $NVDA: Year-end "window dressing" target at the $150 level.
• $TSLA: Jittery sentiment ahead of Q4 delivery estimates; $300 floor.
• $DBRG: Institutional pivot into physical data center infrastructure.
• $CPNG: $1B settlement to clear the deck for 2026 growth.
🔔 The Levels:
• S&P 500 (/ES): Resistance 7,000 | Support 6,850.
• Nasdaq (/NQ): Resistance 26,000 | Support 25,000.
• 10Y Yield (US10Y): 4.14% is the anchor for tech valuation.
📉 Strategy Note:
Beware the Liquidity Trap. Volume is 50% below average. Institutions are painting the tape—trade the levels, not the headlines.
🕯️ Weekly Candle: Bullish Extension. The S&P 500 hit fresh all-time highs, but low holiday volume suggests a fragile trend as the Nasdaq stalls at key resistance. 📅 Red Folder Events: 🔔 Tuesday: FOMC Minutes Release 💼 Wednesday: JOLTS Job Openings 🏭 Friday: ISM Manufacturing PMI & Non-Farm Payrolls. 🎯 Game Plan: Trading the "Soft Landing Victory Lap." Watch the 4.10% yield mark and the 6,850 SPX pivot to see if the Santa Rally survives the New Year institutional rebalance.
The market closed slightly red for Friday, December 26. Here is why it was anything but a quiet holiday session:📉 Choppy, but High Conviction: Despite flat indices, massive volume suggests big money positioning, not passive drift.🚀 Sector Spotlight: Metals & Mining surged, while Industrials faced profit-taking.🔔 The BIG Warning: Weak breadth & a decade-low VIX signal extreme complacency. Get ready for a decisive move. We'll show you the asymmetric trades and 'Day 2' stocks to watch for Monday.
Here is the trade setup for the open. Geopolitical tensions boost metals, but surging yields & a strong DXY create a 'pain trade' for tech.🚀 NVDA: AI infrastructure leader.📉 PLTR: Focused on government & commercial contracts.🔔 LLY: GLP-1 dominance in pharmaceuticals.📈 S&P 500 (/ES) Key Support: 5000, Resistance: 5075.📊 Nasdaq 100 (/NQ) Key Support: 17,850, Resistance: 18,100.
The market closed green, hitting new records. But our deep dive reveals a fragile rally, driven by a few stocks and masking critical underlying weaknesses.🚀 Tech (2.2%) led, fueled by AI.📉 Utilities (-1.3%) lagged, signaling a selective market.🚨 Breadth weakened: More decliners than advancers despite new S&P 500 highs.🎄 US markets are CLOSED tomorrow for Christmas. The burning question: Does this pause strengthen or expose the market's 'house of cards' for Thursday's open?
Here is the trade setup for the open. 🚀 NVDA surges on new AI chip. 💊 LLY sees gains from obesity drug trial. 🏗️ CAT on infrastructure rumors. Also watch TGC, BGP, GRS. 📊 S&P 500 Resistance: 6922, 7000. Support: 6875-6877. 📈 Nasdaq 100 Resistance: 25652.6, 25726.5. Support: 25515.4.
The market closed Green 🟢 today, shaking off an early slump to surge on better-than-expected GDP data. But beneath the surface, a concerning narrow rally tells a different story.🚀 Winners: Megacap Tech, Communication Services, Energy📉 Losers: Real Estate, Consumer Staples, Oracle🔔 Watch for tomorrow's consumer spending data for fresh inflation clues. Can the Santa Claus rally overcome a fragile market?
Here is the trade setup for the open. Will the market break out or breakdown? Yields and the DXY are major headwinds for tech.
Stocks to Watch:
🚀 QLI: Quantum computing breakthrough rumors.
📈 GES: Massive new government contract win.
💊 GPD: Unexpected FDA fast-track approval.
Key Levels:
S&P 500 Support: 6765-6778. Resistance: 6936-6957.
Nasdaq Support: 24,500. Resistance: 25,900.
The market closed green 🟢, propelled by a roaring AI trade and 'risk-on' sentiment. But don't be fooled—today's rally on ultra-thin holiday volume signals underlying fragility. Here's why you need to look beyond the headlines: 🚀 Winners: Technology (XLK) soared +1.5% as AI giants led the charge. 📉 Losers: Energy (XLE) declined -1.5%, showing a clear rotation. 🔔 Tomorrow's #1 Watch: The SPX Gamma Wall at 4750. A close below signals danger; above, our asymmetric long plays remain in play, especially with crucial Q3 GDP and Consumer Confidence data ahead!
Here is the trade setup for the open in a market coiled between geopolitical risk & AI exuberance! Is it a liquidity trap or a breakout?
🚀 NVDA: China sales review. Bull: $1350, Bear: $1280.
🔔 LLY: Acquisition rumors. Bull: $870, Bear: $810.
📈 PLTR: AI momentum continues. Bull: $205, Bear: $185.
S&P 500 (/ES) Key Levels: R: 6,915 | S: 6,860
Nasdaq (/NQ) Key Levels: R: 20,180 | S: 20,050
The S&P 500 closed the week with indecision, showing a small-bodied bullish reversal candle but still finishing down -0.76%. The US 10-year yield surged to 4.19%, signaling persistent inflation & pushing Fed rate cuts further out. Bond markets are flashing a clear warning.
🔔 Monday: China's PBoC Interest Rate Decision impacts global growth sentiment.
🔔 Tuesday: US Q3 Final GDP & the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, Core PCE, spark volatility. Plus, US Consumer Confidence reveals spending health.
🔔 Thursday: Japanese CPI data could trigger global carry trade unwinds.This week, navigate Year-End Positioning & the Santa Claus Rally amidst holiday-thin liquidity, amplifying every move. Expect sharp chop.
The 'Pain Trade' for many: a rotation out of concentrated US tech & AI winners. Consumer sentiment remains weak, contrasting a narrow equities rally. Stick to key price pivots, especially SPX 6850 resistance.
Explore undervalued opportunities in small caps, utilities, bonds, EM, energy, & real estate. Avoid complacency – smart money is hedging against volatility.
Despite a choppy start, the market closed largely green for Triple Witching Friday. We break down if it was real institutional buying or just mechanical noise.🚀 Leaders: Utilities (Defensive play), AI Tech (NVIDIA, AMD, Oracle), Carnival.📉 Laggards: Real Estate, Consumer (Nike, KB Home), Palantir.For Monday, Dec 22nd: Is the 'Great Rotation' real, or will mega-cap tech dominance continue? Plus, asymmetric trades & Day 2 plays revealed.
Here is the trade setup for the open.🚀 Micron (MU): AI memory demand fuels 10%+ surge!📉 Nike (NKE): Weak China outlook & tariffs send shares plunging.⚡ NVIDIA (NVDA): AI bellwether gets $350 price target.💊 Eli Lilly (LLY): Oral GLP-1 success, but valuation stretched.⚙️ Intel (INTC): High-stakes turnaround on Apple deal whispers.S&P 500 (/ES): Find today's 'Line in the Sand' for critical breakouts or deceptive liquidity traps.Nasdaq (/NQ): Key Resistance & Support lines for tech, with a focus on faking out false moves.
The market closed mixed today, a choppy mess driven by conflicting data, yet saw aggressive institutional buying into the close. Here's why you need to understand this fragile rally.🚀 Tech surged +0.85% on AI optimism, led by Micron's +10% earnings jump.📉 Utilities lagged -0.60% as defensive plays saw profit-taking. FactSet plunged >8% on cash flow concerns.⚠️ Market internals show divergence: VIX spiked +6.9%, signaling heightened vigilance despite the index gains.🔔 Watch for extreme volatility tomorrow with Final GDP & Personal Income data. The S&P 500's 6750 Gamma Wall is critical!
Here is the trade setup for the open. Inflation heats up after CPI, creating a mixed market awaiting clarity. Don't get caught in a liquidity trap!
🚀 Stocks to Watch:
🚀 Micron (MU): +9% on huge earnings & outlook.
🔔 Lululemon (LULU): +4.5% after Elliott Management's $1B+ stake.
📈 Western Digital (WDC): +3% riding semi sentiment.
⚠️ Vision Marine (VMAR): -32% after dilution from public offering.
📈 The Levels:
S&P 500 (/ES) Resistance: 6875-6877. Support: 6765-6778.
Nasdaq (/NQ) Resistance: 26000. Support: 23950 (Head & Shoulders formation).
Macro: Hot CPI data, 10-Year Yield at 4.15%, and a rising DXY signal headwinds for growth. The "pain trade" for tech is real. Wait for confirmation. Trade smart!