Friday Finish — Bulls Need to Follow Throughby Tony Rago Price recovered further from the lows overnight, and inventory is now long heading into the open. The question is whether the bulls can build on that recovery and finish the week strong, or if we slip back lower once again. Buyers need to defend 7,817/7,812 on ES and 31,000 on NQ, then start pushing higher. The breakout levels to watch are 7,862 on ES and 31,333 on NQ. If buyers can clear those levels and hold above them, we could see another leg higher. But if support gives way, that overnight recovery could quickly lose steam. Keep an eye on crude, too. It’s back above 91.50, and if oil starts rallying again, it could put a ceiling on any attempt to push higher. With long overnight inventory, watch how price behaves around those support levels and let the opening range

Bulls Need to Bring It Todayby Tony Rago More overnight drift to the downside, and the pressure is starting to build. Bulls struggled to buy the dip yesterday and hold the bounce, and now they run the risk of a full round trip back to the breakout that launched this move toward all-time highs. ES still has not made its all-time high on the current contract — 7,904 remains the ATH. At the open, I’ll be watching 31,106 on NQ and 7,800 on ES for potential tests. Those levels could give us some early clues about whether buyers are ready to step back in or if sellers are going to keep pressing. Bulls need to bring it today. The bear case is pretty straightforward: hold price below 31,333 on NQ and 7,833 on ES and continue to keep the pressure on. If buyers can reclaim those levels and build some

Pullback in Play — Bulls Need to Defendby Tony Rago Overnight inventory is very short, with price dipping back to 7,833 on ES and 31,250 on NQ. This is an important pullback for the bulls to defend, because if they can’t hold these areas, we could see a deeper move to the downside. Bears can take control with sustained trade below 7,812 on ES and 31,106 on NQ. At the open, I’ll be watching for a potential test of 31,106 on NQ or resistance on a move into 31,412. On ES, I’m watching for a potential bounce around 7,826 and resistance at 7,850. Bulls need to clear that resistance and, more importantly, hold above it. There’s no morning economic data on the schedule, but we do have the FOMC minutes at 2pm, so that’s the event on the radar later today. Until then, let the opening ranges develop and see

Bulls Get the Follow-Throughby Tony Rago Continuation into the overnight session and more highs. What a perfect push off the weekly open yesterday to set this move in motion! Now it’s up to the bulls to defend the pullbacks and keep the pressure on. On ES, 7,877 and 7,888 are open above, while NQ has 31,612 and 31,633 in play. Those are the next upside levels to watch as buyers look to extend the move. The big question is whether we get another trend day or if the market needs to catch its breath first. The alternative to back-to-back trend days is some consolidation up here before the next leg higher — and of course, that’s all barring any news that decides to rock the tape. 😅 There’s no need to chase a market that has already made a big move. Let the open show us how buyers handle the

Weekly Opens Set the Stageby Tony Rago New week, new opportunities to make money! The overnight session was very quiet, and both ES and NQ are coming into the NY open below their weekly open levels. That’s the first thing I’ll be watching — how price deals with those levels once the cash session gets going. If buyers can reclaim and hold above them, the next targets are last week’s highs. But if we see rejection, I’ll be looking for moves back toward the weekly pivots below. Those opening reactions should give us a much better read on which side is ready to take control. We also have morning economic data coming at :45 and :00, so make sure you’re flat heading into those releases or simply skip the first 30 minutes. There’s no need to force a trade when the market can move quickly on a headline. It’s a

Bulls Have the Advantage — Now Run With Itby Tony Rago Jobs pushed price back to the weekly highs on NQ and up to the big 7,800 level on ES. Bulls saved it yesterday, and now the question is whether they’re ready to defend the pullbacks to 30,750 on NQ and the 7,750/7,762 area on ES. Those are the key levels for buyers this morning. If they can hold and price continues to build above them, the weekly highs remain in play. But if those levels give way, bears have an opportunity to take control and push price back toward the weekly lows. There’s also the possibility we simply find a range and spend the day working inside it, so there’s no need to force a directional bias before the market gives us one. Bulls have the advantage coming into the open — now let’s see if they can actually

New Month, New Quarter — Same Range, Same Rulesby Tony Rago New month, new quarter! Monthly pivots are in the report, so make sure you’ve got those levels on your radar. We saw a big burst overnight that eventually faded back, while ES never really joined the move and remained contained by 7,762. That lack of follow-through continues to define this market. Rallies have been sold, but sellers haven’t been able to build sustained downside momentum either, leaving us stuck in a broad range. Bulls need to show some real conviction in today’s moves, or they risk handing control back to the bears and opening the door for a push lower. Until this range breaks, we trade the range — and when it finally does break, we go with price. No need to predict the next big move or get caught leaning too hard in either direction. Let the opening

Breakout Levels in Play — Quarter-End Wildcard by Tony Rago This morning’s economic data popped NQ up to 30,750 and ES to 7,770 — those are our breakout levels to watch today. If buyers can sustain price above those zones, the door opens for a push toward the big round numbers overhead: 31,000 on NQ and 7,800 on ES. But the bulls have some serious headwinds to deal with, so the question is whether they can maintain control and build on the early strength. On the flip side, bears need to cap the rallies and push NQ back below 30,500 and ES under 7,726 to start shifting momentum back in their favor. Keep it simple today. It’s quarter-end, and that can bring anything from a big directional move to a whole lot of nothing as flows balance out. Don’t assume we’re getting a trend day just because we get an