New Week, New Game Plan
by Tony Rago
The first trading week of 2026 is here, and it’s kicking off with a busy news slate that could inject some volatility into the tape. Venezuela headlines are the big macro watch right now — so far the market hasn’t reacted much, but that can change quickly once cash trading gets underway. When geopolitical risk is on the board, it’s less about predicting outcomes and more about watching how price responds. If the market shrugs it off, that tells us something; if it starts to lean, that tells us even more.
From a levels perspective, it’s pretty clean. Bulls need to defend the weekly opens and hold the big round numbers — 6,900 on ES and 25,500 on NQ. Those areas matter because they often act as psychological and structural support early in the week. Lose them, and bears have a path to press toward last week’s lows. As always, the open will set the tone, so I’m focused on patience and confirmation rather than forcing trades. New week, fresh context — let’s see who shows their hand. 💪
👉 Full breakdown is inside today’s Pre-Market Playbook. Check it out here and trade it smart.
