ES (SPX, SPY) Analysis, Key Levels, Setups for Fri (Oct 24)ES Two-Way Plan (A++) — Level-KZ 15/5/1
Calendar (ET) — Fri Oct 24:
08:30 CPI (Sept).
09:45 S&P Global flash Manufacturing/Services PMIs.
10:00 Univ. of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (final).
14:00 Federal Reserve Board open meeting.
Expect compression into 08:30 → expansion on release; execute inside NY AM 09:30–11:00 and PM 13:30–16:00 only.
Bias & overnight→NY forecast:
Into CPI, lean range-bound 6,770–6,787. A clean hold above the “weak-high” pocket should squeeze toward the 1.272–1.618 extension band; failure back inside favors a drift to the breakout shelves below. Treat the first post-CPI impulse as discovery; take the next confirmed 15m/5m/1m sequence only.
Setups - Level-KZ execution (15m→5m→1m)
1) Short Rejection Fade @ 6,785–6,787 (W3): 15m rejection closes back inside → 5m re-close below ~6,783.5 with LH → enter first 1m pullback that stalls beneath the shelf.
SL: above the 15m rejection wick ±0.25–0.50.
TP1: 6,776–6,777. TP2: 6,759–6,762. TP3: 6,739–6,744.
2) Long Acceptance Continuation > 6,797 (W3): 15m full-body close above 6,797 → 5m pullback holds/re-closes → 1m HL entry.
SL: below the 15m trigger/pullback wick ±0.25–0.50.
TP1: 6,818 (1.618). TP2: 6,830–6,835.
3) Long Quick-Reclaim Bounce @ 6,759–6,762 (W2): fast flush into the shelf → instant reclaim (15m wick, 5m re-close back above) → 1m HL entry.
SL: below the 15m flush wick ±0.25–0.50.
TP1: 6,776–6,777. TP2: 6,785–6,787.
4) Short Acceptance Breakdown < 6,759 (W2): 15m body-through below 6,759 → 5m confirms → 1m LH entry.
SL: above 15m trigger wick ±0.25–0.50.
TP1: 6,739–6,744. TP2: 6,720–6,725.
Futurestrading
Understanding the Foundation of Global MarketsFutures contracts are everywhere, from crude oil and stock indices to interest rates and even Bitcoin. They’re essential tools for traders and institutions to manage risk or capitalize on price speculation.
What Are Futures?
A futures contract is a legally binding agreement to buy or sell an asset at a set price on a future date. These contracts can involve commodities, currencies, or financial instruments.
Why Trade Futures?
Futures serve two core purposes
Hedging: Used by businesses to protect against adverse price moves. Example: A Corn farmer locks in $4.00 per bushel using a short futures position. If the price drops, they’re protected by gains in the contract. Conversely, if the price rises, the farmer should theoretically be able to sell the physical product at a higher amount.
Speculation: Speculators are a very important piece to market stability and liquidity. Many traders use futures to attempt to profit from market direction, in other words speculate on market moves. For instance, if a trader buys an E-mini S&P 500 contract at 6500 and it rises to 6550, they profit*. But losses can occur just as quickly if the market moves against the position.
*Always account for fees and commissions when evaluating performance."
Types of Futures Contracts
Commodity Futures — Crude oil, soybeans, gold.
Financial Futures — S&P 500, interest rates, Treasury bonds.
Currency Futures — Euro, Yen, and other FX contracts.
Cryptocurrency Products — Bitcoin, Etherum, Solana.
Key Takeaway
Whether you’re hedging or speculating, futures are dynamic and powerful tools. But they also carry significant risk. The first step is understanding what you're trading and why.
At EdgeClear, we’re here to help you trade with confidence. If you’re new or want to enhance your strategy, follow us on TradingView to learn more about Futures and read our latest Trade Ideas.
CME_MINI:ES1! CME_MINI:NQ1! COMEX:GC1! NYMEX:CL1! CME:BTC1!
Bullish continuation for NASDAQ?
📊 CME_MINI:NQZ2025 Analysis – Oct 18, 2025
🧠 Market Context:
Price recovered back into Premium of range (the upper part of the current weekly range) after the drop to 24,158. Creating an inside week that managed to provide a Bullish close.
Inside Week consolidated in an 1H frame.
Price currently upper band (Premium) of 1H consolidation.
Trapped Sellers at discount of 1H range which happens to be previous week Opening
Gap High area.
Lack of US scheduled Red Folder news until Friday morning.
8:30am
📕 Core CPI m/m
📕 Weekly wick 50% at 25196
📕 CPI y/y
9:45am
📕 Flash Manufacturing PMI
📕 Flash Services PMI
Price referencing areas between 25,050–25,210. Premium of a weekly range.
🔼 There are several thing to note here:
🎯 Daily wick 50% at 25121.75
🎯 Weekly wick 50% at 25196
🎯 A Daily REQ Close and Open ( Origin of Weekly Short) at 25354.00
🎯 And REQ (Relative Equal) Highs and ATHs (All Time Highs) at 25394.00
Price can continue to explore Premium of weekly range using these as targets but keep in mind the potential for weakness and reversal formations along these levels.
High timeframe bias as well as structure still Bullish, keeping in mind that Price is currently within a Bearish Range (Friday October 10, 2025) Mondays PA and range might clarify wether Bias will remain Bullish, or if there will be any more signs of weakness and reversal formations.
🔻 There are several thing to note on the short side here:
🙁 Trapped Sellers ( Passive Liquidity) at discount of 1H Range and accumulation or Lower Band.
📉 Week Opening Gap (Reference partially) at discount of bigger range
📉 Weekly Low at 24410.00
📉 Previous Weekly Low at 24158.50
🧩 Context: Still questioning whether Fridays drop could be labeled as Price displacement and considered signal, or Rebalance. The difference will be noticed Mon-Tues.
Still uncertain on 💲 Dollar TVC:DXY Pending Bullish continuation confirmation or reversal back into chop.
ES (SPX, SPY) Analysis, Key Levels, Setups for Thur (Oct 23)Bias: The market shows a neutral to slightly bullish outlook as long as prices remain above the 6739–6751 control band. A decisive break and sustained trading above 6780 would indicate a shift in momentum to the upside, targeting the levels of 6804 to 6812. Conversely, if we lose support at 6739, we could see a decline toward 6712, with 6691 serving as a key level that may attract selling pressure.
Execution windows: London 02:00–05:00 optional small size. NY AM 09:30–11:00 primary. NY PM 13:30–16:00 primary. Midday is manage-only; avoid initiating.
Setups
Short pop-and-fail at 6773–6780
– Trigger: 15m rejection back inside the band → 5m re-close below ~6773 → first 1m pullback stalls beneath 6773
– Entry: sell the pullback beneath 6773
– Stop: hard SL above the 15m rejection wick by 0.25–0.50
– Targets: TP1 6751, TP2 6739, TP3 6712
– Invalidation: 6780 converts to support on a full-body 15m close
Long breakout continuation above 6780
– Trigger: 15m full-body close beyond 6780 → 5m pullback holds 6777–6780 and re-closes up → 1m higher-low entry
– Entry: buy the hold at 6777–6780
– Stop: hard SL below the 15m trigger wick by 0.25–0.50
– Targets: TP1 6804, TP2 6812, TP3 6835–6850
Long sweep-and-reclaim at 6712 → 6691
– Trigger: quick sweep of 6712 (or flush toward 6691) that immediately reclaims 6712 on 5m → 1m higher-low entry
– Entry: buy first pullback after the reclaim of 6712
– Stop: hard SL below the 15m sweep wick by 0.25–0.50
– Targets: TP1 6739, TP2 6751, TP3 6773–6780
BTC - Prepare for Wick to 35,000Here I display the long stop loss orders contained in order blocks below price.
These leveraged sell orders only fulfill when price crosses over the level, leaving a chain reaction or sell orders in the chart already - ready to trigger off one into the next.
This mechanic within crypto is what created wicks. I’m showing you here that they can be predicted and traded.
Prepare for this to happen anytime now.
- DD
Breakout or Fake-Out — Corn’s Price Action Under the Microscope1. When Breakouts Lie
Few things in trading are more exciting than a clean breakout. But for every breakout that soars, there’s another that fakes out and traps eager traders.
Corn Futures (ZC) on the 8-hour chart just gave us that classic test — a breakout from a falling wedge that has traders asking: Is this the real thing, or another false alarm?
The pattern looks textbook. Price compressed lower within a wedge and broke above its upper trendline. However, the true strength of any breakout lies not in the pattern itself, but in the story told by volume and order flow. That’s what we’ll unpack in this article — using ZC (Corn Futures) and MZC (Micro Corn Futures) as our guide.
2. The Falling Wedge in Focus
Falling wedges often represent market exhaustion, where selling pressure slows and buyers quietly begin to accumulate positions. On the Corn Futures 8-hour chart, price has indeed pushed beyond the wedge’s descending resistance line — the visual signal that usually excites breakout traders.
But structure alone doesn’t make a sustainable move. Beneath the surface, the UFO support and resistance levels — zones of UnFilled Orders — provide the invisible scaffolding that can support or reject price movement.
In this case:
Support Zone: 418–411
Resistance Levels: 430 and 442
These areas represent pending potential new support and resistance areas where buy and sell orders that can act as launchpads or barriers. The key is to see how the market interacts with them while volume builds or fades.
3. The Volume Delta Story
Here’s where things get interesting.
Volume Delta — the difference between buy and sell volume — shows us who’s winning the tug-of-war between buyers and sellers.
During the wedge formation, the maximum delta reached +1.05K, indicating meaningful buying activity despite the downtrend. But as the breakout unfolded, delta turned slightly negative. In plain terms, fewer new buyers are stepping in — and without new buying energy, breakouts often lose traction.
That’s a classic setup for a potential fake-out: price pokes above the wedge, but order flow doesn’t confirm. This mismatch between technical breakout and volume delta is often the canary in the coal mine for fading momentum.
4. The Trade Logic — Let the Market Come to You
Instead of chasing the breakout, the smarter play here could be to wait for the market to revisit demand/support.
Why? Because that’s where new volume tends to enter — where pending buy orders (the UFOs) become filled, strengthening the delta and giving the move fresh fuel.
A potential plan might look like this:
Entry: 418 (within support)
Stop-Loss: 411 (below the zone)
Target 1: 430 (first resistance, partial exit)
Target 2: 442 (final resistance, full exit)
This setup maintains a clear reward-to-risk ratio above 3:1, assuming disciplined execution and volatility-adjusted sizing. It’s not about prediction — it’s about preparation. Waiting for retracement allows participation in a confirmed move, rather than reacting to emotional excitement at the breakout.
5. Contract Specifications & Margin Requirements
Understanding your instrument is as important as reading your chart.
Here’s what traders should know about these CME-listed Corn contracts:
ZC – Corn Futures (Standard Contract)
Contract Size: 5,000 bushels
Tick Size: ¼ cent per bushel (0.0025) → Tick Value = $12.50
Approx. Margin: Around $1,000 USD, varying by broker and volatility
MZC – Micro Corn Futures
Contract Size: 500 bushels (1/10th of ZC)
Tick Size: ½ cent per bushel (0.0050) → Tick Value = $2.50
Approx. Margin: Around $100 USD, varying by broker and subject to market conditions
Micro contracts allow smaller-scale traders to apply the same analysis and structure as the full-size contract, but with controlled risk exposure — a major advantage for capital management.
6. When New Volume is Injected in the Market
Think of Volume Delta as a glance in the rear-view mirror — it tells us what’s already been filled. On the other hand, analyzing support and resistance levels with the idea of where new unfilled orders might come in helps us prepare to enter trades just before momentum potentially reactivates.
When both are combined:
Rising delta confirms a healthier follow-through on breakouts.
Negative delta near resistance warns of a likely fading move.
Key support and resistance zones show where resting orders could inject new volume.
7. Risk Management — Protect Before You Project
Every solid trade plan starts with a stop.
For this setup, a logical stop below 411 ensures protection if the wedge breakout fails completely.
Scaling out at 430 reduces exposure early, locking gains in case the move stalls.
Always size positions relative to account equity and volatility — the most underrated edge in trading is survival.
The best traders don’t just hunt profits — they hunt consistency. Managing risk transforms a potentially stressful market environment into a structured decision process.
8. CME Context & Final Thoughts
Both ZC and MZC are cornerstone agricultural contracts traded on the CME Group’s CBOT exchange, giving traders exposure to one of the world’s most economically significant commodities.
While the setup we’ve explored is a case study, the takeaway extends beyond Corn:
Breakouts need participation. Volume confirms conviction. Key support and resistance levels reveal intention.
In markets where fake-outs are common, aligning technical structure, order flow, and patient trade planning gives traders the clearest edge of all — confidence grounded in data, not emotion.
When charting futures, the data provided could be delayed. Traders working with the ticker symbols discussed in this idea may prefer to use CME Group real-time data plan on TradingView: www.tradingview.com - This consideration is particularly important for shorter-term traders, whereas it may be less critical for those focused on longer-term trading strategies.
General Disclaimer:
The trade ideas presented herein are solely for illustrative purposes forming a part of a case study intended to demonstrate key principles in risk management within the context of the specific market scenarios discussed. These ideas are not to be interpreted as investment recommendations or financial advice. They do not endorse or promote any specific trading strategies, financial products, or services. The information provided is based on data believed to be reliable; however, its accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Trading in financial markets involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. Each individual should conduct their own research and consult with professional financial advisors before making any investment decisions. The author or publisher of this content bears no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided or for any resultant financial or other losses.
FTSE 100 Outlook: Is the Index on Track to Reach £10,000 by the According to my technical analysis, the FTSE 100 has been moving within a well-defined bullish channel since April 2025. The price structure continues to show higher highs and higher lows, confirming sustained buying pressure and a strong uptrend.
As long as the index remains within this rising channel, the bullish momentum is likely to persist toward the £10,000 level. Based on the current trajectory, this target could be reached in the coming months or by the end of 2025.
Elliott Wave Analysis: Gold Near Potential Wave 5 Reversal PointGold Price Action Analysis - Potential Wave 5 Setup (sub waves within Wave A going down)
Wave Structure Overview
The current structure on the 15-minute chart appears to be unfolding in a classic 5-wave impulsive sequence:
Wave (1) — Initial sell-off following local top formation.
Wave (2) — Sharp retracement, testing previous supply, rejected at previous premarket range high (Friday US Stocks premarket high)
Wave (3) — Strong impulsive move down with expanding volume, typical of a wave 3 extension.
It respected one of our previous opening range high (lower yellow level).
Wave (4) — Counter-trend rally into a prior supply block / zone, showing hesitation and rejection. (we are likely done, since it had retraced to 0.5 Fib of Wave 3), i am not ruling out where we may have one more small wave up before we get into the real wave (5).
Wave (5) — Still developing, assuming wave (4) is done, we are likely to push into the lower yellow demand zone, where either continuation or a significant rebound may occur.
One scenario that can happen is that we double bottom where wave 5 meet end of wave 3, and we start a corrective wave up which is a potential Wave B going up.
🟧 Key Levels to Watch
Upper Zone (around 4271–4290)
This zone aligns with the ORH level and prior Wave (4) rejection area.
➝ If broken with strong momentum, it can invalidate the immediate bearish Wave 5 scenario and hint at a deeper retracement or new bullish structure.
Lower Zone (around 4198–4181)
This is a strong demand zone, confluence with Wave (3) extension targets and potential end of Wave (5).
➝ Price reaction here is crucial: either we see a clean 5-wave completion and rebound, or further downside acceleration.
📊 Momentum Confirmation (MACD)
The MACD shows a decelerating bearish momentum going into Wave (5), which fits the classic pattern where Wave 3 has the strongest momentum and Wave 5 often shows divergence or a weaker push.
If MACD prints a higher low while price makes a lower low, that would confirm bullish divergence, a common reversal signal after an impulse.
📝 Trading Implications
Scenario A — Bounce at Demand Zone:
Look for reversal signals or bullish divergence near 4180–4198 to confirm the end of Wave (5). Potential short-covering rally could take us close to 4300
Scenario B — Breakdown Below Demand Zone:
A clean break and close below 4180 may open the door to extended bearish continuation — likely a larger degree correction or Wave C structure.
Invalidation:
A move and acceptance above the upper ORH zone would invalidate this short-term bearish count.
Final Thoughts
This setup is technically clean:
Clear Elliott structure
Key liquidity zones mapped
Momentum oscillator in sync with price action
⚠️ But remember, Wave 5s can truncate or extend, so flexibility is key. Watch how price behaves at the lower yellow zone — that’s where the next big move could be born.
Wait for price to SHOW ME WHERE TO MAKE MONEY!Hey Squad,
Im going to keep this short and sweet but I want you to PEEP......lol the possible setups that are coming. This week we can not tell exactly what to look for since the market is giving us opposing call outs. For example, The Weekly looks like a double top has formed showing bears/selling favor but the 4/8h shows respecting of a low and shows the forming of a double bottom!
so what does this mean? We are waiting for price to show us who to follow!! But if you were to ask me....I believe the USD will suffer this week due to shutdown and uncertainty so I believe we will be trending low! Good for gold and silver traders and those that see weakness in the $!
If we can break below the 1.163 area and hold I think its clear we are moving down until we hit a high time frame FVG.
Tell me your thoughts and comments on this Analysis!
and like always! Gd look out there and TAKE PROFIT!
Natural gas futures are declining toward $2.90 Natural gas futures are declining toward $2.90 after three pullbacks on the bearish red trendline, according to my analysis on the 1-hour timeframe.
Sellers continue to dominate after the recent failure to hold above the bearish red trendline, increasing the probability of a move toward the $2.90 support zone
Difference Between Forward and Futures Forex Markets1. Definition and Basic Concept
Forward Market:
A forward forex contract is a private agreement between two parties to buy or sell a specific amount of a currency at a predetermined rate on a future date. It is a customizable contract where the terms—such as amount, delivery date, and exchange rate—are negotiated directly between the buyer and the seller.
Futures Market:
A futures forex contract, on the other hand, is a standardized agreement traded on an organized exchange (such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange - CME) to buy or sell a currency at a set price on a specific future date. Futures contracts are governed by exchange rules and are not negotiable between individuals.
Example:
If an Indian importer knows they must pay $1 million in three months, they can lock in today’s rate with a forward contract negotiated with their bank. Alternatively, they could use a futures contract on the exchange to hedge the same exposure, but under standardized terms.
2. Trading Venue and Regulation
Forward Market:
The forward forex market is Over-the-Counter (OTC), meaning trades occur directly between parties—usually through banks, brokers, or large financial institutions. It is unregulated compared to futures markets, giving flexibility but also introducing counterparty risk.
Futures Market:
Futures contracts are traded on regulated exchanges, ensuring transparency, standardized contract sizes, and proper oversight by authorities such as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the U.S. This makes the futures market more secure and trustworthy for investors.
Key Difference:
OTC forward markets offer privacy and customization, whereas futures markets emphasize standardization, regulation, and transparency.
3. Contract Customization
Forward Market:
Forward contracts are fully customizable. Parties can decide the exact amount, currency pair, settlement date, and method of delivery. This flexibility suits businesses and institutions with specific hedging needs.
Futures Market:
Futures contracts are standardized in terms of contract size, maturity dates (e.g., March, June, September, December), and settlement procedures. Traders must accept these fixed terms, which can limit flexibility but make trading easier for speculative purposes.
Example:
A company wanting to hedge €2.5 million in three months can easily set that amount in a forward contract. In contrast, a futures contract might have a fixed lot size (say, €125,000 per contract), so the company would need to trade multiple contracts to approximate the desired amount.
4. Settlement and Delivery
Forward Market:
Settlement occurs on the agreed future date, and most forward contracts end in actual delivery of the currencies. However, some may be settled in cash based on the difference between the agreed rate and the spot rate at maturity.
Futures Market:
Most futures contracts are cash-settled before expiry, as traders often close their positions before the delivery date. Only a small percentage result in physical delivery of the currencies.
Key Point:
Forwards typically end with physical delivery, while futures are mainly used for speculation and hedging without actual currency exchange.
5. Counterparty Risk
Forward Market:
Since forwards are private agreements, there is a high counterparty risk—the possibility that one party may default on the contract. There is no intermediary guaranteeing the trade.
Futures Market:
Futures contracts eliminate counterparty risk because the exchange clearing house acts as the intermediary, guaranteeing that both sides meet their obligations. Traders must maintain margin accounts to manage default risk.
Result:
Futures offer greater security due to exchange-backed settlement mechanisms.
6. Mark-to-Market and Margin Requirements
Forward Market:
Forward contracts are not marked to market, meaning profits or losses are realized only at the contract’s maturity. No margin or daily settlement is required.
Futures Market:
Futures contracts are marked to market daily, meaning gains and losses are settled every trading day. Traders must maintain margin accounts (initial and maintenance margins) to cover potential losses, ensuring market integrity.
Example:
If the exchange rate moves unfavorably in a futures position, the trader must deposit additional funds to maintain their margin. In forwards, the loss or gain is realized only at the end.
7. Liquidity and Market Participants
Forward Market:
Liquidity in forwards depends on the specific currency pair and the parties involved. It’s dominated by banks, multinational corporations, and institutional investors seeking to hedge specific exposures.
Futures Market:
The futures market is highly liquid due to standardized contracts and participation from a wide range of players—hedgers, speculators, and institutional traders. Continuous trading ensures tight spreads and efficient pricing.
In summary:
Forwards serve mainly for hedging; futures attract both hedgers and speculators due to liquidity and transparency.
8. Purpose and Usage
Forward Market:
Primarily used for hedging long-term exposures. Forwards protect against adverse currency movements for future transactions like exports, imports, or loans in foreign currencies.
Futures Market:
Used for both hedging and speculation. Hedge funds and traders use futures to profit from short-term price movements in currency pairs or to manage portfolio risk efficiently.
Example:
A corporate treasurer uses forwards to hedge a future payment, while a speculator might use futures to bet on the dollar strengthening against the euro.
9. Pricing and Cost Structure
Forward Market:
Forward prices are determined by the interest rate differential between the two currencies and the current spot rate. There are no exchange fees, but the pricing may include a bank’s spread or commission.
Futures Market:
Futures prices are also influenced by interest rate differentials but may deviate slightly from forward rates due to daily margin settlements and market expectations. Traders also pay exchange and brokerage fees.
Key Insight:
Forward pricing is customized and negotiated privately, while futures pricing is transparent and visible on exchanges.
10. Transparency and Accessibility
Forward Market:
Forward markets are less transparent, as prices and deals are not publicly available. Only large players like banks and corporations typically participate due to the high transaction size.
Futures Market:
Futures markets are highly transparent. Prices, trading volumes, and open interest data are publicly available in real time, enabling fair competition and analysis for all traders.
Final Comparison:
Transparency in futures ensures fairness and easier access for retail and institutional investors, while forwards remain largely institutional and relationship-based.
Conclusion
While both forward and futures forex markets allow participants to hedge or speculate on future currency movements, their structure, purpose, and participants differ greatly.
Forwards offer customization and flexibility but come with higher counterparty risk and limited liquidity.
Futures provide standardization, security, and transparency, making them ideal for speculative trading and risk management in a regulated environment.
In summary:
Aspect Forward Market Futures Market
Trading Venue OTC (Private) Exchange-Traded
Customization Fully customizable Standardized
Regulation Unregulated Regulated
Settlement On maturity Daily (mark-to-market)
Counterparty Risk High Minimal
Participants Corporates, Banks Traders, Investors
Transparency Low High
Liquidity Moderate High
Margin Requirement None Required
Usage Long-term hedging Hedging & speculation
Condor in the Clouds: When the S&P 500 Takes a Nap1 – The Setup Nobody Expected
The S&P 500 just pulled a classic “I’m tired” move. After that big drop, it stopped running and started hovering between 6,437 and 6,873 — a cozy sideways zone filled with Fibonacci levels, Floor Trader Pivots, and UFOs (yep, UnFilled Orders, not flying saucers).
Markets do that sometimes — they sprint, then nap. And when they nap, option sellers quietly collect theta while everyone else wonders when the action will come back.
2 – The Play: Short Iron Condor
When the market’s stuck in the middle, the Short Iron Condor is like putting walls on both sides of the price. Here’s the idea — you get paid if ES stays in between.
How it’s built:
Sell a Call above resistance
Buy a Call a little higher (that’s your safety net)
Sell a Put below support
Buy a Put a little lower (another safety net)
Boom — now you’ve boxed the market. If it behaves, you earn. If it doesn’t, your risk is capped.
3 – Why It Works Right Now
The Condor thrives when volatility chills out. That’s exactly what ES is doing — taking a breath after chaos.
Theta decay: your invisible ally, eating away at option value day by day.
Range stability: resistance ≈ 6,873, support ≈ 6,437.
Low Vega: volatility tantrums matter less.
You don’t need fireworks — you need patience. This trade doesn’t scream, it hums.
4 – The Fine Print (a.k.a. Risk Management)
Keep it real:
Size positions by max risk, not by excitement level.
Don’t wait for expiration — grab 50–60% profit and fly away.
When the market is calm, the Condor glides. When storms build, fold your wings.
5 – For the Data Nerds
If you love precision:
ES tick = $12.50
MES tick = $1.25
Margins ≈ $21k and $2.1k respectively (subject to volatility).
And yes — theta doesn’t care which one you trade; it just wants time to pass.
6 – The Takeaway
Markets don’t always trend. Sometimes they just drift — and that’s okay.
In those moments, the Short Iron Condor turns boredom into strategy.
So, if the S&P 500 keeps “floating in the clouds,” don’t chase it — collect from it.
Want More Depth?
If you’d like to go deeper into the building blocks of trading, check out our From Mystery to Mastery trilogy, three cornerstone articles that complement this one:
🔗 From Mystery to Mastery: Trading Essentials
🔗 From Mystery to Mastery: Futures Explained
🔗 From Mystery to Mastery: Options Explained
When charting futures, the data provided could be delayed. Traders working with the ticker symbols discussed in this idea may prefer to use CME Group real-time data plan on TradingView: www.tradingview.com - This consideration is particularly important for shorter-term traders, whereas it may be less critical for those focused on longer-term trading strategies.
General Disclaimer:
The trade ideas presented herein are solely for illustrative purposes forming a part of a case study intended to demonstrate key principles in risk management within the context of the specific market scenarios discussed. These ideas are not to be interpreted as investment recommendations or financial advice. They do not endorse or promote any specific trading strategies, financial products, or services. The information provided is based on data believed to be reliable; however, its accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Trading in financial markets involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. Each individual should conduct their own research and consult with professional financial advisors before making any investment decisions. The author or publisher of this content bears no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided or for any resultant financial or other losses.
BTC - Short Using Order Block AnalysisThese order blocks are filled with long position stop loss orders / leveraged sell orders that fill only when price passes.
Short Details:
Entry - 112,800 to 113,000
Stop Loss - 116,100
Target 1 - 105,160
Target 2 - 96,670
Target 3 - 84,315
Target 4 - 63,405
Hope you are enjoying my trade ideas and good luck to all.
- DD
How to Trade with Stochastics in TradingViewMaster Stochastics using TradingView’s charting tools in this comprehensive tutorial from Optimus Futures.
The Stochastic Oscillator is a momentum indicator that helps traders identify potential turning points in the market by comparing the current closing price to the recent high–low range. It’s designed to show when momentum may be shifting from buyers to sellers — or vice versa.
What You’ll Learn:
- Understanding the Stochastic Oscillator as a momentum tool plotted from 0 to 100
- How the %K line represents the current close relative to the recent high–low range
- How the %D line acts as a moving average of %K and serves as a signal line
- Key thresholds: readings above 80 suggest overbought conditions, while below 20 suggest oversold conditions
- Why overbought and oversold levels are not automatic buy or sell signals — and how strong trends can keep Stochastics extended
- Identifying bullish and bearish crossovers between %K and %D
- Spotting bullish and bearish divergence between price and momentum
- Using Stochastics to confirm trend direction across different timeframes
- How to add Stochastics on TradingView via the Indicators menu
- Understanding the default settings (14, 3, 3) and how adjusting them affects responsiveness
- Practical examples on the E-mini S&P 500 futures chart
- Applying Stochastics across multiple timeframes — daily, weekly, or intraday — for confirmation signals
This tutorial will benefit futures traders, swing traders, and technical analysts who want to incorporate Stochastics into their trading process.
The concepts covered may help you identify momentum shifts, potential reversal zones, and trend confirmations across different markets and timeframes.
Learn more about futures trading with TradingView:
optimusfutures.com
Disclaimer
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BTC - Short a Stop Hunt and Stay on the Right SideI’m breaking my larger idea down into multiple trades, now that others are opening up to the reality that it’s possible.
These order blocks shown are filled with long position stop losses, leveraged sell orders that only fill when price crosses over - and will set off like a chain reaction.
This will create a very fast drop IE Stop Hunt - and we can take advantage of it.
TRADE 1 - SHORT
Entry - 120,200 to 120,500
Stop Loss - 123,800 (although I don’t see Bitcoin rising back above 121,000 before this trade completes)
Target 1 - 97,250 (Close 25% of trade)
Target 2 - 69,400 (Close 50% of trade)
Target 3 - 38,100 (Close 40-90% of trade as it’s possible we continue to drop and don’t retrace from here to 90,000 appx)
I’ll be logging this trade.
All the best and buckle in.
- DD
ES (SPX, SPY) Futures Analyses, Key Zones, Setups for Wed, Oct 8The E-mini S&P 500 (ES) is currently exhibiting a primary uptrend on the higher timeframes while consolidating just below a significant resistance level between 6,785 and 6,795. As we approach the New York morning session, the prevailing expectation is for a range-to-trend expansion, dependent on whether the 6,758–6,795 range is broken. The 6,785–6,795 zone should be regarded as the immediate focal point for decision-making.
Event & Risk Calendar (ET)
• 07:00–07:15 — MBA Mortgage Applications (weekly).
• 10:30 — EIA Weekly Petroleum Status Report (standard Wednesday release).
• 14:00 — FOMC Minutes (Sept 16–17 meeting). Expect volatility expansion on release.
A++ Setups (Tier-1, Level-KZ 15/5/1)
1. Trend-Continuation LONG at R1 break
Trigger: 15-minute full-body close above 6,795, 5-minute pullback holds 6,785–6,795, 1-minute higher-low confirms.
Entry: 6,788–6,795 on the retest/hold.
Invalidation: 15-minute body back below ~6,785.
Targets: TP1 6,818–6,825; TP2 6,858–6,866; TP3 6,898–6,905.
Risk: Hard SL = relevant 15-minute wick low −0.25–0.50 pts; take 70% at TP1, runner to BE; max 2 attempts per level.
2. Rejection-Fade SHORT at R1 failure
Trigger: Probe into 6,785–6,795 fails: 15-minute rejection close back below, 5-minute lower-high forms, 1-minute pullback fails.
Entry: 6,785–6,792 on failure.
Invalidation: 15-minute body acceptance above ~6,795.
Targets: TP1 6,756–6,761; TP2 6,744–6,749; TP3 6,727–6,733.
Risk: Same management as Setup 1 (wick-anchored SL; 70/30 at TP1; max 2 attempts).
Bitcoin Crash Incoming - Watch for this 3 wave Move Here is a close up look at expected corrective path.
This move will be extraordinary fast, the fastest and largest drop we’ve seen in cryptos history.
Please see my linked related posts from today for a detailed overview of this theory, explanation, and helpful insights.
God speed and love to all.
- DD






















