PTGDavid started the session with a light tone, joking that traders should take a double dose of Dramamine to stomach the market volatility. He was early to highlight the potential for high-speed movement in the markets, posting charts and referencing the day’s theme of unpredictability.

He shared a link to the day’s trade strategy and engaged with Chief, who posted zones of interest. David thanked her and soon posed a deeper question:

“Why does having a system with an edge still not work out?”
He backed it with a tweet from SamuraiPips, sparking a brief reflection on psychology and consistency.

Throughout the session, David provided real-time sentiment updates:

• He noted the market’s bearish lean below the Open Range, urging bulls to reclaim levels to avoid further downside.

• He emphasized that “no position is a position,” underlining the importance of risk control in chaos.

• When Powell spoke at 11:25 AM ET, David relayed his key comments live — focusing on elevated risks and uncertainty tied to tariffs and inflation.

• He joked about the London close, saying traders there were “at the pub getting loaded.”

By midday, David shared multiple charts to visually communicate market structure and developing downside pressure. He alerted the group to the S&P nearing circuit breaker levels, with escalating selloffs.

Into the afternoon, he warned of the classic “2 PM shake and bake” rally, labeling it a trap for optimistic bulls. As prices slid, he remarked that traders never seem to learn about these setups.

Late in the session:

• He emphasized risk management again, stating:

  “I’d rather be out of the market wishing I were in, than in wishing I were out.”

• He congratulated those sitting on the sidelines for following their plan.

• When the MOC imbalance printed a massive $5.7B sell, he shouted:

  “Sell Sell Sell”
  and linked to the famous “Trading Places” scene for effect.

• As the market closed near session lows, David concluded:

  “Fitting to end the week… Herb and Marge will be selling on Monday.”

He wrapped the day by wishing everyone a restful weekend.

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🎓 Educational Takeaways from PTGDavid

• ✅ Have a strategy, but honor the psychology behind it. Discipline matters more than perfection.

• 📉 Recognize traps (like the “2 PM shake and bake”) and avoid emotional entries.

• 🧘 Sometimes the best trade is no trade. Risk management trumps FOMO.

• 🧭 Use levels like Open Range, VWAP, and circuit breaker zones as navigational tools.

• 📣 Pay attention to macro catalysts (e.g., Powell, tariffs) — they move the market.

• 🔄 Even successful traders experience drawdowns. Survival > hero trades.

• 💬 Trading is part technical, part psychological, part community. Lean into all three.