Morning Session (8:30 AM – 10:00 AM)
PTGDavid opens the day by establishing context: “T+1 today” — the first trading day after options expiration, often marked by repositioning and new flows. Early posts set the tone: stay grounded in rule adherence, not profit and loss. He shares a tweet from @samuraipips358 to reinforce this mindset.

Around 8:48 AM, macro commentary begins: Bessant is quoted discussing tariff revenues. By 9:12 AM, news breaks that Trump plans to sign an executive order on auto tariffs — which David quickly correlates with price action: “The more Bessent talks, the lower price goes.”

Technically, David outlines a bearish scenario with a key breakdown zone at 5550, targeting the 5525–5515 area. He notes when price starts to fill the lower target zone, and both he and another trader, blibby71, reference the importance of 5515, a prior level that sparked an afternoon rally yesterday.

Mid-Morning to Early Afternoon (10:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
By 10:05 AM, David shifts focus to the bulls holding the line on dips, with 5550 matching VWAP, a critical intraday confluence. A drop to 5540 is labeled “a play long,” which leads to a new upside sequence. He cites 5575 as the first DTS Briefing target, and when price tags it at 11:02 AM, he marks it with a proud “BOOM>>> 5575 tagged TYVM!”

Throughout this stretch, David keeps an eye on market rhythm, noting that although it’s choppy, the patterns are still tradable. He reminds traders to “Take Profit when it is there otherwise it may quickly vaporize,” and highlights that this is day 3 of balancing consolidation — signaling a market potentially gearing for expansion.

Afternoon Session (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
Momentum accelerates. New upside targets are called: 5585, then 5602, and 5612. As these are achieved, David acknowledges the strength: “T+1 BIG BOYZ ripping it,” and notes the continued value migration through higher highs and higher lows.

Heading into the close, David outlines the “contraction leads to expansion” concept — consolidation through the day sets up an end-of-day breakout. He asks if a T+1 MOC (Market-on-Close) buy is coming, and later confirms: “MOC BUT $2 Billion.” Price rips higher in the final minutes, validating the earlier bullish roadmap.

As a final note of levity and camaraderie, he signs off with: “Carry on wayward sons” and a music link — reminding traders to keep perspective amid the grind.

---

🧠 Educational Takeaways

• Start with Market Context: Identify structural influences like T+1, macro news, or balance days before placing trades.

• Use Technical Anchors: Watch for confluences like VWAP + LIS (Line in Sand), which often act as inflection points.

• Scenario Planning: Define clear bullish/bearish outcomes and trade around key levels (e.g., 5550, 5525, 5515).

• Headlines Influence Flow: Recognize how news (e.g., tariffs) can shift sentiment, but filter it through your strategy.

• Balance to Expansion: Prolonged chop often precedes breakout — patience through balance pays off into strength.

• Trade Targets with Discipline: Use staged targets (e.g., 5575 → 5585 → 5602 → 5612) for structured exits.

• Track Market Rhythms: Even in choppy markets, familiar patterns can offer opportunity when tracked properly.

• Mental Fortitude is Key: Focus on rule adherence and execution, not P&L fluctuations.

• Market-on-Close Imbalances Matter: End-of-day flows (like a $2B MOC buy) can create significant moves.

• Stay Human: A good mindset, music, and humor balance the intensity of trading.