Market Context & Key Levels

Line in the Sand (LIS): 5895
PTGDavid opened the session by identifying 5895 as the critical structural pivot. Early morning price action showed buyers defending this level, which established it as the intraday anchor for directional bias.

Initial Target Zone: 5915–5925
This zone was fulfilled early in the session with price reaching 5924.50—2 ticks shy of the upper bound—demonstrating precise alignment with the Daily Trade Strategy (DTS) briefing.

Key Reference Zones:

• VWAP: 5910

• Open Range Midpoint: 5918

• ONH (Overnight High): 5924.50

• ONL (Overnight Low): Retested multiple times

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Session Overview

Morning Session (7:30 AM – 11:00 AM)

• Bullish Confirmation: As price sustained bids above the LIS, the market rallied cleanly into the initial 5915–5925 target zone.

• Structure Observed: A favorable “Peek-a-Boo” (PKB) structure developed, signaling strong buyer intent on the LIS retest.

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• Crude Oil (CL) Strategy: Multiple open range long targets were achieved, highlighting strong market rhythm and disciplined trade execution.

“GOOD TRADERS SURVIVE… GREAT ONES ADAPT”

Midday Session (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM)

• Balance Develops: Following the early morning move, the market transitioned into a Cycle Day 2 structure, where typical behavior includes rangebound consolidation after a prior two-day rally.

• Market Behavior: Price retested LIS (5895), forming a classic “Beach Ball Effect” where downside probes were rejected, signaling liquidity grabs and stop runs before rotation higher.

• Chop Warning: Traders were advised not to overtrade as the midday session displayed signs of volatility compression and lack of sustained follow-through.

“The Chop is Real… Do not overtrade”

Afternoon Session (2:00 PM – 4:00 PM)

• Return from Lunch: David resumed commentary emphasizing market balance and adaptive strategy.

• Key Observation: Despite attempts to rotate higher, the market remained within defined intraday structure—showing “snaps n traps” behavior.

• MOC Activity: A $5.7B buy imbalance was reported, aligning with end-of-day positioning behavior.

• Final Assessment: The session closed dead center within the range—a textbook balanced profile conclusion, consistent with Cycle Day 2 expectations.

“Absolutely perfect Cycle Day 2 Delta Profile”
“Balanced is that Balanced is”

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Educational Takeaway: Structuring the Trading Day with Contextual Awareness

PTGDavid’s session underscores the importance of anchoring your intraday strategy to structural levels, such as the Line in the Sand (LIS), VWAP, and prior day references. Successful trade execution was rooted in:

• Pre-defined Strategy: Morning targets were derived from the DTS briefing and executed with discipline.

• Structural Integrity: Price behavior around LIS (5895) offered high-probability reentry opportunities.

• Cycle Day Awareness: Recognizing Cycle Day 2 allowed traders to shift expectations from trend continuation to range consolidation, avoiding overtrading in midday chop.

• Adaptability: The key to lasting in volatile markets is to remain flexible and aligned with evolving price action.

“Great traders aren’t just reactive—they’re anticipatory, context-driven, and patient.”