Cycle Day 3 Recap

Targets Achieved… Then the Trap Door Opened

Thursday, June 25, 2026

The session began exactly according to script.

Overnight buyers maintained control and successfully fulfilled the 7495 upside target, securing another Positive 3-Day Cycle and reinforcing the notion that the bulls still held possession of the football heading into the cash open.

The key level coming into the session was simple:

7465 — The Line in the Sand

As long as price remained above the 7465 Fulcrum, buyers maintained ball control.

Unfortunately for the bulls, the market had other plans.

An early failure against the Cycle Day 3 high was quickly followed by a decisive violation of the 7465 Line in the Sand. Once that level gave way, the market transitioned from “target fulfillment” mode into a classic long liquidation event.

As discussed in real time, downside projections immediately expanded toward the 7418-7404 zone, based upon Cycle Day 1 average decline measurements.

The selling accelerated.

The trap door opened.

The weak-handed longs were escorted from the building.

DLMB Strikes Again

Once again, the PTG framework delivered.

The Lower D-Level Money Box (DLMB) came into play and provided the reaction zone traders have become accustomed to seeing.

As members noted in the room:

“DLMB strikes again.”

At some point it becomes difficult to call it coincidence.

The market tagged the projected decline levels, fulfilled the statistical expectations, and found responsive buying directly where the model suggested it should.

Measure Twice…

Cut Once.

Roadkill Everywhere

The combination of an overnight breakout, failed continuation, aggressive liquidation, and sharp reversal produced exactly the type of environment that creates maximum frustration for directional traders.

As noted during the session:

“Lots of road-kill early this morning.”

The market punished late buyers.

The market punished late sellers.

And then spent much of the afternoon chopping around multiple-day POC levels with little directional edge.

A textbook environment for violating the First Commandment of Trading:

Thou Shalt Not Diddle In The Middle.

Afternoon Assessment

By lunchtime the market had transitioned into a classic Range Runner Day Type, rotating around value and multi-day POC levels without providing a significant statistical edge.

The best trade for many participants was simply preserving the gains earned during the morning liquidation break and waiting for the next opportunity.

Closing Bell

A late-session $2 Billion MOC Buy Imbalance helped support prices into the close, but the larger takeaway remains unchanged:

The Positive 3-Day Cycle remains intact.

The upside objective was achieved.

The downside liquidation script was achieved.

The DLMB performed its function once again.

And the market continues to remind participants that logic and comfort are not requirements for price movement.

As the session ended, perhaps the most accurate description of the day came from the trading room itself:

“This is a maniac market.”

Trade accordingly.

— PTGDavid