Futures Poised for Fed Week: Empire State Miss, Bills Auctions, Oil Bid — Sep 15, 2025 Trading Blueprint Market Overview & Sentiment News U.S. equity index futures enter Fed week with a mild positive bias but tight ranges. The September Empire State Manufacturing Index came in below expectations, nudging growth sentiment softer while keeping the easing case intact. Crude is bid on supply-risk headlines tied to Russian infrastructure, sustaining energy-linked inflows and keeping inflation watchers alert. Separately, U.S.–China discussions add tape-bomb risk for mega-cap tech. Bottom line: risk tone constructive yet headline-sensitive into Wednesday’s policy statement and press conference. Futures near flat/up small: Positioning is cautious ahead of the Fed; breadth and rate path expectations will dictate whether early strength sticks. Empire State miss: The softer print cools the growth pulse and subtly reinforces the case for incremental policy easing. Oi...

Futures Hover Near Record Highs Ahead of Jobs Data & OPEC — Sep 5, 2025 Trading Blueprint Market Overview & Sentiment News Overnight charts show a powerful risk‑on rally with ES, NQ, YM and RTY vaulting above session VWAPs and holding the gains. Futures touched record highs in premarket trading after Broadcom's earnings and as investors expect a September Fed rate cut. The morning’s key event is the 8:30 AM ET non‑farm payrolls, which are expected to print around 75K jobs with an unemployment rate near 4.3% and hourly earnings at 0.3% MoM. Oil remains softer ahead of the OPEC+ meeting, with inventories surprising to the upside. With equity sentiment buoyant and energy weaker, positioning is more balanced but still biased toward dips being bought ahead of the data. U.S. futures near record highs: S&P 500 E‑minis rose about 0.23% and Nasdaq futures roughly 0.49% ahead of the payrolls release, buoyed by chipmaker Broadcom’s upbeat results and dovish Fed expect...

Pre‑Nvidia Playbook: Futures Hold Firm as Fed Independence Tested — August 27 Trading Blueprint Market Overview & Sentiment News Equity futures steady ahead of AI bellwether: U.S. index futures were essentially flat as traders awaited Nvidia’s after‑hours earnings, which are expected to test the AI‑driven rally. Reuters noted Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq E‑mini contracts up around 0.05%, with options markets implying an approximately $260 billion swing in Nvidia’s market value. Investors are cautious given lofty tech valuations and recent warnings about a potential AI bubble. Fed independence questioned: Market volatility this week has centred on former President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, raising uncertainty over the Fed’s independence. Gold rallied on the headline, but prices eased overnight as the dollar firmed and traders took profits. Rates expectations skew dovish: Markets are pricing an 87% chance of a 25‑basis‑...

Jackson Hole Playbook: Futures Rip Into Powell — August 22 Trading Blueprint Market Overview & Sentiment News Futures rip into Powell: After a sharp pre‑market air‑pocket, ES, NQ, YM and RTY all staged a V‑reversal and reclaimed VWAP , basing near session highs ahead of Chair Powell’s 10:00 ET Jackson Hole remarks. Breadth and volume improved on the rebound, raising the odds of a trend‑day if opening‑range highs hold. Rates in focus, volatility likely: With the policy path in the spotlight, rate and dollar swings are the key cross‑asset drivers today. A dovish tilt favors duration and growth; a hawkish tone pressures long duration and cyclicals. Oil churns, energy watch: Crude remains choppy and mostly below session VWAP, with attention on the 1:00 ET Baker Hughes rig count for a potential afternoon impulse. Gold mixed into the event: GC is range‑bound and whippy around VWAP as traders trim hedges into the speech; expect two‑way risk and fast reversa...

Tech Surge & Tariff Jitters: Your July 09 Equity Futures Playbook Market Overview & Sentiment News U.S. S&P 500 futures +0.16%, Dow futures +0.18%, Nasdaq futures +0.20% premarket on modest gains amid trade-policy headlines and Fed minutes anticipation. President Trump’s tariff letters and proposed copper tariffs weigh on sentiment, but equity futures remain resilient ahead of an August 1 deadline. NVIDIA nears a $4 trillion market cap, up 1.2% premarket, fueling tech-driven futures strength. Starbucks-linked M&A chatter lifts consumer-discretionary futures, with SBUX +1.8% premarket. Merck’s $10 billion takeover of Verona Pharma sparks biotech and health-care futures turbulence. AES Corp. jumps 14.5% premarket on sale rumors, underpinning energy and industrial futures. Bitcoin around $109 000 and 10‑year Treasury yields near 4.41% inform mixed risk-appetite dynamics. Economic Events & Calendar 07:00 AM E...

Tariff Tease & API Shock: Your July 08 Equity Futures Playbook Market Overview & Sentiment News President Trump delayed reciprocal tariffs on 14 nations until August 1, easing immediate trade-war fears; futures were mixed with S&P up 0.12%, Nasdaq up 0.25%, and Dow down 0.08% premarket. Amazon’s Prime Day kicked off with projected $23.8 B in sales, boosting e-commerce stocks and tech futures. Tesla rebounded 1% after Monday’s 6.7% drop on CEO Musk’s political announcement, supporting tech-led futures momentum. Meta Platforms hired Apple’s AI lead, fueling AI sector optimism and underpinning semiconductor futures. Bitcoin traded just below $109 k, and Treasury yields rose to ~4.42%, influencing risk sentiment in equity futures. Oil and gold futures retraced lower after API data showed a surprise crude build of +0.68 M barrels, pressuring commodity-linked names. Economic Events & Calendar 04:30 PM ET – API Crude Oil Sto...

Futures Focus: ADP & Crude Draw Power Early Market Moves Market Overview & Sentiment News U.S. Equity Futures: ES +0.4%, NQ +0.5%, YM +0.3% as markets rally on an unexpected ADP jobs beat and strong tech guidance. ADP Employment Change: Reported +37K vs 90K expected, signaling labor resilience ahead of Friday’s Nonfarm Payrolls. Tech Earnings: Nvidia shares up 3% premarket after upbeat Q2 outlook; Apple and Microsoft also trading higher on strong results. Oil & Commodities: Crude futures down 0.6% despite a 5.8M barrel draw, while gold edges up on safe-haven flows. Fed Watch: All eyes on Fed Bostic’s 11:00 AM speech—hawkish comments could temper further gains. Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg, Trading Economics, CME Group Foundational Analysis Labor Market Strength: ADP’s upside surprise underscores continued job demand, supporting cyclical sectors. Tech Outperformance: Positive guidance from mega-cap firms is prope...

Futures Fervor: Durable Goods Slump Meets GDP Beat — June 26, 2025 Market Overview & Sentiment News Asia & Europe: Nikkei +0.1%, Shanghai +0.2%, DAX -0.1%, FTSE +0.3% on mixed economic cues ahead of US data. US Equity Futures: ES1! +0.30%, NQ1! +0.50%, YM1! +0.20%, RTY1! +0.40% as traders digest a sharp durable goods decline and stronger-than-expected GDP. Sector Buzz: Industrials and tech under pressure early on durable goods miss; financials and homebuilders perk up on GDP upside and strong corporate profits. Energy & Metals: Crude tests VWAP support at $65.00 after modest oil draw; gold holds tight between 3,350–3,360 amid cautious risk sentiment. Impact: The tug-of-war between weak manufacturing orders and robust GDP has created range-bound opportunities; focus on sector rotation from defensives into cyclicals around key VWAP levels. Technical Analysis ES Footprint & Delta: Recent footprint shows a persistent sell...

Fed in Focus: Housing Data & Oil Draw Steer Futures Rally — June 25, 2025 Market Overview & Sentiment News Overnight Markets: Asia and Europe traded mixed ahead of Fed testimony—Nikkei -0.2%, DAX -0.3%; London’s FTSE +0.1% on robust earnings. U.S. Equity Futures: ES1! +0.25%, NQ1! +0.45%, YM1! +0.15%, RTY1! +0.35% on anticipation of housing data and Fed commentary. Housing & Credit: MBA 30-year mortgage rate rose to 6.88%, New Home Sales surged +10.9% MoM—boosting homebuilder and regional bank futures. Energy & Commodities: EIA reported a 11.47M-barrel crude draw and a 0.21M-barrel gasoline build—CL1! testing VWAP support, GC1! holding in a tight range. Impact: Housing strength and a large oil draw underpin sector rotation into homebuilders and energy; Fed testimony looms as the catalyst for broad-market moves around VWAP levels. Technical Analysis ES Footprint & Delta: Early sell imbalance of –85 delta at 6130 wa...

Ceasefire Rally: VWAP, Fed Testimony & Housing Data on Deck June 24, 2025 Market Overview & Sentiment News Overnight Markets: Asia and Europe surged on Mideast ceasefire hopes—Japan’s Nikkei +1.1%, Germany’s DAX +1.8% after Trump announced an Israel-Iran truce. U.S. Equity Futures: ES1! +0.9%, NQ1! +1.15%, YM1! +0.8%, RTY1! +1.0% on a broad risk‑on move into growth names. Oil & Commodities: WTI crude slid ~3% to $66.80 on eased supply fears; gold dipped 1.7% to $3,338 amid weaker safe-haven demand. Bond Yields & FX: 10‑year UST yield eased to 4.12%; DXY down 0.3%; EUR/USD +0.4%; USD/JPY -2% ahead of Fed testimony. Impact: Mixed global cues and rising yields are keeping futures on edge—VWAP levels and footprint clusters will be key for spotting intraday reversals and breakouts. Technical Analysis ES Footprint & Delta: Early session ES1! showed a sell imbalance of -85 delta at 6130, followed by aggressive buyer abso...

Morning Momentum: VWAP, Yields & Fed on Deck June 18, 2025 Market Overview & Sentiment News Overnight Markets: Tokyo stocks rose after Japan’s PMI beat forecasts; China flat ahead of industrial output data; Europe mixed on bank earnings. U.S. Equity Futures: ES down 0.1%, NQ -0.2% on rising Treasury yields; investors await Fed decision; energy futures outperformed on oil draw. Oil & Commodities: WTI crude jumped 1.3% on a surprise EIA draw; gold steadied near $1,930 as the dollar eased. Bond Yields: 10‑year UST yield climbed to 4.15% after hawkish Fed commentary; higher yields pressuring growth stocks. Impact: Mixed global cues and rising yields are keeping futures on edge—VWAP levels and footprint clusters will be key for spotting intraday reversals and breakouts. Technical Analysis ES Footprint & Delta: This morning's volume footprint shows an initial sell imbalance (delta -79) on ES1! at 6045, followed by absor...

Opening Bell Edge: VWAP Footprints & Retail Sales Spotlight By Alex | June 17, 2025 Market Overview & Sentiment News Overnight Markets: Nikkei +0.5% led by tech gains; Shanghai flat ahead of China industrial data; European futures modestly higher on oil draw expectations. U.S. Equities Futures: ES and NQ up ~0.1%, YM flat; investors cautious ahead of June retail sales and import/export price reports at 8:30 AM. Oil & Commodities: API reports -0.6 M barrel draw, lifting CL futures toward $71.50; gold consolidates near $1,925 amid muted safe-haven demand. Bond Yields: 10‑year UST yield steady at 4.10%; Fed speakers remain quiet until PPI on Thursday, keeping rates outlook range-bound. Impact: Markets tracking macro calendar over headlines—VWAP baselines and footprint clusters will guide intraday entries and exits. Foundational Analysis Monetary Policy: Fed funds at 5.25–5.50%; mixed PPI and CPI readings suggest Fed waits fo...

Your June 12 Equity Futures Playbook By Alex | June 12, 2025 Market Overview & Sentiment News US CPI Meets Expectations: May CPI at 0.1% MoM keeps inflation in check, prompting modest gains in ES and NQ futures. Fed Speak: Fed Chair Powell’s remarks argue for patience on rate cuts, driving mixed reactions—short-term pullbacks in YM but stability in CL. Tech Earnings: Strong beats from Apple and Microsoft boost NQ futures by 0.8%, rotating gains into semis and software names. Oil Inventory: API reports a 0.37M barrel draw, lifting CL toward $67.50 and adding bullish momentum to energy complex. Geopolitical Risk: Middle East tensions ease after OPEC+ comments, capping further spikes in GC despite safe-haven demand. Impact: Equity futures react to inflation and earnings beats—lean into longs on NQ/ES dips to VWAP, fade YM rallies on dovish Fed takes, and keep an eye on CL for continuation above $67.40. Foundational Analysis Mon...