Quad Witching Friday: Futures Hold Near Highs After Claims Reversal, Philly Fed Pops, LEI Slips — Sep 19, 2025 Scalper’s Playbook Market Overview & Sentiment News Since Wednesday’s 25 bp “risk-management” cut, markets have repriced toward gradual easing while reassessing growth. Thursday’s data mix tightened the narrative: initial jobless claims cooled sharply from last week’s spike, the Philly Fed surged to its best since January, and the Conference Board’s LEI fell again—signaling softer momentum ahead even as manufacturing sentiment firmed. Rates are hovering near ~4.0–4.1% on the 10-year, VIX sits in the mid-teens, gold is on a fifth weekly rise, and crude is softer despite a large crude draw given a heavy distillate build and demand worries. Overnight tone is steady into today’s quarterly options expiration (“quad witching”), with microstructure flows likely to dominate intraday leadership versus fresh macro catalysts. Use a Virtual Private Server: ...

Market Overview & Sentiment News Global markets take a breather: World equities pulled back slightly from record highs, with the STOXX 600 down around 0.4% as British bank stocks slid and political risks in France weighed. MSCI’s global index remains near peaks, signalling underlying resilience. Fed cut bets intensify: Fed Governor Christopher Waller repeated his call for a September rate cut and traders now price roughly an 85% chance of a 25‑bp move. The legal fight over former President Trump’s attempt to dismiss Governor Lisa Cook has thrust central‑bank independence into the spotlight. Gold and dollar dynamics: Gold is holding near $3,414 /oz after gaining 3.6% in August, while the U.S. dollar is on track for a roughly 2% monthly drop as yields hover just above two‑week lows. A tame PCE print would keep real rates anchored and support risk assets. Oil and commodities: Brent crude trades around $68 and WTI near $64 as traders balance fading U.S. su...