When the Market Owes You Nothing
Monday morning, 9:30 AM. The NASDAQ gaps up overnight. Big earnings on deck. FOMC looming. All-time highs across the board. A trader in my room asks where I think the market is going today. Here's what I told him: "If anybody sits here and tells you they do, like at 9:30 in the morning when…
Friday, October 31, 2025 - Tony's Pre-Market Playbook
Month-End Friday Fireworksby Tony Rago Last trading day of the month — and a Friday. Always a mix for potential volatility. Those gaps below are still out there, but AMZN and AAPL crushed earnings and are trying to hold the tape together, so keep a close eye on them for leadership. Watching 6,900 on ES…
Thursday, October 30, 2025 - Tony's Pre-Market Playbook
Post-FED Fallout Beginsby Tony Rago FED Day is behind us, and now we get to see how the fallout hits retail traders. Price couldn’t hold 6,926 as I type this, and sellers are finally stepping back into the tape. Could be a wild open, so patience is key. I’m planning to let it settle and…
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 - Tony's Pre-Market Playbook
FED Day: Less Is Moreby Tony Rago It’s FED Day, which means the playbook is simple — do less. Expect a whippy open that likely settles into a range while we wait for the 2pm announcement. The key today isn’t about catching every move — it’s about staying patient and trading the fallout this…
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 - Tony's Pre-Market Playbook
Melt-Up Mode Continuesby Tony Rago The melt-up rolls on with fresh highs again. We may hang up here into FOMC — we’ll see how long the bulls can keep control. In a tape like this, you’ve got to stay objective. Forget what you want the market to do and trade what it is doing.…
Monday, October 27, 2025 - Tony's Pre-Market Playbook
China Headlines Ignite the Openby Tony Rago Big gap at the open this morning on China trade news, and we’re already seeing momentum build. Gap fills sit at 6,826 on ES and 25,500 on NQ — key markers to watch once the cash session kicks in. Plan is simple: let it open, watch how price…
Day Done in Four Minutes
Friday morning, the market opened and several traders in my room captured 50 points before their coffee got cold. Four minutes into the session, they were done. Logged off. Day complete. The setup was textbook. The pit opening range broke higher. The cash level held exactly where it should. Price bounced from the 66 level…
Friday, October 24, 2025 - Tony's Pre-Market Playbook
New Highs into the Closeby Tony Rago Econ data sparked fresh highs on both ES and NQ heading into the final stretch of the week. Now it’s about seeing if the bulls can defend those levels into the close. I’ll be letting it open and watching where we land — keep an eye on…
Thursday, October 23, 2025 - Tony's Pre-Market Playbook
TSLA Miss Shakes the Tapeby Tony Rago Nice move to the downside out of that consolidation. TSLA’s earnings miss on net income is setting up a gap down this morning — now it’s all about how retail reacts to it. Key levels to watch: on ES, the weekly open at 6,721 and the 6,700…
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 - Tony's Pre-Market Playbook
Breakout or More Chop?by Tony Rago Yesterday was a clean consolidation day, and now we’ll see if today’s the one that breaks us out to new highs on both NQ and ES. I’m watching for a push above yesterday’s highs — but only if key support levels hold underneath. If those highs cap the…