Friday Volatility — Trade What You See
by Tony Rago
It’s Friday and volatility is elevated, so this is a session that demands respect. PPI hit this morning and the market reacted bearishly, setting the tone early, but we’re not done with catalysts yet — PMI drops at 9:45, which means the first 30 minutes could be especially fast and emotional. Overnight, bulls made an attempt to stabilize things but couldn’t reclaim 7,000 in ES or 26,000 in NQ, keeping the broader structure under pressure. Add in the fact that this is the final trading day of January, and you’ve got a mix of positioning, emotion, and headline risk all colliding into the open.
Coming in, objectivity is key. High-volatility Fridays can punish traders who get married to a bias too early, especially with economic data still ahead. I’ll be focused on how the opening ranges develop and how price responds after PMI hits the tape — that reaction often tells you more than the number itself. Let the market show its hand, stay patient, and wait for clean setups rather than forcing trades in noisy conditions. Days like this are about discipline and execution, not prediction. 💪
👉 Full breakdown is inside today’s Pre-Market Playbook. Check it out here and trade it smart.

