Weekend ES Emini and MES Micro Trading System Summary

The Complete ES & MES Trading System Guide: Levels, Strategy, Psychology & Execution



Opening Remarks

Welcome to the deep dive. Glad to be diving in—we've got your stack of sources right here, and we're planning to extract the most valuable nuggets of knowledge so you can get informed fast.

Today, we’re plunging deep into the world of market analysis and trading strategy. Specifically, we’re looking at a series of daily morning briefings from the week ending May 30th. These briefings are packed with insights on identifying key levels, building out daily trading plans, and navigating the constant movement of price.

Battle Planning and Key Levels

The core principle is to have a battle plan mapped out before the market opens, based on specific critical levels. It’s not about predicting where the market will go, but identifying where you'd want to engage—where the action might occur. These include strong levels, opening price, POC, and gaps.

Key level to watch: 61-62 — potential magnet or bounce zone.

The Bull/Bear Line

This critical level serves as the market’s line in the sand. Above it, bulls are in control; below it, bears dominate. It often signals trend continuation or a shift in momentum and is foundational in the briefings' methodology.

Trade Management and Risk Control

Most profits come from management, not entry. Principles include always using a stop loss, never adding to losers, and trading small on counter-trend setups. Losses should be small—just paper cuts.

Management techniques like partial profits and financed runners allow participation in bigger moves without additional risk.

The Psychological Component

Journaling and self-reflection are essential. Complex chop and major news events require discipline and sometimes a complete step back. Traders must manage themselves, not just the charts.

SUMMARY:

  • ✅ The week's briefings emphasized recognizing prevailing market direction early—likened to a "northbound train" during bullish runs
  • ✅ Core strategy focuses on pre-identifying key levels and engaging only when price reaches them—“no level, no trade”
  • ✅ Trade management, not entry timing, was highlighted as the main driver of profitability, with strict stop-loss rules
  • ✅ Risk control includes never adding to losers, trading small on counter-trends, and using partial profit-taking and financed runners
  • ✅ Psychological discipline through journaling and stepping back during unclear or volatile conditions is seen as essential for consistent success

Key Trading Levels & Chart Elements

  • Bull Bear Line: A critical level indicating control. Price above suggests bullish sentiment; below, bearish. Often a long entry point and known as a "sticky level."
  • Strong Levels/Ranges: Key reaction zones. Strategy includes trading from one to another with profit at the next.
  • Overnight High/Low & RTH Levels: Crucial reference points. Alignment can form key Bull Bear Lines. Liquidity grabs noted as potential drivers.
  • Asia/London Session Levels: Create magnets when overlapping. Monitored for convergence and price attraction.
  • VWAP: Reference line supporting bullish bias when price is above.
  • POC: High-volume levels from prior days targeted frequently.
  • Fair Value Gaps: Areas likely to be filled, reflecting market strength or weakness.
  • Magnets: Levels like POC, Asia lows, gap fills, and 61-62 that attract price.

Trading Strategy and Execution

  • Battle Plan: Created pre-session, highlights preferred trade ideas and key levels. Alerts often set for conditions.
  • Patience & Setup: Only enter at pre-identified levels. Wait for ideal trades, not every fluctuation.
  • Trade Management:
    • Stop Loss: Mandatory. Never widen on a loser. Influences entry decisions.
    • Taking Profit: Especially critical for counter-trades. Use known levels for targets.
    • Runners & Scaling: Initial profits secured, runners managed with trailing stops. No averaging down.
  • Counter-Trading: Smaller size, part of the plan, clear stops, and fast exits.
  • Stay Green: Protect profit, especially late in the day/week. Adjust risk accordingly.
  • Journaling: Daily performance tracking with journal software recommended.
  • Time Frames: Multiple frames used (30s to 30m). Higher frames clarify lower time action.
  • No Trade Zones: Avoid early open minutes or major news lead-ups.
  • No Prediction Trading: Wait for price at levels. Let setups come to you.
  • System & Discipline: Pick a system, track results, refine self. Follow your rules.

Market Dynamics and Context

  • News Drivers: PCE, GDP, Jobs data, FOMC, and earnings like Nvidia are major volatility events.
  • Market Hours: Session definitions influence level relevance (RTH, Overnight, London, Asia).
  • Market Correlation: Look for index alignment (ES, NQ, etc.) for trend confirmation or chop detection.
  • Liquidity Grabs: Strategic stop-hunting often leads to reversals or continuation trades.
  • Momentum Indicator: Custom tool flags directional moves. Advises against counter-trading freight trains.

Mindset and Philosophy

  • Wisdom & Mentorship: Proverbs 13:20 guidance. Learn from mentors and the wise.
  • Risk Management: Protect capital and past wins. No single trade should cause major damage.
  • Discipline: Rule-following ensures longevity and limits loss.
  • Structure over Desire: Let chart structure, not emotion, dictate action.
  • Patience Pays: High-probability setups and solid management beat overtrading.
  • Resilience: Accept losses. Tools like lockout features help preserve mental capital on rough days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are "battle plans" and how are they used in trading?
A: Battle plans are pre-determined trading setups that map out entry points, targets, and stops based on analysis. These help traders react swiftly when price reaches key areas.

Q: What are "strong levels" and the "bull bear line" and why are they significant?
A: Strong levels and the bull bear line highlight major support/resistance. Above the bull bear line, buyers dominate; below, sellers do. These are critical for trade planning.

Q: What is the significance of PCE and Nvidia in the trading week discussed in the sources?
A: PCE is a key inflation metric; Nvidia's earnings can spike volatility. Both events are tracked for trade opportunities.

Q: What is the trader's approach to risk management, particularly when counter-trading or holding winning positions?
A: Every trade has a stop. Small size is used for counter-trades, and winners are managed with trailing stops or partial profits to stay green.

Q: How does the trader use different time frames in their analysis?
A: From 30-second to weekly charts, time frames are layered to identify key levels and refine entries/exits.

Q: What is the role of psychological discipline and journaling in this trading approach?
A: Mental strength is essential. Journaling supports review and discipline, reinforcing lessons and growth.

Q: What are some of the key market behaviours and patterns the trader looks for?
A: Patterns include lading up, liquidity grabs, gap fills, trend line backtests, and bounce plays at key levels.

Q: How does the trader view trading during news events and holiday sessions?
A: These are treated with caution due to unpredictability. Risk is reduced, though big events are observed live for potential setups.

ES & MES Training System Study Guide

Quiz

Answer each question in 2-3 sentences based on the provided material.

  1. What is the primary focus of the Friday AM briefing Battle Plan discussed?
  2. Why does the speaker emphasise the importance of a stop-loss in every trade?
  3. According to the Monday AM briefing, what is a key benefit of journaling trades?
  4. What is the significance of the Bull Bear Line mentioned in the briefings?
  5. What are "strong levels" and how are they used in the trading system?
  6. What news drivers were highlighted for the week following the Monday briefing?
  7. Why does the speaker often advise against trading in "chop zones"?
  8. What is the rationale behind using a trailing stop for winning trades?
  9. How does the speaker approach taking "counter trades"?
  10. What does the phrase "structure over desire" mean in the context of this trading approach?

Quiz Answer Key

  • Friday Battle Plan: Aimed at a specific trade entry the speaker wanted, waiting for a deeper pullback level.
  • Stop-loss: Essential to protect capital and avoid major losses during unexpected market moves.
  • Journaling: Helps traders stick to a system, evaluate performance, and improve discipline and execution.
  • Bull Bear Line: A critical level indicating market control—bullish above, bearish below.
  • Strong Levels: Historical reaction points that act as support or resistance for trade planning.
  • News Drivers: Durable Goods, Consumer Confidence, FOMC Minutes, Nvidia earnings, Unemployment, GDP, PCE.
  • Chop Zones: Avoided due to unpredictable price action and unclear trade setups.
  • Trailing Stop: Used to protect profits while allowing room for trade continuation.
  • Counter Trades: Taken with caution, small size, and tight stops due to going against trend.
  • Structure Over Desire: Focusing on objective setups instead of wishful price predictions.

Essay Format Questions

  1. Discuss the role of discipline and trade management in the featured trading system, drawing on examples from the briefings, particularly regarding staying "green" and handling losing trades.
  2. Analyse the significance of key levels (e.g., Bull Bear Line, Strong Levels, RTH highs/lows, overnight levels) and trend lines in identifying potential trade opportunities and managing risk within this trading approach.
  3. Evaluate the speaker's perspective on trading during different market conditions and events (e.g., holiday sessions, news releases like PCE or Nvidia earnings, chop zones) and how this influences their trade selection and risk management.
  4. Explain the concept of a "financed runner" and its purpose within the trading strategy, detailing how initial contracts are used to mitigate risk on remaining positions.
  5. Based on the provided text, describe the process of mapping out a "Battle Plan" trade and the criteria used to identify the "most wanted" setups.

Glossary of Key Terms

  • AM Briefing: Morning market analysis and trade plan.
  • Asia Low: Lowest price during Asia session.
  • Battle Plan: Pre-session trade ideas and key levels.
  • Backside: Retest of a level from the opposite side.
  • Break Levels: Key break-out/breakdown price zones.
  • Bull Bear Line: Dividing line between bullish/bearish bias.
  • Cash Account: Account funded without leverage.
  • Chop Zone: Ranged, messy price action zone.
  • Confirmation: Validation of a trade setup.
  • Counter Trade: Trade against the trend.
  • Daily Loss Limit: Max allowable loss per day.
  • Daily Ladder Point: Target or reaction level from prior day.
  • Fair Value Gap (FVG): Inefficient area on chart; often filled.
  • Financed Runner: Runner contract held with locked-in profit.
  • FOMC Minutes: Fed’s meeting record.
  • Freight Train: Strong, fast directional move.
  • Front Side: Trending side of a level.
  • Gap Fill: Price returning to fill a gap.
  • Green: Having a profitable session.
  • Halfback: Midpoint of a price range.
  • Heat: Volatility or price pressure.
  • Home Run Trade: Exceptionally large winning trade.
  • IB High/Low: Initial balance high and low.
  • Journaling: Recording and reviewing trading behavior.
  • Lading Up: Price tightening before a move.
  • Ladder Back: Pullback to a prior level.
  • Laddering: Scaling out of a trade in pieces.
  • Leverage Metrics: Risk-based position sizing guides.
  • Liquidity Grab: Stop hunt and reversal zone.
  • London High/Low: High/low from London session.
  • Magnet: Price-attracting level.

Friday Follow-Through: Bull Bear Battles, PCE Reactions & The 61-62 Bounce

1. Weekly Market Recap: Price Action & Key Events

It was a packed week for ES & MES traders. Price rallied nearly 100 points from Friday’s maintenance low to a Wednesday high, fueled by a volatile mix of economic catalysts and pre-mapped technical setups. The PCE release and Nvidia earnings were both center-stage, triggering wild moves—but price ultimately respected structure.

Key terms repeated all week: lading up at the bull bear line, teflon levels, and the monster magnet at 6162.

2. Trade of the Week: The Battle Plan in Action

The Friday battle plan was executed with precision. A mapped-out short entry around 95 was taken with a target near 72, netting a clean 20-point gain. Price then flushed to the long-anticipated 6162 magnet zone, where the speaker flipped to long using a financed runner strategy.

Trailing stops were strategically set (e.g., 90, 68), with two contracts left to run. One was eventually exited near the close, the other managed into the weekend.

3. Psychological Edge: Staying Green & Trade Discipline

  • “Stay green over getting more” was the repeated mantra this week.
  • No multi-contracts ahead of news, no trading past ideal hours, no prediction trades.
  • AM Briefings reinforced structured journaling and post-trade reflection.
  • Mapping battle plans before the open proved critical for patience and execution.

4. Community Callouts

  • 🎯 Clue I crushed the 20-point short with precision.
  • 📈 Justin held his long position through the bounce toward 5900.
  • 🛑 Roger nailed his stop placement on the morning short.
  • 🧼 Caleb waited patiently for the second ladder short opportunity.

5. Levels to Watch Next Week

  • Support: 6162, 5921 (halfback / POC), 5855
  • Resistance: 6000, 6050, 6100
  • Bull Bear Line: Still defined by the RTH close + Overnight High. Sticky and strong.

6. Reflection Prompt

“Did I miss my best trade because it happened outside my ideal hours — or because I wasn’t patient enough?”

Log it. Learn it. Refine your edge.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ES Emini Futures Strategy: Daily Loss Limit and Leverage

Image
  TRANSCRIPT: Okay let's talk about trading futures contracts. On the SNP. In regards to your daily loss limit and your leverage how do those things relate? Well we need to know three things I need to know your daily loss limit. How many trades you're willing to take as a loss. And what is your stop loss? Those are the three things. You need to know. In fact let me make a little note here. Three things you must know. This is what is your daily loss limit…That's. for everybody. What's your stop loss…And the home mini. Trades are you willing…to lose with these three numbers We can determine exactly how you should trade. And we're going to talk about three scenarios with number three My favorite. So let's say you were willing to take a 300. Dollar daily loss limit. You're willing to take three losing trades and you have a strict six point stop-loss. Now all we have to do with some math. Well one MES. If we're going to lose six points, you're going to...
Read more

Core ES Emini | MES Micro Scalping Training Strategy

Image
 South of Texas Motor Speedway Thursday, 8:37 a.m. Welcome to Micros Trader. This is an online community of futures traders who scalp the S&P MES/ES futures. I have no clue how you found this site but this could possibly, maybe, change your life. Trading is HARD. It is! But, we are here to make it simple. Give me ONE month and you will stay in our little group for a lifetime. Trading with a group of professionals with the same goals with the same trading system is delightful and refreshing. We have an active Discord Group and we Zoom each AM from Market Open to Noon EST charting, trading, and supporting each other.  NOTE: If you don't have a Discord account, you will want to create one. It is kinda like facebook groups, if you have facebook. It is our own little group where we interact, ask questions, post pictures, have contests (like the 20 point club, the 30 point club, ...), post our wins, exchange ideas, grow, share, and help each other. We are a community of professi...
Read more

ES Futures Trading Strategy

Image
Youtube Channel I: Youtube Channel II:  Welcome to Micros Trader.  As a trading group we analyze ES price action live via zoom each morning, from Market Open Til New York Lunch, looking for the same… predictable… 3-5 trade set ups. We typically get 30-45 set ups a week with a 90%+ win rate - your mileage may vary significantly and in no way is this a promise - it is past results we have experienced personally.  We draw horizontal bounce lines. We play the bounces off those lines, looking for multiple confluences that gives the levels extra bounce power. Before entering a trade we analyze the price action, and lett trend dictate our leverage. We tend to favor trades with the trend but we do extremely well in chop too - with much lower leverage of course.  Our core trading strategy for scalping S&P Futures…. is a blend of techniques taught by Cotton Candy TA, ICT, and Market Profile Auction Principles. These principles coupled with years of reading ES price acti...
Read more