Monday August 25, 2025

Q: What is the core philosophy behind Microtrader.com's AM Briefing?

The AM Briefing, presented by Microtrader.com, provides traders with key levels, setups, and insights for the trading day. It combines practical trading advice with scripture, encouraging traders to see beyond the visible and prepare mentally and spiritually.

Q: What is the significance of 'halfback' in Microtrader.com's trading strategy?

The halfback is the most important level of the day and acts as the bull/bear line. Staying above it signals bullish control, while losing it could mark a shift toward bearish direction.

Q: What are the 'Battle Plan' trades mentioned in the briefing?

Battle Plan trades are specific setups based on key levels and conditions, often producing large point moves. Traders are encouraged to review their battle plans regularly to catch active opportunities.

Q: What is the 'Tip of the Day' and why is it important for traders?

The Tip of the Day stresses the need to plan breaks, since trading is taxing. Extended breaks, especially around holidays, refresh the mind and spirit, helping traders return with better clarity.

Q: How does Microtrader.com integrate personal well-being into its trading advice?

The briefing frequently emphasizes rest and mental health. Taking extended time away from charts is encouraged, as a refreshed mindset leads to stronger trading performance.

Q: What technical indicators and chart patterns does Microtrader.com focus on?

Focus is placed on key price levels such as all-time highs, IB highs, RTH levels, Sunday openings, and single prints. Chart patterns like flags are acknowledged but not heavily emphasized.

Q: What role does community and live interaction play in Microtrader.com's approach?

The AM Briefing is interactive, with traders encouraged to join live sessions and subscribe for updates. Micros Trader regularly meets traders 15 minutes before market open to review setups and support the community.

Q: What is the significance of the scripture from 1 Samuel in the briefing?

The scripture highlights the importance of looking beyond surface appearances, both in life and in trading. It teaches traders to analyze deeper market dynamics rather than being swayed by immediate, visible moves.

Live Futures Market Prep

In Friday’s AM Briefing, Micros Trader urged participants to look beyond surface-level indicators, drawing on a scriptural lesson from 1 Samuel. He recommended traders use the upcoming holiday to extend their break, warning that the first trading day back is often unproductive. Technical analysis centered on the halfback level, which he identified as the critical bull-bear dividing line, alongside key levels such as Friday’s RTH high, overnight low, and recent single prints. Tomorrow marks the 500th episode of the AM Briefing, coinciding with new home sales data and live trade discussions.

☀️ AM BRIEFING

Opening Remarks: Seeing Beyond the Visible

Micros Trader opened today’s AM Briefing with a powerful scripture from 1 Samuel: “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”

This passage is especially meaningful in the story of Samuel finding David. Micros Trader described it as an “awesome scene” and even suggested watching The House of David series on Amazon for a great depiction of this moment.

The message for traders: just as the Lord looks beyond appearances, we must look beyond surface-level indicators in the market. True understanding comes from seeing the deeper dynamics, not just what is immediately visible.

Trader Well-being and Holiday Planning

Micros Trader emphasized the importance of rest and recovery, noting that trading is demanding and requires traders to be at their best. With a three-day weekend ahead due to Monday’s holiday, he strongly encouraged traders to extend their break.

Recommendations included:

Taking either Friday or Tuesday off, since the first day back after a holiday usually “stinks.”
Extending the break into a five-day stretch (Friday through Tuesday) and returning Wednesday fully refreshed.

Micros Trader promised, “You’ll come back with a different vision of the charts, with a refreshed mind and a refreshed spirit for trading.”

Key Market Levels and Trading Strategies

The heart of today’s briefing was dedicated to technical analysis, particularly focused on the halfback level.

Most Important Level Today: Halfback — “This is the level longs want to defend. That is the most important level today, that’s where our eyes will be.”

Currently, the market is flagging above the RTH halfback, which he noted is not bearish. The bull/bear line for today, in his view, is the halfback:

“Above the halfback, it’s bulls’ ball, bulls’ court, bulls’ league. Below it, I’d love to see us take back the entire vomit day.”

Other Key Levels to Mark:

All-time high (done in Asia)
Previous IB high
Friday’s RTH high (weekly high)
Sunday opening
Friday close (new week opening gap)
RTH low
London low
Overnight low (a “missed trade of the week” – a battle plan trade that went 100 points)
RTH low and weekly low (from Wednesday)

Single Prints from Friday:

7175: Beginning of B period single prints (labeled “Powell” for future reference)
Beginning of A period single prints

These remain on the chart until removed during the RTH session.

NQ (Nasdaq 100):

NQ is skating above a key trend line. If it loses that line and the halfback, attention shifts back to both NQ and ES around halfback.

Russell (RUT):

Showing strong resilience: “Look how amazing Russell is, it’s going, nah, we’re not going down at all, zero.”

Battle Plan Trades:

A battle plan trade was activated last night. Traders were encouraged to check their battle plans for details. Micros Trader reminded viewers he will be live 15 minutes before the market open.

Upcoming Events and Reminders

Economic Data: New Home Sales, scheduled for 30 minutes after market open.
Live Sessions: Micros Trader will host episode 500 tomorrow morning and additional sessions during the week as needed when battle plan trades develop.
Milestone: Tomorrow marks the 500th AM Briefing, a significant milestone.

❓ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions – Microtrader.com AM Briefing

What is the core philosophy behind Microtrader.com's AM Briefing?

A: The AM Briefing, presented by Microtrader.com, aims to provide traders with key levels, setups, and insights for the trading day. It combines practical trading advice with inspirational scripture, as seen in the reference to 1 Samuel and the importance of seeing beyond the visible, much like the Lord sees the heart. This suggests a holistic approach to trading that values both technical analysis and mental/spiritual preparedness.

What is the significance of "halfback" in Microtrader.com's trading strategy?

A: The "halfback" is highlighted as the "most important level today" by Microtrader.com. It acts as a crucial defence point for long positions and is considered the "bull bear line." As long as the market stays above the halfback, it is seen as a "Bulls court," indicating bullish sentiment. Losing this level could signal a shift in market direction.

What are the "Battle Plan" trades mentioned in the briefing?

A: "Battle Plan" trades are specific trading opportunities or strategies that Microtrader.com provides to its traders. These trades are often based on key levels and market conditions, with some having the potential for significant point gains (e.g., 100 points). Traders are encouraged to check their "battle plan" for activated trades, even if they occur outside of live market hours.

What is the "Tip of the Day" and why is it important for traders?

A: The "Tip of the Day" emphasizes the importance of planning breaks. Trading is acknowledged as a taxing activity that requires optimal performance. Taking breaks is encouraged to maintain a refreshed mind and spirit, ultimately leading to a "different vision of the charts" and improved trading decisions. This advice is further reinforced by suggesting extending holiday weekends.

How does Microtrader.com integrate personal well-being into its trading advice?

A: Microtrader.com actively encourages traders to prioritise personal well-being. This is evident in the "Tip of the Day" about taking breaks and the suggestion to extend a holiday weekend to four or five days. The reasoning provided is that a refreshed mind and spirit will lead to better trading performance, highlighting the belief that mental and emotional state directly impacts trading success.

What technical indicators and chart patterns does Microtrader.com focus on?

A: Microtrader.com primarily focuses on key price levels such as all-time highs, previous IB highs, RTH (Regular Trading Hours) highs and lows, Sunday openings, Friday closes, and the aforementioned "halfback." They also identify "single prints" and acknowledge chart patterns like flags, though Micros Trader admits to not paying "too much attention to that" particular pattern. The analysis often involves examining the relationship between different market instruments like ES and NQ in relation to these key levels.

What role does community and live interaction play in Microtrader.com's approach?

A: Microtrader.com fosters a sense of community through its AM Briefing and live sessions. Traders are encouraged to "like, subscribe, hit that notification bell" to be informed when the host goes live, especially when a "battle plan trade" is developing. Micros Trader also mentions seeing "my traders live 15 minutes before the market open," indicating direct interaction and support within their trading community.

What is the significance of the scripture from 1 Samuel in the briefing?

A: The scripture from 1 Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him...for the man sees what is visible but the Lord sees the heart," serves as a metaphorical lesson for traders. It suggests looking beyond superficial appearances or obvious market movements and seeking deeper insights, much like the Lord sees the heart rather than just the outward appearance. This can be interpreted as an encouragement to conduct thorough analysis and trust in one's process, rather than being swayed by immediate, visible market fluctuations.