Friday September 19, 2025

Micros Trader advised traders to maintain discipline in a bullish market environment, framing the day as a “level 10 trading week” coinciding with option expiration. Pullbacks were identified as prime opportunities for long entries, while short trades were described as risky, counter-trend moves best handled with minimal exposure. A trend reversal would only be confirmed by the market’s failure to sustain the buy-the-dip pattern, specifically by trading under regular session lows. Emphasizing the principle that diligence leads to profit, the briefing urged traders to journal setups, plan trades in advance, and avoid impulsive entries that can erode profitability.

☀️ AM BRIEFING

Opening Remarks

Micros Trader delivered today’s AM Briefing with a clear emphasis on discipline and market structure. The dominant theme is that the market remains decisively bullish, and traders should align with that momentum rather than fight it. Pullbacks are to be treated as opportunities to get long, while short positions must be handled with extreme caution and viewed only as quick, counter-trend trades.

The context is heightened by the fact that this is a “level 10 trading week” and an option expiration day. This increases volatility and risk, requiring a more rigid trading plan. Micros Trader recommended a “one trade and done” approach, ensuring traders avoid overexposure in a dangerous environment.

Market Posture and Strategy

The primary thesis is simple: “Long or flat.” The September trend is described as “Up up and away,” and the central tactic is to treat every pullback as a potential entry for a long position.

Attempts to push the market lower have consistently been bought back up, resulting in new highs.
Despite discomfort at trading near all-time highs, the current price action is not bearish. As the saying goes, “The market can stay irrational longer than I can stay solvent.”
The only rational positions in this environment are long or flat.

Approach to Short Positions

Short trades are counter-trend and carry significantly higher risk. Micros Trader characterized them as “microwave trades”—quick in, quick out.

Traders should not expect 100-point runners on shorts, whereas multiple 100-point rallies on longs have already occurred this month.
Shorts must be small if attempted at all, and under no circumstances should a trader add to a losing short.
Trying to call the top near all-time highs should only be attempted with the smallest leverage possible.
Anyone who has consistently shorted this month has likely had a very difficult time.

Identifying a Trend Change

The bullish thesis remains valid until the market proves otherwise.

A shift would be signaled by failure of the “buy the dip” pattern.
Specifically, traders should watch for when the market can “ladder under an RTH low.”
The FOMC meeting provided such a test, but the market quickly recovered and made new highs.
Micros Trader advised that if two consecutive long pullback trades both stop out, traders should pause and ask, “Are things changing?”

Situational Context and Risk Management

Today is a high-risk environment—an OPEX Friday during a level 10 trading week.

A “no trade day” is a perfectly acceptable plan.
The recommended approach is to wait for one high-quality setup, take the trade, and be finished for the day.
Equity clock seasonality charts suggest September is historically an inflection point, something to keep in mind as the market presses all-time highs.

Technical Analysis: Defining the Closing Price

RTH Close: the price of the final high-volume candle of the session; considered the most important.
Settlement Price: VWAP of the final 30 seconds of RTH; widely used via CME data.
The Last: the final tick before the one-hour halt; represents the absolute last traded price.

Trading Philosophy: Diligence vs. Haste

Micros Trader anchored today’s AM Briefing with the principle: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

Diligence in trading means careful, methodical preparation and consistent execution of a plan.
Haste often disguises itself as “opportunity,” leading traders into unplanned, impulsive entries.
Profitable traders win not by catching every move, but by executing a repeatable process with discipline.

Practical Applications for Diligent Trading

Create a detailed pre-market plan with defined entry levels.
Review leverage—especially on risky days like OPEX Friday.
Journal every trade before execution to slow down decision-making.
Take screenshots of each setup for review.
Keep trading platforms closed between planned setups to avoid impulsivity.

"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."

"The diligent trader profits not because they catch every move but because they consistently execute a profitable process."

"Haste in trading rarely looks like panic. It usually disguises itself as opportunity."

"I believe your trading life will be easier if you’re just focusing on these pullbacks as opportunities to get long until the market proves to you that things are changing."

"What is your plan for today? Did you plan a 3-day weekend? If you did, you’re not even here. What is your plan today?"

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