Thursday September 18, 2025

In Thursday’s AM Briefing, Micros Trader stressed discipline and patience in futures trading following the FOMC announcement and ahead of options expiration. The briefing reviewed recent trades that followed a pre-planned “Battle Plan,” all of which hit targets cleanly, leaving no immediate setups in the current session. Technical levels highlighted include strong support near 77 and a weekly POC zone below, with only a potential counter-trend short flagged as aggressive. A significant portion of the session was devoted to trader psychology, with Micros Trader underscoring that consistent discipline in small accounts is the foundation for success with larger capital.

☀️ AM BRIEFING

Opening Remarks

Micros Trader delivered the AM Briefing on Thursday, September 18th, focusing on disciplined, plan-based trading in the wake of an FOMC announcement and ahead of options expiration. The theme was patience, preparation, and precise execution. The market had already reached its overnight target, leading to the conclusion that there was "literally nothing to do" but wait for the next quality setup.

Core Trading Philosophy and Methodology

The Battle Plan Approach

Micros Trader emphasized the "Battle Plan" as the foundation of the strategy. This involves mapping out potential trades the night before, identifying specific price zones of interest, and then waiting for the market to come to those levels. The key distinction is between proactive planning versus reactive trading. Traders are reminded that professionals wait for their setups, take their piece, and walk away.

Trade Execution Principles

Execution is framed as a brief, decisive engagement. The trader only needs one or two high-quality trades per day to achieve their goal. By trading this way, traders avoid becoming "a slave to the chart."

The Single Runner Strategy

After taking initial profits, Micros Trader advises holding a small portion—a "single runner"—to capture potential large moves. This strategy acknowledges uncertainty, stressing that nobody knows how far price will go. An example was given from the FOMC day trade where holding a runner resulted in an 80-point gain.

Market Analysis and Trade Recap (Post-FOMC)

Market Environment

Thursday’s session followed an FOMC announcement and came just before options expiration and X-dividend day. The week was described as “level 10 difficulty.”

Battle Plan Trades Recap

Trade #3: Price bounced off the top of a pre-defined engagement zone, resulting in what Micros Trader called "a beautiful bounce." Many traders secured their profits here.
Trade #4: A mapped entry above a level also triggered, producing another strong move for quick traders.

Overnight Session (Battle Plan #2)

The overnight session provided another opportunity. Price moved straight into the activation zone, triggering either an add-on long or initial entry. This trade hit its pre-defined target, marking the overnight high.

Current Market Outlook (September 18th)

Target Achieved – Nothing to Do

The market had already reached its upside target. Micros Trader stressed that no new setups were active: “We made it to our target, there’s nothing for me to do here, Jack, nothing.”

Key Technical Levels

Strong Support: The 77 level remains strong support. Traders should be cautious about shorting above it.
POC Below: The weekly Point of Control lies beneath 77, creating a “no-trade zone” between these levels.
Thin Structure: The overnight session showed thin price action, suggesting the presence of late longs.

Potential Counter-Short Setup

A counter-trend short is possible if price pops the high and rejects from a strong level. Entry would come on the slam back in, targeting the weekly POC. However, this was noted as aggressive.

Broader Context (NQ Futures)

Nasdaq futures showed strong bullish momentum, with a steep VWAP angle and extended price action. Any shorts here should be very small and only added to if price moves in the trader’s favor.

Trader Psychology: Progressive Faithfulness

The Core Principle

Micros Trader dedicated a large section of the briefing to the principle of "progressive faithfulness," rooted in the biblical truth: "Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in very much."

The character and discipline a trader demonstrates with a $1,000 account will be the same with a $100,000 account. Discipline, risk management, and honesty scale consistently.

Debunking Misconceptions

“When I have more capital, I’ll follow my rules.”
“The higher the stakes, I’ll be more careful.”
“When I’m trading real size, I’ll finally respect risk.”

All these beliefs were rejected. Character is consistent across all account sizes, and undisciplined traders will not magically improve with more capital.