Wednesday September 10, 2025

Q: What is the difference between longs and shorts according to Micros Trader?

Micros Trader describes longs as 'oven trades' that take time to develop, while shorts are treated as quick 'microwave trades.' He stresses that ES is an upward-moving instrument, so traders should prioritize looking for long setups in the right price zones while still mapping out shorts for balance.

In Wednesday’s AM Briefing, Micros Trader emphasized the importance of holding a runner contract to maximize winning trades while managing risk through deleveraging. He reiterated that ES is an upward-trending instrument, advising traders to focus primarily on long setups while recognizing key levels where bears may engage. Ahead of PPI, he cautioned against overtrading near new all-time highs, favoring patience and disciplined execution. The session concluded with a live reaction to PPI, which sparked fresh highs and validated a pre-planned short level.

☀️ AM BRIEFING

Opening Remarks

Good morning, everybody. Welcome to the AM Briefing for Wednesday, September 10. Today is PPI day, the day before CPI.

Today’s tip of the day is one that should be on repeat every week: hold a runner. Keep one runner back. Deleverage if needed. I talked about this in yesterday’s wrap-up video, and we also discussed deleveraging on Zoom.

Holding a Runner

When you set your lotto runner, depending on your account type (end-of-day drawdown or cash account), you just set your stop, close your platform, and walk away. Go to the store, hit golf balls—whatever.

Holding even one micro contract can pay off significantly. If it runs 50 points, that’s $250. Many people work all day in a traditional job without making that much. Always keep a single runner back.

Market Context and News Events

Today is PPI, and tomorrow we’ll do the same watch party for CPI. Tonight’s battle plan will be mapped out as if it were a normal day, but with extreme caution.

Last Friday reminded me to post a new video on not being a soothsayer or an oracle. Tuesday’s low was in, and sessions kept stacking higher. By Friday, people were calling for a new all-time high reversal. I urged caution—bulls were still in control. All we did was grab liquidity, ladder back up, and nearly finish at halfback. It was strong.

In the Zoom room, I could feel the fear, but we stayed patient and waited for our battle plan trades. Sunday’s battle plan carried the same theme: bulls in control 100% until proven otherwise.

ES as an Upward Instrument

I told a trader yesterday—when you sit down at the chart, do you look for a short or a long? If your first instinct is short, you’ll struggle as an ES trader. ES is an upward-moving instrument. The better plan is to look for longs, and that’s why I design the daily battle plan.

Yes, I do map out shorts. Sometimes I give a “speculator special.” For example, Sunday night’s call was a limit-order short between 6517 and 6519. It didn’t quite hit, but the logic still applied.

Great bulls know where the bears are, and great bears know where the bulls are. That’s the purpose of the battle plan: to understand both sides of the trade.

Longs vs. Shorts

I treat shorts like microwave trades and longs like oven trades. Shorts are fast; longs take time to cook.

Monday night’s battle plan set up the long we got yesterday. During Tuesday’s live YouTube stream, we captured about a 50-point move, which more than pays for the room’s monthly fee.

The condensed 4-minute highlight of that session shows the entry, stop loss, targets, and the advice to deleverage while keeping a runner. It illustrates exactly how we engage price: without bias, holding runners, and letting trades develop.

Trade Management

By the end of the day, price made new all-time highs. If you’re long, your goal is to stay long. We’ve already backtested the RTH high. Ahead of PPI, you could move your stop under that RTH high or lock in profits after a solid run.

I don’t love trading near all-time highs—it’s my least favorite place to trade. Unless something spectacular happens, I usually won’t even open my platform on days like this.

Still, key levels matter. For example, I moved my “speculator special” short level up to 6558, closer to the all-time high. I even took a small short trade last night off drone news with Poland, Russia, and Ukraine, but scratched it at breakeven since it was counter-trend.

Live PPI Reaction

When PPI hit, we spiked straight into that 6558 short level. Beautiful reaction, creating new all-time highs across ES and Dow, with NQ close behind.

If you caught the long from 6494, you could have locked in a 40–50 point winner at this point. Either way, you were done for the day with profits in the bank.

I personally took a lotto short in my cash account at 6175, outside the speculator special range, and grabbed 10 points. That wrapped up my session nicely.

Closing Remarks

The plan is always the same: find the right trades in the right spots, engage in price, and keep a runner. The battle plan maps out where to engage, and the core strategy helps with execution.

Thank you for joining me for the AM Briefing. Hit the like button if you enjoy these sessions. I’ll see my traders live 15 minutes before the market opens.

Futures Trading FAQ

Q: Why does Micros Trader recommend always holding a runner?

A: Micros Trader emphasizes keeping at least one contract runner because it allows traders to capture extended moves without additional risk. Even a single micro contract can produce significant returns if price trends strongly, providing a meaningful boost to daily profits.

Q: What is the difference between longs and shorts according to Micros Trader?

A: Micros Trader describes longs as “oven trades” that take time to develop, while shorts are treated as quick “microwave trades.” He stresses that ES is an upward-moving instrument, so traders should prioritize looking for long setups in the right price zones while still mapping out shorts for balance.

Q: How did Micros Trader approach PPI day in this AM Briefing?

A: On PPI day, Micros Trader advised extreme caution near all-time highs, noting that his platform often stays closed unless a high-quality setup emerges. When PPI data released, price spiked into a pre-planned short level, validating the battle plan and leading to new all-time highs in multiple indices.