OPEX Friday & ES Chart Trading
Best ES Emini Setups
Friday December 19, 2025
In Friday’s AM Briefing, Micros Trader reinforced the foundational principle that every trade outcome is inherently uncertain, necessitating lifelong risk management discipline. The session highlighted Section 14 of the Trade Plan Builder, urging traders to internalize the reality of unknown outcomes and avoid over-leveraging. Special caution was advised for Option Expiration (OPEX) Friday, described as an exceptionally difficult day that often leads to price pinning and limited opportunity. Traders were encouraged to journal performance on OPEX days and consider abstaining from trading entirely to preserve both capital and psychological resilience.📖 AM Briefing: OPEX Friday - Trade Cautiously or Sit It Out
Good morning traders! Today's briefing is short and sweet because, well, it's OPEX Friday - one of the most challenging trading days of the month. This is a day to dial it way down or step aside entirely. We'll trade Monday and Tuesday next week, take Wednesday and Thursday off for the holiday, and likely return Friday. Let's protect our green week and avoid unnecessary risk on this pinning, choppy day.
- This Week's Scripture - 1 Thessalonians 5:21: "But test all things and hold on to what is good." Such great advice for life and trading. Test your setups, test your risk management, and hold on to what actually works for you.
- Trade Plan Builder Progress - Section 14: We're working through accepting the risk of every entry. The outcome of any single entry is unknown. Sure, over 100 coin flips you know the outcome, but this one particular trade? We have no idea. Even your picture-perfect, gorgeous, best-ever setup can lose due to external events, algorithms, institutional flow, or some whale dumping. That's why you must manage risk forever. Never over-leverage because we simply don't know. Visit the Trade Plan Builder to write your statement on accepting risk.
- What's Happening Today: It's OPEX Friday (option expiration) - mark it as a special day in your Traders Meditations journal. Build an archive of what trading looks like on OPEX days. News drivers include home sales and sentiment 30 minutes after open, but honestly, the OPEX dynamic trumps everything.
- Next Week's Schedule: We'll trade Monday and Tuesday, take Wednesday and Thursday off for the holiday, and I'm planning to be back Friday because I'm ready to get back to trading. Updates will come as the week progresses. Thank you for being a member - it's truly a dream come true to run this futures trading group, and I hope the passion comes through.
- Why OPEX Friday Is Challenging: Price typically pins around a number eventually. It's not gonna be exciting trading - we might try to break up but don't, try to break down but don't, and come back to where we started. After working with hundreds of traders over the years, I'm telling you this day is challenging for people. If you want to do the triple Lindy of difficult days, you're here.
- Today's Trading Approach - Dial It Down: If you're only up small this week, don't even trade - go into the weekend green and don't risk it. This is Friday rules on steroids. Maybe trade only eval accounts instead of funded accounts, paper trade instead of your cash account, or journal every single setup before it happens. My platform will be closed unless we get near one of our battle plan trades.
- Yesterday's Battle Plan One Review: The only trade that got close was battle plan one. I wanted price to come down and get back above, with a note that if we reclaimed the strong level and retested it, could be an entry - but Bank of Japan was doing interest rates, so I encouraged not trading at all. When Asia session is open and they announce rates, look what happens. Save your mental and emotional equity. The battle plan review is unlocked for everybody - go watch that video because this wasn't a shock if you're in our group.
- The Reality Check: We map out high probability trade locations in the battle plan - where price is most likely to go north, where it's most likely to go south. But we don't know 100%. This isn't pessimism, it's reality. Even the highest probability trades can fail. Accept that you do not know the outcome of this one particular trade.
- We'll Be Live Today: 15 minutes before the market opens for members, and YouTube folks will see us soon after. But remember - there's not a whole lot to say today. Protect your week, be cautious, and there's absolutely no shame in sitting this one out entirely.
- Get Tomorrow's Trades Tonight: Visit microtrader.com and click battle to access your battle plan.
Opening Remarks
Micros Trader begins the AM Briefing with a foundational principle rooted in scripture:
"Test all things and hold on to what is good." — 1st Thessalonians 5:21
He highlights how this advice applies not just to life but to trading as well—discerning what works and releasing what doesn’t.
The Core Principle: Accepting Risk
A central theme of today's AM Briefing is the absolute necessity for traders to accept that the outcome of any individual trade is fundamentally unknown. Micros Trader reinforces that no matter how clean or high-probability a setup may be, there's still the potential for failure.
He emphasizes that this isn't pessimism—it’s reality. The key is to internalize this truth and commit to managing risk on every trade, forever, if you want to remain a trader.
This principle is codified in Section 14 of the Trade Plan Builder: “Accepting Risk.” The section underscores that if outcomes are truly unknown, then there must be a permanent commitment to risk management, and it becomes imperative not to over-leverage.
Micros Trader reminds us that even “picture-perfect, mapped-out, gorgeous” setups can fail. That failure might come from external news, algorithmic moves, institutional order flow, or a single whale making a decision on the other side of the world.
Perpetual Risk Management
Because every trade carries inherent uncertainty, traders must embrace a mindset of continuous, permanent risk control. Micros Trader says:
"The outcome of this trade is unknown, and I'm okay with that because I have already accepted the risk."
By writing out this belief and posting it where you see it daily, you reinforce your trading discipline and keep emotional trading at bay.
He reiterates that this core mindset is a non-negotiable part of long-term trading success.
Special Attention: Option Expiration Friday
Option Expiration Friday (OPEX) is labeled as an exceptionally difficult day, requiring a unique, cautious approach. Micros Trader says it’s “Friday rules on steroids,” with characteristics that make it a no-trade day for many traders.
He explains that OPEX days often involve price "pinning" — where price tests both higher and lower levels before settling at a number where large amounts of options expire. This typically creates a day lacking breakout movement or clean structure, reducing high-quality opportunities.
Trading Recommendations for OPEX
Micros Trader urges traders to "dial it way down" on OPEX Fridays. Strategies include:
- Trade only in evaluation or paper accounts.
- Skip the day altogether, especially if you're slightly green for the week.
- Mark the day as "OPEX" in your journaling tool (such as Traders Meditations), which allows you to study how you personally perform on these high-difficulty days.
He warns:
“Don’t go into the weekend green and lose it all on a day like this.”
Micros Trader notes that his own trading platform will remain inactive unless price reaches one of the key levels outlined in the battle plan. Otherwise, he will sit it out.
Market News for Friday
Friday includes some market-moving economic data:
- Home Sales and Consumer Sentiment reports, released 30 minutes after the market opens.
These could impact price volatility, but the broader structure of OPEX still makes the session unattractive for active trading.
Holiday Week Schedule
- Monday and Tuesday: Normal trading days.
- Wednesday and Thursday: No trading.
- Friday: Market open; trading may resume depending on conditions.
He emphasizes that updates will be shared with members as the week unfolds.
Journaling and Strategy Tools
- Trade Plan Builder: The structured strategy framework, with current focus on Section 14, "Accepting Risk."
- Battle Plan: Daily layout of high-probability trading levels. The prior day’s battle plan is now available for public review.
- Live Streams: Real-time walkthroughs of the opening 30 minutes of the market are provided.
- Journaling Software: Tools like Traders Meditations help track performance on special days like OPEX, reinforcing smart decisions through data.
Protecting Mental and Emotional Equity
Micros Trader underscores the importance of preserving your mental and emotional capital. For example, he avoided even watching the Bank of Japan interest rate announcement due to its unpredictability. This isn’t fear—it’s about conserving your mental energy for higher-probability days.
Gratitude and Closing Thoughts
Micros Trader closes the AM Briefing by expressing gratitude to his trading community. He shares that running the group is a dream come true and a gift. This passion is the fuel behind the work and guidance he shares.
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