MES MICROS TRADE PLAN

Posted: Friday March 13, 2026

☀️ AM BRIEFING

This Friday the 13th morning briefing covered an unusually volatile trading environment with challenging conditions expected to continue. The session highlighted multiple successful battle plan trades that executed overnight for international members, while warning about the particularly difficult price action expected during contract rollover week. With PCE data driving early morning volatility and quad witching OPEX approaching next week, traders were advised to exercise extra caution during what was described as "Friday on steroids."

Contract rollover period creates "squarely difficult price action" - be especially careful during Thursday, Friday, and Monday before rollover.

Economic Calendar and Market Drivers

Time	Event	Significance
Market Open	PCE, GDP, Durable Goods	High volatility catalyst for early session
30 min after open	JOLTS, Sentiment, Expectations	Secondary wave of potential volatility
Next Tuesday	TradingView ES Contract Rollover	Technical transition to new contract
Next Friday	Quad Witching OPEX	Major options expiration - high volatility expected
Next Week	PPI and FOMC	"Monster week" - potentially even more volatile

Battle Plan Trade Execution Review

The morning revealed how timing and market hours affected trade execution opportunities. Multiple battle plan setups were identified, but optimal entries required being active during overnight hours.

Battle Plan 2: Short setup almost triggered but needed slightly higher price action for optimal entry - missed by narrow margin.
Battle Plan 1: Flagged as better suited for add-on positions rather than initial entries, requiring existing profitable position to layer effectively.
Overnight Success: International members and early-rising traders captured "phenomenal" and "gorgeous" entries around 3:30 AM, achieving 30-50 point gains before regular session.
Battle Plan 3: Long setup below strong levels with reclaim strategy, targeting potential moves down to weekly RTH lows before reversal.

Market Structure and Range Analysis

Price action remained within established ranges with careful attention to high timeframe resistance levels. The analysis emphasized suspicion of rallies in the current environment.

Range Position: Market trading in middle of established range, with potential for lower highs to develop.
High Timeframe Resistance: Trading below weekly range that dominated most of the week, with no backtest after Thursday's breakdown.
Pullback Potential: Current rally could represent pullback opportunity to test previous high timeframe range resistance.
Trend Bias: Every rally viewed with suspicion as potential lower high formation, though shorting not immediately warranted.

Risk Management During Contract Rollover

Special attention was given to the challenging trading conditions during contract rollover periods and upcoming quad witching.

Rollover Difficulty: Thursday, Friday, and Monday before contract rollover feature "squarely difficult price action" requiring extra caution.
Friday on Steroids: Current session characterized as more challenging than typical Friday conditions due to rollover proximity.
Contract Transition: TradingView switches ES contracts on Tuesday, requiring platform updates and adjustments.
Three Contract System: Emphasized proper position management using systematic approach to capture moves while managing risk.

Technology and Platform Updates

New battle plan tools and membership offerings were introduced to enhance trading experience and accessibility.

Battle Plan Buddy 2.0: Weekend release of enhanced tool featuring timezone-specific economic calendar alerts and countdown timers.
Event Notifications: Clickable alerts showing upcoming events in trader's local timezone with persistent countdown until completion.
Promotional Offer: New $7 first month membership option replacing previous 7-day free trial, includes full indicator access.
Live Streaming: Full session streaming available on YouTube for non-members to observe live trading room environment.

"There's absolutely nothing I'm interested in - this is what we were interested in getting long from below and doing add-ons here. That trade has already happened."

❓ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

COMMON QUESTIONS FOR ES FUTURES TRADERS

Why is contract rollover week so difficult for trading?

A: During the Thursday, Friday, and Monday before contract rollover, price action becomes "squarely difficult" because market participants are switching between expiring and new contracts. This creates unusual volatility patterns and makes typical technical analysis less reliable, earning the description of "Friday on steroids."

When does the ES contract rollover happen and what do traders need to know?

A: TradingView rolls over the ES contract on Tuesday, while the actual contract expires on Friday (quad witching OPEX). Traders need to update their platforms and be aware that most market participants switch contracts during this transition period, creating challenging price action.

What is quad witching OPEX and why does it matter?

A: Quad witching OPEX happens four times per year when stock index futures, stock index options, stock options, and single stock futures all expire simultaneously. This creates significant volatility as institutional traders adjust massive positions, making it a high-risk trading environment.

Why were the best trades only available to international members or very early traders?

A: The optimal battle plan entries occurred around 3:30 AM during overnight hours when most US traders are asleep. International members in different time zones and traders willing to wake up extremely early captured 30-50 point moves that weren't available during regular US trading hours.

What makes Battle Plan 1 better as an "add-on" rather than initial entry?

A: Battle Plan 1 was flagged as better for add-on positions because it required existing profitable trades to make the risk/reward favorable. With 30-50 points already captured from earlier entries, traders could add positions with locked-in profits, making the additional risk acceptable.

How does the three contract system work for risk management?

A: The three contract system involves taking three contracts on entry, then systematically closing portions to lock in profits while letting the remainder run. This approach ensures traders capture part of every move ("playing perfect chess") while managing downside risk effectively.

Why is every rally viewed with suspicion in the current market environment?

A: The market is trading below its high timeframe range and has shown weakness. Every rally could simply be a lower high formation rather than a genuine breakout. This doesn't mean immediately shorting, but rather approaching each bounce with caution and skepticism.

What new features does Battle Plan Buddy 2.0 offer?

A: Version 2.0 includes timezone-specific economic calendar alerts, clickable notifications showing upcoming events, and countdown timers that persist until events complete. The tool is moveable on screen and provides better integration with the trading workflow.

How does the new $7 first month membership differ from the previous offer?

A: The new offer replaces the 7-day free trial with a full 30-day membership for $7, including access to all indicators and battle plan tools. This provides better value and more complete access to evaluate the service before committing to regular membership pricing.