Should You Trade ES Futures In The Middle Of A Choppy Range? | AM Briefing #897
ES CHART | KEY LEVELS | SETUPS
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Today at a Glance
No. When ES is bouncing in the middle of two high time frame ranges, you wait for an edge… in the middle of the middle there is not a whole lot to trade.
- Date: Friday, November 13, 2026
- Overnight: Price is still inside yesterday's range and retesting the top of the lower high time frame range while London works both sides.
- News Drivers: A data release one hour before the open and a couple more FOMC speakers today, with FOMC speakers, retail sales, FOMC minutes, unemployment, NVIDIA and OPEX Friday on deck next week.
- Lesson of the Day: When price is in the middle of the middle, there is not a whole lot to trade… wait for an edge.
- Key Zones: The top of the upper high time frame range, the top of the lower high time frame range and the edges of yesterday's range.
ES Technical Analysis — AM Briefing 897 Timeline
Friday November 13, 2026
| TIME | CHAPTER |
|---|---|
| 0:00 | Welcome ES MES Futures Traders |
| 1:24 | Today's News and FOMC Speakers A data release one hour before the open and a couple more FOMC speakers today. |
| 1:38 | Next Week: FOMC, NVIDIA and OPEX A ton of FOMC speakers, retail sales, FOMC minutes, unemployment, NVIDIA and OPEX Friday. |
| 2:03 | This Week's Battle Plan Trades The right directional trades all week, one short, and an insane number of points. |
| 2:21 | You Won't Capture Every Point Entries trigger while you sleep or when your plan says don't trade. Don't get caught up in missed points. |
| 2:57 | Big Ranges and Holding Runners This week is not normal. Long focused traders, and skipping a day is no big deal. |
| 3:30 | Thursday's Trade Review Thursday's entry and the runner that did very well. |
| 3:52 | Two High Time Frame Ranges Price bounces in the middle. Every push to the top of the upper range fails back to the top of the lower range. |
| 4:33 | London Takes Out Both Sides London typically snags both sides. The 2AM London Open is some beautiful trading. |
| 5:01 | Inside Yesterday's Range Still inside yesterday's range. A little bit of slop and chop. |
| 5:26 | Wait for an Edge on Friday Middle of the middle, not a whole lot to trade. Friday rules on steroids. |
| 5:35 | Live Stream Details Live 15 minutes before the open on YouTube, Zoom or MicrosTrader.com. |
Wait for an Edge in the Middle of the Middle
Posted: Friday, November 13, 2026
Friday the 13th. ES is bouncing back and forth in the middle of two high time frame ranges… and in the middle of the middle, there is not a whole lot to trade. This ES futures morning briefing is about waiting for an edge. It also looks back at a week of Battle Plan trades that paid an insane number of points, and why you should never expect to capture them all. Right trades. Right trade locations. Let the rest go.
This Week's Battle Plan Trades
The Battle Plan was looking for the right directional trades all week. One short. The rest long. And the number of points earned this week was just absolutely insane.
- Long focused: We are long focused traders, and the long trades certainly stood out versus the shorts.
- Tuesday: The big day… and the easy trade day.
- Thursday: An entry down low, a runner held, and it certainly got up there and did very well.
Trader Lesson 1
You are not going to get out at the absolute peak. You are not going to capture them all. Take the right trades at the right trade locations.
Trader Lesson 2
Some entries trigger while you are sleeping. Some in the afternoon when you are not trading. Some in the last 10 minutes of the day when your trade plan says don't trade. Don't get caught up in the points you didn't get… neither did George.
Trader Lesson 3
Don't think a week like this is normal. It's not. Big ranges and holding runners made these points.
Trader Lesson 4
Skip a day and miss the easy trade? No big deal. It happens.
Two High Time Frame Ranges
There are two high time frame ranges on the chart. Price keeps bouncing back and forth in the middle of them. Every time it tries to get into the upper range and reach the top… it fails. And what happens when it fails? It drops down to the top of the lower range.
- The failure: We got up there, we had failure, and we pushed back down.
- The retest: Price retested the top of the lower range trying to get back into it, and looks set to test it again.
- London: London is doing what London does. It typically takes out both sides, and it's uncanny how often they snag that.
If you're up at 2AM, that London Open is some of the most beautiful trading you can do.
Wait for an Edge… It's Friday
We are still inside yesterday's range. It was not an inside day… but price is just sitting in a little bit of slop and chop. If you're wanting to trade this, you're wanting to wait for an edge. And right now, you're nowhere near an edge.
Trader Lesson 5
When price is in the middle of the middle, there is not a whole lot to trade. Wait for an edge.
George goes live 15 minutes before the market opens… here on YouTube, on Zoom, or on MicrosTrader.com in the live trading room.
News Today and Next Week
A data release one hour before the open and a couple more FOMC speakers today. Next week brings quite an assortment of things to consider.
| Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Today | Data release one hour before the open | Lands before RTH |
| Today | FOMC speakers | A couple more on the calendar |
| Next Week | FOMC speakers | A ton of them |
| Next Week | Retail sales, FOMC minutes, unemployment | Part of a busy week |
| Next Week | NVIDIA | Probably the biggest event of the week |
| Friday, November 20 | OPEX Friday | Options expiration |
"We're just in the middle of the middle. Not a whole lot to trade here. We're going to wait for an edge."
COMMON QUESTIONS FOR ES FUTURES TRADERS
Can you capture every point of a big move in ES futures?
A: No. You are not going to get out at the absolute peak, and you are not going to capture them all. George's focus is taking the right trades at the right trade locations in ES and MES micro futures.
What should you do when an ES futures entry triggers while you are not trading?
A: Let it go. Entries sometimes trigger while you are sleeping, in the afternoon when you are not trading, or in the last 10 minutes of the day when your trade plan says don't trade. Don't get caught up in the points you didn't get… George didn't get them either. That is trading discipline in ES futures.
Is a huge points week in ES futures normal?
A: No. George said plainly he doesn't want anyone to think a week like this is normal. Big ranges and holding runners produced an insane number of points this week.
Is it a big deal to skip a day of trading ES futures?
A: No big deal. This week, Tuesday was the big day and the easy trade day. Skip it and you miss those points… it happens.
What is a high time frame range in ES futures trading?
A: George maps high time frame ranges on the ES chart. Today there are two of them, and price is bouncing back and forth in the middle. Every push into the upper range to reach the top fails and drops back to the top of the lower range.
What does the London session do in ES futures overnight?
A: London typically takes out both sides, and George says it's uncanny how often they snag that. If you're up at 2AM, he calls the London Open some of the most beautiful trading you can do.
Are Micros Trader members long or short focused in ES futures?
A: Long focused. This week the Battle Plan had one short, and the long trades certainly stood out versus the shorts.
When does the Micros Trader live ES trading room start?
A: George goes live 15 minutes before the market opens. You can watch on YouTube, on Zoom, or on MicrosTrader.com in the live trading room.
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