Markets Struggle with Uncertainty—Key Levels to Watch
Momentum names slip and navigating tech earnings in this trading environment.
E-mini S&P (March) / E-mini NQ (March)
S&P, yesterday’s close: Settled at 6029.00, down 107.50
NQ, yesterday’s close: Settled at 21,679.25, down 462.50
Uncertainties carried us into the weekend. The Michigan survey is very politically divided, highlighted in Consumer Expectations and 1-year Inflation Expectations in the charts above. Division is stoking uncertainties, and markets hate uncertainties.
This is a services-based economy. Also on Friday, SPGI Services PMI unexpectedly contracted for the first time since Feb 2023 and the survey noted “February deterioration due to increased uncertainty about business environment.” This can only extrapolate to earnings fears. Despite great earnings growth in these Q4 reports, soft guidance exudes those uncertainties.
Friday’s selloff was a boiling point for these narratives on the heels of WMT earnings. Sprinkle in a large option expiration, forcing a squeeze lower. We also had the beat down in momentum names (PLTR, APP and the likes). Although Friday felt overdone, E-mini S&P and E-mini NQ futures couldn’t bounce in the final hour. Moves like this can also set the stage for a rotation. Given equal weight outperformance and Mag 7 underperformance, how impeccable the timing ahead of NVDA earnings. Coincidence?
Although we remain Bullish, we reduced our Bias given Friday’s bludgeoning, until we can see some repair on the tape. On Thursday and Friday, price action was slammed right on the opening bell. First things first, let’s get through the opening hour to reassess. For now, we would like to see constructive price action at and around our Pivot and point of balance detailed below. However, in order to even begin repairing Friday’s damage, we must see the E-mini S&P clear key resistance at….
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