The Loomi.Ai Journal
104articles, every number sourced
15certified strategies16public certificates10prop firms' rules3ranked picks each morning
Every article here comes out of the same desk our members trade from: options flow, dealer gamma, reported hedge fund books and the rules of the top ten futures prop firms.
We link the source behind every number. When something hasn't been tested, we say so, and when a backtest is small, we tell you the sample size.
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Latest from the desk
MarketsStock Market Today: SpaceX Revives the AI Trade as Netflix Slides and Brent Climbs Back Above $110Oct 21 2026: Nasdaq-100 futures +0.3% to +0.9%, S&P futures +0.1% to +0.3%, Dow flat; SpaceX +8% premarket, Super Micro +13%, Netflix −6%; Brent ~$110; Tesla and Meta after the close.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 4 minEarningsQ3 Earnings: Netflix Stumbles, SpaceX Soars, and AT&T, Danaher and Elevance Raise Their OutlooksQ3 2026 earnings: Netflix EPS $0.87, Q4 guide $0.67 vs $0.73 est.; SpaceX revenue $14.6B (+161%); AT&T EPS $0.65, outlook ~$2.40; Danaher $2.11; Elevance $6.99 vs $4.70; Philip Morris $2.36.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 4 minMarketsStock Market Today: The AI Selloff Returns After Monday's Bounce as Elice Sinks and Brent Tops $111Oct 20 2026: Nasdaq-100 futures −0.4% to −0.5%, S&P futures −0.15% to −0.2%, Dow futures flat to +0.2%; Elice IPO −30%; Kospi nearly −4%; Brent above $111; 10-year near 5.15%.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 5 minEarningsGM's $20 Billion Buyback Can't Hide a Tighter Outlook as RTX, GE Aerospace and Northrop Raise GuidanceQ3 2026: GM adj. EPS $3.70, revenue $50.0B, new $20B buyback; RTX adj. EPS $2.26, backlog $340B; GE Aerospace orders +49%, adj. EPS $2.25; Northrop sales $11.1B; 3M adj. EPS $2.50; Halliburton adj. EPS $0.60.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 4 minMarketsStock Market Today: Warsh Leaves October Open as Fed Hike Odds Fall and Asia ReboundsOct 16 2026: CME FedWatch October hike odds fell to about 15–16% from ~28% after Warsh's Bangkok remarks; S&P futures +0.1–0.2%, Nasdaq futures flat to −0.2%; Kospi +2.05%.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 5 minEarningsInteractive Brokers Lifts Its Dividend as M&T, Travelers and Truist Report Q3Q3 2026: IBKR adj. EPS $0.67, revenue $1.91B, dividend to $0.15; M&T non-GAAP EPS $5.08; Travelers EPS $9.04, combined ratio 86.8%; Truist adj. EPS $1.16; Citizens EPS $1.41.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 5 minEarningsTSMC Posts a Sixth Straight Record Profit, but the AI Chip Selloff Keeps RollingTSMC Q3 2026: net profit NT$763.1B (+68.7%), revenue $46.72B, 58.7% operating margin, Q4 guide $52.3B-$54.3B, while Nasdaq futures fell more than 1% on AI-debt fears.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 5 minMarketsSeptember PPI Surges 1.3% to a 6.3% Annual Rate as Retail Sales BeatSeptember 2026 PPI rose 1.3% MoM and 6.3% YoY vs about 0.5% and 5.3% expected; core PPI +0.7%. Retail sales +0.8% vs 0.3% expected, but the control group rose only 0.1%.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 4 minEarningsBank of America Takes a $1.2 Billion Fine Hit as Morgan Stanley Beats and BlackRock Hits $15.5 Trillion AUMQ3 2026 earnings: Bank of America EPS $0.91 after a $1.2B regulatory charge, Morgan Stanley EPS $3.03 on $20.34B revenue, BlackRock AUM $15.5T on $205B inflows.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 5 minMarketsSeptember CPI Jumps to 3.7% as Gasoline Drives Hotter-Than-Expected InflationSeptember 2026 CPI: 3.7% YoY and 0.6% MoM, core CPI 2.6% YoY and 0.3% MoM, hotter than expected as gasoline jumped 9.1% and Fed hike odds rose.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 4 minEarningsQ3 2026 Bank Earnings: JPMorgan Misses, Goldman and Citi Beat, Wells Fargo Comes In MixedQ3 2026 bank earnings results: JPMorgan's first miss in nearly three years, Goldman's 72% equities jump, Citi's decade-high revenue and a mixed Wells Fargo quarter.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 5 minMarketsMemory Chip Stocks Sink on China's CXMT Claim as UnitedHealth and J&J Raise GuidanceStock market today, Oct. 13, 2026: SK Hynix, Micron and Sandisk fall on CXMT's 4F² DRAM plan, UnitedHealth and J&J raise 2026 guidance, and September CPI is due Wednesday.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 4 minEarningsQ3 2026 Bank Earnings Preview: What JPMorgan, Goldman, Citi, Wells, BofA and Morgan Stanley Need to ShowQ3 2026 bank earnings start Oct. 13: JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Citi and Wells Fargo report Tuesday, BofA and Morgan Stanley Wednesday. Dates, guidance, what to watch.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 5 minMarket EventsStock Market This Week: CPI, PPI, $92 Oil and the Q3 Earnings Calendar (Oct. 12-16, 2026)Week ahead for Oct. 12-16, 2026: September CPI Wednesday, PPI and retail sales Thursday, earnings from JPM, GS, UNH, JNJ, ASML and TSMC, plus oil above $90.Rowan Ellery · Markets Editor · 4 minMarket EventsThe 30-Year Just Hit Its Highest Since 2004. Is the Bond Market Now Running NQ?The 30-year Treasury yield topped 5.5% on Sept. 24, 2026, highest since 2004, and the 10-year hit a 2007 high. Why the bond rout matters for Nasdaq futures.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minCryptoBitget's $387M Hack: No Keys Stolen, Withdrawals Frozen for DaysBitget says hackers stole up to $387.5M on Sept. 24, 2026 by spoofing its signing process. Withdrawals froze for days. What it means for traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minMarket EventsA War, an Oil Shock, and Gold Is Down ~$1,400 From Its High. Safe Haven?Gold hit almost $5,600 in January 2026 but traded near $4,190 on Sept. 28 as yields and the dollar rose. Bitcoin slid too. What that means for GC and NQ.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minPrediction MarketsKalshi Loses Again: Appeals Court Says Sports Contracts Aren't SwapsOn Sept. 25, 2026 the Sixth Circuit let Ohio and Tennessee regulate Kalshi's sports contracts, deepening a circuit split that may reach the Supreme Court.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minProp Firm DramaMyForexFunds Is Back on the Market: Brand Sold, Liabilities Left BehindTraders Global sold the MyForexFunds brand to Dubai-based Global Solutions. The buyer took the name, not the liabilities. What it means for prop traders.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 6 minBacktestTop 20 Trading Strategies Ranked: 16 Years of NQ BacktestsTop 20 trading strategies ranked on 16 years of Nasdaq futures data: day trading, swing and trend systems scored on one pre-declared, era-robust rule.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 19 minMarket EventsTrump Rejected Iran's 7-Day Hormuz Plan. Brent Hit $107. Now What for NQ?Trump rejected Iran's 7-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Sept. 26, 2026 and Brent jumped above $107. How the oil shock feeds into yields and NQ.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minMarket EventsVIX Hit Its 2026 Low in the Middle of a War. September Called the BluffIn August 2026 the S&P 500 set record after record and the VIX hit a 2026 low of 14.2. Then September brought a Fed hike and a bond rout. Was it complacency?Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minDay TradingBest Day Trading Strategies Ranked: 8 NQ Systems BacktestedThe best day trading strategies on NQ, ranked: 8 intraday systems tested 2010-2026 after costs. Only the range breakouts made money. See the numbers.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 9 minScams$950M 'AI Trading' Ponzi: CFTC Says Cash FX Promised 15% a WeekThe CFTC alleges Cash FX raised $950M promising 15% weekly from AI trading and an academy. Participants lost at least $406M. Red flags for traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minMarket EventsSpaceX's Nasdaq-100 Weight Doubled Overnight. The Stock Fell Anyway.The Sept 21, 2026 Nasdaq-100 rebalance lifted SpaceX to 2.82% from 1.28%, forcing an estimated $15.5B-$22B of buying. It still closed lower. Why NQ cares.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minSwing TradingBest Swing Trading Strategies Ranked: 13 Nasdaq Systems TestedThe best swing trading strategies on Nasdaq futures, ranked: 13 dip-buy and trend systems tested 2010-2026. Which held up in both decades, and why?Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 10 minRegulationProp Firms Get a 'Referee.' Brokers Win 3 of 4 Cases It Already HearsThe Financial Commission now certifies prop firms and hears payout disputes. What the code requires, what it can't do, and how its broker rulings have gone.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 7 minPrediction MarketsTwo States Just Told Robinhood, Webull and Coinbase to Stop Sports BetsIn September 2026, Connecticut and Missouri ordered Robinhood, Webull, Coinbase, Kalshi and others to stop offering sports event contracts. Here's why.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minCongress TradesCongress Stock Tracker After Pelosi: Who Retail Is Following in 2026Pelosi leaves Congress in 2027. See the most active congressional traders of 2025, what they bought to start 2026, and how to read the disclosures.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minCongress TradesThe House Passed a Congressional Stock-Trading Ban. What Changes for Trackers?The House passed a congressional stock-buying ban 232-198. What the bill does, where the Senate stands, and what changes for congress trade trackers.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 5 minCongress TradesNancy Pelosi's Trades vs the S&P 500: What the NANC ETF Record ShowsDid copying Pelosi's trades beat the S&P 500? What the NANC ETF's record vs SPY shows, what it can't tell you, and why the lag matters.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minLegendsBerkshire Under Greg Abel: What Changed in the Portfolio Since BuffettGreg Abel took over Berkshire on Jan 1, 2026. Every major 13F change since: 16 exits, Delta, a bigger Alphabet bet and the return to net buying.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 5 minLegendsMichael Burry's Final 13F: What Scion Held When It Went DarkMichael Burry's last Scion 13F, line by line: $1.38B reported, 80% in Palantir and Nvidia puts, filed a week before Scion deregistered.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minLegendsHow to Copy Hedge Funds With 13F Filings (and the 45-Day Lag Problem)How to read and copy hedge fund 13F filings, what they leave out, and why the 45-day filing lag matters, with Ackman's Q2 2026 filing as the example.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minOptions / GEX0DTE Options Explained: Why Most SPX Volume Now Expires the Same DayWhat 0DTE options are, why same-day contracts now make up most SPX options volume, who trades them, and the risks, using Cboe's own data.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 5 minOptions / GEX0DTE and Dealer Gamma: How Same-Day Options Pin and Whip the S&PHow same-day options feed dealer gamma, why the S&P can pin in positive gamma and whip in negative gamma, and what Loomi's QQQ wall study measured.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 5 minOptions / GEXFree GEX Charts vs the Loomi.Ai GEX Regime: What Each ShowsBarchart and other free GEX charts vs the Loomi.Ai GEX Regime page: what each one shows, how often it updates, and which questions each answers.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minOptions FlowUnusual Options Activity: How to Read Options Flow Without Getting Faked OutHow to read unusual options activity and options flow without getting faked out by hedges, spread legs and closing trades. A practical checklist.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minDark PoolThe DIX Dark Pool Index, ExplainedWhat the DIX dark pool index measures, why dark pool short volume can signal buying, and what the 2018 SqueezeMetrics study actually found.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minVolatilityTrading the VIX Regime: How Loomi's VIX Gate Sizes Every TradeHow the VIX measures expected volatility, why traders size by VIX regime, and how Loomi.Ai's VIX Gate sets position size before every trade.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 5 minAnalysisPrediction Markets vs Options: What Kalshi and Polymarket Mean for Stock TradersKalshi and Polymarket volume hit about $24B a month. How event contracts differ from options, what Cboe Predicts adds, and what it means for stock traders.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minFuturesMicro Futures Starter Guide: MES, MNQ and Micro Gold, Sized for a Small AccountMNQ is $2 a point, MES $5, Micro Gold $1 a tick. Contract specs from CME, plus a simple way to size micro futures for a small or prop account.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minProp FirmsProp Firms That Allow Automation: TradingView to Broker, Firm by FirmWhich futures prop firms allow automated trading? Topstep, Apex, MFFU, Lucid, Tradeify and more, checked against each firm's own rules pages.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minPine ScriptPine Script v6: What Changed and What It Means for Your StrategiesPine Script v6 landed Dec 10, 2024. The breaking changes that can move a strategy's backtest, the 2025-26 updates and request.footprint().Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minPine ScriptPine Script request.footprint(): Building a Volume Profile and Delta FilterHow Pine Script's request.footprint() works, with a verified-syntax example that plots a per-bar volume profile and filters bars by volume delta.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minAutomationAI Trading Bots in 2026: What Jarvis Does, and What No Bot ShouldAI trading bots in 2026: what Robinhood's agents changed, what Loomi.Ai's Jarvis and Loomi Auto do, and the risk controls no bot should run without.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minBreakoutThe Darvas Box Strategy, Explained: How Loomi Box Finds BreakoutsThe Darvas box strategy explained: Nicolas Darvas's history, the box rules, what independent tests found, and how Loomi Box scans for breakouts.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minProp Firm DramaFundingPips PRIME: An 'Optional' Upgrade the T&Cs Made MandatoryFundingPips turned some traders' payouts into PRIME starting balances. The CEO said it was optional. The T&Cs said traders waive the right to refuse.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 6 minLegendsCathie Wood's Playbook: How to Follow ARK in 2026ARKK returned 35.49% in 2025. How Cathie Wood invests, what ARK owns now, and how to follow her book at your budget with Loomi.Ai Legends.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 4 minProp Firm DramaATFX Hits Pause on ATFunded After Less Than Two Years in PropATFX paused its prop firm ATFunded on June 6, 2026 to review whether the model is 'sustainable for the long term.' What it says about broker-backed prop.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 6 minMarket EventsThe Fed Hiked for the First Time Since 2023. Warsh Says It's Not Even TighteningThe Fed raised rates to 3.75%-4% on Sept. 16, 2026, its first hike since 2023. Here's how NQ and ES reacted and why Warsh's wording split Wall Street.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minBrokers“Vile” vs. “What's the Concern?”: AMC, Robinhood and the Stock-Token WarAMC's CEO called Robinhood's AMC-tracking token vile. Two weeks later the SEC's tokenized-stock exemption gave issuers a 30-day objection right.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minIndustryCoinbase Now Sells 24/7 S&P 500 Perps With 20x Leverage. CME, Take Note.Coinbase Derivatives launched US500 perp-style futures with up to 20x leverage on Aug 17, 2026, after Tech100 in June. How they differ from ES and NQ.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minMarket EventsSecret Calls, 'Vote With the Board': Is the Warsh Fed Really Independent?Undisclosed Trump-Warsh calls, a Senate letter, and Trump saying he told Warsh to 'vote with the board.' What the Fed independence fight means.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minMarket EventsCore CPI Was 2.4%, Lowest Since 2021. The Fed Hiked Anyway. Here's WhyAugust 2026 CPI: headline 3.4%, core 2.4% y/y but 0.3% m/m, a tick hot. Gasoline drove the headline. Why the Fed hiked anyway and what NQ traders watch.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minMarket StructureStocks Go 23/5 on Dec. 6. Is Futures' Overnight Monopoly Over?Nasdaq and NYSE Arca plan 23-hour weekday trading from Dec. 6, 2026. Even an SEC commissioner has doubts. What it means for NQ and ES overnight traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minFuturesStan Weinstein Stage 2 on Nasdaq Futures: 30-Week MA BacktestWe backtested Stan Weinstein Stage 2 stage analysis (price above a rising 30-week moving average) on NQ futures from 2010 to 2026 vs buy and hold.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 7 minIndustryThe Prop Industry's 7% Payout Rate Now Sits in an SEC FilingNasdaq-listed Perpetuals.com cited data showing only ~7% of prop traders get paid in its Sept. 2026 annual report. The stat's origin, limits and the pushback.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minFuturesShorting Nasdaq Futures: Why 7 Trend-Following Shorts All LostShorting Nasdaq futures with trend-following systems lost money in every one of 7 strategies we backtested on NQ from 2010 to 2026. Here's why.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 8 minAnalysisRetail Traders Are Unlocking Automation. Where Does the SEC Stand?Retail traders are exploring automated trading. Learn how it works, what the SEC’s actions mean, and why testing and risk controls matter.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 5 minRegulationAfter MetaQuotes, Now cTrader: US Prop Traders Lose Another PlatformSpotware restricted new US prop traders on cTrader after an 'internal regulatory assessment.' FundedNext, The5ers and others moved US clients elsewhere.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minMarket EventsThe Jobs Revision Nobody Fought Over: Can Traders Trust BLS Data Again?BLS revised payrolls down 79,000 on Aug. 28, 2026, weeks after Trump pick Brett Matsumoto took over. After the 2025 firing, can traders trust the data?Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minMarket Events162K vs. 53K Expected: The Jobs Beat That Put a Fed Hike on the TableAugust 2026 payrolls rose 162,000 vs 53,000 expected, pushing Fed hike odds and yields up. Why good news was bad news for NQ, and why some doubt the beat.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minRegulationCME vs. Its Own Regulator: Duffy Sues the CFTC Over PerpsCME Group sued the CFTC on June 18, 2026, arguing perpetuals are swaps, not futures. The CFTC called it frivolous and moved to dismiss in September.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minIndustryFundedNext Says $350M Paid. On-Chain Data Can Only Find $226MFundedNext says payouts passed $350M. A blockchain tracker can confirm $225.9M. Why prop firm payout totals are so hard to verify, and who's auditing.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minProp Firm DramaTradeify Made the Challenge Easier. Getting Paid Didn't Get EasierTradeify dropped its 10-second microscalping rule from evaluations in July 2026 but kept it for payouts, then banned cross-account hedging in August.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minMarket EventsNvidia Added $442B in a Day. Bubble Proof or Peak Euphoria?Nvidia posted $96.2B revenue, guided $108B and forecast ~70% growth for fiscal 2028. Shares jumped 8.7% on Aug. 27, 2026. What it means for NQ and AI.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minProp Firm DramaMFFU Killed Subscriptions. Now Skip a Week and You Could Lose the AccountOn 25 August 2026 My Funded Futures switched to one-time payments. The catch: no trade for 7 calendar days and the account can be closed.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minMarket StructureRetail Took Over CME: Micros Are Now Over Half of Equity Index VolumeMicro E-mini futures and options hit 54% of CME equity index volume in July 2026, with MNQ up 159% year over year. What that shift means for NQ traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minFuturesCME's E-nano Futures: A 10-Cent Tick With a Toll Booth AttachedCME launched E-nano Nasdaq-100 and S&P futures on Aug 24, 2026. The NNQ tick is worth $0.10. Here is why fees, not size, decide if they are usable.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minProp Firm DramaApex 4.0 Scrapped Its Most Hated Rules. Can It Buy Back Trust?Apex Trader Funding's 1 March 2026 overhaul removed MAE, 5:1 and manual payout review. What changed, what traders still complain about, and our take.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 6 minFuturesCME Now Trades Bitcoin and Gold All Weekend. Is NQ Next?CME began 24/7 crypto futures on May 29, 2026, then gold on July 26 and a smaller crude contract Aug 30. Equity index futures still close. For how long?Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minSwing TradingElder Triple Screen Trading System: A Nasdaq Futures BacktestWe backtested a simplified Elder Triple Screen (weekly MACD histogram + 2-day Force Index) on 16 years of Nasdaq futures. 58% winners, thin edge.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 7 minPrediction MarketsNevada Beats Kalshi 3-0: Appeals Court Says Sports 'Swaps' Are BetsOn Aug. 28, 2026 the Ninth Circuit ruled 3-0 that Nevada can enforce gambling law against Kalshi. What it means for event contracts and futures traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minSwing Trading9 20 EMA Strategy: Pullback Backtest on Nasdaq FuturesWe backtested the 9 20 EMA strategy (buy pullbacks to the 20 EMA when the 9 is above it) on 16 years of daily Nasdaq futures. Win rate: just 36%.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 7 minBacktestSupertrend Indicator Strategy Backtest: 10/3 on Nasdaq FuturesDoes the Supertrend indicator strategy work? We backtested Supertrend 10 3 long and short on 16 years of daily Nasdaq futures. The short side bled.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 7 minProp Firm DramaFrom Forex Challenges to Sports Bets: Prop Firms Chase Prediction MarketsThe Funded Trader's founder shut his futures prop firm to focus on prediction markets, and OddsON launched a sports prop firm. The gambling debate returns.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 6 minSwing TradingGolden Cross Strategy: 50/200 vs 20/50 on Nasdaq FuturesWe backtested the golden cross strategy (50/200 moving average crossover) and the 20/50 crossover on 16 years of Nasdaq futures vs buy and hold.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 7 minBacktestMACD Settings Tested: 12-26-9 vs 5-35-5 on Nasdaq FuturesWhich MACD settings work on Nasdaq futures? We backtested MACD 12 26 9 vs 5 35 5 crossovers, long and short, on 16 years of daily NQ data.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 7 minSwing TradingWilliams %R Strategy Backtest: Oversold Buys on Nasdaq FuturesWilliams %R strategy backtest on NQ futures 2010–2026: buy %R(10) below −90, exit above −20, with and without a 200-day filter. Win rates, PF, drawdowns.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minFuturesProfitable Futures Trading Strategies: What Survives Real CostsProfitable futures trading strategies, defined properly: what survives commission and slippage, which strategy families held up in testing, and the real backtested numbers behind each one.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 13 minStrategy FundamentalsProfitable Stock Trading Strategies: What Actually Survives a BacktestProfitable stock trading strategies, judged by real backtests: mean reversion, trend, breakout and momentum — with verified profit factors, trade counts and honest caveats.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 13 minAutomationAutomatic Trading: How It Works, and What It Takes to Run It SafelyAutomatic trading explained end to end: signal, alert, order routing, broker. The risk controls every automatic trading system needs, why most fail, and how to build toward profitable automatic trading.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 11 minAutomationAutomatic Trading Bot: What It Is, How It Works, and How Not to Get ScammedAn automatic trading bot reads data, applies rules and routes orders to your broker. The real anatomy, why most trading bots lose money, and how to tell a profitable trading bot from a scam.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 15 minSwing TradingKeltner Channel Strategy Backtest: Breakout vs Fade on NQKeltner Channel strategy backtest on NQ futures 2010–2026 with a 20 EMA ± 2 ATR channel. Fading the lower band beat breakouts; the short side lost badly.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minOptions / GEXDealer Gamma (GEX), Explained — and Why It Moves the MarketGEX, zero-gamma, call walls and put walls in plain English — plus the two real edges: fade the walls in positive gamma, brace for breakouts in negative.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 5 minTrendThe Golden Cross: Real Backtest Results (Not Hype)The 50/200 golden cross, backtested: a 6.71 profit factor and +34.5% per name — but only 16 trades in 3.6 years. Here’s the honest read.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 4 minMomentumThe MACD Crossover, Backtested: Big Returns, Bigger DrawdownsThe MACD line/signal crossover strategy, backtested on real bars: a 2.43 profit factor and +150% total — but a −37% drawdown. The honest trade-off.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 4 minMean ReversionRSI-2 Mean Reversion: Does Connors’ Classic Still Work?Larry Connors’ RSI(2) strategy, backtested on real daily bars: 73% win rate, 2.45 profit factor. The rules, the results, and where the edge actually lives.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minTrend / StagesAscent: How Loomi Grades Stage 2 TrendsAscent is Loomi.Ai’s Stage 2 trend system. Learn the four market stages, how Ascent grades an advancing trend, and why timing still matters after a breakout.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minSwing TradingBollinger Band Squeeze Backtest: Breakout vs Fade on NQBollinger Band squeeze backtest on NQ futures 2010–2026. The squeeze breakout traded just 19 times; buying the lower band worked better over 83 trades.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minSwing TradingTurtle Trading Rules Backtest: Donchian Breakouts on NasdaqTurtle trading rules tested on NQ futures 2010–2026: 20-day and 55-day Donchian channel breakouts with 2N stops. Longs worked; shorts were a disaster.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minDay TradingVWAP Strategy Backtest: Does Above-VWAP Buying Work on NQ?VWAP strategy backtest on 3,884 Nasdaq futures sessions: buy above session VWAP, short below, at 10:00, 10:30 or 11:30. No edge at any check time.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minDay TradingGap Fill Strategy: Do Nasdaq Opening Gaps Really Fill?Gap fill strategy tested on 3,884 NQ sessions (2010–2026). Small gaps lost money after costs; only 0.6–1.0% opening gaps paid, mostly after 2020.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minIndustryYour Prop Firm Now Wants to Be Your Broker TooTradeify launched Slay Markets on 19 May 2026, months after Topstep Brokerage. Why futures prop firms are becoming brokers, and the conflicts to watch.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minIndustry'It's Essentially a Game': Prop Firm CEOs Say the Quiet Part on RecordA Forbes report quotes prop firm operators calling funded accounts simulated 'a game' and rivals 'Ponzi' schemes. Is a prop challenge trading or gambling?Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minProp Firm DramaProjectX Went Topstep-Only. Every Other Prop Firm Had to ScrambleOn 28 February 2026 ProjectX ended support for third-party futures prop firms and became Topstep-only. What happened and the platform risk it exposed.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minProp Firm DramaAlpha Futures Axed Premium Payouts After Losing NinjaTrader, Then BacktrackedOn 12 July 2026 Alpha Futures closed its Premium Plan and refunded accounts instead of paying pending payouts. What happened and what traders should learn.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 6 minSwing TradingIBS Strategy: Internal Bar Strength Backtest on Nasdaq FuturesIBS strategy backtest on NQ futures 2010–2026: internal bar strength 0.1 vs 0.2 vs 0.3 thresholds, a 200-day filter, win rates, profit factor and drawdowns.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minBacktestNR7 Strategy and Inside Day Breakouts: Toby Crabel's Idea TestedNR7 strategy and inside day filters tested on 16 years of NQ futures with a 30-minute ORB. Honest result: the narrow range filter did not improve returns.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 7 minDay TradingORB Stop Loss Placement: Midpoint Stop vs Full Range TestedORB stop loss placement tested on 16 years of NQ futures: a midpoint stop matched full-range profits with half the risk per trade, and a 26.8% win rate.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 7 minDay TradingInitial Balance Breakout Strategy: First Hour Range vs ORBInitial balance breakout backtest on NQ futures, 2010-2026: the first hour range (IB) vs 15- and 30-minute ORB. Waiting for the IB did not pay off.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 7 minSwing TradingRSI 2 Strategy: Larry Connors' System Tested on Nasdaq FuturesRSI 2 strategy backtest on NQ futures, 2010-2026: Larry Connors' RSI(2) with a 200-day filter, thresholds 5 to 45. All profitable, but watch the losses.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 7 minDay TradingBest RSI Settings for Day Trading: 15-Minute NQ BacktestBest RSI settings for day trading tested on 15-minute NQ futures, 2010-2026. RSI(2) lost money; RSI(6) and RSI(14) did better on small samples.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 7 minBacktestBest RSI Settings: RSI 2 vs 3 vs 6 vs 14 on Nasdaq FuturesBest RSI settings tested on 16 years of NQ futures: RSI(2), RSI(3), RSI(6) and RSI(14) at nine thresholds. RSI(14) barely ever reached oversold.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 7 minDay TradingORB 15 vs 30 Minute: Which Opening Range Wins on Nasdaq Futures?ORB 15 vs 30 minute on 3,884 NQ sessions (2010-2026): the 15-minute opening range breakout won overall, but the 2010s vs 2020s split tells the real story.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 7 minMarket EventsNasdaq Rewrote the Nasdaq-100 Rulebook. SpaceX Walked Right In.Nasdaq's new Nasdaq-100 rules took effect May 1, 2026. Weeks later SpaceX joined the index 15 trading days after its IPO. What it means for NQ traders.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 7 minPrediction MarketsPolymarket's Fake Wins: WSJ Says $1.9M in Bets Weren't Real. CFTC ProbesThe WSJ alleged Polymarket paid creators to fake $1.9M in winning bets on lookalike sites. Days later the CFTC opened a probe. What traders should learn.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minRegulationEurope Shelves Prop Firm Regulation as the US Moves the Other WayCySEC's chairman says ESMA isn't in 'substantive discussions' on retail prop trading, while big US prop firms register with the CFTC. What changed.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minProp Firm Drama11 Outages, One Platform: TopstepX's Meltdown and the CEO's January PromiseTopstepX had at least 11 outages in late 2025 and the CEO promised to make it right in January 2026. What happened and the single-platform risk.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minProp Firm DramaTopstep Slashed XFA Payout Caps. Is a $150K Account Still Worth It?Since 28 April 2026 Topstep caps XFA payouts at 50% of balance and $2K-$6K per request. What changed, why traders are angry, and what it means.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minProp Firm DramaTopstep Told Traders Their Social Security Numbers May Have LeakedIn January 2026 Topstep notified about 1,920 people that names and Social Security numbers may have been exposed. What happened and what it means.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minRegulationThe $25K PDT Rule Is Dead. Did Futures Just Lose Their Best Sales Pitch?FINRA's $25,000 pattern day trader rule ended June 4, 2026. What replaced it, why brokers have until 2027, and what it means for futures traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minProp Firm DramaOne Rule Change, One Month: How FundingTicks Went From Backlash to ShutdownFundingTicks announced its closure on 18 January 2026, weeks after traders accused it of retroactive rule changes. The full timeline and the lessons.Penn Bradshaw · Futures Strategy Editor · 5 minIndustryCME Started Charging for Data That Used to Be Free. Users Are Fighting Back.CME's new delayed-data charges and back-billing angered market data users in 2026, with IPUG weighing legal action. Why data costs matter to retail traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minMarket EventsCME Went Dark on Expiry Day. Again. Index Traders Should Worry Too.On Feb 25, 2026 a CME Globex glitch halted metals and natural gas during an expiry window, the latest in a run of outages. Lessons for NQ and ES traders.Serena Golsby · Chief Market Strategist · 6 minRegulationThe CFTC Just Opened the Door to US Perps. Exchange Stocks Flinched.On May 29, 2026 the CFTC approved Kalshi's bitcoin perpetual and invited other perps. Cboe fell about 9% days later. What it means for index futures traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 6 minOptions0DTE Hits 65% of SPX Volume Just as the PDT Rule Disappears0DTE options reached about 65% of SPX volume in Q2 2026, and the $25K PDT rule ended June 4. Why that combination matters for ES and options traders.Seth Woods · Senior Analyst · 5 minProp FirmsThe Prop Zone: Every Rule of the Top 10 Futures Prop FirmsThe rulebook of the ten biggest funded-account firms, compiled from their own official pages: every tier, the evaluation rules that pass you, and the funded rules that pay you.Loomi.Ai · Rule libraryReference