Good morning, Lab! Before the bell, things are showing a bit of uncertainty, with major futures slightly lower and markets digesting a few different factors. Here’s what we’re seeing early: ✔ U.S. futures are modestly weaker — S&P 500 and Dow futures are down in pre-market trading and suggesting a cautious open. ✔ Volatility is creeping up — the VIX (volatility index) is showing a bit more activity, which often means traders are waiting for a clearer direction. ✔ Big macro headline: Fed leadership news is still influencing sentiment after a major nomination announcement, which has had a mixed response from markets. ✔ Recent price action has been choppy — stocks finished mixed yesterday, tech struggled vs. other sectors, with some names down more than others. In the ETF world, watching the broad market proxies like: • SPY (S&P 500) • QQQ (Nasdaq/tech) • DIA (Dow) • IWM (small caps) can help you gauge where money is flowing as the session unfolds. This kind of environment often means first reaction is not the whole story. A lot of price moves today may be about how traders respond to early volatility and sentiment before any sustained trend develops. 🔍 What I’ll be watching today • Does SPY hold support levels early? • Does QQQ show tech strength or weakness? • Are sector rotations showing up (financials/energy vs tech)? • Any quick reaction to overnight news or headlines? Drop below if you’re watching any specific ETF or index this morning — what caught your eye and why? 👇

When I’m trying to understand what the overall market is doing, I usually start with a few big ETFs before looking at individual stocks. Some of the main ones I watch: • SPY – tracks the S&P 500 (broad market health) • QQQ – tracks the Nasdaq (tech/growth sentiment) • DIA – tracks the Dow (large, established companies) • IWM – tracks small caps (risk appetite) • XLF – financial sector (banks, economic expectations) • XLK – technology sector (growth strength) These help answer simple questions like: Is the whole market moving together?Is money flowing into growth or safety?Are small caps participating or lagging? Before getting lost in individual charts, I like seeing what these are doing first. If you follow any of these (or others), drop which one you watch most and why 👇 (Educational discussion only.)

Hope everyone’s morning is off to a good start! Markets are opening with some early movement, and today looks like one of those sessions where it’s worth slowing down and watching how price behaves, not just where it opens. After the recent momentum, I’m personally paying attention to: • whether buyers step in again or fade • how price reacts near recent highs/lows • which sectors show real strength vs quick pops Early action sets the tone, but the story usually gets clearer after the first hour. If you’re following something today, drop it below and share what you’re seeing 👇

This challenge is designed for community members that are beginners and curious learners. No trading! No money! No experience required! ✅ How it works✅ Pick ONE asset to follow for the next 5 days: • a stock (Apple, Tesla, Meta, GOOG, Nvidia, etc.) • an ETF (SPY, QQQ, VOO, IVV, etc.) Then, once per day, check its chart and write down: • Did it go up, down, or sideways? • Did it look like it was trending or stuck in a range? • Did any news or big move stand out? That’s it. 📊 Optional (but encouraged) Take a screenshot of the chart and circle: • the general trend • recent highs or lows • or anything else you noticed Post it in the comments!

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