Proper context can start the day with a solid win and make all the difference.

DAILY SCHEDULE First, watch the pre-open Tour recording HERE <<== Then, meet in the chaRTroom here by 9:15 ET for updates and Q&A

Through the prior close... (summary of last Market Wrap) This week's narrowest overnight range had tried breaking lower down to 3194.50, and was already recovering the range to open Thursday at 3198.00. That small rubber band snap became a session-long trend. Two consecutive no-bias environments didn't prevent extending the pre-open bounce through the afternoon's bias environment exit up to new highs at 3210.50. Its reaction down only touched the last pullback's 3205.00 low with 15 minutes before the close. Its reaction surged up to 3212.25, qualifying as a breakout from the week's multi-session range. Overnight action's new info... (nearby chart is last intraday session and Globex) Thursday's late surge extended uninterrupted into the Globex open at 3213.75. Then the prior night's narrowest range was matched by only drifting lower down to 3208.50, retracing 61.8{faed0d6dca04cec8b6b7985efddb9b0651107a3aebb05f69f0166038b8c951f6} of Thursday's late surge. The prior night's bias signal avoidance was also matched, as neither has been touched. Firming ahead of Europe's opens only ranged narrowly until now, surging back up to the earlier Globex high at 3214.00. If, then... (notes to accompany the Tour recording) Closing higher today would confirm yesterday's breakout. It would also be a new trend high close. Each setup would separately require an eventual higher close, entrenching the uptrend. Being a Friday, the fast-approaching weekend illiquidity could magnify even the slightest effort, whether it be initial trending, initial trending's rejection, or inertia. Note that today is expiration (Quad Witch) and its WedEX had no volatility to form a signal, so the breakout's timing suggests it is of one extreme or the other -- about to be either roundly rejected or soundly extended. First Trade... (preliminary indications for the Bias parameters) Exiting the open at 9:45 above 3208.00 wold be unlikely to trigger above 3208.25 would be unlikely to trigger the 3206.50 bias-down signal at 10:15.

Working on a Gap-and-Go. Rallying back up to yesterday's 3213.75 high overnight had accelerated and extended to 3223.75 before the open. Its blip-down immediately fulfilled a pullback objective at 3220.50 and surged again to 3224.75. The session was 3 minutes old. The opening 15 minutes of volatility ended differently, in a pullback to 3219.25. But only to 3219.25. A sell signal was being probed under 3220.50, but no lower than its first bar. Ranging sideways through the 10:15 bias timing window was still supported by the 3220.00 bias-up target, renewing the bias-up signal. It became too late to reject the open's trend. The rally has resumed, now testing 3227.00. The pattern projects out to 3228.00, 3230.25, and 2335.00. The setup is a Gap-and-Go. Whether peaking during the bias environment or the noon hour, the balance of the session becomes more vulnerable to ranging flat or or flat-to-lower. A knee-jerk reaction to a headline would be likely to recover. This being expiration, the post-afternoon bias environment is unusually vulnerable to trending sharply in either direction, regardless of the earlier setup.

FRI afternoon signal (triggered at 1:20 ET) SPX ES Bias-up: above 3226.00 3229.75 ...would target 3231.50 3235.25 Bias-down: under 3219.00 3222.75 ...would target 3213.25 3217.00 Signal status: NO-BIAS . BIAS VIDEOS... INTRO // EXAMPLE 1. At 1:20, trading above the bias-up signal or under the bias-down signal would put into play a test of its bias-up or bias-down target. 2. Not triggering either bias signal at 1:20 would be "no-bias," and the bias signals should define the bias environment's range. -- A test of the opposite bias signal would be targeted if one bias signal was tested before triggering no-bias. 3. Touching the bias signal within 3 minutes either way of 1:20 would invoke a grace period through 1:30 to trigger a late signal. -- "Late" signals don't require testing the opposite bias signal, but it's still likely. 4. Still testing the bias signal at 1:30 after invoking the grace period would trigger "noN-bias," with no bias influence.

Gap-and-Go it is. Gap open, extend, and don't reverse during the bias environment. This is a Gap-and-Go setup. Now the balance of the day is likely to range flat or flat-to-lower. Probes of fresh highs would be likely to reverse back into the range. Knee-jerk reactions down would be likely to recover. So, why even consider a buy signal from within the range? The 3-1/2 point reaction down from this morning's high created an inflection point at 3228.00, which was already relevant as the post-open likely target. If triggered, and even if it were to test this afternoon's 3229.75 bias-up signal, that might be whipsawed right back down. But today's expiration and Friday Factor influences can override the otherwise likelier flat ranging. Assuming that expiration doesn't throw the market a curve ball that closes negative, today will entrench the rally. Confirm yesterday's breakout, new trend high close on a Friday, expirations rarely accompany trend extremes... Just closing above 3203.00-3206.00 has put into play a higher objective that would be confirmed. None of which prevents an immediate correction Monday, but all of which would essentially require its recovery.

Thursday night's 61.8{faed0d6dca04cec8b6b7985efddb9b0651107a3aebb05f69f0166038b8c951f6} retracement of the intraday late surge was recovered entirely to its 3213.75 origin at the 60-90 minute pre-open window. Expiration's influences apparently enabled a 10-point surge to greet the open at 3221.25 that quickly extended up to 3224.75. The gap open extended, and then didn't reverse down during the bias environment, forming the basis of a Gap-and-Go setup. The setup's likely flat ranging through the afternoon developed, as Friday Factor and expiration influences didn't play their wild cards. The morning's 3228.75 high was pierced later by 3 ticks before reversing down momentarily to 3224.00. The second consecutive close above 3203.00-3206.00 has put into play a higher objective for the rally. A new trend extreme close on a Friday, and confirming Thursday's breakout, both require at least an eventual higher close. None of which prevents an immediate correction Monday, but all of which would essentially require its recovery. Details and other markets coverage are discussed in the post-market Wrap recording here. JOIN US AT 9:30 ET FOR THIS YEAR'S LAST SATURDAY REVIEW.

MON morning signal (triggered at 10:15 ET) SPX ES Bias-up: above 3224.25 3228.00 ...would target 3231.50 3235.25 Bias-down: under 3216.50 3220.25 ...would target 3210.75 3214.50 Signal status: noN-BIAS, STILL TESTING BIAS-UP SIGNAL . BIAS VIDEOS... INTRO // EXAMPLE 1. At 10:15, trading above the bias-up signal or under the bias-down signal would put into play a test of its bias-up or bias-down target. 2. Not triggering either bias signal at 10:15 would be "no-bias," and the bias signals should define the bias environment's range. -- A test of the opposite bias signal would be targeted if one bias signal was tested before triggering no-bias. 3. Touching the bias signal within 3 minutes either way of 10:15 would invoke a grace period through 10:30 to trigger a late signal. -- "Late" signals don't require testing the opposite bias signal, but it's still likely. 4. Still testing the bias signal at 10:30 after invoking the grace period would trigger "noN-bias," with no bias influence.