Yet again, we’re celebrating another win in this volatile holiday stock market.
The plays keep coming. And I’m here to pass along the best setups.
I sent out an alert on Friday, December 12.
At 11:30 A.M. ET, I said:
“Crash-like conditions today with the ‘rotation’ idea under fire … Gonna be a buyer near the close on QQQ.”
At that point in the day, panic was spreading across the tape. But I noticed a bottom forming. That’s exactly when I like to plan for potential reversals, when I see support on the chart.
Just before the close, a few hours after my initial alert, at 3:30 P.M. ET, I sent the green light:
“BUY QQQ 12/15/25 614 CALLS LIMIT 2.50 — 2 STARS — IT’S GO TIME.”
The QQQ had reached the lows from earlier in the day and stabilized into the close.
On Monday Morning
At 9 A.M. ET on Monday I sent this alert:
“GM! Looks like a nice strong start for QQQ CALLS … Take half in the first 15 minutes if possible. Be strict on the rest.”
That’s the rhythm we need in this environment. Get in near the panic, take profits into strength, and stay disciplined on any remaining exits.
It wasn’t a home run. But it was a clean, controlled weekend win in a market where most traders are paralyzed by this volatility.
Look at the QQQ chart below with my alerts overlaid. Every candle represents one trading minute:
Friday’s session looked ugly in the morning.
Traders returned to dumping tech stocks as valuation concerns pressure the market. And into Monday, the selloff continued.
But I found a key area of momentum within the selloff that allowed me to make a long-biased trade.
The QQQ drifted lower on Friday afternoon until it bounced off of support from earlier in the day.
That’s my signal. An emotional exhaustion point for sellers in the market. When the volume dries up but the price refuses to break lower.
I was simply anticipating a rally at a level where my risk was obvious and controlled.
The trade worked perfectly. The QQQ opened strong to start the week, providing a clean window for disciplined traders to sell into the surge.
Then, the momentum faded. The QQQ gave back early gains. Anyone holding too long got punished.
That’s a key lesson in this volatile market: Take what the market gives you, then move on.
What to Learn From This Setup
This QQQ trade highlights everything that separates professionals from amateurs in volatile markets.
Here’s a framework to apply going forward:
- Recognize volatile price action: These setups start when fear and greed are loudest. Watch for big candles, high volume, and extreme sentiment shifts.
- Plan, don’t react: I sent the first alert hours before I entered. Patience is our edge.
- Entry: Pay attention to key support and resistance levels.
- Exit: Sell partials into the first strong spike. Don’t overstay. Don’t get greedy.
- Risk: Keep your risk tight. If the market reverses against your position, cut it immediately.
As we move deeper into the holiday season, the volatility is only increasing.
There will be more trade setups as a result of these price swings. But volatility is also a double edged sword … Don’t swing for the fences. Don’t let winning setups sit too long. Otherwise the market will humble you.
Our recent QQQ trade was another reminder: When everyone else is panicking, a level head can cut through the crowd and claim real gains in the market.
Stay glued to your email this week, there are more trade alerts on the way.
Stay Street Smart,
Jeff Zananiri
