Earnings season has come in hotter than most expected, with big names beating, forward guidance holding up, and a market that feels like it’s breathing a little easier. 

At least for the moment. 

Indexes are firming up and volatility is pulling back, while traders are starting to price in rate cuts ahead of the FOMC’s meeting next week. 

Gold is backing off as the fear trade unwinds, and even the political mess in D.C. seems slightly less nuts on hopes that the government shutdown will end. 

But for options traders who know how to read between the lines, this is where things get interesting. 

The overall earnings season might be strong, but not everyone is thriving. 

And today, three companies are reporting that couldn’t be more different in terms of their narratives, risk profiles, and what they tell us about where we’re headed.

Intel is trying to pull off a reputation rehab. 

Ford is walking into the spotlight with a billion-dollar supply chain issue hanging over its head, trying to hold onto its electric vehicle momentum before the market cools. 

And the steady industrial bellwether Honeywell is about to tell us whether all this soft-landing talk actually holds any weight in the real economy.

None of these are just about earnings per share. 

They’re perception trades. 

And if you understand what traders think they know — and how those expectations line up with the macro backdrop — you’ll see where the opportunity really is.

Let’s take a closer look.

A Comeback Kid

Let’s start with Intel.

Intel’s been a mess for years. They missed the boat on mobile and fumbled the transition to smaller chips. They’ve been losing ground to AMD and Nvidia at every turn. 

But the stock has had moments of redemption, and Wall Street keeps watching for signs of a turnaround. 

If Intel can finally execute on its foundry plans and AI acceleration roadmap, it could shift sentiment fast.

But what traders really care about today isn’t whether Intel becomes the next Nvidia. 

It’s whether the company can show just enough progress to keep the institutional money interested.

With rate cut bets building and tech still holding up well, a moderately bullish earnings reaction here could light a fire under call options with just a fraction of the capital needed for stock. 

That’s the beauty of using options in names that are trying to claw their way back from years of mediocrity. 

One decent quarter and you can get outsized movement without massive risk.

Built Ford Tough

Then there’s Ford.

This one’s not about innovation but cost control and survival. 

EV hopes are cooling as consumers are getting more selective. 

But with rates potentially headed lower and a shutdown threat losing steam, this earnings report gives Ford a small window to say: “We’re stable. We’re not falling apart. We’re managing through it.” 

That might be enough.

Ford’s got a long history of being underestimated. The market often prices it like it’s seconds away from going bankrupt. 

But the thing about these old-line automakers is that when expectations are this low, it doesn’t take much to spark a rally. And for traders who understand how to read price versus sentiment, that’s a green light.

You don’t need Ford to become a sudden growth story. You just need them not to screw up. 

That can be enough for a quick, profitable move in the options chain, especially if the broader market is cheering rate-cut speculation.

And Then There’s Old Reliable

Last but not least, Honeywell.

This one’s the quiet workhorse of the bunch. It’s a great barometer of industrial health, and that makes it important in a very different way. 

Honeywell straddles aerospace, building systems, and automation. 

So when they report, they’re basically giving you a glimpse into everything from commercial construction to defense contracts.

This is where the macro narrative comes into play.

If Honeywell sounds even slightly optimistic today, it will feed the narrative that the Fed’s “soft landing” might actually stick. 

It suggests that big projects aren’t being shelved and corporate budgets aren’t frozen. That the machine of the economy is still moving.

In a market where everyone’s trying to guess the next rate cut, an earnings beat from a name like Honeywell can push forward the whole idea that “we’re past the worst of it.” 

That can be an attractive setup for short-term options trades — especially if you’re playing it tactically, with defined risk.

So no, this isn’t just another earnings day.

Intel, Ford, and Honeywell are giving us three very different reads on the economy: tech recovery, consumer resilience, industrial stability. 

And while none of them are likely to shock the world on their own, taken together, they paint a much bigger picture.

For options traders, this is where strategy meets timing.

You don’t need a bull market to find trades here. You just need stocks that are misunderstood, undervalued, or slightly hated, but with a catalyst on deck. 

Earnings season hands you that catalyst on a silver platter. 

All you have to do is show up, do the work, and know how to structure the trade.

Stay street smart,
Jeff Zananiri

Stay street smart,
Jeff Zananiri

P.S. If you find the gems in this market, you can’t miss this. 

Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, Danny Phee is walking through exactly what he’s watching in this market — and how he’s positioning himself to trade it. 

You’ll get a firsthand look at the setups he’s tracking, the signals he’s focused on, and how he’s planning to win big. 

If you want to see how a real pro finds an edge, don’t miss it.

*Past performance does not indicate future results. Results not typical.