Day Trade Cheat Sheet - March 16, 2026 (Morning)

 ## MARKET MOOD: MIXED Overnight markets showed cautious optimism as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East persist, with oil prices remaining volatile. Tech and financial sectors led modest gains, while energy and some industrials faced pressure amid supply concerns and mixed earnings. ## TOP 5 HEADLINES 1. Meta plans to cut 20% of its workforce to offset rising AI investment costs → Impact: Pressure on tech sector sentiment but potential buying opportunity on dip. 2. JPMorgan launches $5.75B loan sale tied to EA buyout → Impact: Positive catalyst for **$JPM** and gaming-related financial services. 3. Amphastar Pharmaceuticals increases share buyback by $50M → Impact: Bullish signal for **$AMPH** shares. 4. Broadcom nears key resistance at $340 amid bullish MACD signals → Impact: Watch **$AVGO** for potential breakout or pullback. 5. Nvidia’s Rubin AI GPU production may face delays due to memory supply constraints → Impact: Potential short-term headwind for **$NVDA** and related AI hardware suppliers. ## PRE-MARKET MOVERS ### Longs (Bullish Catalysts) **$MU** - Surged 9.77% on strong demand and earnings momentum **$APO** - Up 4.94% after positive earnings and buyout talks **$CHWY** - +4.11% on upbeat outlook and retail strength **$FICO** - +4.07% following earnings beat and analyst upgrades **$LRCX** - +3.80% on strong demand for semiconductor equipment **$SPOT** - +1.65% on solid subscriber growth and market optimism ### Shorts (Bearish Catalysts) **$ADBE** - Down 7.43% after CEO departure and valuation concerns **$CF** - Fell 9.72% on earnings miss and weak guidance **$AVGO** - -3.00% amid supply chain concerns despite technical signals **$VLO** - -2.99% pressured by oil price volatility and refining margins **$BKR** - -2.70% on energy sector weakness and geopolitical risks **$ARE** - -2.83% after disappointing earnings ## INDEX BIAS **SPY:** BULLISH - Modest gains driven by financials and tech strength amid geopolitical caution. **QQQ:** BULLISH - Tech-led rally with **$MU**, **$LRCX**, and **$SPOT** supporting momentum despite some AI supply concerns. **IWM:** BULLISH - Small caps outperform with 0.85% gain, led by retail and financial stocks like **$CHWY** and **$C**. ## SECTORS **Favor:** Financials - Strong earnings and loan sale activity at **$JPM** support sector upside. **Avoid:** Energy - Volatility in oil prices and supply disruption fears weigh on refiners and producers. ## CATALYST WATCH - 10:00 AM ET: U.S. Retail Sales and Industrial Production data release - 2:00 PM ET: Fed Chair speech on economic outlook - Earnings: Watch for **$FISV**, **$META**, and **$LULU** reports this week for sector guidance. ## BOTTOM LINE **Today's Play:** Selective Markets remain cautiously optimistic with tech and financials leading gains despite geopolitical risks and supply chain concerns in AI hardware. Watch for dips in beaten-down names like **$ADBE** and **$CF** for potential rebounds, while energy stocks face headwinds from oil price swings. Earnings and economic data will provide key directional cues. Traders should be selective, focusing on high-conviction setups in strong sectors while managing risk around headline-driven volatility.