Day Trade Cheat Sheet - March 18, 2026 (Morning)

 ## MARKET MOOD: MIXED Overnight markets showed cautious optimism amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and mixed economic data. Oil prices surged on Iran conflict fears, boosting energy stocks, while broader equity indexes treaded water ahead of the Fed meeting and inflation report. ## TOP 5 HEADLINES 1. Commodities Surge, Everything Else Sinks As Iran War Drags On → Impact: Energy and materials stocks rally sharply, while defensive sectors and tech show weakness. 2. Nvidia is going back to China → Impact: Positive catalyst for **$NVDA** and related AI chipmakers amid easing trade tensions. 3. JPMorgan Lifts PT on FedEx Corporation (FDX) to $424 From $294 → Impact: Bullish for **$FDX**, signaling confidence in logistics demand. 4. Piper Sandler Cuts PT on Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) to $114 From $133 → Impact: Bearish pressure on **$KMB** amid margin concerns. 5. Bitcoin quickly pulls back to $72,300 as Iran fears team up with poor U.S. inflation data → Impact: Crypto volatility persists, caution ahead of Fed decision. ## PRE-MARKET MOVERS ### Longs (Bullish Catalysts) **$ARM** - Shares +4.59% on AI optimism and China sales approval **$CF** - +5.28% after analyst upgrade and strong fertilizer demand outlook **$BX** - +3.25% on private equity investment news **$APO** - +3.06% on positive market sentiment in financials **$LITE** - +10.71% on strong AI-related demand and analyst upgrades **$BABA** - +1.58% on AI price hikes and upcoming earnings anticipation ### Shorts (Bearish Catalysts) **$TTD** - -12.85% after Rosenblatt downgrade citing agency tensions **$INTC** - -4.39% despite Nvidia partnership buzz, concerns linger **$LLY** - -6.65% on profit warning and sector rotation away from healthcare **$WULF** - -4.20% on revenue drop amid miner space optimization **$XRP** - -4.68% amid crypto market uncertainty and regulatory concerns **$OSIS** - -2.82% on profit pressure and sector weakness ## INDEX BIAS **SPY:** BEARISH - S&P 500 down 0.24% with financials and healthcare weakness offsetting energy gains. **QQQ:** NEUTRAL - Nasdaq 100 flat, supported by tech strength but capped by chip and software stock pressure. **IWM:** BEARISH - Russell 2000 down 0.44%, small caps underperform amid risk-off sentiment and inflation concerns. ## SECTORS **Favor:** Energy - Strong commodity prices (+1.24% XLE) driven by Iran conflict and supply disruptions. **Avoid:** Healthcare - Weakness in XLV (-1.33%) amid profit warnings and sector rotation. ## CATALYST WATCH Events today that could move markets: - 10:00 AM ET: U.S. Wholesale Prices February report (expected +0.7%) - 2:00 PM ET: FOMC Rate Decision and Powell Press Conference ## BOTTOM LINE **Today's Play:** Selective Markets face a tug of war between geopolitical-driven commodity strength and cautious positioning ahead of the Fed. Energy and materials offer the best opportunities with strong momentum, while tech and healthcare remain under pressure. Watch for volatility around the inflation data and Fed decision, which could trigger sharp moves in interest rate-sensitive sectors and crypto. Traders should be selective, focusing on names with clear catalysts and avoiding stocks with downgrades or profit warnings.