Day Trade Cheat Sheet - March 21, 2026 (EOD)

 ## TODAY'S GRADE: C A challenging day for traders as major indexes fell sharply amid rate-hike fears and geopolitical tensions, with only a few pockets of strength in energy and select stocks. ## HOW INDEXES TRADED **SPY:** -1.70% - trending lower with steady selling pressure **QQQ:** -0.99% - choppy, but ultimately down on tech weakness **IWM:** -2.18% - clear downtrend, small caps hit hardest ## BIGGEST MOVERS ### Winners **$PL** +27.15% - strong earnings and backlog growth finally attracting attention **$TTD** +2.93% - solid buying in ad tech despite broader market weakness **$NSC** +2.15% - rail sector strength on recovery optimism ### Losers **$BWXT** -4.94% - heavy selling despite nuclear energy tailwinds, possibly profit-taking **$INTC** -4.18% - tech selloff hits chipmakers hard amid broader semiconductor weakness **$MU** -4.22% - Micron dragged down by sector rotation and cautious sentiment ## WHAT WORKED Patterns or setups that worked today: - Energy stocks showed resilience and occasional spikes, e.g., **$OXY** +2.03% and **$USO** +3.47%, benefiting from oil price surge above $110. - Select breakout plays on strong earnings like **$PL** rewarded aggressive entries. - Defensive financials like **$AXP** +1.09% and **$GS** +1.56% held up well, offering safer long opportunities. ## WHAT FAILED Setups that didn't work: - Tech dip-buying was largely unsuccessful as **$MSFT** (-1.42%), **$NVDA** (-2.05%), and **$GOOGL** (-1.48%) all sold off despite recent AI optimism. - Semiconductor rebounds failed to sustain, with **$AMD** (-1.32%) and **$AVGO** (-2.11%) unable to hold gains. - Small caps and growth names like **$RKLB** (-5.14%) and **$TGLS** (-5.19%) faced sharp declines, showing risk-off sentiment. ## AFTER-HOURS WATCH Earnings or news to monitor tonight: - **$PL** (Planet Labs) - watch for further reaction after strong Q4 earnings and backlog report. - Data not available for other specific after-hours earnings. ## TOMORROW PREVIEW **Early Watch:** - Energy names like **$OXY** and **$XLE** for continued strength on rising oil prices. - Defensive financials such as **$JPM** and **$C** for stability. - Watch **$INTC** and **$MU** for possible oversold bounces or further weakness. **Catalyst:** - Continued geopolitical developments around Iran and oil supply concerns. - Market reaction to Fed rate hike expectations and Treasury yields. - Limited earnings calendar but monitor any updates from after-hours reports. **Bias:** - Bearish to neutral given ongoing selling pressure and macro uncertainty, but selective strength in energy and financials could provide tactical longs.