Day Trade Cheat Sheet - April 15, 2026 (EOD)

 ## TODAY'S GRADE: A Strong broad market gains led by tech and AI-related names made for an excellent day of trading with clear leadership and momentum plays. ## HOW INDEXES TRADED **SPY:** +0.84% - trending higher with steady buying into the close **QQQ:** +1.47% - strong leadership from tech, clear uptrend and momentum **IWM:** +0.35% - modest gains, more choppy and less conviction than large caps ## BIGGEST MOVERS ### Winners **$AI** +13.93% - surged on AI enthusiasm and strong volume **$DSP** +13.96% - quantum computing rally fueled by Nvidia software tools **$HOOD** +14.22% - Robinhood jumped after SEC eased day-trading rules **$DDOG** +10.23% - strong AI-driven demand and upbeat outlook **$DTIL** +9.83% - healthcare AI play with positive conference presentation **$NOW** +8.21% - solid earnings and AI growth narrative **$SNAP** +7.68% - announced 16% workforce cut to boost profitability **$U** +8.18% - strong AI-related momentum and volume **$PLTR** +5.32% - upgraded on AI relevance and Anthropic partnership **$MSFT** +5.26% - Microsoft’s AI investments driving strong buying ### Losers **$MIND** -18.63% - steep drop despite AI sector strength, possibly profit-taking or earnings concerns **$SURG** -30.01% - heavy selloff after earnings miss and revenue shortfall **$ASML** -2.76% - despite strong Q1, cautious Q2 outlook and export concerns weighed **$BE** -2.37% - energy sector pressure amid geopolitical uncertainty **$BLDR** -3.01% - housing weakness impacting homebuilder stocks **$JCI** -3.41% - industrial weakness and sector rotation **$NEM** -5.09% - gold miner hit by profit-taking after recent gains **$LYV** -6.29% - legal issues and monopoly ruling weighed on Live Nation ## WHAT WORKED Patterns or setups that worked today: - **AI and Quantum Breakouts** - Stocks like **$AI**, **$DSP**, **$DDOG**, and **$DTIL** showed strong momentum breakouts fueled by sector enthusiasm and positive news flow. - **Post-Earnings Rallies** - Names like **$MS**, **$NOW**, and **$PLTR** rallied sharply after beating estimates or receiving upgrades. - **Regulatory Relief Plays** - **$HOOD** surged on SEC easing day-trading restrictions, showing how regulatory catalysts can spark quick moves. - **Tech Leadership** - The tech sector ETF **XLK** led gains with +1.67%, supporting broad tech strength and momentum trades. ## WHAT FAILED Setups that didn't work: - **High Beta AI/Tech Stocks with Earnings Misses** - **$MIND** and **$SURG** failed badly despite the AI rally, highlighting the risk of earnings disappointments in hot sectors. - **Energy and Materials** - Despite geopolitical hopes, energy stocks like **$BE** and miners like **$NEM** saw profit-taking and sector rotation away from commodities. - **Housing and Industrials** - Weakness in homebuilders (**$BLDR**) and industrials (**$JCI**) showed the limits of the rally outside tech and financials. ## AFTER-HOURS WATCH Earnings or news to monitor tonight: - **$MS** - Morgan Stanley’s strong Q1 earnings and raised price targets from multiple banks suggest continued momentum in financials and trading. - **$C** - Citigroup’s credit card delinquency data and positive analyst revisions could drive further financial sector moves tomorrow. - **$GLOO** - Watch for updates after recent earnings call transcripts and sector volatility. - **$VVOS** - Vivos Therapeutics earnings call transcript released; monitor for healthcare reaction. ## TOMORROW PREVIEW **Early Watch:** **$MSFT**, **$AAPL**, **$C**, **$GS**, **$SNOW** - all showing strong setups and catalysts for continuation or follow-through. **Catalyst:** Continued earnings from financials, key economic data including Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index and jobless claims, plus ongoing US-Iran peace talks influencing risk sentiment. **Bias:** Bullish into tomorrow with momentum from tech and financials, but watch for profit-taking in weaker sectors and reaction to geopolitical developments.