Day Trade Cheat Sheet - July 18, 2026 (EOD)

 ## TODAY'S GRADE: B A mostly positive day for day traders with clear winners in semiconductors and AI-related names, though some setups failed amid choppy action and sector rotation. ## HOW INDEXES TRADED **SPY:** +0.3% - trending higher with steady buying **QQQ:** +0.7% - strong tech-led rally, driven by AI optimism **IWM:** +0.1% - choppy, small-cap lagging amid mixed sector flows ## BIGGEST MOVERS ### Winners **$TSM** +4.2% - TSMC’s $100B Arizona investment announcement and DA Davidson price target raise to $500 fueled semiconductor strength **$NVDA** +3.5% - Nvidia benefited from AI enthusiasm and Jensen Huang’s comments on memory bottlenecks **$PYPL** +2.8% - PayPal rallied on Stripe’s acquisition bid news and improved fintech outlook ### Losers **$IBM** -2.1% - IBM sold off amid broader tech rotation and no fresh catalysts **$INTU** -1.8% - Intuitive Surgical dropped after recent weakness and profit-taking **$CORE** -3.4% - CoreWeave declined despite AI sector strength, reflecting profit-taking and volatility ## WHAT WORKED Patterns or setups that worked today: - Semiconductor breakouts on strong volume - **$TSM** and **$NVDA** led with clear momentum after positive news - AI-related momentum trades - stocks like **$PYPL** and **$NVDA** rallied on renewed investor interest in AI capex and product launches - Dip buys in beaten-down names with strong fundamentals - selective entries in chip names showing relative strength ## WHAT FAILED Setups that didn't work: - Defensive tech plays - **$IBM** and **$INTU** failed to hold support amid rotation to growth and AI themes - Small-cap value setups - **$IWM** lagged and some small caps reversed after early strength, showing lack of conviction - Overextended meme/retail favorites - despite strong narrative, some Robinhood-linked meme coins and speculative names stalled or reversed ## AFTER-HOURS WATCH Earnings or news to monitor tonight: - **$MU** - Micron’s earnings preview and automotive deal updates could set the tone for chip sector tomorrow - **$NFLX** - Netflix’s AI strategy and subscriber outlook will be closely watched after a strong decade but uncertain next phase - **$ASTS** - AST SpaceMobile’s commercial launch progress may impact sentiment in space and communications stocks ## TOMORROW PREVIEW **Early Watch:** - **$MU** for earnings reaction and guidance - **$NFLX** for subscriber and AI strategy updates - **$TSM** continuation or profit-taking after big rally **Catalyst:** - Key earnings from major tech and semiconductor players - Economic data likely quiet, focus remains on earnings and AI sector developments **Bias:** - Bullish into tomorrow given strong tech leadership and positive AI narratives, but watch for profit-taking and rotation risks in defensive and small-cap areas.