Day Trade Cheat Sheet - July 20, 2026 (EOD)

 ## TODAY'S GRADE: B A mixed day with solid sector-specific moves amid geopolitical tensions and cautious tech sentiment, offering clear opportunities but also notable headwinds. ## HOW INDEXES TRADED **SPY:** -0.59% - choppy with downward pressure **QQQ:** data not available **IWM:** data not available ## BIGGEST MOVERS ### Winners **$AMC** +25.8% - Surged on record quarterly revenue and a surprise profit, defying broader market weakness. **$HUT** +10% - Benefited from a $9.8 billion AI data center lease, boosting the compute sector. **$ARCHER** +20% - Rally on unveiling of hybrid VTOL aircraft platform with defense partner Anduril. ### Losers **$CMG** - data not available but noted sliding amid food safety concerns and pre-earnings caution. **$SNDK** -24% in 5 days - Sharp decline amid oversupply fears despite transformative fundamentals. **$IBM** -25% - Plunged after weak preliminary Q2 results, sparking concerns despite not terrible underlying business. ## WHAT WORKED Patterns or setups that worked today: - **Earnings-driven momentum:** Stocks like **$AMC** and **$HUT** rallied strongly on positive earnings and contract news. - **Defense and aerospace plays:** **$ARCHER** and related names gained on product launches and contract wins, showing strength in this sector amid geopolitical tensions. - **AI-related rebounds:** Select chip and data center names like **$HUT** benefitted from renewed AI infrastructure demand. ## WHAT FAILED Setups that didn't work: - **Tech sell-offs despite earnings:** Some AI and semiconductor stocks like **$SNDK** and **$IBM** failed to hold gains or plunged despite earnings or growth narratives, reflecting profit-taking and valuation concerns. - **Food sector caution:** **$CMG** and other fast-casual chains struggled due to food-borne parasite outbreak fears, dampening consumer traffic and sentiment. - **Broad market risk-off:** The S&P 500's choppy decline showed that macro and geopolitical concerns limited broad risk appetite despite pockets of strength. ## AFTER-HOURS WATCH Earnings or news to monitor tonight: - **$GE** - Q2 earnings report due July 22, could impact industrials and aerospace sentiment. - **$TSLA** - Tesla Q2 earnings previewed with high expectations on AI and robotaxi updates. - **$MSFT** - Microsoft earnings coming up, critical for tech sector direction given AI investments. - **$NFLX** - Netflix post-earnings dip seen as a buying opportunity by some analysts. ## TOMORROW PREVIEW **Early Watch:** **$GE**, **$TSLA**, **$MSFT**, **$NFLX** setting up for key earnings reactions. **Catalyst:** Big tech earnings kick off with Microsoft and Tesla; geopolitical tensions and oil price moves remain key macro factors. **Bias:** Neutral to slightly bearish into tomorrow as markets digest earnings and ongoing Middle East conflict risks. --- Summary: Today offered strong sector-specific plays in entertainment, defense, and AI infrastructure, but broad market caution and tech profit-taking capped upside. Earnings season intensifies tomorrow with major tech names, setting the stage for potential volatility and directional clarity. Traders should focus on earnings setups while managing risk amid geopolitical uncertainty.