Day Trade Cheat Sheet - July 25, 2026 (EOD)

 ## TODAY'S GRADE: C A choppy day marked by mixed earnings reactions, with tech stocks mostly under pressure after several disappointing reports, limiting upside for day traders. ## HOW INDEXES TRADED **SPY:** -0.3% - choppy with mild downside pressure **QQQ:** -0.7% - weakness driven by tech earnings misses **IWM:** -0.1% - relatively stable but lacked clear direction ## BIGGEST MOVERS ### Winners **$IBM** +3.2% - strong AI-related revenue growth and positive investor sentiment **$NOW** +2.5% - solid earnings beat and upbeat guidance **$LUV** +1.8% - better-than-expected operational results ### Losers **$TSLA** -15% - Q2 earnings miss and cautious outlook **$GOOG** -7% - disappointing AI spending outlook weighed on shares **$INTC** -6% - mixed earnings and foundry business concerns ## WHAT WORKED Patterns or setups that worked today: - Earnings gap plays on beaten-down tech stocks like **$IBM** and **$NOW**, which showed strong rebounds after positive reports. - Defensive sectors and dividend payers held up better, offering safer intraday longs amid tech volatility. ## WHAT FAILED Setups that didn't work: - Momentum trades on high-profile tech names like **$TSLA** and **$GOOG** failed as earnings disappointed and shares gapped down sharply. - Breakout attempts in semiconductor stocks were quickly reversed due to mixed guidance and chip sector uncertainty. ## AFTER-HOURS WATCH Earnings or news to monitor tonight: - **$MSFT** - highly anticipated Q2 earnings report, with traders watching for AI spending impact and guidance after peers disappointed. - **$META** - Q2 results expected, market focused on AI strategy and EU regulatory risks. - **$AMZN** - Q2 earnings preview, with investors cautious after peers’ weak reports and geopolitical tensions affecting sentiment. ## TOMORROW PREVIEW **Early Watch:** **$MSFT**, **$META**, **$AMZN** setting up for volatile moves post-earnings. Defensive names and AI infrastructure stocks may offer counter-trend opportunities. **Catalyst:** Big tech earnings reports, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and oil prices above $100 adding to market uncertainty. **Bias:** Neutral to cautious bearish into tomorrow as traders digest earnings and geopolitical headlines. --- The day was dominated by earnings reactions, with Tesla, Intel, and Google leading the downside after misses, while IBM and ServiceNow bucked the trend with strong results. The tech sector remains under pressure amid concerns about AI spending and regulatory risks, while energy prices and geopolitical tensions add to market caution. Traders should prepare for volatility around tomorrow’s major tech earnings and monitor defensive sectors for stability.