Day Trade Cheat Sheet - July 26, 2026 (EOD)

 ## TODAY'S GRADE: B A generally positive day for day traders with solid moves in energy and telecom sectors, though tech showed mixed signals ahead of key earnings. ## HOW INDEXES TRADED **SPY:** +0.5% - trending higher with steady buying interest **QQQ:** +0.3% - choppy, reflecting mixed sentiment in tech stocks **IWM:** +0.7% - strong momentum, led by small caps and energy names ## BIGGEST MOVERS ### Winners **$T** +4.6% - Earnings beat and $10 billion buyback announcement boosted confidence **$AAL** +6.8% - Stock surged after American Airlines cut full-year guidance but rallied on cost-cutting optimism **$XOM** +3.2% - Oil price rebound after US-Iran pause in strikes supported energy names ### Losers **$ORCL** -7% (data not exact but described as sharp sell-off) - Despite winning a $7 billion Pentagon contract, shares dropped sharply, weighing on sentiment **$TSLA** -14% - Post-earnings selloff amid concerns over cash flow and robotaxi ambitions **$CORE** (CoreWeave) - data not available but noted as sinking on Meta cloud news ## WHAT WORKED Patterns or setups that worked today: - Earnings beat plays in telecom and airlines - **$T** and **$AAL** showed strong follow-through after positive earnings surprises and guidance updates. - Energy sector bounce on geopolitical news - Oil-related stocks reacted well to the US and Iran pausing strikes, providing clear directional momentum. ## WHAT FAILED Setups that didn't work: - Tech post-earnings fade - **$TSLA** and **$ORCL** both disappointed despite positive headlines, showing that hype-driven trades in AI and defense tech can quickly reverse. - Cloud and AI-related momentum faded - CoreWeave and Meta cloud-related names struggled, indicating caution around AI infrastructure plays despite strong sector fundamentals. ## AFTER-HOURS WATCH Earnings or news to monitor tonight: - **$MSFT** - Next earnings on July 29 could be a major catalyst given optimism around AI investments and cloud growth. - **$BKR** (Baker Hughes) - Earnings expected, watch for diversification strategy and energy demand signals. - **$BLNGY** (Bloom Energy) - Earnings on July 28, potential for a strong move based on energy tech outlook. ## TOMORROW PREVIEW **Early Watch:** - **$MSFT** for pre-earnings positioning - Energy names like **$XOM** and **$BKR** for follow-through on oil price action - Select AI and cloud plays for volatility ahead of earnings **Catalyst:** - Continued geopolitical developments around US-Iran tensions - Fed comments and economic data shaping rate expectations - Earnings from key tech and energy companies **Bias:** - Neutral to slightly bullish into tomorrow as energy and value sectors lead, but tech remains volatile ahead of major earnings reports.