Day Trade Cheat Sheet - March 04, 2026 (Morning)

 ## MARKET MOOD: RISK-OFF Overnight sentiment remains cautious as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalate, driving oil prices higher and pressuring equities. The market is digesting mixed corporate earnings and tariff concerns, with energy and small caps under particular strain. ## TOP 5 HEADLINES 1. Iran conflict escalates, pushing oil prices to multi-month highs → Impact: Energy stocks volatile; inflation concerns rise. 2. CrowdStrike beats Q4 estimates, raises outlook amid AI demand → Impact: Cybersecurity stocks gain; tech sentiment mixed. 3. Abercrombie & Fitch warns of muted sales amid tariff uncertainty → Impact: Retail sector pressured; consumer discretionary cautious. 4. Broadcom earnings highlight AI-related growth challenges → Impact: Semiconductor sector faces near-term headwinds. 5. JPMorgan cuts Rivian price target on higher loss outlook → Impact: EV stocks under pressure; selective risk appetite advised. ## PRE-MARKET MOVERS ### Longs (Bullish Catalysts) **$COIN** - Strong Q4 earnings and positive outlook on crypto business strength **$AFRM** - Shares up 4.54% on positive market sentiment and conference presentation **$BOX** - Surged 10.69% post-earnings beat and upbeat guidance **$TGT** - Jumped 8.24% after raising price target and merchandising strategy upgrade **$U** - Up 6.62% on growth optimism and AI-related catalysts **$BGS** - Gains 5.79% following earnings beat and positive outlook ### Shorts (Bearish Catalysts) **$ACNT** - Plunged 18.41% on Q4 earnings miss and weak outlook **$ARCT** - Down 10.18% after disappointing earnings and guidance **$ESPR** - Fell 10.09% amid strategic concerns and weak outlook **$IBRX** - Dropped 9.87% on earnings miss and lowered price targets **$AZO** - Declined 6.15% due to margin pressures and high production costs **$STAA** - Down 9.29% post-earnings and cautious outlook ## INDEX BIAS **SPY:** BEARISH - S&P 500 down 0.58% as energy and small caps weigh on broader market. **QQQ:** BEARISH - Nasdaq 100 down 0.55%, pressured by semiconductor and software weakness despite some tech earnings beats. **IWM:** BEARISH - Russell 2000 down 1.02%, reflecting risk-off sentiment in small caps amid geopolitical and tariff concerns. ## SECTORS **Favor:** Financials - Modest gains led by banks like **$JPM** (+1.46%) and **$BAC** (+0.72%) amid stable fundamentals and rising rates. **Avoid:** Energy - Suffering from volatility and profit-taking despite oil price spikes; **$XLE** down 1.75%, **$XOM** down 2.41%. ## CATALYST WATCH Events today that could move markets: - 4:00 PM ET: **$AVGO** (Broadcom) Q4 earnings report and conference call - 4:00 PM ET: **$ANF** (Abercrombie & Fitch) Q4 earnings and guidance - 4:00 PM ET: **$BBWI** (Bath & Body Works) Q4 earnings - 4:00 PM ET: **$ROST** (Ross Stores) Q4 earnings - 8:30 AM ET: ADP February jobs report (private sector employment growth) ## BOTTOM LINE **Today's Play:** Selective The dominant theme is risk aversion driven by geopolitical tensions and energy price volatility, pressuring small caps and energy stocks. However, pockets of strength in cybersecurity (**$CRWD**), retail (**$TGT**, **$ROST**), and fintech (**$COIN**, **$AFRM**) offer selective long opportunities. Watch for Broadcom's earnings for semiconductor sector cues and tariff-related retail earnings for broader market direction. The biggest risk remains escalating Middle East conflict fueling inflation and market volatility.