Options on Futures vs. Outright Futures Contracts PLUS: June 10 Year Bonds, CannonEdge Snapshot, Market Briefing, Levels, Reports; Your 6 Important Can’t-Miss Need-To-Knows for Trading Futures on March 25th, 2026

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Why Trade Options on Futures Rather Than Outright Futures Contracts?

By John Thorpe, Senior Broker

At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

4243.17 4324.23 4387.37 4468.43 4531.57

Silver (SI)

— May. (#SI)

64.24 66.98 68.86 71.61 73.49

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

86.38 89.11 91.24 93.97 96.10

 June Bonds (ZB)

— June. (#ZB)

111 13/32 111 31/32 112 20/32 113 6/32 113 27/32

Why Trade Options on Futures Rather Than Outright Futures Contracts?

options on futures

Trading options on futures instead of trading futures outright comes down to risk control, flexibility, and strategy choice. They’re related instruments, but they behave very differently.

Here’s the real trade-off:

 1. Defined risk vs. open-ended risk

  • Futures (outright):
  • Your gains and losses move dollar-for-dollar with the market. Losses can be unlimited if the market moves hard against you.
  • Options on futures:
  • If you buy an option, your max loss is just the premium you paid. That’s it.

 This is the biggest reason many traders prefer options—you can’t blow up as easily.

 2. Direction vs. probability

  • Futures:
  • You need to be right on direction and timing.
  • Options:
  • You can structure trades where you don’t need to be perfectly right:
  • Profit if market goes up, down, or even sideways
  • Use spreads to define a range of success

 Options let you trade probabilities, not just direction.

⚙️ 3. Strategy flexibility

With futures, you basically have:

  • Long
  • Short

With options on futures, you unlock:

  • Spreads (verticals, calendars)
  • Income strategies (selling premium)
  • Hedging positions
  • Volatility trades

 You’re trading not just price, but also:

  • Time (theta)
  • Volatility (vega)

 4. Capital efficiency (sometimes)

  • Futures require margin, which can still be substantial and fluctuate.
  • Options often require less upfront capital (especially defined-risk spreads).

But note:

  • Selling options can still require significant margin.

5. Hedging ability

Options on futures are widely used by:

  • Farmers (commodities)
  • Energy companies
  • Institutional players

Example:

  • A producer can buy puts to protect downside while keeping upside.

 You can hedge without giving up opportunity.

Curious to learn more?

We’re excited to share that our daily content is evolving. Instead of the traditional blog format, we’re rolling out a more advanced Morning Market Brief—a streamlined, data‑rich update published every trading day and linked directly from our homepage. This new brief delivers everything active traders rely on: key levels, economic reports, market movers, and much more, all in one fast, easy‑to‑read snapshot. We encourage you to start visiting the Morning Brief each day to stay ahead of the markets and make the most of the tools we provide.

You can see the latest brief here: https://www.cannontrading.com/tools/daily-updates/briefing-march24-readers-1

Cannon Edge for March 25th

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Introducing Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Snapshot Above

Cannon Edge is our new daily feature designed to give traders a fast, actionable overview of key futures markets. Each post delivers:

  • Current price and daily % change

  • 30‑day and 52‑week highs/lows

  • PROPRIETARY Short‑term and long‑term trend signals

June 10 years Bonds

The June 10 Year Treasury Bonds have broken down into a new contract low where the chart is taking aim at its first downside PriceCount objective to the 110^02 area.

FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE

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The PriceCount study is a tool that can help to project the distance of a move in price. The counts are not intended to be an ‘exact’ science but rather offer a target area for the four objectives which are based off the first leg of a move with each subsequent count having a smaller percentage of being achieved.

It is normal for the chart to react by correcting or consolidating at an objective and then either resuming its move or reversing trend. Best utilized in conjunction with other technical tools, PriceCounts offer one more way to analyze charts and help to manage your positions and risk.

Learn more at www.qtchartoftheday.com

Trading in futures, options, securities, derivatives or OTC products entails significant risks which must be understood prior to trading and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance of actual trades or strategies is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Daily Levels for March 25th, 2026

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Want to feature our updated trading levels on your website? Simply paste a small code, and they’ll update automatically every day!

Click here for quick and easy instructions.

Economic Reports

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All times are Central Time ( Chicago)

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

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Gold Posts its Worst Week since 1983 PLUS: S&P Breaks Below 200-Day MA, AI & Crypto Updates, Levels, Reports; Your 6 Can’t-Miss Market Updates for Trading Futures on March 24th, 2026

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At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

3906.50 4150.10 4343.60 4587.20 4780.70

Silver (SI)

— May. (#SI)

57.27 63.14 67.09 72.96 76.91

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

74.30 81.53 91.60 98.83 108.90

 June Bonds (ZB)

— June. (#ZB)

111 2/32 112 2/32 112 25/32 113 25/32 114 16/32

gold

Weekly Market Update

Yields screaming higher. Gold posts worst week since 1983. S&P breaks below 200-day MA. Four straight losing weeks.

March 23, 2026 · For clients & subscribers · Eli G Levy · Cannon Trading Company

Weekly Overview — 01

The Trend Has Changed — We Are Bleeding Down

Two weeks ago I wrote there is so much volatility — just when you think the index has corrected enough it keeps on correcting both to the downside and upside. This past week I noticed the trend changing: we’re bleeding down with little bounces to the upside. That’s not to say that we can’t get a sudden news alert that the Strait of Hormuz will open and we may see a sharp reaction to the upside.

There is a lot going on. Markets are trending toward thresholds and decision points people didn’t want to see breached. This downtrend has been going on a while now — we have done damage to the long-term trend. Average stocks have really pulled back quite a bit, not so much on the major indices. If we get any news of de-escalation and relief on energy, we are due for some kind of a snapback. That was the issue going into the weekend: everyone wanted to be hedged up.

If you look at yields, they are screaming higher — that was my chart of the week last week and it remains so. If we’re worried about credit, investment-grade spreads are at 90 basis points over Treasuries; above 1% over Treasuries it gets dicey. Given all of this, we’re down around 6% on the S&P and that is actually somewhat surprising.

The overall narrative changed from the beginning of the year, when we said we’re going to run this economy hot, get rate cuts, and the AI boom would continue. All of those scenarios have now been unwound. Yields are driving the story now. We’re trading at a 20x forward P/E — we were at 23x at the beginning of the year.

XLF (financials) is down. Less than 30% of S&P 500 stocks are above their 50-day moving average — the lowest since April 2025. The breadth of poor performance in financials is a real issue. Out of 70 financial stocks in the S&P 500, only 5 of them are up this year. Until you get the big banks to stabilize, the market will be on shaky footing.

“There is little evidence that the downtrend is over.”

 — Jonathan Krinsky, BTIG Chief Market Technician

Jonathan Krinsky at BTIG said last week: buckle up. The 200-DMA, which is now at 6,615, looks unlikely to hold. He thinks a move toward 6,000 has a decent probability, and that barring a close back above 6,900, the bears maintain the upper hand.

There is some dispositioning from the expectation of improving margins from the implementation of AI. I hear wealth managers asking: where do you hide in this environment? Energy is the only sector that is positive this month. Most investors are underexposed to energy given its relatively small weighting in the S&P. If you’re sitting in cash, yields aren’t bad these days.

Dubravko Lakos at J.P. Morgan cut his S&P 500 year-end target to 7,200 from 7,500. There is growing talk of the Fed raising rates rather than lowering them. Micron had a blowout quarter and the stock went down — it was very extended. NVDA had a great quarter as well and also went down.

FULL TECHNICAL REVIEW OF CHARTS AND KEY LEVELS HERE

Technical Analysis — 02

S&P 500 Breaks Below the 200-Day Moving Average

Last week I flagged three scenarios for the SPX at the 200-day moving average. The answer came Thursday: the index closed below the 200-day MA — below 6,619 for the first time since May 2025. The dip-buying that came so reliably at the 50-day and 100-day moving averages earlier this year has been largely absent since the war began. The candlestick patterns on the charts have been shifting — from dip-buying eagerness in early March to consistently closing at or near the session lows.

KEY TECHNICAL LEVEL BREACHED

The S&P 500 closed below its 200-day MA (6,619) for the first time since May 2025. The Nasdaq Composite is already below its 200-day. The Dow is testing its own 200-day. If oil pushes higher and all three major indices lose their 200-day SMAs, additional technical selling pressure could accelerate the move lower.

The trend continues to be one of opening lower, getting a bounce, and then closing at or near the lows. Fridays in particular have seen investors grow cautious — nobody wants to take new long positions into a weekend when war headlines can move markets violently. Jonathan Krinsky’s target of 6,000 would represent roughly another 8% decline from current levels. The technical damage done to the market over the past four weeks is meaningful and will take time to repair even if the geopolitical situation improves.

Chart of the Week — 10-Year Treasury Yield

Last week I pointed out my chart of the week is the 10-year yield: the breakout is continuing out of the yellow channel but is now approaching some resistance levels. Yields are the dominant driver of cross-asset performance right now — watch this chart closely.

Oil & The Middle East — 03

Oil

FULL TECHNICAL REVIEW OF CHARTS AND KEY LEVELS HERE

Oil remains the most important chart to watch, but after last week’s extreme volatility, price action has begun to stabilize — at least for now. West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude have pulled back from their panic highs, with prices consolidating as the market digests both geopolitical risk and the potential policy response.

While the initial shock from disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz drove a vertical move higher, this week has been more about assessing whether that disruption becomes prolonged or begins to ease. So far, flows have not fully normalized, but there is a growing expectation that partial workarounds and international pressure could prevent a worst-case supply shock from fully materializing.

At the same time, the macro backdrop is starting to matter more. Higher oil prices are feeding directly into inflation expectations, which is contributing to rising yields and reinforcing the more hawkish tone from the Federal Reserve. This creates a feedback loop: elevated energy prices tighten financial conditions, which in turn weigh on demand expectations.

That tension is now showing up in price action, with oil no longer moving in a straight line higher but instead becoming more sensitive to both headlines and macro data. The key question has shifted from “how high can oil go?” to “how long can prices stay elevated before demand destruction kicks in?”

From a market perspective, oil is still acting as the primary driver of cross-asset volatility. Equity rallies continue to struggle when crude pushes higher, while any signs of stabilization or pullback in oil are being met with relief across risk assets. As long as oil remains elevated, the risk of slower growth and tighter financial conditions stays front and center.

For now, this is a market transitioning from panic-driven pricing to a more balanced — but still fragile — equilibrium. The next major move will likely depend on whether supply disruptions persist or begin to meaningfully resolve.

Macro — Fed & Stagflation — 04

Stagflation Risk Grows — The Fed Stays Hawkish

The stagflation narrative continued to build this week as new data reinforced the same uncomfortable mix of slowing growth and persistent inflation. The latest Producer Price Index came in hot for the second consecutive month — up 0.7% in February against an expectation of 0.3% — signaling that pipeline inflation remains firm even before the full impact of higher energy prices feeds through the system.

Notably, this PPI data was collected prior to the escalation of the Iran situation. That means underlying inflation pressures are not purely event-driven — they are more embedded in the system.

The Federal Reserve concluded its FOMC meeting Wednesday with a tone that leaned more hawkish than many expected. The Fed held rates unchanged at 3.50%–3.75% and the updated dot plot still projects just one 25-basis-point cut in 2026 — unchanged from December — but four or five committee members moved from expecting two cuts to one.

Chair Powell acknowledged stronger growth forecasts while also nudging inflation projections upward, with the 2026 PCE forecast raised to 2.7% from 2.5%.

“The forecast is that we will be making progress on inflation. Not as much as we had hoped, but some progress on inflation.”

 — Fed Chair Jerome Powell, FOMC Press Conference, March 18, 2026

What’s notable is that this inflation pressure is now colliding with tightening financial conditions. Treasury yields have continued to push higher, and elevated oil prices are beginning to act as a tax on the consumer. The combination of rising energy costs, firm PPI data, and a Fed that is in no rush to ease is reinforcing concerns that inflation could reaccelerate in the coming months.

Powell pushed back on the “stagflation” label specifically — noting that “that was a 1970s term, at a time when unemployment was in double figures and inflation was really high.” But whether you call it stagflation or not, the macro backdrop for risk assets is significantly more challenging.

FED WATCH — POWELL TERM & SUCCESSION

Powell confirmed he will remain as chair on a “pro tempore” basis if Kevin Warsh is not confirmed by the time his term expires in May. He also stated he has no intention of leaving the board until the Trump administration’s investigation into the Fed’s headquarters renovation is “well and truly over.” Warsh is viewed as more hawkish; his confirmation — or lack thereof — is another layer of uncertainty for markets.

Russell 2000

Small caps continued to underperform, and for the same reasons as last week. Higher oil raises input costs and compresses margins, while elevated Treasury yields make financing more expensive for smaller companies that rely more heavily on debt. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed further — until we see a reversal in oil and yields, we can expect the Russell to continue lagging the large-cap indices.

Gold — 05

Gold Had Its Worst Week Since 1983

Gold dropped roughly 11% this week, posting its biggest weekly loss since 1983 — and is now down more than 14% since the war began. This is one of the great paradoxes of this market. Gold should theoretically be the biggest beneficiary of an active Middle East war, rising inflation, and mounting U.S. government debt. Instead, it is being punished by the very war it should be rallying on.

The mechanism is clear: the Iran conflict has reignited inflation and forced the Fed to stay hawkish. Higher oil means higher inflation, higher-for-longer rates — and gold, which pays no yield, suffers when real yields rise and the dollar strengthens. The 10-year yield climbed above 4.39% and the Dollar Index pushed toward 99.9, creating a double headwind for the precious metal. Leveraged funds that had built large embedded gains were forced to liquidate, adding to the selling pressure.

Despite the current sell-off, major Wall Street banks have not yet revised their year-end targets. J.P. Morgan maintains a $6,300 target; Deutsche Bank stands at $6,000. Ed Yardeni, who had a $6,000 target, said this week he is considering lowering it to $5,000 if gold continues to defy expectations. The structural case for gold — central bank diversification, geopolitical uncertainty, mounting U.S. debt — has not disappeared. But for now, the dollar and the hawkish Fed are winning the argument.

Private Credit & AI — 06

Private Credit

Private credit continued to generate headlines. Last week Blackstone’s BCRED hit record redemption requests; this week BlackRock said it is limiting withdrawals from one of its private credit funds following a surge in redemption requests — investors sought roughly $1.2 billion in redemptions but only $620 million was paid out. I continue to monitor bond prices of private credit issuers as a leading stress indicator. This is a slow-developing story but one that warrants close attention.

AI Buildout

Deutsche Bank upgraded software to overweight and raised its rating on tech overall to neutral from overweight, citing software stocks’ outperformance — even amid the broader turmoil — as a sign that the group may have finally bottomed after months of AI disruption concerns weighing on valuations.

Nvidia’s GTC conference this week was a highlight: CEO Jensen Huang said he expects $1 trillion in orders for Blackwell and Vera Rubin systems, doubling year-ago projections.

Morgan Stanley reiterated overweight on NVDA, noting the company laid out a “winning strategy.” Despite this, the stock went down — which tells you something about the macro environment we’re in. I continue to watch the bonds and stocks of the major AI infrastructure investors as a barometer of confidence in the buildout thesis — particularly ORCL and SoftBank.

Cryptocurrency — 07

Cryptocurrency Market Update

The Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index is up roughly 1% week-over-week, with Bitcoin down about 1% and Ethereum up around 2% as of Friday. Earlier in the week, Bitcoin briefly pushed to $76,000 following a short squeeze in the futures market, but those gains faded after the release of a hotter-than-expected Producer Price Index (PPI) and a more hawkish tone from the Federal Open Market Committee, both of which pressured risk assets and tightened financial conditions as Treasury yields moved higher.

On the regulatory side, the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission provided additional clarity on how federal securities laws apply to crypto assets, outlining what constitutes a security and introducing a framework that categorizes digital assets into areas such as commodities, stablecoins, and securities, while also addressing staking, airdrops, and wrapped assets; with limited progress on broader legislation like the CLARITY Act, this development is a constructive step for the industry.

Looking at prior cycles, including the 2018 and 2022 bottoms, Bitcoin historically leads the early phase of recovery, often finding support near its 200-week moving average and cost of production, and if February’s low near $60,000 holds, the current recovery is tracking a similar path, with altcoin outperformance likely to remain short-lived until sustained momentum in Bitcoin returns and broader market confidence is fully rebuilt.

The Week Ahead — 08

March 23–27, 2026

The main event this week is Friday’s data deluge — final Q4 GDP estimate, PCE prices, Personal Income and Spending, and University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Final. These data points will give the market the most comprehensive look yet at how the economy entered this oil shock. Any further downward revision to GDP or upside surprise in PCE will fan the stagflation narrative further. Keep watching oil and the Strait of Hormuz above all else.

Economic Calendar

•        Monday, Mar. 23: Construction Spending

•        Tuesday, Mar. 24: New Home Sales

•        Wednesday, Mar. 25: Current Account Balance · Durable Orders · EIA Crude Oil Inventories · Export & Import Prices · Mortgage Applications Index

•        Thursday, Mar. 26: Continuing Claims · EIA Natural Gas Inventories · Initial Claims

•        Friday, Mar. 27: ⛑ GDP – 3rd Estimate · PCE Prices · Personal Income & Spending · University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (Final) · Advanced Trade in Goods · Advanced Retail & Wholesale Inventories

Earnings Calendar

Monday, Mar. 23: ABVX · AGBK · ALTI · CMCL · DBVT · LAR · WRD

Tuesday, Mar. 24: AIR · CNTA · CNXC · CNM · GME · HSAI · KBH · NGD · SFD · TE · WOR

Wednesday, Mar. 25: ALMS · CELC · CHWY · CTAS · FUL · JEF · JKS · KRMN · ONDS · PAYX · PDD · WGO

Thursday, Mar. 26: AGX · BCAX · CMC · KOD · LMRI · PONY · SA · TMC

Friday, Mar. 27: AUTL · CCL · HUMA · LGN · SBC

BOTTOM LINE — WEEK OF MARCH 23

The narrative that was driving markets at the start of 2026 — run the economy hot, rate cuts coming, AI boom continuing — has been completely unwound. Yields are now driving the story. We are down 6% on the S&P, below the 200-day moving average, with Jonathan Krinsky’s 6,000 target in the conversation. The single most important thing remains what it has been for four weeks: any credible signal that the Strait of Hormuz reopens. Until then, keep watching yields, keep watching oil, and stay hedged heading into weekends.

Disclaimer: Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions and other financial instruments involve substantial risk of loss and are not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Carefully consider if trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment.

Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time. The author is registered solely as a commodities broker. Any references, recommendations, and information contained in this article are of opinion only, should not be considered investment advice, and do not guarantee any profits.

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Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Snapshot for March 24th

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Daily Levels for March 24th, 2026

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Want to feature our updated trading levels on your website? Simply paste a small code, and they’ll update automatically every day! Click here for quick and easy instructions.

Economic Reports

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

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Listen to our podcast: Subscribe on AppleSpotify, Amazon

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Triple Witching Friday PLUS: June EMini SP 500, CannonEdge Snapshot, Levels, Reports; Your 4 Important Can’t-Miss Need-To-Knows for Trading Futures on March 20th, 2026

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Triple Witching

Trippple Witching Tomorrow

By Ilan Levy-Mayer, VP

At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

4313.87 4486.43 4677.57 4850.13 5041.60

Silver (SI)

— May. (#SI)

60.47 66.60 71.68 77.80 82.88

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

87.28 90.85 95.66 99.23 104.04

 June Bonds (ZB)

— June. (#ZB)

113 5/32 113 27/32 114 11/32 115 1/32 115 17/32

What Is Triple Witching?

triple witching

Triple witching is a key event in the futures and options markets that occurs four times a year—on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December.

During this time, stock index futures, stock index options, and stock options all expire simultaneously, creating a unique trading environment that every futures trader should understand.

Why Does Triple Witching Matter?

This convergence of expirations can lead to significant market activity, impacting liquidity, volatility, and execution quality. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for traders who want to navigate this period effectively.

What Happens During Triple Witching?

·    Volume Surge: Trading activity often spikes as institutions roll over or close positions.

·    Increased Volatility: Expect sharp and unpredictable price swings, especially near the open and close.

·    Institutional Flows Dominate: Market behavior may deviate from typical technical patterns due to large institutional moves.

Implications for Futures Traders

·    High Liquidity—but High Risk: While there’s plenty of activity, slippage and wider spreads are common.

·    Execution Challenges: Rapid price changes can make order fills tricky.

·    Short-Term Noise: Unusual moves may not align with your usual indicators.

·    Important Note: The December contracts (e.g., ESZ25, MNQZ25) will stop trading at 8:30 AM Central Time and will cash settle based on a special settlement price that typically comes out closer to 9 AM Central.

·    Learn more here: CME Settlement Information.

Trading Recommendations for Triple Witching

·    Stay Disciplined: Avoid chasing moves; stick to your trading plan.

·    Use Limit Orders: Helps control slippage in fast-moving markets.

·    Reduce Position Size: Manage risk during volatile periods.

·    Consider Scalping or Staying Flat: Experienced traders may use short-term strategies; others may prefer sitting out.

·    Risk Warning: The last traded price or final traded price will rarely match the final settlement price. We do not recommend waiting for the final settlement. Exit any December positions prior to 8:30 AM Central tomorrow morning.

Bottom Line

Triple witching can present unique opportunities—but also significant risks. Preparation, discipline, and risk management are essential for success during this high-volatility period.

Cannon Edge for March 20th

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Introducing Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Snapshot Above

Cannon Edge is our new daily feature designed to give traders a fast, actionable overview of key futures markets. Each post delivers:

  • Current price and daily % change

  • 30‑day and 52‑week highs/lows

  • PROPRIETARY Short‑term and long‑term trend signals

June EMini SP 500

The June Emini S&P completed its first downside PriceCount this month and corrected higher. Now, the chart has resumed its break into new lows where the second count projects a run to the 6591 area.

FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE

2f42dda1 7715 4ca0 8eab a48dd04b523c

The PriceCount study is a tool that can help to project the distance of a move in price. The counts are not intended to be an ‘exact’ science but rather offer a target area for the four objectives which are based off the first leg of a move with each subsequent count having a smaller percentage of being achieved.

It is normal for the chart to react by correcting or consolidating at an objective and then either resuming its move or reversing trend. Best utilized in conjunction with other technical tools, PriceCounts offer one more way to analyze charts and help to manage your positions and risk.

Learn more at www.qtchartoftheday.com

Trading in futures, options, securities, derivatives or OTC products entails significant risks which must be understood prior to trading and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance of actual trades or strategies is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Daily Levels for March 20th, 2026

f94fadfa 1222 4bb6 a54e 5465ed137bb7

Want to feature our updated trading levels on your website? Simply paste a small code, and they’ll update automatically every day!

Click here for quick and easy instructions.

Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Central Time ( Chicago)

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Find us on Trustpilot

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

Join our Private Facebook group

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Listen to our podcast: Subscribe on AppleSpotify, Amazon

or wherever you listen to podcasts!

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Market Updates for The Week Ahead PLUS: CannonEdge Snapshot, Levels, Reports; Your 4 Important Can’t-Miss Need-To-Knows for Trading Futures on March 17th, 2026

9dc1e02e d5f7 4ff4 abf7 1df60775f196

At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

4937.00 4978.30 5011.40 5052.70 5085.80

Silver (SI)

— May. (#SI)

75.32 78.20 80.01 82.90 84.71

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

86.77 90.12 96.28 99.63 105.79

 June Bonds (ZB)

— June. (#ZB)

113 6/32 113 27/32 114 8/32 114 29/32 115 10/32

Weekly Market Update: March 16, 2026

By Eli Gal Levy, Series 3 Broker

This week I will start with the technical take as I think its reaching some crucial price points.

Technical Picture — SPX

For the past few weeks I mentioned the support we kept holding these past few month was the 100 day moving average. And I mentioned that the more we test support, eventually it can break. That is what happened with the 100-day moving average last week. The selling continued and we are now below the 100 day moving average (we will now look to see if the 100 day moving average will act as resistance) on Friday we almost reached the 200-day moving average, which currently sits around 6,604 on my charts the SPX was as low as 6,623.

There are 3 ways I see this playing out.

a)     The SPX holds and bounces of the 200-day moving average, we get some positive news about the straights of Hormuz and the 200 day is support and the bulls keep on running.

b)    The SPX holds the 200-day moving average we get a short-term bounce to the 100 or 50 day moving average or some Fibonacci resistance and we trade back down.

c)     The SPX penetrates through the 200-day moving average and we keep on going down. Or we get a bear trap at the 200 day.

Nothing I expect has to materialize we can get a consolidation around the 200 day as well. Yet I still expect the index to originally bounce off the 200. The RSI has fallen to the mid-30s territory, technically oversold, but oversold can stay oversold in a trending move.

The 100 DMA can now likely flip to resistance on any bounce attempts. The pattern we saw last week — opening down and bouncing, only to close lower — continued. I will watch for that trend to persist until proven otherwise, or until we see meaningful progress on the Strait of Hormuz.

Watch out for continued volatility. And while the spike in oil prices ($119) and the VIX (35) on Monday, along with their subsequent pullback could represent a near-term capitulation “peak” for markets, I’m not convinced because historically there has been a corresponding “V” response in stocks. I’m not sure stocks ever fully “capitulated” and Friday the major indices fell to fresh multi-month lows.

Summary: there is the technical set-up heading into this week. The Nasdaq Composite ($COMP) is currently below its 200-day SMA and the S&P 500 (SPX) is less than 1% above its 200-day SMA. The Dow is also near its 200-day moving average. If oil push higher and stocks continue to drop, there could additionally selling pressure if these indices lose key support at their respective 200-day SMAs.

My chart of the week is the 10-year yield: I know there is a lot going on in the chart but if you notice we just broke out of the yellow channel.

market update
 

OIL

Oil remains the most important chart to watch. Last week we saw extreme volatility — Brent crude touched $119.50 per barrel early in the week, up from around $70 before the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, before declining back toward the $90 range. By Friday, WTI crude futures settled at $98.71 per barrel and Brent settled above $103, closing above $100 for the first time since August 2022.

The reason for the continued pressure is straightforward: Iran borders the Strait of Hormuz, the most important passageway for global energy, carrying 20–25% of the world’s oil and liquid natural gas. The Strait has been effectively closed since fighting started, and despite the U.S. offering to provide ships safety and insurance guarantees, shipping companies may still believe it’s too risky for transit.

The degree and duration question I raised last week is becoming clearer, and it is not encouraging. Analysts note that the lost Gulf supply could reach 11–16 million barrels per day, raising doubts about whether emergency stockpiles can fully offset the deficit. The IEA has cut its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2026 by roughly 25% to 640,000 barrels per day, reflecting weaker economic activity and higher fuel costs.

On the consumer side, Wells Fargo has calculated that sustained oil prices at $130 per barrel — a 100% increase from the pre-conflict baseline — would result in back-to-back contractions in quarterly personal consumption, materially raising the risk of recession. We are not there yet, but we are watching the direction closely.

There were two significant turns in sentiment during the week. On Monday, markets opened sharply lower — the Dow was down nearly 900 points at its session low and the Nasdaq COMPX dipped below its 200-day moving average for the first time since May 2025 — before a remarkable reversal. President Trump told a CBS News reporter that “the war is very complete, pretty much,” adding that Iran “has no navy, no communications, no Air Force,” and markets bounced hard, with the S&P 500 closing up 0.83% and the Nasdaq jumping 1.38%.

By Thursday, a second catalyst emerged: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration was taking concrete steps to try to cap surging oil prices, sparking a strong Friday rally in equities and crypto alike. Despite these intraday bounces, the trend for the week remained down. The S&P 500 posted a 1.6% loss on the week, notching its first three-week losing streak in about a year. The Dow slid about 2%, while the Nasdaq fell 1.3%.

Stagflation Risk Grows

The big story from Friday was the GDP revision. Q4 2025 GDP was revised sharply down to just 0.7% annualized growth from the initial estimate of 1.4%, well below the 2.5% economists had originally expected. At the same time, core PCE inflation for January came in at 3.1% year-over-year — still well above the Fed’s 2% target — with core PCE rising 0.4% on the month.

As one analyst put it, “the big downward revision in GDP is a gut check going into this energy crunch, increasing the risk of stagflation.” The economy entered this oil shock weaker than many realized.

Midweek, the February CPI report offered a brief respite. The headline CPI rose 0.3% for the month, putting the 12-month inflation rate at 2.4%. Core CPI posted a 0.2% monthly reading and a 2.5% annual rate — both in line with Wall Street estimates. However, the market largely looked through that print. Stocks slumped and Treasury yields spiked after the release, as traders were focused on the oil price surge and what it will mean for March and April data.

“CPI inflation for February was along expectations but this is the calm before the storm,” said Carson Group’s chief macro strategist. Economists estimate that if crude oil averages around $100 per barrel for the rest of the year, CPI inflation could rise to 3.5% by year-end, and gasoline prices could hit nearly $5 per gallon in the second quarter.

The Fed Is in a Bind

As I noted last week, the Fed is in a tough spot. Markets have largely abandoned expectations of rate cuts this year, with several Wall Street economists including TD Securities, Barclays, and Goldman Sachs pushing back the timing of their expected next cut.

The probability of a cut at this week’s meeting has almost disappeared, and markets are now pricing around 20 basis points of easing for all of 2026 — less than one full 25-basis-point cut. The FOMC decision comes Wednesday, March 19.

No rate change is expected, but the updated dot plot and Chair Powell’s press conference will be closely scrutinized for any signals about the path ahead — particularly any hint that hikes could come back on the table if oil-driven inflation persists.

Russell 2000

Small caps continued to underperform, and for the same reasons as last week. Higher oil raises input costs and compresses margins, while elevated Treasury yields make financing more expensive for smaller companies that rely more heavily on debt. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed 14 basis points on the week to 4.28%, and the 30-year rose 14 basis points to 4.90%. Until we see a reversal in oil and yields, we can see the Russell to continue lagging the large-cap indices.

Private Credit

Private credit continued to generate headlines. Last week Blackstone’s BCRED hit record redemption requests; this week BlackRock said it is limiting withdrawals from one of its private credit funds following a surge in redemption requests — investors sought roughly $1.2 billion in redemptions but only $620 million was paid out. I continue to monitor bond prices of private credit issuers as a leading stress indicator. This is a slow-developing story but one that warrants close attention.

AI Buildout

Deutsche Bank upgraded software to overweight and raised its rating on tech overall to neutral from overweight, citing software stocks’ outperformance last week — even amid the broader turmoil — as a sign that the group may have finally bottomed after months of AI disruption concerns weighing on valuations. I continue to watch the bonds and stocks of the major AI infrastructure investors as a barometer of confidence in the buildout thesis. Such as ORCL and Softbank.

Cryptocurrency

Bitcoin was a standout performer this week, showing meaningful relative strength against equities. Bitcoin rose about 8.5% this week and more than 13% since the Middle East conflict escalated, outperforming tech stocks, gold, and U.S. equities. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $1.3 billion in net inflows so far in March, potentially marking the first positive month for flows since October.

A notable milestone: on March 9, the Bitcoin network mined its 20 millionth coin, leaving only 1 million BTC to be issued over the next 114 years.

Technically, Bitcoin is approaching a key level. BTC is trading around $73,000, and a decisive move above $74,000 on strong volume could trigger a rally toward $80,000, a former support level. On the downside, $65,000 — roughly the network’s estimated production cost — remains the first key support, followed by $60,000. The Fed meeting on Wednesday is the next macro event that could move crypto meaningfully in either direction.

Any hawkish surprise from Powell would likely hit risk assets including Bitcoin hard.

The Week Ahead: March 16–20, 2026

The highlight of the week is the FOMC decision Wednesday, March 19. No rate change is expected (current target range 3.50%–3.75%), but the updated Summary of Economic Projections — the dot plot — and Powell’s press conference will be the most closely watched events of the week.

Nvidia’s annual Global Technology Conference (GTC) kicks off Monday and runs through Thursday. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will likely deliver several AI-related headlines, which could have an impact on tech stocks.

There will also be several monetary policy meetings from global central banks–the U.S. Federal Reserve (Tue-Wed), the Bank of Japan (Wed-Thur), and the European Central Bank (ECB) (Thur). On Wednesday after the bell, we’ll also get an earnings report from memory and storage specialist Micron Technology, which has been one of the best-performing stocks over the past year.

Economic:

  • Monday (Mar. 16): Capacity Utilization, Empire State Manufacturing, Industrial Production
  • Tuesday (Mar. 17): Building Permits, Housing Starts, NAHB Housing Market Index, Pending Home Sales
  • Wednesday (Mar. 18): Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Rate Decision, Producer Price Index (PPI), EIA Crude Oil Inventories, Mortgage Applications Index, Net Long-Term TIC, BOJ starts two-day Monetary Policy Meeting
  • Thursday (Mar. 19): ECB Governing Council monetary policy meeting, Continuing Claims, EIA Natural Gas Inventories, Initial Claims, New Home Sales, Philadelphia Fed Index, Wholesale Inventories
  • Friday (Mar. 20): no reports

Earnings:

  • Monday (Mar. 16): Annexon Inc. (ANNX), Dollar Tree Inc. (DLTR), Forgent Power Solutions Inc. (FPS), Ke Holdings Inc. (BEKE), MBX Biosciences Inc. MBX), Oruka Therapeutics Inc. (ORKA), Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), Semtech Corp. (SMTC), VinFast Auto Ltd. (VFS)
  • Tuesday (Mar. 17): Academy Sports and Outdoors Inc. (ASO), Alour Lifestyle Holdings Ltd. (ATAT), Corporacion America Airports SA (CAAP), DocuSign Inc. (DOCU), Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT), GDS Holdings Ltd. (GDS), Lululemon Athletica Inc. (LULU), New Gold Inc. (NGD), Oklo Inc. (OKLO), Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME)
  • Wednesday (Mar. 18): Dlocal Ltd. (DLO), Equipmentshare.com Inc. (EQPT), Five Below Inc. (FIVE), General Mills Inc. (GIS), H World Group Ltd. (HTHT), Jabil Inc. (JBL), Macy’s Inc. (M), Micron Technology Inc. (MU), Williams-Sonoma Inc. (WSM)
  • Thursday (Mar. 19): Accenture PLC (ACN), Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA), Carnival Corp. (CCL), Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI), Erasca Inc. (ERAS), FedEx Corp. (FDX), PDD Holdings Inc. (PDD), Planet Labs (PL), Signet Jewelers Ltd. (SIG)
  • Friday (Mar. 20): SANUWAVE Health Inc. (SNWV), Xpeng Inc. (XPEV)

Disclaimer: Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions and other financial instruments involve substantial risk of loss and are not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Carefully consider if trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources.

You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time. I am registered solely as a commodities broker. Any references, recommendations & information contained in this article are of opinion only, should not be considered investment advice, and do not guarantee any profits.

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Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Snapshot for March 17th

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Daily Levels for March 17th 2026

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CPI, Core PCE, Daylight Savings Time Coming Up, Edvardus Gold Trading System, CannonEdge Snapshot, Dec. Corn Spread, Levels, Reports, and more! Your 8 Important Can’t-Miss Need-To-Knows for Trading Futures the Week of March 9th, 2026

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Cannon Futures Weekly Letter

In Today’s Issue #1281

  • The Week Ahead – Daylight Savings Time, Iran Crude Oil, CPI & More!

  • Futures 102 – Can you Handle the Drawdowns?

  • Cannon Edge – Your Futures trading Map for the week ahead!

  • Hot Market of the Week – Dec 26-27 Corn Spread

  • Broker’s Trading System of the Week – Gold Swing Trading System

  • Trading Levels for Next Week
  • Trading Reports for Next Week

At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

5026.90 5095.60 5139.70 5208.40 5252.50

Silver (SI)

— Mar. (#SI)

80.20 82.17 83.75 85.72 87.30

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

72.80 81.74 87.17 96.11 101.54

 Mar. Bonds (ZB)

— Mar. (#ZB)

114 28/32 115  15/32 116 116 19/32 117 4/32

What Futures Traders Should Watch This Week

By John Thorpe, Senior Broker

cpi

 Daylight Savings time!

CPI Wednesday, The Fed Black-out period, Core PCE Friday, continuing conflicts in the Middle East.

Turn Clocks ahead one hour Sunday Morning, Spring is nearly here in the Northern Hemisphere.

As many investors have been watching the “Energy Sector” rally from the supply shock potential as a result of the fighting in the middle east, there are also substitutes in production for commodity contracts we also trade and have had the same directional bias.

The Biofuels; Soybeans, Corn, Bean oil, Ethanol, these markets are all conducive to spread trading, spot vs deferreds, option spreads, product vs product like the traditional WTI, Unleaded , Heating oil and Nat. Gas markets. Reach out to your broker if you are interested in these other products that a extremely liquid as well.

And a quick note on the Stock Indices:Next week should be your last week trading the March contracts as the rollover period will most likely begin this upcoming Friday the 13th. June, M26 is the next month and year designation.

We’ll see you next week! Please enjoy a safe and memorable weekend.

 Earnings Next Week:

·        Mon. Oracle, Constellation Software, Hewlett Packard.

·        Tue. AeroVironment (a US Defense Tech Leader in proven battlefield systems), Kohl’s.

·        Wed. Foxconn, Campbell soup, Korn Ferry.

·        Thu.  Adobe Systems, BMW, Dollar Gen.

·        Fri. Jabil

FED SPEECHES: (all times CST) Blackout Period.

·        Mon.  quiet

·        Tues.   quiet

·        Wed. quiet

·        Thu.  quiet

·        Fri.   quiet

Econ Data: (all times CST)

·        Mon. Consumer Inflation Expectations

·        Tue. ADP Weekly, Redbook, Existing Home Sales,

·        Wed. CPI, EIA Crude stocks,

·        Thu. Balance of Trade, Building Permits, Housing Starts, Initial Jobless claims, Nat Gas Stocks, Fed Balance Sheet

·        Fri. Core PCE, Durable Goods, GDP 2nd Est., Jolts, Mich. Consumer sentiment, Baker Hughes

Futures 102: System Traders: Can you handle the drawdowns?

Many investors may think, “I can handle drawdown”, but honestly you have no idea how much drawdown you can handle until you have been stuck in the eye of a number of your own personal drawdown storms.

While drawdown is a natural part of trading and investing, what does differ is how much drawdown each investor can mentally handle. As humans, we all ‘see’ the world differently. What appears as something normal to one person can appear completely disastrous to another. While a 10% portfolio drawdown could be extreme for one investor, the next investor may be able to trade through periods of 50% plus drawdown.

From the behavioral finance point of view, some of the main negative facts of the human brain related to trading are:

1. The fact that weak traders tend to be reluctant to realize losses and quick to realize gains. They are more risk averse when dealing with profitable positions and more risk seeking when dealing with losses.

2. The fact that weak traders make inconsistent and irrational economic decisions over the same scenario depending on how it is described.

3. The fact that weak traders deals with positions as if they were expecting mean reversion of prices. They are expecting the price to return to a long term average. This is the principle that makes them think they are buying expensive positions on volatility breakout or trend following strategies.

It is out of the scope of this article to talk much more about this science, but I will just point that:

1. Weak traders know nothing about behavioral finance, so they think that his gut feeling is right and base their decisions on his gut feeling.

2. Smart traders knows about behavioral finance. A smart trader has already studied about this and trained himself to overcome this limitations. At least they know how to deal with their brain to avoid most of the damage it can create on their trading accounts. The best traders knows even how to monetize from this herd behavior.

Are drawdown periods a bad thing? \

In my opinion, they are not a bad thing, in fact I believe that drawdown periods are a very sane and good thing for any solid strategy. Drawdown periods are very efficient to shake out weak traders from the strategy while smarter traders can pick up their money (which is the name of the game after all).

The time that passes since the first equity high until we reach a new equity high is the drawdown period.

So a drawdown period has two dimensions:

·    The drawdown depth

·    The drawdown length

Most people mostly care about the drawdown depth as this is what is easier to see on back tests. But human the brain is much more affected by drawdown length. During live trading, it is easier to deal with a 10% drawdown for one week than with a 5% drawdown for five months.

·    Detailed statistical information about the strategy: Expected profit, expected drawdown, maximal drawdown depth and length, average win percentage, reward to risk ratio, …

·    Different scenarios and the actions to take (if any): intense and/or deep drawdown periods and what to do (or do nothing), whether to trade during Christmas time or summer time, whether to keep opened positions during weekends or not, what to do after a losing year (or do nothing), funding and withdrawing plan, …

·    A very clear worst case scenario: it is basically the “line in the sand” where we know that the strategy has lost it’s edge and something must be done (stop trading the strategy, adapting parameters, …). There are many ways to calculate it (double the max historical drawdown, using montecarlo simulations, using regression lines multiplied by x times the standard deviation on the equity curve, …). In the end it is a number. The important thing is to have it written in the trading plan.

When facing a problem that generates pain or panic such as a sudden deep drawdown, most of the time, when analyzed with rigor and care, the problem is not so important and everything is within expected statistics. You will see that there were many periods in the past with similar characteristics.

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Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Insight for the Next Trading Day! Cannon Edge for March 9th 2026

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Cannon Edge is our new daily feature designed to give traders a fast, actionable overview of key futures markets.

Each post delivers:

  • Current price and daily % change

  • 30‑day and 52‑week highs/lows

  • PROPRIETARY Short‑term and long‑term trend signals

  • Coverage across equity indices, metals, energies, currencies, and ags

Whether you’re scanning for breakout setups, trend reversals, or just staying informed — Cannon Edge puts the data in your hands before the open.

Built for speed. Backed by insight. Powered by CQG.

Hot Market of the Week

Hot market of the week is provided by QT Market Center, A Swiss army knife charting package that’s not just for Hedgers, Cooperatives and Farmers alike but also for Spread traders, Swing traders and shorter time frame application for intraday traders with a unique proprietary indicator that can be applied to your specific trading needs.

Free Trial Available

Dec – Dec Corn Spread

The Dec – Dec Corn Spread accelerated this week and satisfied the third upside PriceCount objective which was consistent with a challenge of the contract high. It would be normal to get a near term reaction from this level in the form of a consolidation or corrective trade, at least. The price action negated the remaining unmet downside objective at -30. At this point, IF the chart can sustain further strength, we are left with the low percentage fourth count to aim for at +30.

 Learn more spreads and seasonal patterns in commodity futures HERE

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The PriceCount study is a tool that can help to project the distance of a move in price. The counts are not intended to be an ‘exact’ science but rather offer a target area for the four objectives which are based off the first leg of a move with each subsequent count having a smaller percentage of being achieved.

It is normal for the chart to react by correcting or consolidating at an objective and then either resuming its move or reversing trend. Best utilized in conjunction with other technical tools, PriceCounts offer one more way to analyze charts and help to manage your positions and risk.

Learn more at www.qtchartoftheday.com

Trading in futures, options, securities, derivatives or OTC products entails significant risks which must be understood prior to trading and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance of actual trades or strategies is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Brokers Trading System of the Week

Edvardus – Breakout Gold Trading System SID#:3528

***Past performance may not be necessarily indicative of future results.

To learn more about this system, contact 800-454-9572 / 310-859-9572 or info@cannontrading.com .

This system is available for the 100 OZ gold contract and results below are based on the 100 oz contract – However, you can trade the same system logic and execution with the 10 Oz contract going as low as one micro gold which is 1/10 of the large contract.

System Description

Market Sector: Metals

Markets Traded:  GC , MGC

System Type: Swing Trading

Risk per Trade: varies

Trading Rules: Partially Disclosed

Suggested Capital: $60,000/ $6,000

Developer Fee per contract: $300.00/ $30 Monthly Subscription

System Description:

Edvardus Breakout GOLD is a breakout swing trading strategy. It has passed robustness testing such as walk-forward analysis.

Get Started

Learn More

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Disclaimer The risk of trading can be substantial and each investor and/or trader must consider whether this is a suitable investment. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

System Trades Disclosure:

System Description

“System Description” is based upon information obtained from specific system marketing documents, system developers and/or system vendors themselves. While the information is believed to be reliable, we cannot guarantee its completeness or accuracy.

Actual Monthly Performance

The table and charts represent the monthly/quarterly/annual summation of actual trades based on system-specified contract(s) executed through Striker Securities, Inc. using the referenced trading system or system vendor for the stated time period. Commissions and monthly vendor fees are deducted from the tabulation. Results are based on 1 contract. If a client trades 2 contracts his gain or loss is twice as displayed (and so on). This table is presented for information purposes only and is not a solicitation for the referenced system or vendor.

The purpose of this information is for clients to compare their brokerage statements to what is displayed on Striker’s site. Striker as a matter of policy has no ownership with the referenced system or vendor or any other trading system or vendor. Past trade history may not be indicative of future results.

The results indicated here may or may not be typical of the performance of this system and, ALTHOUGH WE BELIEVE THIS INFORMATION TO BE ACCURATE, CANNON TRADING COMPANY MAKES NO ENDORSEMENT OF THIS OR ANY SYSTEM NOR WARRANTS ITS PERFORMANCE. This is not the only trading system that Striker executes for its clients. Potential traders should carefully investigate, evaluate and compare trading systems before investing capital. Some or all trading systems may involve an inappropriate level of risk for potential traders.

It is the nature of commodity trading that where there is the opportunity for profit, there is also the risk of loss. In opening an account through CANNON TRADING COMPANY, Customer acknowledges and agrees that he/she will rely solely upon the information that CANNON TRADING COMPANYprovides to you. Thus, all prior third-party materials provided are superseded by the information and disclosures provided by CANNON TRADING COMPANY.

Important Information About this Trading System Analysis

Statistics, tables, charts and other information on trading system monthly performance are based on actual trading unless otherwise specified. Actual dollar and percentage gains/losses experienced by investors would depend on many factors not accounted for in these statistics, including, but not limited to, starting account balances, market behavior, developer fees, incidence of split fills and other variations in order execution, and the duration and extent of individual investor participation in the specified system.

While the information and statistics given are believed to be complete and accurate we cannot guarantee their completeness or accuracy as they results are key punched and subject to human error. Performance information is not the performance of a single account, but a compilation of several accounts over time, and is based on the physical trading ticket.

THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR EDUCATIONAL/ INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND USED BY CURRENT CLIENTS TO AUDIT THEIR STATEMENTS TO STRIKER SITE. These results are not indicative of, and have no bearing on, any individual results that may be attained by the trading system in the future.

This trading system, like any other, may involve an inappropriate level of risk for prospective investors. THE RISK OF LOSS IN TRADING COMMODITY FUTURES AND OPTIONS CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL INVESTORS. Prior to purchasing or leasing a trading system from this or any other system vendor or investing in a trading system with a registered commodity trading representative, investors need to carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for them in light of their own specific financial condition.

In some cases, futures accounts are subject to substantial charges for commission, management, incentive or advisory fees. It may be necessary for accounts subject to these charges to make substantial trading profits to avoid depletion or exhaustion of their assets.

In addition, one should carefully study the accompanying prospectus, account forms, disclosure documents and/or risk disclosure statements required by the CFTC or NFA, which are provided directly by the system vendor and/or CTA’s.

The information contained in this report is provided with the objective of “standardizing” trading systems measurements, and it is intended for educational /informational purposes only. All information is offered with the understanding that an investor considering purchasing or leasing a system must carry out his/her own research and due diligence in deciding whether to purchase or lease any trading system noted within or without this report.

This report does not constitute a solicitation to purchase or invest in any trading system which may be mentioned herein. CANNON TRADING COMPANY AND STRIKER SECURITES, INC. MAKES NO ENDORSEMENT OF THIS OR ANY OTHER TRADING SYSTEM NOR WARRANTS ITS PERFORMANCE. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE TO ANY TRADING SYSTEM.

Futures Trading Disclaimer:

Transactions in securities futures, commodity and index futures and options on futures carry a high degree of risk. The amount of initial margin is small relative to the value of the futures contract, meaning that transactions are heavily “leveraged”. A relatively small market movement will have a proportionately larger impact on the funds you have deposited or will have to deposit: this may work against you as well as for you.

You may sustain a total loss of initial margin funds and any additional funds deposited with the clearing firm to maintain your position. If the market moves against your position or margin levels are increased, you may be called upon to pay substantial additional funds on short notice to maintain your position. If you fail to comply with a request for additional funds within the time prescribed, your position may be liquidated at a loss and you will be liable for any resulting deficit.

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Daily Levels for March 9th, 2026

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Trading Reports for Next Week

First Notice (FN), Last trading (LT) Days for the Week:

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

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NFP Friday amidst Volatility PLUS: Bloomberg Commodity Index, CannonEdge Snapshot, Levels, Reports; Your 5 Important Can’t-Miss Need-To-Knows for Trading Futures on Friday, March 6th, 2026

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NFP Tomorrow

By Ilan Levy-Mayer, VP

At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

4971.27 5029.03 5116.67 5174.43 5262.07

Silver (SI)

— Mar. (#SI)

77.70 80.01 82.88 85.20 88.07

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

71.81 75.84 79.00 83.03 86.19

 Mar. Bonds (ZB)

— Mar. (#ZB)

115 21/32 116  1/32 116  14/32 116 26/32 117 7/32

NFP Tomorrow amidst Volatility

nfp

Volatility across major commodity futures remains elevated as the situation in the Middle East continues to expand into a broader international crisis.

NFP

Up next, the Labor Department releases its monthly Non‑Farm Payrolls (NFP) report tomorrow at 7:30 A.M. Central Time—one of the most impactful economic releases for U.S. markets. Historically, this report can trigger sharp and fast price swings across equity, interest rate, energy, and metals futures.

What to do with upcoming NFP

Based on past experience (and these are strictly my personal opinions), here are a few reminders that may help you navigate the volatility:

Trading Considerations Ahead of Non Farm Payrolls (NFP)

  1. Reduce trading size. Volatility can amplify both gains and losses.
  2. Be highly selective. No trade is better than a forced or low‑quality setup.
  3. Choose entries wisely.
  4. Use longer‑timeframe support/resistance to guide entries.
  5. Consider “stretching the price bands” during high volatility.
  6. Example: If a trader planned to go long the mini S&P at 6825.00 with a stop at 6815.00, in a volatile environment they might instead look for an entry around 6810.00 with a stop placed slightly below—adjusted for volatility and key levels.
  7. Expect fast, erratic movement during and immediately after the announcement.
  8. Watch for low‑liquidity “vacuum behavior” (wide zig‑zags, thin volume) right before the number.
  9. Use automated brackets (stops and limits attached to your entry) as markets can accelerate quickly.
  10. Know the expectations and compare the actual number to the forecast—then observe the market’s reaction rather than guessing.
  11. Stay patient and disciplined. High‑impact releases reward preparation, not prediction.
  12. If in doubt, stay out. Preserving capital is also a trading decision.

NFP: Plan your Trade and Trade your Plan

Cannon Edge for March 6th

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Introducing Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Snapshot Above

Cannon Edge is our new daily feature designed to give traders a fast, actionable overview of key futures markets. Each post delivers:

  • Current price and daily % change

  • 30‑day and 52‑week highs/lows

  • PROPRIETARY Short‑term and long‑term trend signals

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Bloomberg Commodity Index

The Bloomberg Commodity Index is a weighted index of commodities from the grains, meats, energies, metals, and the softs sectors. The weekly chart broke out of tis extended range this fall and more recently corrected after satisfying the second upside PriceCount objective.

If the chart can break out and sustain new highs, the third count would project a move of about another 6% that would be consistent with a challenge of the 2022 high which represented peak inflation.

The run has been led by meats and metals, but now energies have joined the party and to a lesser extent, the grains. The low percentage fourth objective, not shown here for presentation purposes, is 176.

FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE

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The PriceCount study is a tool that can help to project the distance of a move in price. The counts are not intended to be an ‘exact’ science but rather offer a target area for the four objectives which are based off the first leg of a move with each subsequent count having a smaller percentage of being achieved.

It is normal for the chart to react by correcting or consolidating at an objective and then either resuming its move or reversing trend. Best utilized in conjunction with other technical tools, PriceCounts offer one more way to analyze charts and help to manage your positions and risk.

Learn more at www.qtchartoftheday.com

Trading in futures, options, securities, derivatives or OTC products entails significant risks which must be understood prior to trading and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance of actual trades or strategies is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Daily Levels for March 6th 2026

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Want to feature our updated trading levels on your website? Simply paste a small code, and they’ll update automatically every day!

Click here for quick and easy instructions.

Economic Reports

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All times are Central Time ( Chicago)

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Find us on Trustpilot

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

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NFP; War & Unemployment PLUS: CannonEdge Snapshot, May Dollar Index, Levels, Reports; Your 5 Can’t-Miss Need-To-Knows for Trading Futures on March 5th, 2026

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War & Unemployment; NFP hits Friday

By Mark O’Brien, Senior Broker

At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

5029.50 5091.70 5155.00 5217.20 5280.50

Silver (SI)

— Mar. (#SI)

78.83 81.25 84.16 86.58 89.49

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

71.53 73.72 75.48 77.67 79.43

 Mar. Bonds (ZB)

— Mar. (#ZB)

116 6/32 116 17/32 117 117 11/32 117 26/32

Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP); Unemployment FYIs

nfp

Volatility in major commodity futures remained high as the crisis in the Mideast expanded into a wider international crisis today after NATO air defenses shot down an Iranian ballistic missile headed toward Turkey, the United States sank an Iranian navy ship in international waters, and several European nations deployed military assets to the region to protect their interests.

Stock index futures advanced today with the E-mini Nasdaq leading the way as U.S. futures markets appeared to set aside some of their fears over the Middle East conflict.

This week’s run-up in crude oil futures oil prices paused, with West Texas Intermediate turning slightly higher and stabilized around $75 a barrel in afternoon trading.

More General:

Private sector hiring was a bit better than expected in February. The payrolls processing firm ADP reported today that companies added a seasonally adjusted 63,000 workers during the month, an improvement from the downwardly revised 11,000 in January and better than the consensus estimate for 48,000.

The issue of breadth continued to be a problem for the labor market.

  1.        Education and health services added 58,000 jobs for the month, easily leading all sectors.

  2.        In second place, construction contributed 19,000.

  3.        Professional and business services saw a decline of 30,000 positions.

  4.        Manufacturing lost 5,000, continuing a months-long decline.

  5.        Trade, transportation and utilities were off 1,000.

  6.        Other than a gain of 11,000 in information services, there was little movement elsewhere.

In short, two industries offset stagnant growth across most other sectors.

Up next, the Labor Dept. releases its monthly non-farm payrolls report this Friday.

It’s widely considered to be one of the most important and influential measures of the U.S. economy. The report is released at 7:30 A.M., Central Time.

Cannon Edge for March 5th

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Introducing Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Snapshot Above

Cannon Edge is our new daily feature designed to give traders a fast, actionable overview of key futures markets. Each post delivers:

  • Current price and daily % change

  • 30‑day and 52‑week highs/lows

  • PROPRIETARY Short‑term and long‑term trend signals

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March Dollar Index

The March US Dollar Index has broken out above the February highs and activated upside PriceCount objectives while also negating the remaining unmet downside counts. The chart is completing its first objective to the 99.67 area. From here, the rally will have to contend with the fall highs but further strength would project a possible run to the second count in the 101.20 area.

FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE

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The PriceCount study is a tool that can help to project the distance of a move in price. The counts are not intended to be an ‘exact’ science but rather offer a target area for the four objectives which are based off the first leg of a move with each subsequent count having a smaller percentage of being achieved.

It is normal for the chart to react by correcting or consolidating at an objective and then either resuming its move or reversing trend. Best utilized in conjunction with other technical tools, PriceCounts offer one more way to analyze charts and help to manage your positions and risk.

Learn more at www.qtchartoftheday.com

Trading in futures, options, securities, derivatives or OTC products entails significant risks which must be understood prior to trading and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance of actual trades or strategies is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Daily Levels for March 5th, 2026

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Want to feature our updated trading levels on your website? Simply paste a small code, and they’ll update automatically every day! Click here for quick and easy instructions.

Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Central Time ( Chicago)

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Find us on Trustpilot

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

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Listen to our podcast: Subscribe on AppleSpotify, Amazon

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Iran & The Markets PLUS: March Dollar Index, Levels, Reports; Your 4 Important Can’t-Miss Need-To-Knows for Trading Futures on March 4th, 2026

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Iran & The Markets

By John Thorpe, Senior Broker

At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

4780.13 4944.47 5169.33 5333.67 5558.53

Silver (SI)

— Mar. (#SI)

70.59 76.66 84.13 90.20 97.68

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

66.59 70.33 74.16 77.90 81.73

 Mar. Bonds (ZB)

— Mar. (#ZB)

116 116 20/32 117 4/32 117 24/32 118 8/32

Equities get legs on back-to-back days.

iran

After a strong case that can be made for the S&P index completing the Elliot Wave 5th wave that began in November, the 6750 .00 price level has, so far, proven to be resilient. In the face of global uncertainty, it seems inertia has levitated the index just when it looked like the price was going to breakdown and violate the 200 day moving average on a closing basis in the mid 6700’s.

On each of the past two days, the index has rallied off it’s early session lows, flirting with the MA.

Crude Oil and energy by-products on a run to the upside

As of March 3, 2026,

The Strait of Hormuz is currently in a state of de facto closure. While it remains technically and legally open as an international waterway, it is effectively impassable for most commercial shipping due to extreme security risks and the withdrawal of insurance coverage.

On Truth Social, Pres. Trump recently addressed this “If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible.

No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD. The United States’ ECONOMIC and MILITARY MIGHT is the GREATEST ON EARTH — More actions to come,” in a retort to the IRGC threatening to attack any ship in the strait, hours before.

Current Status & Conflicting Claims

  • Iran’s Position: Senior officials from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially declared the strait “closed” on March 2, 2026. They have issued radio warnings stating they will “set ablaze” any ship attempting to cross.
  • U.S. Position: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) continues to maintain that the strait is not closed and remains a protected international waterway.
  • Operational Reality: Despite the legal dispute, maritime traffic has slowed to a crawl. Major shipping firms like Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, and MSC have suspended all transits through the region to protect their crews and vessels.

Key Factors Driving the Disruption

  • Insurance Withdrawal: Most maritime insurers have withdrawn war-risk coverage for the Persian Gulf, making it economically unviable for ship owners to enter the area.
  • Physical Attacks: Several tankers have reportedly been struck or damaged by Iranian fire and drone attacks over the past few days, leading to a “critical” risk assessment for the region.
  • Global Impact: Approximately 20% of global oil and gas supply passes through this chokepoint. The current disruption has caused a sharp spike in energy prices, with Brent crude opening significantly higher this week.
  • Diplomatic Pressure: China, the largest importer of oil passing through the strait, is reportedly pressuring Iran to keep the waterway open to safeguard its energy security.

Response:

OPEC’s main response so far has been to signal a modest production increase while publicly downplaying panic about supply, even as members leave room to adjust if the crisis worsens.

Production decisions

  • OPEC+ has agreed to boost output quotas by about 206,000 barrels per day starting in April, a slightly larger hike than the earlier plan of roughly 137,000 bpd.
  • The group frames this as a continuation of its gradual unwinding of past cuts, not an emergency surge, and says it retains “flexibility” to change the pace depending on market conditions.

Official messaging

  • In public statements and leaks via delegates, OPEC+ cites a “steady” global economic outlook and “healthy” market fundamentals, avoiding direct reference to the Iran war even though the timing is clearly linked.
  • Key Gulf producers have warned privately that military action against Iran could push prices above 100 dollars, signaling to Washington and others that the conflict poses serious risks despite the small quota hike.

Constraints and limits

  • Analysts note that only a few members (mainly Saudi Arabia and the UAE) hold significant spare capacity, so any OPEC+ increase beyond a couple of hundred thousand bpd would be hard to deliver in practice.
  • Several experts argue the announced 206,000 bpd increase cannot fully offset a prolonged disruption through the Strait of Hormuz, since the main bottleneck is now logistics and transit risk rather than wellhead production.

Practical behavior by key members

  • Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE had already been nudging exports higher in the run‑up to and immediately after the strikes, anticipating tighter balances and higher prices.
  • Russia and other members in the voluntary “V8” subgroup joined the announced adjustment, signaling a coordinated move to show responsiveness without flooding the market.​

Plan your trades and trade your plans

Cannon Edge for March 4th

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Introducing Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Snapshot Above

Cannon Edge is our new daily feature designed to give traders a fast, actionable overview of key futures markets. Each post delivers:

  • Current price and daily % change

  • 30‑day and 52‑week highs/lows

  • PROPRIETARY Short‑term and long‑term trend signals

March Dollar Index

The March US Dollar Index has broken out above the February highs and activated upside PriceCount objectives while also negating the remaining unmet downside counts. The chart is completing its first objective to the 99.67 area. From here, the rally will have to contend with the fall highs but further strength would project a possible run to the second count in the 101.20 area.

FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE

5650b3db cd9a 4ed4 8782 bf81d1188dfa

The PriceCount study is a tool that can help to project the distance of a move in price. The counts are not intended to be an ‘exact’ science but rather offer a target area for the four objectives which are based off the first leg of a move with each subsequent count having a smaller percentage of being achieved.

It is normal for the chart to react by correcting or consolidating at an objective and then either resuming its move or reversing trend. Best utilized in conjunction with other technical tools, PriceCounts offer one more way to analyze charts and help to manage your positions and risk.

Learn more at www.qtchartoftheday.com

Trading in futures, options, securities, derivatives or OTC products entails significant risks which must be understood prior to trading and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance of actual trades or strategies is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Daily Levels for March 4th, 2026

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Want to feature our updated trading levels on your website? Simply paste a small code, and they’ll update automatically every day! 

Click here for quick and easy instructions.

Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Central Time ( Chicago)

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Find us on Trustpilot

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

Join our Private Facebook group

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Listen to our podcast: Subscribe on AppleSpotify, Amazon

or wherever you listen to podcasts!

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Unlock your Edge with TradingView Indicators PLUS: CannonEdge, PPI, Silver First Notice, Levels, Reports; Your 6 Important Can’t Miss Need To Knows for Trading Futures On February 27th, 2026, THE LAST TRADING DAY OF THE MONTH

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Unlock Your Edge with Premium TradingView Indicators

By Ilan Levy-Mayer, VP

At-a-Glance Levels

Instrument S2 S1 Pivot R1 R2

Gold (GC)

— April (#GC)

5117.27 5166.83 5194.37 5243.93 5271.47

Silver (SI)

— Mar. (#SI)

83.21 86.31 88.65 91.76 94.10

Crude Oil (CL)

— April. (#CL)

62.15 63.80 65.26 66.91 68.37

 Mar. Bonds (ZB)

— Mar. (#ZB)

117 5/32 117 17/32 117 24/32 118 4/32 118 11/32
  • FN day for March Silver is tomorrow!

  • PPI tomorrow

  • Also tomorrow is the last trading day for February

  • Nice video on how one can utilize the RSI indicator is now available!

 Unlock Your Edge with Premium TradingView Indicators 

tradingview

Ready to level up your trading game? Our proprietary indicator suite is now available on TradingView—designed for traders who want clarity, precision, and confidence.

✅ 5 custom-built studies powered by mathematical algorithms

✅ Works on any market, any timeframe

✅ Includes early trend and counter-trend signals

✅ Plug-and-play setup—no coding required

✅ Full access to concept explanations and usage tips

Whether you’re day trading or swing trading, these tools can help you spot high-probability setups and avoid common traps – an example of the way signals look below!

Try them FREE and see why serious traders trust our edge.

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Above is an intraday Gold chart from this morning, showcasing how our indicators plot signals in real time:

  • Green triangles → potential buy setups

  • Red triangles → potential sell setups

  • Green squares → possible exit for a short and/or an aggressive counter‑trend buy

  • Red squares → possible exit for a long and/or an aggressive counter‑trend short

…and much more built into the logic behind the scenes.

These visual cues are designed to help traders quickly interpret momentum shifts, trend strength, and potential reversal zones—without clutter or guesswork.

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Introducing Cannon Edge — Your Daily Futures Snapshot

Cannon Edge is our new daily feature designed to give traders a fast, actionable overview of key futures markets. Each post delivers:

  • Current price and daily % change

  • 30‑day and 52‑week highs/lows

  • PROPRIETARY Short‑term and long‑term trend signals

  • Coverage across equity indices, metals, energies, currencies, and ags

Whether you’re scanning for breakout setups, trend reversals, or just staying informed — Cannon Edge puts the data in your hands before the open.

Built for speed. Backed by insight. Powered by CQQ.

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FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE

The PriceCount study is a tool that can help to project the distance of a move in price. The counts are not intended to be an ‘exact’ science but rather offer a target area for the four objectives which are based off the first leg of a move with each subsequent count having a smaller percentage of being achieved.

It is normal for the chart to react by correcting or consolidating at an objective and then either resuming its move or reversing trend. Best utilized in conjunction with other technical tools, PriceCounts offer one more way to analyze charts and help to manage your positions and risk.

Learn more at www.qtchartoftheday.com

Trading in futures, options, securities, derivatives or OTC products entails significant risks which must be understood prior to trading and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance of actual trades or strategies is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Daily Levels for February 27th, 2026

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Want to feature our updated trading levels on your website? Simply paste a small code, and they’ll update automatically every day! 

Click here for quick and easy instructions.

Economic Reports

provided by: ForexFactory.com

All times are Central Time ( Chicago)

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Find us on Trustpilot

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Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

Join our Private Facebook group

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Listen to our podcast: Subscribe on AppleSpotify, Amazon

or wherever you listen to podcasts!

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Algo Futures Trading

algo futures trading

Algo Futures Trading

Algorithmic Futures Trading

algo futures trading

algo futures trading

The futures markets have always been innovation-driven, from open outcry pits to electronic matching engines. Today, algo futures trading and algorithmic futures trading dominate global derivatives volume across CME-listed equity index, energy, agricultural, metal, and interest rate contracts. As exchange infrastructure, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data science evolve, traders must adapt to an environment where speed, automation, and analytics define competitive advantage.

This in-depth guide explores the latest technological advancements powering algo futures trading, how professional brokers help traders implement and manage algorithmic futures trading systems, and why Cannon Trading Company has remained a top choice for futures traders for decades.

Learn More HERE

The Evolution of Algo Futures Trading

The transition from pit trading to electronic trading at CME created the foundation for modern algo futures trading. Electronic order books enabled programmable execution, allowing traders to deploy rules-based systems instead of manual discretionary orders.

Algorithmic futures trading began with simple rule engines:

  • Moving average crossovers
  • Breakout systems
  • Volume-based entries
  • Time-of-day strategies

Today, however, algo futures trading includes:

  • Machine learning signal generation
  • Adaptive volatility modeling
  • Order book imbalance detection
  • Latency-sensitive execution algorithms
  • Portfolio-level risk engines

CME’s Globex electronic platform enables near-instant matching, making algorithmic futures trading viable for retail and institutional traders alike. The democratization of execution speed, combined with broker-provided APIs, has allowed individual traders to compete in ways previously reserved for hedge funds.

New Technological Advancements in 2026

The year 2026 has introduced a suite of technological breakthroughs that have redefined the possibilities of algo futures trading. We have moved beyond basic automation into the realm of truly “intelligent” systems.

Machine Learning and Predictive Microstructure

Modern algorithmic futures trading now leverages unsupervised machine learning to identify shifting market regimes. Unlike older “static” algorithms that might fail when market conditions change (from trending to sideways), today’s systems can adjust their parameters in real-time. By analyzing the order book depth and “iceberg” orders at the CME, these algorithms predict short-term price movements with localized accuracy.

Cloud-Native Low Latency Infrastructure

The days of needing a physical server rack next to the exchange are evolving. Hybrid cloud solutions now allow for proximity hosting that rivals traditional co-location. This allows for algo futures trading strategies to run on high-performance virtual private servers (VPS) that are “cross-connected” to the exchange gateways. This reduces the “slippage” that occurs when a trade is triggered at one price but executed at another.

Generative AI for Strategy Optimization

One of the most significant shifts in algorithmic futures trading is the use of Generative AI to “stress-test” code. Instead of simple backtesting against historical data, traders now use AI to create synthetic “black swan” scenarios. This ensures that an algorithm is robust enough to handle the 10% outlier events that typically wipe out less prepared participants.

How Your Broker Helps Navigate Advancements

While the technology is impressive, it is often inaccessible without the right intermediary. This is where the value of a specialized broker becomes clear. Navigating the world of algo futures trading requires more than just a login; it requires an ecosystem.

Access to Specialized Platforms like E-Futures

Brokers provide the gateway to sophisticated software like the E-Futures platform. E-Futures is designed to handle the high data throughput required for algorithmic futures trading. Your broker assists by configuring these platforms to ensure that the data feeds are “unfiltered” and “direct,” providing the raw numbers your algorithm needs to make split-second decisions.

Customized Risk Management Controls

The CME mandates strict risk management protocols to prevent “flash crashes.” A dedicated broker helps you set up pre-trade risk filters. These are safety nets that live on the broker’s server, ensuring that if your algo futures trading script goes haywire—perhaps by attempting to buy more contracts than your account allows—the trade is blocked before it even reaches the exchange.

Navigating Connectivity and API Integration

Implementing algorithmic futures trading often requires connecting custom code (Python, C++, or Java) to a broker’s API. A top-tier broker provides the technical support to ensure your API “handshake” is secure and persistent. They act as the liaison between your code and the exchange’s execution engine, ensuring that your E-Mini or micro-contract orders are routed via the most efficient path.

Why Cannon Trading Company is a Top Choice

algo futures trading

algo futures trading

For decades, Cannon Trading Company has remained a cornerstone of the futures industry. Their longevity is not a result of luck, but a commitment to adapting alongside the evolution of algorithmic futures trading.

A Legacy of Integrity Since 1988

In an industry where firms often vanish as quickly as they appear, Cannon Trading Company has provided continuous service for nearly 40 years. This historical perspective is vital for algo futures trading participants who need a stable partner. They have navigated every market cycle, from the early days of electronic trading to the AI-driven markets of 2026.

Superior Ratings on Trustpilot

Client satisfaction is the ultimate metric of a broker’s efficacy. Cannon Trading Company consistently maintains high marks on Trustpilot. Traders frequently cite the “human touch” as their reason for staying. Even in a world of algorithmic futures trading, having a Series 3 licensed broker available via phone to discuss a technical glitch or a margin requirement is an invaluable asset.

Diverse Platform Offerings

Cannon Trading Company doesn’t force traders into a one-size-fits-all solution. They offer a “buffet” of high-performance platforms, including E-Futures and others optimized for the E-Mini markets. This allows an algo futures trading enthusiast to choose the specific execution environment that best suits their code’s latency requirements and complexity.

The Role of E-Mini Contracts in Algorithm Development

The E-Mini revolutionized the world of algorithmic futures trading by making high-liquidity markets accessible at a lower capital requirement. For those developing new algo futures trading systems, the E-Mini S&P 500 or the E-Mini Nasdaq-100 provides the perfect “laboratory.”

Because these contracts are traded 24/5 on the CME, they provide a continuous stream of data. This allows for the refinement of algorithms across different time zones and volatility profiles. When a trader works with Cannon Trading Company, they gain access to specialized margin rates for these contracts, which is essential for “scaling up” an algorithm as it proves its profitability.

Real-World Execution: From Code to CME

To succeed in algo futures trading, one must understand the journey of an order. When your algorithm identifies a pattern in the E-Mini Dow, it sends an instruction through the broker’s API. From there, the order travels through the broker’s infrastructure, undergoes a risk check, and is finally matched at the CME.

A broker like Cannon Trading Company optimizes this path. They ensure that your algorithmic futures trading system isn’t bogged down by “hop-heavy” routing. By providing direct market access (DMA), they minimize the time between the algorithm’s decision and the exchange’s confirmation. This “round-trip” time is the difference between a profitable trade and a missed opportunity in the fast-paced world of algo futures trading.

The Synergy of Human Expertise and Machine Precision

The most common misconception about algorithmic futures trading is that it is a “set it and forget it” endeavor. In reality, the most successful participants are those who combine their algo futures trading logic with the institutional wisdom of a broker.

Cannon Trading Company excels here by providing “brokers who understand the tech.” If the CME issues a new regulation regarding automated trading, or if there is a scheduled maintenance window for the E-Futures server, your broker proactively informs you. This synergy ensures that your algorithmic futures trading strategy remains compliant and operational, even when the underlying technology undergoes rapid shifts.

Building Your Trading Future

The evolution of algo futures trading has democratized the markets, allowing individual traders to compete with the giants of Wall Street. However, the complexity of 2026’s markets requires a partner that offers more than just a trading terminal.

By choosing Cannon Trading Company, you are aligning yourself with a firm that has a proven track record on Trustpilot, deep roots in the CME ecosystem, and a specialized understanding of algorithmic futures trading. Whether you are focused on the E-Mini indices or commodities, the combination of the E-Futures platform and professional brokerage support provides the foundation needed for long-term success.

FAQ Section

Q: Is algo futures trading suitable for beginners?

A: While algorithmic futures trading requires a technical learning curve, it is highly beneficial for beginners because it enforces discipline. Using a platform like E-Futures through Cannon Trading Company can help beginners automate basic risk management.

Q: What is the minimum capital required for algorithmic futures trading?

A: This depends on the contract. Trading E-Mini contracts requires more margin than “Micro” contracts. Cannon Trading Company can help you determine the appropriate capital based on your specific algo futures trading strategy.

Q: Do I need to be a programmer to use algorithmic futures trading?

A: Not necessarily. While many build custom code, there are “no-code” and “low-code” solutions available on platforms like E-Futures that allow you to build an algo futures trading system using visual logic.

Q: How does the CME regulate algorithmic futures trading?

A: The CME has specific rules regarding “messaging” and “order-to-fill” ratios to ensure market stability. Professional brokers like those at Cannon Trading Company ensure your algorithmic futures trading activities stay within these regulatory boundaries.

Q: Why is Cannon Trading Company’s Trustpilot score important?

A: In the algo futures trading space, technical issues can arise. A high Trustpilot score indicates that the broker is responsive and effective at resolving client issues, which is critical for automated systems.

Q: Can I trade E-Mini contracts 24 hours a day?

A: Yes, the CME offers nearly 24-hour trading for E-Mini products. This allows your algorithmic futures trading systems to capture opportunities in global markets regardless of your local time.

Try a FREE Demo!

Ready to start trading futures? Call us at 1(800)454-9572 (US) or (310)859-9572 (International), or email info@cannontrading.com to speak with one of our experienced, Series-3 licensed futures brokers and begin your futures trading journey with Cannon Trading Company today.

Disclaimer: Trading Futures, Options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involve substantial risk of loss and are not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Carefully consider if trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge, and financial resources. You may lose all or more of your initial investment. Opinions, market data, and recommendations are subject to change at any time.

Important: Trading commodity futures and options involves a substantial risk of loss. The recommendations contained in this article are opinions only and do not guarantee any profits. This article is for educational purposes. Past performances are not necessarily indicative of future results.

This article has been generated with the help of AI Technology and modified for accuracy and compliance.

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