The Trading Post | 01.05.26

Good morning,

The U.S. captured Venezuela’s Maduro over the weekend, energy stocks are partying like it’s 2008, gold is back above $4,400, AI optimism is getting a second wind ahead of Jensen Huang’s CES keynote, Bitcoin ripped through $93K, and Friday’s jobs report is looming like a volatility tax.

Want to follow a proven options system with a 70%+ win rate? Robert Roy's Power Option Plays delivers twice-weekly trade alerts with clear entry and exit plans. 

Let’s jump in.

Pre-Market Performance

As of 01.02.26 market close.

Market News

• U.S. captures Venezuela’s Maduro; energy explodes, gold spikes — Oil majors and oilfield services ripped higher on hopes of Venezuela reopening crude production, while gold surged on geopolitical risk. Reality check: restoring Venezuelan output is a multi-year project, not a weekend flip. Investopedia

• AI trade re-ignites ahead of Nvidia CES keynote (4 PM ET) — Nasdaq futures outperformed as investors positioned for Jensen Huang’s roadmap on “what’s next” in AI. TSMC hit records after a major Goldman upgrade, reinforcing that silicon scarcity isn’t going away anytime soon. Benzinga

• December jobs report sets up the week’s main event (Friday, 8:30 AM ET) — Payroll growth is expected to slow to +55K with unemployment holding at 4.6%. Translation: the Fed narrative could shift fast if this number disappoints. Yahoo Finance

• Comcast spinoff Versant begins trading — The cable-heavy media carve-out hit the tape with shares under pressure as forced selling meets secular cord-cutting reality. CNBC

• Bitcoin clears $93K for a fifth straight session — Crypto breadth improved, ETF outflows slowed, and MicroStrategy caught a bid as BTC pushed toward the top of its recent range. Yahoo Finance

A Message From Wealth Builders HQ

Trade Options with Confidence Using a Proven System 

Power Option Plays (POP) isn't just another options alert service—it's a complete trading education wrapped around real-time trade opportunities. 

Here's what makes POP different: 

Rob Roy personally analyzes hundreds of stocks every week, selecting only the highest-probability setups based on his Fibonacci and moving average system. You get twice-weekly recorded trainings that walk you through exactly why each trade setup works, so you're learning the methodology while following along. 

Since its founding, POP has maintained an average success rate above 70%, generating millions in profit in simulated trading accounts. The system focuses on repeatable patterns using the same core stock candidates, which means you're building pattern recognition with every alert. 

What You Get: 

• Biweekly recorded training videos breaking down current market setups 

• Trade alerts with specific entry points, position sizing, and exit strategies 

• A proven tracking system that shows you exactly when to scale in and out 

• Quarterly live Q&A sessions ("Mastering The Trade") to refine your approach 

• Access to Rob's complete watchlist with bias indicators (bullish, bearish, or neutral) 

Whether you're swing trading or day trading, POP teaches you how to fish while giving you the best fishing spots. You'll learn to identify your own setups using Rob's Fibonacci-based system while following his alerts on proven candidates. 

Ready to trade with a plan? Check out Power Option Plays and start building your options trading confidence with a system that actually works. 

Daily Moment of Zen

Why It Matters:

Every January feels like a race — new year, new trades, new urgency to do something. The market doesn’t care. Headlines scream, futures twitch, and Twitter melts down… while patience quietly compounds in the background. Traders who survive aren’t the fastest — they’re the ones who wait for confirmation, respect levels, and don’t confuse motion with opportunity. Sometimes the best trade is letting everyone else overreact first.