The Trading Post | 01.26.26

January 26, 2026

Good morning,

Gold and silver are going full parabolic, rare-earth miners are ripping on a surprise U.S. government stake, shutdown odds and fresh tariff threats are back in the macro spotlight, Intel’s post-earnings faceplant is shaking the semi complex, and mega-cap tech earnings concentrate index risk into Fed week. Volatility is lurking.

Brandon Wendell is hosting a free class revealing how futures trading can give you more flexibility, require less capital, and help you trade on your own schedule—even with a full-time job. 

Let’s jump in.

Pre-Market Performance

As of 01.23.26 market close.

Market News

  • Gold and silver explode to record highs as safe-haven demand accelerates amid tariff chaos, central-bank buying, dollar weakness, and Fed credibility concerns. Gold clears $5,100, silver breaks $100, and miners gap aggressively. The News

  • USA Rare Earth surges on $1.6B government investment, granting Washington a ~10% equity stake as the U.S. moves to onshore critical-minerals supply. Sympathy bids spill into MP Materials and Lithium Americas. Yahoo Finance

  • Government shutdown odds spike toward 80% while Trump threatens 100% tariffs on Canadian imports, reviving “Sell America” chatter into Fed week and pressuring index futures. Reuters

  • Intel craters 17% on weak guidance, reigniting volatility across semiconductors as investors question the foundry turnaround and rotate within the AI complex. WSJ

  • Mega-cap earnings gauntlet begins, with MSFT, META, and TSLA Wednesday and AAPL Thursday, concentrating risk across SPY and QQQ during an already headline-heavy Fed week. Zacks

A Message From Wealth Builders HQ

Trade Futures on Your Terms—Free Class with Brandon Wendell 

If you've ever felt stuck trading only during market hours, frustrated by account size limitations, or exhausted from being chained to your screen, this free training is for you. 

Brandon Wendell, CMT—a 20-year futures veteran and former hedge fund manager—is hosting The Emini Revolution, a complimentary class that reveals how futures trading can transform your approach to the markets. 

Inside this training, you'll discover: 

  • The Flexibility of Futures Trading – Trade outside regular market hours, whether you're a night owl or juggling a 9-to-5 

  • How to Grow a Smaller Account – Learn to leverage futures without tying up thousands in single positions 

  • Professional Risk Management – Discover how prioritizing protection leads to consistent, scalable results 

Brandon doesn't just teach theory—he trades these markets daily and has trained thousands of students worldwide. As a Chartered Market Technician® (a credential held by less than 1% of traders), he brings institutional-level insight to everyday traders. 

This class is perfect if you: 

  • Struggle to trade consistently due to time constraints 

  • Feel limited by your account size 

  • Want to learn spreads but they seem too complicated 

  • Jump from strategy to strategy without clear results 

Register now for The Emini Revolution and discover why futures may be the most overlooked opportunity for today's traders—offering you flexibility, lower barriers to entry, and a safer path to consistent results. 

Spots are limited, so reserve your free seat today. 

Earnings We’re Watching

  • Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD) - Monday (BMO) 

Trade Ideas

Adobe Systems Incorporated (ADBE), AMTEK Inc (AME), Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR),
Elevance Health Inc (ELV)

Futu Holdings Limited (FUTU), Goldman Sachs Group, Inc (GS), Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc (HLT), Intuitive Surgical, Inc (ISRG)

Lennar Corporation (LEN), Linde plc (LIN), Lowe’s Companies, Inc (LOW),
GraniteShares 1.5x Long (NVDL)

NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NXPI), Philip Morris International (PM), Roblox Corporation Class A (RBLX), Roku, Inc (ROKU)

SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC), TransMedics Group, Inc (TMDX), Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN), Adobe Systems Incorporated (ABDE)

Want to learn how we trade these? Learn the setup we call the “High Volatility Switchback” trade.

Get these ideas delivered to your inbox daily with Trade With Rob. It’s 100% free. Sign up here.

Daily Moment of Zen

❝

The main purpose of the stock market is to make fools of as many men as possible.

Bernard Baruch

Why It Matters:

Baruch wasn’t calling markets random. He was calling them deceptive by design. The tape’s job isn’t to reward intelligence, hard work, or conviction. Its job is to exploit emotion, overconfidence, and the need to be right.

Most traders don’t lose because their thesis was wrong. They lose because they chased strength at the top, averaged losers, oversized into noise, or refused to exit when the market disagreed. The market makes fools not by trickery, but by letting participants fool themselves.

For active traders, the takeaway is simple:
Structure beats opinions. Risk management beats predictions. And discipline beats ego, every single day.

If you’re not being fooled, it’s usually because you’re trading levels, size, and probability, not stories.