The Trading Post | 02.02.26

Good morning,

Precious metals suffer historic margin-driven collapse, equity futures slide as commodity liquidation ripples outward, AI leaders face earnings-week scrutiny, crude oil plunges on Iran de-escalation signals, and crypto breaks key technical levels as risk-off accelerates.

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 01.30.26 market close.

Market News

• Precious Metals Implode as CME Margin Hikes Trigger Forced Liquidations:
  Gold plunged 11% and silver collapsed 36% on Friday—worst session since 1980—after CME raised margin requirements for the second time in three days. Gold margins rose from 6% → 8%; silver from 11% → 15%. Spot gold now trades near $4,708 after peaking at $5,594 just four sessions ago, while silver fell to ~$81 from $121. Margin calls are forcing cross-asset selling as leveraged positions unwind. CNBC

• Nasdaq Futures Slide as AI Spending Faces Earnings Reality Check: U.S. futures open sharply lower with Nasdaq-100 down ~1% and the S&P 500 off ~0.7%. Volatility ticks higher (VIX ~19). Mega-cap tech leads lower as Oracle drops 3%+ after signaling $45–50B in 2026 capital raises for AI infrastructure. This follows last week’s 10% plunge in Microsoft after heavy AI spend failed to accelerate cloud revenue growth. Investopedia

• Oil Dumps 5% as Iran Talks Unwind Geopolitical Risk Premium: Crude fell more than 5% after President Trump said Iran is “seriously talking” with the U.S. Brent dropped toward $66 while WTI slid near $62. The move erases weeks of Middle East risk premium as Venezuela adds supply and OPEC+ holds production steady. Energy equities trade sharply lower pre-market. Reuters

• Bitcoin Breaks $80K as Crypto Liquidations Accelerate: Bitcoin fell below $80,000 for the first time since April 2025, trading near $77,000 after weekend lows around $74,500. More than $2B in crypto positions were liquidated since Thursday, including one of the largest single-day liquidation events on record. Ethereum fell below $2,200 as correlation with broader risk-off intensified. CNBC

• Manufacturing Contracts for 10th Month as Earnings Deluge Peaks: ISM Manufacturing PMI printed 47.9 in January, marking the 10th straight month of contraction. New orders and employment remain weak, while prices stay elevated due to tariff effects. This week brings earnings from 128 S&P 500 companies, including Alphabet and Amazon, plus Friday’s January jobs report (consensus ~55K). Forbes

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

• Tyson Foods (TSN) - Monday (BMO) 

• Walt Disney Company (DIS) - Monday (BMO) 

• Davita Healthcare Partners Inc (DVA) - Monday (AMC) 

• Palantir Technologies Inc Cl A (PLTR) - Monday (AMC) 

Trade Ideas

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

Why It Matters:

This market is actively punishing impatience.

The violent selloffs in gold, silver, crypto, and high-beta tech weren’t caused by bad long-term theses—they were caused by poor timing, leverage, and forced participation. Traders who chased extended moves, oversized positions, or tried to front-run reversals learned the “bitter” part of patience the hard way.

Patience in markets doesn’t mean doing nothing.
It means waiting for liquidity to return, volatility to stabilize, and price to confirm before committing capital.

Right now, the sweet fruit of patience shows up as:

• Letting liquidation cycles finish before buying “value”

• Waiting for earnings to prove AI spend is paying off

• Allowing key technical levels to be reclaimed before re-risking

• Preserving capital while others are forced to act

In fast markets, impatience feels productive—but it’s usually expensive.
The traders who survive and compound are the ones willing to endure short-term discomfort in exchange for better entries, cleaner setups, and asymmetric risk.

In this environment, patience isn’t passive. It’s a strategic edge.