The Trading Post | 08.18.25

Good morning,

Indian equities ripped higher on GST reform promises, Powell’s Jackson Hole speech looms large, Trump-Zelensky talks cool geopolitical risk, tech earnings crush expectations, and Asia hits decade highs on China stimulus hopes.

Conservative traders and retirement account holders can now access Tripp Sawyer's weekly covered call alerts for just $7 their first month. 

Let’s jump in.

Pre-Market Performance

As of 08.15.2 market close.

Market News

• Indian Markets Surge on GST Reform Promises – Sensex +676, Nifty Auto +4% led by Maruti’s 9% pop. Business Standard

• Powell in Focus at Jackson Hole (Aug 21–23) – 85% odds of a September cut; VIX sinks under 14%. CoinDesk

• Trump-Zelensky Talks Calm Geopolitical Nerves – Oil +0.4% to $66, Asian markets cheer stability. Reuters

• Earnings Momentum Strong – S&P EPS +11% YoY; Mag 7 tech +26%; big retailers report this week. Reuters

• Asia Hits Multi-Year Highs on China Stimulus Bets – MSCI APAC +0.4%; Chinese equities reach decade peak. Reuters

A Message From Wealth Builders HQ

Generate Consistent Income with Conservative Options Strategies 

If you're looking for a way to generate steady cash flow from your portfolio—especially in retirement accounts—without taking excessive risks, Covered Call Explorer might be exactly what you need. 

Led by coach Tripp Sawyer, this weekly alert service is specifically designed for more conservative traders who want to harness the power of covered calls, naked puts, and diagonal spreads. Each week, you'll receive a ranked list of trade opportunities with clear action plans, taking the guesswork out of income generation. 

What makes Covered Call Explorer particularly appealing is its focus on reduced-risk strategies that work well in retirement accounts. Instead of chasing high-risk, high-reward plays, you're getting methodical approaches to building consistent cash flow through time-tested options strategies. 

The service includes weekly trade alerts, detailed action plans with ranked trade ideas, training materials to boost your execution confidence, and live quarterly Q&A sessions where you can get direct guidance from Tripp. 

New members can get their first month for only $7, making it an incredibly low-risk way to test drive professional-grade income strategies. 

Whether you're new to options or looking to add more conservative plays to your arsenal, Covered Call Explorer offers the structure and guidance to help you generate income with greater confidence and reduced stress. 

Ready to start building consistent cash flow? Check out Covered Call Explorer and take advantage of the $7 first-month offer. 

Earnings We’re Watching

• Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) - Monday (AMC) 

Daily Moment of Zen

Why It Matters:

Investors love to believe they’ve cracked the code—just pick the star fund manager, ride their coattails, and retire early. The problem? By the time someone looks like a “star,” their edge is probably gone, their assets under management are bloated, and you’re just another late arrival to the party.

Sharpe’s point is brutal but true: consistently identifying outperformers is basically impossible. In trading terms, it’s like trying to buy the bottom and sell the top—everybody thinks they can, but the graveyard of “superior fund managers” is littered with names that were hot for one cycle and cold the next.

Moral of the story: stop chasing the unicorn. Focus on process, discipline, and risk management—because unlike fund managers, those actually are things you can select.