The Trading Post | 08.22.25

Good morning,

Powell’s Jackson Hole speech could reset Fed policy as rate cut odds slip to 73%, Nvidia halts H20 chip production for China, the S&P 500 extends its losing streak to five days, Zoom soars on AI-fueled earnings while Intuit and Workday sink, and the dollar flexes higher ahead of Powell’s remarks.

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 08.21.25 market close.

Market News

• Powell at Jackson Hole looms: Traders price 73% odds of a September cut, down from 85% last week. S&P 500 down 5 days straight. Reuters

• Nvidia halts China H20 chip production: Beijing tells tech firms to stop orders amid security probe. Stock -1.1% premarket. Bloomberg

• Tech rotation intensifies: Mag 7 all lower while healthcare, staples, and REITs show relative strength. Investopedia

• Zoom jumps 5%: AI-powered growth beats big on both EPS and revenue. MarketWatch

• Intuit, Workday tumble: Weak guidance spoils the post-earnings party. Investopedia

• Dollar index near 2-week high: Euro and GBP weaken as traders hedge Powell risk. CNBC

• Energy holds up: Brent at $67.54 despite Thursday’s spike, sector green for the week. Reuters

• Market breadth decent: 65% of S&P stocks above 50-day MA despite Nasdaq weakness. Schwab

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. 

Trade Ideas

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Daily Moment of Zen

Why It Matters:

Traders know this one hits close to home. Friedman’s jab at government inefficiency is also a reminder that markets thrive (or dive) on incentives, not intentions. Central banks can print dollars at will, but they can’t print productivity. Regulation can protect us, but too much of it strangles liquidity and kills opportunity.

For traders, it’s a cautionary tale: don’t expect the Fed, Congress, or regulators to “fix” the market for you—they can’t even manage sand. Your edge comes from navigating their policies, not relying on them. In other words, trade the market you have, not the utopia some policymaker promised on C-SPAN.