The Trading Post | 08.25.25

Good morning,

Powell signals September rate cuts as market optimism surges, Nvidia earnings could test AI rally resilience, PDD Holdings crushes earnings on China recovery, Intel soars on historic US government stake deal, and small-caps break out of range on dovish Fed pivot—classic.

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 08.22.25 market close.

Market News

• Powell pivots dovish at Jackson Hole: Fed Chair cracks open the September cut door, futures price in 87% odds of a 25bp trim. Dow popped +846 Friday. CNBC

• Nvidia earnings Wednesday: $4T AI king expected to show 53% YoY revenue jump. Guidance on Blackwell chips and China exposure = landmine. CNBC

• PDD smashes estimates: $14.5B Q2 revenue (+7%), shares +11% pre-market. China consumer comeback is real. Investors

• Intel + Uncle Sam: Trump admin takes 10% stake for $8.9B at $20.47/share. Stock +6%—government’s your new bagholder. CNBC

• Small-caps rip higher: Russell 2000 +4% Friday, breaking months-long range. Cheaper multiples, rate cut tailwind, and M&A chatter fuel momentum. Morningstar

• Retail earnings week: Target, Best Buy, and other consumer names in focus as market gauges spending resilience. Yahoo Finance

• PCE inflation Friday: Street eyeing Core PCE for final rate cut confirmation. Investopedia

• Keurig Dr Pepper’s $18B coffee binge: Buying JDE Peet’s, then splitting into two cos—one coffee, one soda. Shares dipped. CNBC

• Oil drifts lower: Crude futures easing after last week’s rally. CME

• Bitcoin vs gold: ETF flows show investors swapping shiny rocks for digital ones. 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

• Pinduoduo Inc. (PDD) - Monday (BMO) 

Daily Moment of Zen

Why It Matters:

Livermore’s point is simple: you don’t get rich riding trends that everyone else already spotted — you get rich by having the nerve to flip your stance right before the crowd does. Of course, “turns” are only obvious in hindsight. In real time, they feel like standing in front of a moving train and saying, “nah, brakes are coming.”

For traders, the takeaway isn’t to constantly try to nail tops and bottoms — that’s a fast-track to margin calls. The real edge is learning to recognize the shift early enough and having the conviction (and risk management) to size up when everyone else is still frozen. In other words: don’t be the hero who calls the exact bottom tick… be the smart one who shows up to the party while the keg is still half full.