The Trading Post | 10.10.25

October 10, 2025

Good morning,

Markets paused after record highs as traders braced for earnings season and yet another weekend of “government inaction.” AI and data infrastructure names surged, gold hit new records, and volatility stayed stubbornly elevated. Buckle up — it’s Friday.

Want to generate consistent income in your retirement account? Covered Call Explorer is offering a rare 3-week trial to test drive their weekly income strategy. 

Let’s jump in.

Pre-Market Performance

As of 10.09.25 market close.

Market News

  • AI demand lifts indices, big movers in data infrastructure: Applied Digital (APLD) surged 28% premarket after blowout revenue and a new AI data center partnership, while Elastic (ESTC) jumped 10% on product launches and a buyback. Nvidia (NVDA) reached new highs before China announced a probe into Qualcomm (QCOM). Watch for rotation as sentiment whipsaws between AI euphoria and policy fear. CNBC

  • Government shutdown drags into 10th day, data fog thickens: With official reports frozen, traders are leaning on private data and corporate guidance. Volatility is creeping higher as markets price in delayed inflation data and uncertain Fed timing. Bloomberg

  • Gold sets new record above $4,000/oz: Precious metals extended their run as inflation fears and safe-haven demand drove record flows into gold and silver. Overbought, but not done. Reuters

  • Premarket standouts: APLD, SYF, STLA, LEVI, MOS: Synchrony Financial (SYF) climbed on an upgrade, Stellantis (STLA) saw volume strength, while Levi Strauss (LEVI) and Mosaic (MOS) slid on weak outlooks. Classic rotation Friday setup. Benzinga

  • Big tech and semiconductors under scrutiny: China’s export curbs on Nvidia and AMD stirred volatility, while analysts lifted targets on Oracle (ORCL) and Palantir (PLTR). Retail traders are piling back into high-flyers with meme-era enthusiasm. MarketWatch

A Message From Wealth Builders HQ

Test Drive Conservative Income Strategies Risk-Free 

If you've been looking for a way to generate cash flow in your retirement account without the stress of aggressive trading, now's your chance to try Covered Call Explorer with zero commitment. 

For a limited time, you can access a 3-week trial of this weekly alert service designed specifically for conservative traders who want consistent income using covered calls, naked puts, and diagonal spreads. 

Here's what makes CCE different: every week, you get a ranked list of trades with clear action plans—no guesswork, no analysis paralysis. Just straightforward strategies built for reduced risk and steady returns. 

What you get during your trial: 

  • Weekly trade alerts with ranked opportunities 

  • Step-by-step action plans for each setup 

  • Strategies tailored for retirement and conservative accounts 

  • Training materials to boost your confidence 

  • Access to quarterly live Q&A sessions 

Whether you're new to options or simply want a more systematic approach to income generation, this trial gives you three full weeks to see if Covered Call Explorer fits your trading style—with no strings attached. 

Ready to generate income the conservative way? 
Claim your 3-week trial at: https://cce.wealthbuildershq.com/covered-call-explorer-ep

Trade Ideas

AMTEK, Inc (AME), Arista Netwroks, Inc (ANET), Apollo Global Management, LLC (APO), Builers FirstSource, Inc (BLDR)

Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK_B), Cencora Inc (COR), DoorDash, Inc (DASH), Futu Holdings Limited (FUTU)

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN), AMTEK, Inc (AME), Arista Networks Inc (ANET), Apollo Global Management, LLC (APO)

Shopify Inc. (SHOP), Snowflake Inc. (SNOW), S&P 500 BULL 3X (SPXL), SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)

Linde plc (LIN), Pinduoduo Inc (PDD), Roblox Corporation Class A (RBLX), Sea Limited (SE)

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc (GS), Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc (HLT), Humana Inc (HUM), IQVIA Holdings Inc (IQV)

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

❝

Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist.

John Maynard Keynes

Why It Matters:

Keynes might as well have been talking about modern markets. Every “independent thinker” who swears they’re trading purely on price action is still living under the ghost of someone else’s theory — whether it’s Efficient Markets, Elliott Waves, or whatever Powell mumbled last week.

The lesson? No one’s immune to influence — least of all the trader convinced they’re rational. The real danger isn’t being wrong; it’s being unconsciously guided by an outdated framework while the market quietly rewrites the rules. In other words: if you’re going to be a slave to an idea, at least pick one that’s still making money.