The Trading Post | 11.18.25

Good morning,

The S&P 500 finally cracked its 50-day line, Nvidia’s Wednesday earnings threaten a historic $320B market-cap swing, Home Depot cut guidance on a stormless quarter, Berkshire revealed a surprise $4.9B Alphabet stake, XPeng cratered on weak Q4 outlook, and Dell got double-downgraded while Amazon tapped the bond market for $15B.

Want to follow a proven options system with a 70%+ win rate? Robert Roy's Power Option Plays delivers twice-weekly trade alerts with clear entry and exit plans. 

Let’s jump in.

Pre-Market Performance

As of 11.17.25 market close.

Market News

• S&P 500 breaks its 50-day SMA as volatility spikes
  The index closed at 6,672, slipping under the 6,708 50-day for the first time in 139 sessions. The VIX jumped to 23.26, and options are pricing a ±2% weekly move heading into Nvidia’s earnings. Watch 6,631 as immediate support; a breakdown opens the 6,500–6,550 pocket. Reuters

• Bitcoin collapses below $90K, wiping out 2025 gains
  BTC sliced through April lows under heavy deleveraging as traders reacted to a “death cross” and broad risk aversion. Crypto-linked equities remain exposed to further downside. CoinDesk

• Home Depot misses earnings, cuts full-year guidance
  EPS came in at $3.62 vs $3.84 expected, marking a third-straight quarterly miss. Comparable sales rose just 0.2%, and management cited consumer uncertainty and weak housing activity. 2025 EPS guidance now points to a ~5% decline. CNBC

• Berkshire Hathaway reveals a $4.9B Alphabet stake
  Buffett (and likely Greg Abel) initiated a 17.8M-share position in GOOGL, marking a rare large-cap tech and AI bet. Alphabet rallied toward new highs as value investors piled in. Reuters

• Dell plunges on Morgan Stanley double-downgrade; Amazon raises $15B for AI buildout
  Morgan Stanley cited a DRAM/NAND supercycle that could crush OEM margins into 2026, slashing DELL to Underweight with a $110 PT. Meanwhile, Amazon’s first bond sale since 2022 raised $15B to accelerate AI infrastructure expansion. CNBC, Bloomberg

A Message From Wealth Builders HQ

Trade Options with Confidence Using a Proven System 

Power Option Plays (POP) isn't just another options alert service—it's a complete trading education wrapped around real-time trade opportunities. 

Here's what makes POP different: 

Rob Roy personally analyzes hundreds of stocks every week, selecting only the highest-probability setups based on his Fibonacci and moving average system. You get twice-weekly recorded trainings that walk you through exactly why each trade setup works, so you're learning the methodology while following along. 

Since its founding, POP has maintained an average success rate above 70%, generating millions in profit in simulated trading accounts. The system focuses on repeatable patterns using the same core stock candidates, which means you're building pattern recognition with every alert. 

What You Get: 

• Biweekly recorded training videos breaking down current market setups 

• Trade alerts with specific entry points, position sizing, and exit strategies 

• A proven tracking system that shows you exactly when to scale in and out 

• Quarterly live Q&A sessions ("Mastering The Trade") to refine your approach 

• Access to Rob's complete watchlist with bias indicators (bullish, bearish, or neutral) 

Whether you're swing trading or day trading, POP teaches you how to fish while giving you the best fishing spots. You'll learn to identify your own setups using Rob's Fibonacci-based system while following his alerts on proven candidates. 

Ready to trade with a plan? Check out Power Option Plays and start building your options trading confidence with a system that actually works. 

Earnings We’re Watching

• Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) - Tuesday (BMO) 

• Home Depot, Inc. (HD) - Tuesday (BMO) 

• Medtronic, Inc. (MDT) - Tuesday (BMO) 

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

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 is the trader’s version of “know when to shut up.” Markets reward action, but they absolutely punish forced action. Livermore’s point is that not every day is a trading day—and if you treat it like one, the market will gladly collect a convenience fee from your account.

Sometimes the trend is clean, the signals line up, and going long or short makes perfect sense. Other times, the chart looks like a toddler scribbled on an Etch A Sketch. That’s when smart traders stop trying to “make something happen” and go metaphorically (or literally) fishing.

In trading, patience is a position. Sitting out isn’t weakness; it’s discipline. The market will come back tomorrow. Your capital only will if you leave it alone when conditions are garbage.

Perfect reminder for weeks like this—when volatility is high, direction is messy, and signals contradict faster than a politician in election season. Sometimes the best trade is no trade at all.