The Trading Post | 12.17.25

Good morning,

Oil ripped on a Venezuela blockade, silver tagged a record $65, unemployment ticked up to 4.6%, defense stocks caught a bid on Germany’s $60B spending plan, Netflix popped on streaming drama, and big banks are quietly closing out 2025 at all-time highs. Santa didn’t bring gifts — he brought catalysts.

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 12.16.25 market close.

Market News

• Oil jumps on Venezuela blockade: President Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, sending Brent crude above $60 and reigniting energy volatility. CNBC

• Silver hits $65, gold clears $4,330: Precious metals ripped to record highs as rising unemployment strengthened dovish Fed expectations and geopolitical risk stayed elevated. CNBC

• Unemployment rises to 4.6%: A softening labor market added fuel to rate-cut bets and pressured the dollar, creating a tailwind for commodities and metals.b CNBC

• Defense stocks rally on German spending: Germany is set to approve a $60B defense package, driving broad gains across US and European defense contractors. CNBC

• Netflix pops as streaming deal drama heats up: Warner Bros. Discovery urged shareholders to reject the Paramount–Skydance deal, injecting fresh volatility into the media consolidation trade. Reuters

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

• General Mills, Inc. (GIS) - Wednesday (BMO) 

• Toro Company (TTC) - Wednesday (BMO) 

• Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) - Wednesday (AMC) 

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:

Graham’s reminding us that stocks aren’t luxury items meant to make you feel sophisticated — they’re consumables meant to deliver value. Groceries get evaluated on price, quality, and usefulness. Perfume gets bought because the bottle looks good, someone hyped it up, and it smells amazing… for about five minutes.

Markets constantly tempt traders to shop like they’re in a duty-free store — chasing shiny narratives, AI buzzwords, or the “next big thing” because it’s trending. Professionals shop the produce aisle instead: earnings, cash flow, balance sheets, and price behavior. Boring? Sometimes. Profitable? Much more often.

If you’re paying a premium just because a stock smells good on social media, you’re not investing — you’re impulse buying. And impulse buys don’t age well in a portfolio.