Power Hour Update for Subscribers
Pullback or Pause in the Squeeze?
📢 Power Hour Update for Subscribers – Pullback or Pause in the Squeeze?
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📊 Power Pivots:
$ES: 5308
$NQ: 18370
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🔍 Overview – Price Action and Key Inflection Zones
Today’s session confirmed the upward momentum we noted in the morning update, with $ES pushing through the 5280 squeeze zone and reaching as high as 5340 before pulling back sharply—an 80-point rotation lower.
That dip, however, found support near the previous bear trap zone of 5220, which held firm. Buyers stepped back in, retracing much of the drop and lifting prices into the Power Pivot zones.
The big question now: Is this just consolidation before another leg up, or has the squeeze run its course for now?
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📌 Key Levels to Watch Into the Close
#### 🔺 Upside Focus:
$ES 5295+ – Reclaiming this level on a closing basis would suggest bulls are still in control.
$NQ 18300+ – Holding above here confirms continued squeeze potential into tomorrow.
Stretch Target: 5340 reclaim could open door to 5378 resistance.
#### 🔻 Downside Risk:
$ES 5260 → 5220 – If price breaks under 5295, watch for a retest of this key support.
$NQ 18180 → 18030 – Breaks here likely invalidate the current upside thesis short-term.
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📚 Educational Insight – What Makes a Bear Trap?
Bear traps occur when price breaks below support, luring in sellers, but fails to follow through, reversing back higher instead.
The trap at $ES 5220 earlier today perfectly fits this model:
Support was broken.
Sellers initiated shorts expecting continuation.
Price reversed sharply higher → triggering stop-outs and fueling the squeeze.
This is why we stress watching for confirmation, not just raw breaks of support.
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🧭 Trade Scenarios Into the Close
#### 📍 Scenario 1 – Grind Higher
Hold above 5295 / 18300 → squeeze continuation to 5340+ into tomorrow.
Watch for higher lows forming on 5m/15m chart.
#### 📍 Scenario 2 – Breakdown and Fade
Rejection at 5308 / 18370 and fade back into 5260s.
Confirmation: lower highs on weaker volume, breakdown candle below 5285.
#### 📍 Scenario 3 – Chop Zone
Market hovers between 5285 and 5310, grinding into close.
Position for breakout/breakdown tomorrow instead of forcing intraday trades.
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📌 Final Thoughts
Today confirms that bulls are still alive, but they must prove conviction into the close.
Watch 5295 (ES) and 18300 (NQ)—closing above here = squeeze still on.
The deeper pullback from 5340 shows sellers are still fighting.
Tomorrow is Friday—watch for positioning flows late in today’s session.
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Stay smart, stay ready, and trade what you see.