Rick’s Trading Blog: August 26, 2026
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Morning Market Brief: Wednesday, August 26
Today is a heavy catalyst day across the board. Between critical GDP revisions and PCE inflation prints hitting at 8:30 AM ET and NVIDIA’s marquee earnings after the closing bell, expect elevated volatility and sharp intraday swings across major indexes.
Technical Setup & Index Rundown
- SPY (S&P 500): Stuck in a tight 5-day range. The bad news is price remains pinned below the T-line (8 EMA); the good news is it continues to hold support above the 21 EMA. A definitive breakout of this compression zone should dictate direction for the next several sessions.
- QQQ (Nasdaq 100): Remains technically bearish. Price sits below the T-line, with the Trend Indicator trailing the 50-day moving average—setting up classic conditions for a Blue Ice Failure.
- SMH (Semiconductors): Firmly in a downtrend with price tracking below the T-line, which remains beneath the Trend Indicator. NVIDIA earnings tonight will be the clear trendicator here.
- MAGS (Magnificent 7): Showing early relative strength. Pre-market price action has gapped above the T-line with the line holding above the Trend Indicator. The key test will be whether bulls can defend that level into the close.
- IYT (Transports): Coiling tightly inside a narrowing multi-week wedge. Compression is peaking, and a decisive expansion move looks imminent within the next 5–7 trading sessions.
- VIX (Volatility Index): Closed yesterday at 15.45, resting right on the T-line and below the Trend Indicator.
Macro & Geopolitical Watch
- Energy & Hormuz: CNBC is reporting potential progress between Iran and Oman regarding transit through the Strait of Hormuz to keep shipping corridors open. Brent crude is holding near $85, while WTI trades around $80. A sustained dip into the $70s would offer welcome relief on the inflation front.
- Trade Headwinds: Ongoing US-Canada tariff tensions continue to act as a friction point, adding persistent underlying pressure to cross-border inflation metrics.
Current Positioning & Game Plan
We continue to hold high-conviction names displaying solid relative strength—including NFLX, HOOD, WMT, TSCO, and Silver. Conversely, underperforming positions on the watch list will likely be trimmed or closed by the closing bell.
In this environment, discipline is everything:
- Don’t chase extended moves. Wait for setups to come to you rather than paying up at resistance.
- Take profits into strength and cut lagging setups ruthlessly to keep losses small.
Once the morning data drops, Strait of Hormuz developments solidify, and NVIDIA delivers tonight, the broader market should finally break its consolidation and establish a clear trend. Trade the levels, not the noise.
Good trading to everyone,
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Current Portfolio Status: WMT, SPCX, SKHY, AAPL, PLTR, PTIR, TSCO, SLV, HOOD
Recently closed; taking the Road to Wealth Account to 500K from $4000
PLTR $734.00 profit, NVO, $1114.00 gain, QQQ $450.00 gain, KLAR 25% gain, HIMS 25% gaim, HOOD 45% gain, INTC 35.4% gain, 1/2 INTC 22% gain, Made 2 SPY day trades 5 goals put away, SPY 21% gain, ALKS for 2 goals, IREN 26%, FIG 80% gain, FIG 80% gain, PLTR 53% gain, PTIR, 61% gain, SMCI 50% gain, IREN 44% gain, 1/2 SMCI 15% Gain, FIG 29% Gain, GEO 62% gain, KO 13% gain, NVDA 44% gain, AAPL 22% gain, TSLL 40% gain, CRML 27% gain, INTC 32% gain, NOK 58%, 2/3 CRML 27% gain, WMT 35% GAIN, IREN 23% gain, OKLO 32% gain, PTON 4% gain, Z 22% gain AAPL 50% gain, SOFI 50% gain, OKLO 40% gain, BABA 44% gain, HIMS 46.5% gain, ORCL 20.5%, 1/2 SOFI 17.5%, U 22% gain, ORCL 34.5% gain, MRVL 30% Gain, ARM 42% gain, Closed 1/2 NFLX 40% gain, 1/2 NOK 19.5% gain, NOK 28% gain, ACHC 12% gain
Stocks of Interest:
TEAM, PAYC, NOW, VEEV, GENI, U, FIG, UEC, COTY, CCC, SNPS, KTOS, DDOG, GOOG, ADBE, PGY, IBM, QBTS, GOOGL, GEN, EH, CCJ, PL, RCAT, TTAN, UUUU, GLW, BA, JOBY, RGTI, BWXT, Z, VOYG, LUNR, LHX, RDW, PYPL, ONDS, SMR, OKLO, CRML, IONQ, UFO, ULTA, CHTR, AVAV, SOFI, ARKX, USAR, NU, SO, LDOS, ASTS, RKLB, AXP, FLY, MP, D, NOC, RTX, CHWY, QCOM, DUK, SPCX, CEG, LMT, INTC, AMD, EPAM, MU
✅Space Stocks: RKLB, ASTS, SATS, PL, FLY, LUNR, RDW, VOYG, SPCX
✅Quantum Stocks: IBM, QBTS, RGTI, IONQ
✅Rare Earth Stocks: MP, USAR, CRML, UUUU
✅Finteck: V, MA, PYPL, AXP, STRIP, SOFI, NU, PGY
✅Nuclear Stocks: CCJ, CEG, DUK, SMR, SO, UEC, OKLO, D, BWXT
✅Drone Stock: KTOS, AVAV, RCAT, NOC, JOBY, EH, ONDS
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