Hit & Run Candlesticks – Your Road To Wealth
Hit & Run Candlesticks Daily Market Newsletter
Friday, April 17, 2026
By Rick Saddler – Founder, Hit and Run Candlesticks. Good morning, Hit & Run family! Yesterday we closed strong again — S&P pushing toward 7,050, Nasdaq flirting with 24,200, and the Dow finally catching a little breath. But here’s the truth: we’re still extended, still overbought, and the party is getting a little too loud for my taste. Low VIX, high complacency, and every dip getting bought in seconds. That’s exactly when I tighten the reins and stick to my proven rules. Plan the trade. Trade the plan. Profit into strength. Let’s break it down the Hit & Run way — using the exact tools that have guided my trading (and the Road to Wealth account) for years.
1. VIX – The Fear Gauge Is Still Whispering “Caution”
VIX is hanging around 17.80 this morning — another dip. Sub-18 in an all-time high market? That’s not fear, folks — that’s complacency on steroids. I love low volatility for quick Hit & Run setups, but I never swing big size into the weekend when the crowd is this relaxed. Tight stops only. One- to two-day trades preferred.
2. T-Line (8-Day EMA) – My Anchor Since 2004
Price is still comfortably above the T-Line on the major indices. That black line (the 8-day exponential moving average) is my instant trend filter. As long as we stay above it, the bias stays long. But any daily close below the T-Line? Game over for new longs and time to defend what we have. Right now, the T-Line is acting as dynamic support on pullbacks — exactly what we look for on the Road to Wealth chart every single day.
3. Trendicator – Green Dots = Trend Is Your Friend
Trendicator is still flashing green across the board. Those clean green dots are my confirmation that the short-term momentum is working with us. When the dots stay green and price holds above the T-Line, I get aggressive on setups. But the second those dots flip red while price is still above the T-Line? That’s my “heads-up” warning — shakeout coming. I’ve seen it dozens of times. Don’t ignore it.
4. Candlestick Confirmation – The Real Hit & Run Edge
We don’t chase. We wait for the signal. Look for bullish continuation patterns (hammer, bullish engulfing) right at the T-Line with Trendicator green. Or tight indecision candles after a gap-up — those are classic 3/8 Trap or Rounded Bottom Breakout setups ready to launch. Yesterday, we nailed a couple of those in the room and booked nice double-digit gains. That’s how we grow the Road to Wealth account — one high-probability setup at a time. Trading Game Plan – “Trade What You See — Not What You Think”
- Bias: Cautiously bullish but extremely nimble. Market wants higher, but extended conditions + weekend risk = stay light.
- Entry: Only when T-Line support + Trendicator green + clean candlestick trigger all line up. No exceptions.
- Risk Management: Hard stop just below the T-Line or the low of the signal candle. Risk 0.5–1% max per trade. Protect capital first — always.
- Profit Taking: Scale out into strength! Use the Road to Wealth Calculator to size properly, let the last piece run with a trailing stop as long as price stays above the T-Line.
Bottom line, family: This is still a “trade the reaction, not the news” environment. The indices are knocking on fresh highs, but we’re not married to any position. Use the T-Line as your anchor, the Trendicator as your momentum filter, candlesticks for precise timing, and keep your eyes on that low VIX — it’s telling you to stay quick on your feet. I’ll be in the live room this morning, running scans, posting real-time alerts, and walking through every setup step by step. If you’re not already in there, what are you waiting for? The Road to Wealth isn’t built by watching from the sidelines. Let’s make today another profitable one. Scan clean, trade smart, and I’ll see you in the room!
Rick Saddler, Founder, Hit and Run Candlesticks / Right Way Options / BYOB Trading
Trade what you see, not what you think.
Good trading,
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Current Portfolio Status:
PTON, WFC, Z, WMT, AAPL, QQQ
Closed: 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:
TC2000 EasyScan, Personal WatchList, or scanning tools): CRWV, U, RKLB, AXTI, AAOI, ICHR, GSAT, AFRM, GEV, LWLG, LUNR, TOST, RBLX, COIN, IBIT, SMR, OKLO, NOV, LEU, BABA, NIO, HUT, ONDS, IREN, COHR, ZETA, TSLL, LRCX, ORCL, INTC, AI, NBIS, OPTX, SOFI, UBER, TSLA, ASTS, AMAT, APLD, KTOS, AEHR, UUUU, VST, SATS, PTON, AMD, WFC, OSCR, GLW, CIEN, HIMS, WDC, AEP, BKSY, NVDA, SYM, SNDK, WULF, OUST, AVGO, HOOD, ASML, MU, SIDU, PYPL, TSM, LITE, PLTR, PL
Many of these names — especially in semis/AI (NVDA, AVGO, ASML, TSM, AMD, LRCX, AMAT, MU), nuclear/energy (OKLO, SMR, LEU, UUUU, VST), space/tech (RKLB, ASTS, LUNR), fintech/crypto (COIN, HOOD, AFRM, SOFI, IBIT), EV/AI plays (TSLA, PLTR), and others like CRWV, BABA, NIO, HUT, IREN, WULF — have been showing strong momentum lately.
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