RUT Pops Its NATH Cherry. NFP Friday. Popcorn Ready.

Russell finally popped its NATH cherry.

First new all-time high of 2026 for Uncle Russell, joining Dow at the summit whilst SPX and Nasdaq continue to dither near their highs. Nasdaq is clearly lagging – and despite everything holding near all-time highs, nothing has really changed.

I still think something explosive is around the corner.

If the Venezuela situation wasn’t going to be the catalyst for it, then I’m scratching my head as to what it might be. Whatever happens – gonna be fun.

SPX. 30 Minutes. One Trade. Job Done.

Trade less. Profit more. This isn’t trading… it’s income engineering.

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Market Briefing:
Multi-Market Snapshot

RUT – The NATH Finally Arrives

Uncle Russell popped another NATH yesterday. First one of the year. Joining Dow at the summit.

And with it closing near the highs? I’d expect a big Friday finish.

The swing is working. The NATHs are here. The momentum is bullish.

SPX – Sitting on AVWAP

SPX remains bullish and sitting on its anchored VWAP, looking poised for the next move higher.

The Tag n Turn remains bullish. Sitting on support. Waiting for the push.

Nasdaq – The Laggard

Nasdaq is clearly lagging. Despite holding near all-time highs, it’s not leading. Not following with conviction either. Just… there.

Sometimes the laggard catches up explosively. Sometimes it drags everyone else down. We’ll see which story plays out.

Yesterday’s Wins –

“Great job, everyone! You all inspire me. I haven’t ventured into the ORB 20s but plan to join after a month of paper trading.” – Mary

“Quality guys nice work… I was with you James off the bo bar, got there eventually!” – Colin H.

The system keeps paying. Whether I’m watching or not.

NFP Friday – The Big One

Non-Farm Payrolls at 8:30am – Forecast 154K

First NFP of the year. All eyes will be focused on this one.

But here’s the thing – given the government shutdown at the end of last year, the writing off or outright ignoring of the usual stats and reports releases… it’s going to be interesting to see this one.

The data might be skewed. The reaction might be muted. Or it might be the catalyst we’ve been waiting for.

Or it’s just going to be an over-anticipated nothing burger.

Stay tuned and keep your popcorn ready.

Today’s Calendar

Fun Fact:

The First NFP of the Year Effect

The January Non-Farm Payrolls report often carries outsized importance – not because the data itself is more meaningful, but because it sets the narrative tone for the year.

Traders and analysts use it as a “first look” at labor market health after the holiday hiring distortions clear. Seasonal adjustments are at their most aggressive in January, which means the headline number can swing wildly from expectations.

The historical pattern? January NFP surprises (in either direction) tend to create larger-than-average market reactions. Whether that holds today with the government shutdown data questions remains to be seen.

But one thing’s consistent – the anticipation often exceeds the reality.

[Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics – Employment Situation Technical Notes]

Trade well,
T2 Markets

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