NQ Daily Trade Plan β 2026-08-26
π§ Current Context Tuesday's session tested the Bull Pivot zone at 29412β29433 and got rejected. NQ spent the day in a tight range between 29202 (Previous Week Low) and 29315, with the session low reaching 29138 before being immediately absorbed by buyers. NQ closed near 29270, holding the Previous Week Low into the close. Overnight, NQ opened at 29288 and sold off aggressively to an overnight low of 29096 β sweeping below the 29150 level that had acted as support Tuesday and pushing through the Pivot Bear zone entirely. The flush to 29096 produced a failed breakdown: price snapped back through 29150 and ran toward 29270β29288. That recovery was rejected at the same zone where Tuesday closed. NQ has since pulled back to 29202, sitting exactly at the Previous Week Low and the bottom of the Pivot Bear zone (29200β29230). Wednesday opens with NQ balanced inside the Pivot Bear zone at 29200β29230 β the most contested area of the past two sessions. The overnight flush to 29096 established a new proven FBD level, and the double-bottom structure at 29096β29150 keeps bulls in play. Bears remain in control below 29315, but the repeated defense of 29096β29150 overnight means that any breakdown below 29200 will need acceptance, not just a tick below, to be considered genuine. The key decision for Wednesday: does 29200 hold and NQ begins a recovery through 29233 and 29315, or does 29200 fail with acceptance below, triggering the next leg toward 29150 and 29096? β‘ Catalysts: PCE data drops at 8:30 AM ET β the primary macro event of the week and the most likely trigger to break NQ out of this consolidation. A hotter-than-expected PCE print would pressure the market and could force acceptance below 29200, opening the next leg lower. A softer print would be the fuel bulls need to reclaim 29233 and push toward 29315. NVDA reports earnings after the close, adding a second volatility window late in the session. Expect compressed, choppy price action ahead of 8:30, then a sharp directional move once the data hits. Use the post-data reaction to confirm direction before entering β the first 5β10 minutes after the print will define the session. π Short-Term Structure NQ is inside the Pivot Bear zone (29200β29230) at the Previous Week Low, following the overnight flush and recovery. Immediate resistance: 29233 (the former support shelf, now overhead), then 29315 (Pivot Bull bottom / strength confirmation). Below: 29196 is the first downside trigger, then 29150 (weakness confirmed below here), then 29112 and 29096 (overnight low, proven FBD). Bears remain in control below 29315. π’ Bullish Strategy Bulls need to defend 29200 or produce a quick flush below that recovers. The 29096 overnight low has proven itself β a second test of 29096β29112 that holds and recovers would be high conviction for a long targeting 29150, 29200, and 29233. A reclaim of 29233 (the former support shelf) opens the path toward 29315, where a reclaim and hold confirms structural recovery. If price holds 29200 without flushing lower, a recovery above 29233 also provides a clean entry for longs. Once 29233 reclaims, bulls can target 29315, 29383, and 29471 as the next resistance levels. Strength confirmed above 29544 signals a more sustained recovery and opens the path toward 29677 and 29800. Ultimately, bulls need to push through the Pivot Bull (29315β29326) and hold it to begin reversing the recent damage. Any reclaim of 29315 is actionable, but tight risk management is required β failure to hold 29315 on the retest would be a warning sign. β Bearish Strategy Bears remain in control below 29315. The primary short setup for Wednesday is a bounce into 29233 or the Pivot Bear top at 29230 that fails to hold β Short Beneath Bounce near 29200, targeting 29150 and 29096. Bears can also look for a rally into 29315 and short beneath a failed reclaim of that level. For continuation lower, a clean break below 29196 β ideally with a dead-cat bounce to 29200β29233 first before confirming β triggers the next leg toward 29150 and 29096. Bears should expect the majority of breakdowns below 29200 to trap and reverse given the proven FBD structure at 29096β29150, so acceptance below 29196 is required before adding to short positions. Below 29150 (weakness confirmed), bears can target 29112, 29067, and 28964. Counter-trend shorts on any extended rally can target 29471, 29526, 29677, 29800, and 30000. β Summary Bears remain in control below 29315. NQ is inside the Pivot Bear zone (29200β29230) at the Previous Week Low, after an overnight flush to 29096 produced a proven failed breakdown. Bulls need to defend 29200 or reclaim 29233 to begin any recovery β a reclaim of 29315 confirms structural strength. A break below 29196 with acceptance shifts focus to 29150, 29096, and deeper levels. Key bull trigger: reclaim and hold of 29233. Key bear trigger: acceptance below 29196. NQ Levels π Support Levels: 29315, 29233, 29196, 29150, 29112, 29067, 29000, 28964, 28883, 28831, 28700, 28626 π Resistance Levels: 29383, 29471, 29526, 29677, 29800, 30000 π Plan Going Forward Above β: 29233 β 29315 β 29383 β 29471 β 29526 β 29677 β 29800 β 30000 Below β: 29196 β 29150 β 29112 β 29067 β 29000 β 28964 β 28831 β 28700 β 28626 β Key Confirmations: Strength confirmed above 29544 Weakness confirmed below 29150 β Pivot Bull: 29315β29326 β Pivot Bear: 29200β29230 π Trade Ideas: π· Long if reclaim and hold: 29315 π· Long if fail and reclaim: 29233 π· Long if fail and reclaim: 29196 π· Long if fail and reclaim: 29150 π· Counter Trend Long: 29112 π· Long if fail and reclaim: 29067 π· Counter Trend Long: 29000 π· Long if fail and reclaim: 28964 π· Counter Trend Long: 28883 π· Long if fail and reclaim: 28831 π· Counter Trend Long: 28700 π· Counter Trend Long: 28626 πΆ Counter Trend Short: 29471 πΆ Counter Trend Short: 29526 πΆ Counter Trend Short: 29677 πΆ Counter Trend Short: 29800 πΆ Counter Trend Short: 30000 π΄ Short Beneath Bounce risky: 28950 π΄ Short Beneath Bounce: 29200
Trade Ideas for TradingView: Click Copy Formatted Levels below, then open the Trading Levels PTZ v2 indicator on TradingView β Settings β paste into the levels field. Long entries appear in aqua, short entries in orange.
ES Trade Ideas for TradingView: Click Copy ES Levels below, then open the Trading Levels PTZ v2 indicator on your ES chart β Settings β paste into the levels field.
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