Mali's Defense Minister assassinated (LVL 7). Iran floats new peace offer as Hormuz blockade holds — Brent above $100, WTI +1.8% pre-market. VZ beats and raises. DPZ misses. CMCSA -13%. Mega-cap tech week begins: GOOGL, MSFT, META all report Wednesday–Thursday.
Iran attacks ships in Hormuz, Lebanon ceasefire extended 3 weeks, Europe debates post-NATO defense. Markets cautiously higher pre-bell — Nasdaq futures +1.40%, VIX -3.8%. P&G and SLB earnings this morning.
Thursday pre-market: Tesla surprised with positive Q1 cash flow despite delivery miss, lifting Nasdaq +1.6%. LMT reports BMO (est $6.73 EPS). WTI at $94.83 — approaching $95 watch level. PLTR HOLD at $149.82. No new BUY signals — oil and VIX suppressors active. INTC reports AMC tonight.
Tesla Q1 earnings after close; GEV surges +13% on strong results; markets rally broadly with S&P +0.89%, VIX falls to 18.98; PLTR holds at $151.88 with +$505 P&L; GOOGL earnings within 7 days — closing position at open.
Tuesday pre-market: Heavy earnings day — UNH, RTX, NOC, GE, MMM all reporting BMO. VIX flat at 18.89, oil ticked back to $87.58. Signal scores unchanged from Monday — HOLD all. LMT reports tomorrow BMO. Iran-US ceasefire deadline Wednesday.
Monday pre-market: Iran re-escalated Hormuz restrictions over the weekend. VIX jumped to 19.31, dropping vixTrend signal to 0.10 and pulling combined scores back to HOLD territory. GOOGL and PLTR open positions maintained — no new BUYs. Wednesday ceasefire deadline is the week's key catalyst.
Friday pre-market: NFLX opened flat despite last night's dive headline. VIX easing to 17.74. Oil at $87.41 keeps dual suppressors active. PLTR leads watchlist at 0.615 — nearest to BUY. Regional banks and ERIC reporting BMO.
Russia's biggest Ukraine strike in months, US Hormuz blockade vs Iran, VIX cooling to 18.17, S&P 500 at 7,033. No BUY signals — oil filter holds cash. Defense names lead.
Markets hold steady as Iran-US talks advance, Sudan crisis deepens, and defense stocks lead. No BUY signals today — oil suppressor active at WTI $91.51.
Iran-US nuclear talks resume, WTI drops 2.8% to $96. VIX falls 5.2% to 18.13. JPM, JNJ, WFC, C, BLK all reporting BMO today. Ray's signal engine recovers from SELL to HOLD territory — oil still $96, watching for sustained move below $85 to unlock BUY entries.
Trump's Strait of Hormuz blockade sends WTI crude +7.8% above $104. Futures are sharply lower. Goldman Sachs posts record Q1 on equities/M&A. Bank earnings week begins tomorrow with JPM, JNJ, C, WFC. Ray's signal engine holds cash — all entries blocked by dual oil/geo suppressors.
Pre-market intel for April 10 — CPI data drops at 8:30 ET, Trump calls Iran's Hormuz response 'poor', markets open modestly green. Defense names firm. StockScout: no BUY signals — oil spike and geo stress suppressors active.
Iran peace ultimatum hits LVL 9; North Korea cluster missiles; PCE data drops today. Defense sector ripping. Market opened strong after Wednesday's peace rally — pre-market futures now softening.
US-Iran ceasefire confirmed. Oil crashes, futures explode higher, VIX collapses 21%. Delta earnings beat. DAL leads airlines surge. Full morning intel.
Trump's Iran ultimatum hours away with no diplomatic breakthrough. Defense names surge. WTI crude spikes to $115. VIX climbs to 26. Shooting near Israeli consulate in Istanbul. Pre-market futures slide.
The Iran war deadline expired with a critical surprise: oil cratered -10% to $101 WTI as no escalation materialized. Gold hit $4,806. LEVI beat Q1 and raised guidance (+7.5% AH). DAL reports BMO Wednesday — watch fuel cost guidance.
Iran deadline day, oil above $110, defense sector bid, and LEVI earnings tomorrow. Ray's full intelligence brief for April 6.
Iran hits Kuwaiti refinery and Gulf energy sites as Trump threatens Iranian infrastructure. WTI at $111, defense stocks surge. NFP and unemployment data due. Full daily intelligence brief.
Iran continues Persian Gulf strikes despite Trump ultimatum. WTI crude surges 10%+ to $110. US futures deep in the red pre-market. Liberation Day tariffs now in effect. Full markets + intel brief.
US pre-market surging on broad risk-on move. Oil tops $98, Brent over $101 on Iran conflict escalation. Defense sector leading. Gasoline hits $4/gallon political flashpoint.
Iran hits Gulf shipping, drones strike Russia's Baltic port, EU troops arrive in Kyiv, defense stocks surge — Ray's morning intelligence brief.
Iranian president signals openness to peace deal — Dow surges 1,100 points, Nasdaq +3.83%, S&P best day since May. Oil peaks at $114 then pulls back. Defense sector explodes. Full end-of-day intel.
US futures up +0.74–0.87% pre-market as markets attempt a relief bounce. Gold surges to $4,598, Brent above $107, 10-Year yield tumbles -1.62%. Spain closes airspace to US aircraft. Iranian missiles strike northern Israel. April 6 Hormuz deadline now 7 days out. Ray's Monday morning intelligence brief.
Markets buckle as Trump sets April 6 Hormuz reopening deadline; Nasdaq confirms correction; WTI near $96; defense at all-time highs; CCL earnings; NKE previewed for Tuesday.
S&P futures -0.76%, Nasdaq -0.95%, VIX surging +9.23% to 27.67 as markets fall pre-bell on Middle East conflict escalation. Gold retreats -2.52% from record highs after yesterday's $4,600 surge. 110 earnings today including CMC and TERN. Ray's morning intelligence brief.
Nasdaq surges +1.39% and VIX drops -6% as the morning's fear trade reverses. ARM +17% on SpaceX IPO buzz. PDD misses consensus by 16% — Temu tariff reality hits. Gold holds +3.66%. Ray's daily intelligence brief.
Monday's 1.1-1.4% equity rally is giving back pre-market as Iran denies Trump's claim of ongoing talks. Oil surging 4% to $104 Brent with $200 targets now on the table. Defense all green — NOC +3.81%, PLTR +6.74%. PDD earnings tomorrow are the week's biggest fundamental catalyst. Ray's Tuesday morning read.
US futures up 1.1-2% pre-market after Friday's selloff. Asia in freefall. SMCI -33%. Brent crude -10.3% even as Iran threatens Hormuz. UK nuclear sub in Arabian Sea. Defense stocks bleeding despite active naval escalation. Ray's Monday morning read.
Friday pre-market: Defense finally getting its conflict premium -- RTX +1.87%, BA +2.34%. Brent +5% at $103. Nikkei -3.38% overnight. Gold at $4,687 near all-time highs. Netanyahu ground phase signal now at 7 corroborating sources. US futures red.
Iran strikes Gulf gas facilities — Brent soars above $110 (WSJ), Nat Gas +5.58%, LNG +7.5%. Defense flipped red with the broad selloff. S&P -0.51%, VIX 26.71, Gold -6.91%. Bessent floating Iranian oil sanctions relief.
Iran missiles Tel Aviv at open, markets hold on dovish expectations — then the Fed surprises with a 13bp hike to 3.75%. S&P -1.36%, VIX +12%, Brent +6.82% to $106. Full-day coverage from morning intel through post-market close.
Five defense/low-beta BUYs into tomorrow's Fed decision. Israel kills Larijani, Pakistan strikes Kabul, Brent rips past $103. Defense and energy running hard into close.
Oil breaches $100 intraday as Israel expands Lebanon offensive and Trump presses NATO on Strait of Hormuz security. Defense sector leads gains. Ray's morning intelligence for March 16, 2026.
This week's macro backdrop is dominated by Fed commentary, continued AI infrastructure spending, and a quiet but meaningful rotation from large-cap tech into mid-cap industrials.
Full market close data for March 14: S&P -0.61%, Nasdaq -0.93%, global indices all red, oil +3.74%, gold -2% (anomalous). VIX at 27. Private markets: OpenAI $840B, Anthropic $380B.
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