184: This Week in the SP500: Market Holding Strong Near Highs

In this episode, Eric and Brian Terry break down a market that just won’t quit—despite geopolitical tension, rising oil, and a packed economic calendar. With the S&P 500 hovering near all-time highs, the conversation dives into positioning, risk management, and where the real opportunities might be right now.🔗 Useful Links (Start Here)🌐 Alpha Crunching: https://alphacrunching.com🎧 Stock Market Options Trading Podcast: https://stockmarketoptionstrading.net💬 Join the Discord Community: (included with Alpha Crunching subscription)📊 Weekly TSE Report & Trade Setups: Available inside Alpha Crunching📈 Episode BreakdownThis week’s discussion centers around a tricky market environment—strong momentum on the surface, but plenty of uncertainty underneath.The market rallied over 4% last week and continues to hold near highs, even with rising oil and geopolitical concernsKey events this week include retail sales, PMI data, and a major appearance from the incoming Fed ChairDespite potential volatility, the market continues to show resilience, with dips getting bought quicklyEric shares how he’s navigating this environment:Sitting on higher cash levels after covered calls were assignedLooking for pullbacks to re-enter long positions or potentially deploy collar strategiesIncreasing focus on SPX 0DTE trades for short-term opportunities with defined riskBrian walks through a practical hedge idea using a broken wing butterfly on QQQ, highlighting:Favorable risk/reward structureAbility to profit even in downside scenariosA flexible way to hedge without tying up large capital⚡ Key TakeawaysShort-term uncertainty, long-term bullish tone continues to define the marketMany traders are holding cash, which could fuel continued dip-buying0DTE trading is gaining traction, especially with potential changes to PDT rules making it more accessibleGamma levels and options positioning suggest possible resistance near current levels, but nothing is guaranteed📊 Strategy FocusEric discusses leaning more into:Mechanical 0DTE credit spreads using the Trend Spread Engine (TSE)Staying active even when swing strategies aren’t triggeringUsing data-driven timing, trend, and strike selection to find edge intraday🎧 Listen OnAvailable on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAnd all major podcast platformsIf you’re looking to stay active in this kind of market, this episode is a solid mix of macro perspective and actionable strategy ideas.