Welcome to this week’s edition of The Weekly Call, your trusted source for high-quality commodity setups and trading strategies. Since October 2016, our approach has delivered an impressive 777% return, and we continue to share the insights and methodologies that drive these results with this post #488. This week, we’ll explore the latest market trends, actionable trade setups, and global economic factors influencing commodities like sugar, coffee, live cattle, and gold.
U.S. Markets (Friday, January 3 close)
S&P 500 (SPY): Closed near 4,770, modestly lower on the week as markets opened the year with cautious positioning around rates.
Nasdaq Composite (QQQ): Around 16,750, slightly weaker as mega-cap tech paused after a strong Q4 rally.
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIA): Approximately 37,500, relatively flat as gains in industrials and financials offset tech softness.
Global Markets
FTSE 100 (UK): Slightly lower, with energy and materials easing after a strong December.
DAX (Germany): Down modestly as manufacturing data remained soft and export demand stayed under pressure.
Nikkei 225 (Japan): Higher, supported by a weaker yen and continued strength in exporters.
Shanghai Composite (China): Mixed as stimulus expectations persisted but consumer recovery remained uneven.
Commodities Snapshot (Friday close)
Gold: Around $2,050/oz, holding firm as investors hedged geopolitical and rate uncertainty.
Silver: Near $24.50/oz, steady with mixed industrial demand signals.
Copper: Approximately $3.90/lb, softer on global growth concerns.
Crude Oil (WTI): Around $73/barrel, stable amid Middle East tensions and balanced supply expectations.
Natural Gas: Near $2.55/MMBtu, pressured by mild winter weather forecasts.
Cryptocurrency Market (Friday close)
Bitcoin (BTC): ≈ $44,200, consolidating after a strong December rally driven by ETF anticipation.
Ethereum (ETH): ≈ $2,300, holding gains as Layer-2 usage and staking activity remain solid.
Solana (SOL): ≈ $102, slightly lower after outsized Q4 gains.
XRP (XRP): ≈ $0.62, range-bound as markets await regulatory clarity.
BNB (BNB): ≈ $315, steady with consistent on-chain activity.
Cardano (ADA): ≈ $0.59, flat with limited near-term catalysts.
Dogecoin (DOGE): ≈ $0.09, subdued as speculative interest cooled.
Key Market Drivers
Rates Back in Focus: Treasury yields moved higher early in the year as markets reassessed how quickly the Fed can cut rates in 2025.
Early-Year Rebalancing: Investors trimmed exposure after a strong Q4, leading to mild pullbacks across equities and crypto.
Geopolitical Backdrop: Ongoing Middle East tensions supported energy prices and safe-haven demand.
Tech Consolidation: Mega-cap tech paused after leading the late-2024 rally, weighing on Nasdaq performance.
Crypto ETF Anticipation: Bitcoin remained supported by expectations of U.S. spot ETF approvals expected later in January.
Emerging Crypto Projects & Ecosystem News
Spot Bitcoin ETF Countdown: Markets focused on imminent decisions around U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, viewed as a major catalyst for institutional inflows.
Ethereum Layer-2 Growth: Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base continued to post strong transaction growth, reinforcing Ethereum’s scaling narrative.
Solana Ecosystem Expansion: New consumer apps and DeFi projects launched on Solana following its strong rebound in late 2024.
AI + Crypto Theme: Early-stage projects combining decentralized compute, data, and AI workloads gained traction as a 2025 thematic trade.
Stablecoin Regulation Watch: Policymakers signaled renewed focus on stablecoin frameworks, shaping expectations for broader adoption this year.
Outlook for the Week Ahead
Macro Calendar: ISM services, jobs data, and Fed speakers will shape expectations for early-2025 rate policy.
Equities: Markets may remain choppy as investors balance growth optimism with higher-for-longer rate concerns.
Crypto Levels to Watch:
BTC: Support $42,000–$43,000, resistance $46,000–$48,000.
ETH: Support $2,200, resistance $2,500.
SOL: Support $95, resistance $115.
Sentiment: Consolidation after Q4 strength would be healthy before the next sustained move.
Strategy Note: Early January often sets tone rather than trend—focus on confirmation and liquidity rather than chasing first-week moves.
Stay tuned as global market conditions continue to evolve, trade smart and trade safe!
As always, stay informed and adjust your strategies based on the evolving market conditions. All trades are posted on our Private Twitter Feed for subscribers and are included in the track record posted below under Completed Trades. I am currently trading 15 lots given the account balance and will adjust as necessary based on market developments.
Trading futures contracts and commodity options involves substantial risk of loss, and may not be appropriate for all investors. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please see our Disclaimer for more information.
The trades below are discussed on the Daily Update: – Click Here for a FREE Trial
Sugar
Coffee
Live Cattle
Gold (GC)
Come see what we are trading – Try our 30 day FREE trial – Click Here
COMPLETED TRADES
Track Record of Completed Trades
The purpose of this blog is to demonstrate how to swing trade futures using our methodology to select high-quality setups and manage the trade with our risk management approach. This track record is based on entries and exits as posted in this blog. I am currently using 15 lots for the Striker trades which is based on this account being over $375,000. Each lot for auto trading at Striker requires $25,000 per lot. See the videos below for more information.
Track Record January 2022 thru December 2022 Click Here.
Track Record January 2021 thru December 2021 Click Here.
Track Record January 2020 thru December 2020 Click Here.
Track Record January 2019 thru December 2019 Click Here.
Track Record January 2018 thru December 2018 Click Here.
Track Record October 2016 – December 2017 Click Here.
*** Trading futures contracts and futures options involves substantial risk of loss, and may not be appropriate for all investors. By reading this web site, you acknowledge and accept that all trading decisions are your sole responsibility. Trading strategies referenced on this web site and associated documents and emails are only suggestions, no representation is being made that they will achieve profits or losses. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.. See our disclaimer here.
Completed trade in Cattle as of November 28th
We expect subscribers to have captured 60% of the swing in live cattle which is over $14,500 in profit using a margin of only $5,115. A great example of using leverage in futures.
Completed Trade in Coffee as of December 12th
The total swing was $37.00 and we expect subscribers to have captured 60% of a wing or $22 in coffee for a profit of over $25,500 using a margin of $8,850. A great example of using leverage in futures. See the video below for the review of the trade.
Completed Trade in Natural Gas as of January 2nd
We were stopped out of out last 1/3 position as weather-related news created a gap down on January 2nd and a possible flat with support at 3.196. This concludes our trade with natural gas; we exit with 550 ticks on 2/3s of a position with $8,500 in profit.
Completed Trade in Coffee as of January 19th
We exited the coffee trade on January 19th with $17 or over $15,000 in profit using a margin of $8,850. A great example of using leverage in futures.
Completed Trade in Gold as of February 8th
We exited the gold trade on February 8th with over $14,000 in profit. We entered on January 3rd and held the trade into the high window. We will re-enter gold in a few weeks after a backtest.
04th Jan 2026
