ChartingManDan
Looking back at 2025, a few trades really defined my year, the ones I held through discomfort, the ones that pushed me into unfamiliar timeframes, and the mistakes that reminded me timing matters as much as direction. I’m carrying those lessons forward as I map out the setups that have my attention for 2026.
2025 Trade Reviews
2026 Trade Setups
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ChartGal-Dinz
Heading into 2025, I was watching for continuation of the silver breakout - targeting 38 dollars based on the long squeeze we had. After that hit with follow through, silver consolidated once again in and around 50 dollars, creating a continuation potential cup and handle. Both targets were based on technical analysis (equilibrium breakout to 38, and cup and handle continuation to 63). The hot and heavy metals environment led to insane volatility and great follow through.
Heading into 2026, I will be interested in a longer term monthly higher low in metals once again. But I am also watching the energy sector. Coming off another hot year in uranium, the rest of the energy sector (XLE) has been trading quite stagnant for 3 years, coiling up really tightly. So in addition to uranium, I'm interested in a monthly breakout on XLE to keep up with the heavy energy demands of the AI boom we saw this year.
More from Adina Dinz
ChartGuys-Lamont
2025 And Looking Ahead
The most memorable trades for me in 2025 were two ideas created for the Swing Report in MU. The initial plan was to look for a potential weekly lower high following a breakdown from an area where the market had established a lot of value by balancing between the end of July 2024 through April 2025. The trade zone was based off of two high volume nodes within the large area of balance. If the sellers were going to press the issue, they should not have allowed acceptance back into the balance and should have defended the high volume areas, at least initially.
However, sellers failed to hold the high volume nodes and buyers rallied beyond the high of the aforementioned significant area of balance making space for a potential weekly higher low. The rally was suggestive of strong buyers so I set up a new trade zone on the buy side as pretty much the opposite trade of the original idea and sent it out to our subscribers. The retracement came perfectly into our zone of interest and rallied to new highs for over 130% gains as of this writing more than making up for the 6% drawdown from the initial lower high idea. The development is a good reminder to hold strong convictions loosely as a trader in order to capitalize from both sides of the market.
In addition to being a strong technical setup, there is also fundamental reasoning for the play as MU is one of the primary manufacturers for RAM for AI infrastructure. Despite all the talks of AI being a bubble, which I don't deny, earnings calls from companies involved in the space point to more money being poured into these projects. While there is certainly going to be major corrections in the future, the market tends to rally, and dump, harder than the crowd anticipates. So for 2026, I'm looking to continue riding the AI hype wave through the hyperscalers, companies building out AI infrastructure, and cyber security names. Basically looking for pick and shovel plays for the AI space. I'll look to pump the brakes and prepare for more meaningful consolidation / retracement when signs of a bull market nearing its end begin to develop like a rapid influx of speculators, monster returns in a very short period, record levels of margin being taken out, extreme valuations, and the fear and greed index point towards extreme greed.
More from Lamont Yu
ChartGuys-Junglefunk
For me, 2025 was an action packed year with a lot of opportunity across different markets and instruments. It was an eye opening year for me because I took a big step forward in realizing that you can make the majority of your profits from just a few moments or ideas. It’s not to say that I feel I was doing things wrong earlier in my career by really grinding each day and having a more uniform profit distribution; those were the days where I gained the experience and confidence to be able to maximize opportunity on high conviction plays. But now, respecting that 90% of my profits can come from 10% of my activity shifts my day to day priorities in terms of how I’m managing my mind and my time.
The bulk of my annual profits came from 3 trades and two periods: a Trump Coin trade in January, a TSLA swing from March, playing the April capitulation volatility, a NQ swing from the end of summer, and gold/silver/platinum volatility.
The biggest change for me this year was taking a step forward in believing and executing the concept of “being right and sitting tight” — essentially holding more size throughout a high conviction play. I believe this came from increased awareness combined with a stronger gut and a general calmness about my operations. Not only identifying that there is a unique opportunity present, but combining that with the execution and hold power to increase yield. Part of this comes from an out of sight out of mind approach with the swings, if I were to watch my P/L daily then I would close the positions early. The rest comes from general experience and understanding that I need to make myself uncomfortable to really level up.
Capitalizing on the capitulation and euphoria volatility was just a step forward in my continuous progress and development as a trader, executing with more precision and more size, while minimizing errors. The quest for optimization will never end but this was a solid year in terms of executing at a notably higher level than the year prior.
I don’t have grand plans or a primary scout for 2026. I will continue with the mindset that I have daily — take what the market gives you, not what you want from the market. Right now metals have great volatility and are at all-time highs so I will continue to have focus there into the new year, willing to trade long or short depending on price action. Index futures always treat me well so I will continue to focus there as well. If alt coins come to life I will never pass up on an alt season, though there’s no sign of that at the moment. And if grains can form yearly higher lows, my wheat/corn/soy bean volume will increase drastically. Aside from that, I will take what the market gives.
More from Joey Hayes
ChartGal-Lori
I’m looking back at the trades that shaped my thinking this year, one I took, one I didn’t, and the moments that changed how I approach conviction and follow-through. A few lessons stood out, and they’re directly shaping how I’m preparing for 2026.
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