Good morning, traders…
We’re officially in a choppy market.
Last Friday, the S&P 500 dropped 2.7% in the biggest single-day decline since April. Monday it bounced back. Tuesday it gapped down, then recovered almost all of its losses.
The chop is palpable. And the near-term price action is wildly unpredictable…
When the market whipsaws like this, trying to time every swing with short-dated options is a losing game.
You can be right about direction and still lose money because you didn’t give the trade enough time.
Volatility crushes premium. Time decay eats away at your position. And by the time the setup finally works, your contracts have already expired worthless.
This is exactly when I’m eyeing longer-dated contracts with 2-3 months left on them.
December and January calls give me room to be early, ride through pullbacks, and let high-probability setups develop without getting stopped out by daily noise.
I’m not trying to predict what happens tomorrow. I’m trading chart structure, Smart Money positioning, and compression signals that work over weeks and months … not days.
I’ve identified five Predictive Price Fusion setups with all the signals I look for: clean compression, strong volume profiles, and Smart Money flow.
These are high-probability trades with enough time to play out even if the market stays choppy.
If you’ve been getting whipsawed trying to trade this volatility, these setups give you a way to participate without perfect timing…
These Are My Top 5 Longer-Dated Setups Right Now…
Salesforce Inc. (NYSE: CRM)
Salesforce Inc. (NYSE: CRM) is one of my favorite charts in the market right now.
Plus, it’s been getting huge bullish bets from the Smart Money.
And the daily chart suggests this move is just starting…
I’m watching the December $300 Calls. My target price is at least $270, and the chart structure supports a move higher from here.
When compression meets Smart Money flow, I pay very close attention.
CRM has both.
Asana Inc. (NYSE: ASAN)
Asana Inc. (NYSE: ASAN) recently broke out, then retested the breakout level.
That retest confirms buyers are stepping back in.
What makes this setup interesting is the compression signals firing on multiple timeframes: daily, 2-day, 3-day, weekly (2 candles), and monthly.
When compression aligns across timeframes, a big move is usually right around the corner.
I’m watching the December $17.50 Calls. Earnings are far out, so there’s room for the trade to develop without event risk.
SharpLink Gaming Ltd. (NASDAQ: SBET)
SharpLink Gaming Ltd. (NASDAQ: SBET) is a high-volatility name, which means it can move fast.
Right now, it’s compressing and sitting near the point of control on the volume profile. If it breaks $17.50, I’m looking for a push to $19.50, then $20, and potentially $25.
The January $30 Calls have extremely high open interest. That means the Smart Money is building large call positions over time.
This one requires patience, but the setup is developing beautifully.
Pinterest Inc. (NYSE: PINS)
Pinterest Inc. (NYSE: PINS) is another favorite of institutional traders.
At the top of the week, the Smart Money traded 42,000 contracts on the November 21 $40 Calls. I’m also looking at the January Calls to give the trade more time to develop.
PINS is currently at the point of control and broke Friday’s highs, showing strength even while the broader market was weak.
That’s the kind of relative strength I look for in a choppy market.
Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS)
Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS) is bouncing off the point of control and looks ready to retest $250. If it breaks out, the next move could push higher from there.
I’m watching the November 21 $260 Calls, but I’m calling this one “speculative.”
Open interest is low, and option volume is sparse. That means less liquidity and wider spreads.
This one’s all about the chart for me. The lack of options volume makes me lean towards a smaller position (if I enter).
Why I Like Longer-Dated Calls Here
The market is choppy. The near-term direction is unclear.
Now is the time when longer-dated options come into focus.
These five setups have the structure, volume profile, and Smart Money flow I look for in Predictive Price Fusion trades.
My Predictive Price Fusion strategy has a simple idea behind it: certain spots on a chart give you better odds.
These spots come from a combination of:
- Historical Behavior – Patterns that tend to break big after consolidation.
- Options Pricing – Low-cost contracts.
- Volume Psychology – Price battling at key risk zones where a breakout leads to big moves.
By connecting these indicators with longer-dated options (2-3 months out), you can build a low-stress setup with a higher probability of success.
Want to see exactly how I identify (and manage) these setups?
Happy trading,
Ben Sturgill
*Past performance does not indicate future results
