Good morning, traders…

Wednesday evening into Thursday was one of the worst moments for the market in some time. 

Most folks expected tariffs. That wasn’t the surprise. But the size and scope of what was announced absolutely rattled traders and investors. 

A universal 10% tariff on all imported goods, 34% on imports from China, and 20% on the European Union. Plus, reciprocal tariffs on every other country:

Saying this is a full-blown shift in policy would be a massive understatement. 

And the market didn’t wait around to digest it. It spit it out instantly.

The Nasdaq dropped more than 4% overnight. The VIX spiked. Consumer names, retail, semiconductors — anything tied to global supply chains — got crushed. Risk came off fast, and the tone of the market changed just as quickly.

That’s what headlines like this do. They create volatility, panic, and fear. 

For those paying attention, Wednesday confirmed something we’ve been saying for weeks:
This isn’t a time to be overexposed.

This market is fragile. And it doesn’t take much to rattle it.

That doesn’t mean we stop trading. That doesn’t mean we get scared. It means we stay sharp, protect capital, and keep size tight when the environment demands it…

Discipline Is the Trade

There’s a reason I talk so much about rules and process.

When volatility hits, emotion tries to take over. The reflex is to chase what just happened… or freeze. 

But the antidote is always the same: planning carefully and staying disciplined.

• When the VIX is elevated, I reduce position size.
  
• When internals are weak, I stop assuming we’ll bounce.
  
• When we break key moving averages — like the 8 or the 21 — I treat that as a signal, not an invitation to hope.

We don’t control headlines. But we do control how we position ourselves around them.

When the market gives us something like Liberation Day — a sudden shock to sentiment — I don’t panic. I adjust posture.

Size down. Stay nimble. Let the price action show you the difference between a real move and a trap. 

That’s the edge. Don’t predict, don’t react — respond. 

What the Market Taught Us Wednesday

Liberation Day taught a hard lesson: sentiment can shift fast. This market wants clarity. And although we now know the tariff numbers, their shocking nature isn’t helping. 

Tariffs throw a wrench into the machine. They threaten margins. They disrupt supply chains. 

And while they might ultimately protect domestic industry, the market’s read is simple: higher costs, lower growth, more uncertainty.

But what separates pros from amateurs is how you respond to what happens next.

It’s not about reacting to one day. It’s about seeing how that day fits into the larger structure.

• Are we trending or chopping?
  
• Are we bouncing or rolling over?
  
• Is the move being confirmed with volume?
  
• Or are we overshooting in thin liquidity?
  

These are the questions I ask — without emotion. Because markets don’t owe us clarity. They give us price. And our job is to read that price honestly and respond with discipline.

My Strategy Going Forward

Here’s where I land after a day like Wednesday:

• Stay small. Until the market settles, don’t press.
• Stay objective. What happened has happened. Don’t argue with the tape.
• Stay patient. Overtrading will ruin you in this market. If a trade doesn’t check your boxes, pass. 
• Stay focused on market structure. Price is the only truth in front of us.
• Stay hedged. Don’t be overexposed to long positions. If you are, hedge with SPY or QQQ puts.

Liberation Day gave us a wake-up call. Not just because of tariffs or headlines — but because it reminded us how quickly this game moves. 

You’re either prepared … or you’re at risk. Don’t forget that.

Stay safe out there,
Ben Sturgill

P.S. Most traders never see the biggest moves coming — until it’s too late. 

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*Past performance does not indicate future results