I posted an oil watchlist a few days ago with four stocks. Like Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN).
They’re still trending higher.
But I understand any hesitancy to trade oil right now.
President Trump is trying his best to calm markets about the war in Iran without any real evidence to back up his supposed peace talks.
And that posturing adds another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation.
Instead of screwing around in a messy oil field, you can focus on a sector that was strong before the war began… a sector that’s showing renewed strength as hopes for de-escalation continue.
There are multiple angles that we can use to trade in this market.
We don’t have to panic when the headlines panic.
There’s a process we use to trade, and there’s volatility that’s suitable for every account.
Here’s a watchlist without the oil volatility.
Market Chop
As I’ve said several times this week, as long as the VIX stays elevated, the market is going to chop around.
And ever since the war broke out on February 28, the VIX has traded higher:
Conflicting headlines out of the Middle East are whipping prices back and forth.
Trump’s statement of peace talks sends the market surging. Then Iran’s denial of any talks causes it to crater.
Trillions of dollars in stock market cap whipsaws back and forth every day.
That kind of environment rewards patience and punishes people who chase.
There are entire sectors of the market that are directly in the path of daily headlines. Oil stocks, for example, move violently every time a new development surfaces from the Iran situation.
There are real opportunities there. I wrote about them recently.
But not every trader wants to ride those waves. Some setups carry risks that are too unpredictable. And that’s completely fine.
You don’t have to trade every opportunity the market throws at you.
Find Strength in the Right Places
The traders who thrive in volatile markets are the ones who trade smarter.
That means ignoring noisy setups where a single tweet can erase your gains, and focusing on charts that show genuine, sustained momentum.
There are pockets of this market that were building strength before the Iran situation escalated. Sectors that aren’t living and dying by every geopolitical headline.
That’s where I’m focused right now.
I’m watching the tech sector for bullish momentum. While energy stocks are whipping around on war headlines, these names have been quietly building trade setups after a pullback earlier in 2026:
- Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL)
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM)
- Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE: PLTR)
These stocks all show the technical structure I look for when the broader market is uncertain.
That means: clear support levels, strong chart patterns, and Smart Money interest that exists whether or not the VIX is elevated.
AI demand and innovation hardly slow down because of the Middle East conflict.
If anything, the geopolitical pressure to accelerate domestic and allied chip production makes these stocks more relevant than ever.
Look at the recent momentum on TSM after it ran into support from Jnaury:
Most traders are missing out on this momentum.
These are clean trade setups while everyone else stares at the headlines…
And I’m using the same strategies as always.
On March 31, starting at 12:30 PM EST:
Learn my entire trading process in just 2 days.
Be good (and be good to others),
Ben Sturgill
*Past performance does not indicate future results