When I’m trying to understand what the overall market is doing, I usually start with a few big ETFs before looking at individual stocks. Some of the main ones I watch: • SPY – tracks the S&P 500 (broad market health) • QQQ – tracks the Nasdaq (tech/growth sentiment) • DIA – tracks the Dow (large, established companies) • IWM – tracks small caps (risk appetite) • XLF – financial sector (banks, economic expectations) • XLK – technology sector (growth strength) These help answer simple questions like: Is the whole market moving together?Is money flowing into growth or safety?Are small caps participating or lagging? Before getting lost in individual charts, I like seeing what these are doing first. If you follow any of these (or others), drop which one you watch most and why 👇 (Educational discussion only.)

Hope everyone’s morning is off to a good start! Markets are opening with some early movement, and today looks like one of those sessions where it’s worth slowing down and watching how price behaves, not just where it opens. After the recent momentum, I’m personally paying attention to: • whether buyers step in again or fade • how price reacts near recent highs/lows • which sectors show real strength vs quick pops Early action sets the tone, but the story usually gets clearer after the first hour. If you’re following something today, drop it below and share what you’re seeing 👇

This challenge is designed for community members that are beginners and curious learners. No trading! No money! No experience required! ✅ How it works✅ Pick ONE asset to follow for the next 5 days: • a stock (Apple, Tesla, Meta, GOOG, Nvidia, etc.) • an ETF (SPY, QQQ, VOO, IVV, etc.) Then, once per day, check its chart and write down: • Did it go up, down, or sideways? • Did it look like it was trending or stuck in a range? • Did any news or big move stand out? That’s it. 📊 Optional (but encouraged) Take a screenshot of the chart and circle: • the general trend • recent highs or lows • or anything else you noticed Post it in the comments!

🛡️ Community Rules & Safety Guidelines The Trading Lab strives to be a safe, educational, and supportive space to everyone. To protect the community and everyone in it, please follow these guidelines: ✅ What’s encouraged • Asking questions • Sharing charts and market observations • Discussing strategies and concepts • Helping others learn • Respectful, constructive conversations 🚫 What’s not allowed • Financial advice • Promotions, spam, or unsolicited DMs • Harassment, insults, or negativity • Misinformation presented as fact ⚠️ Important disclaimer All content in this community is for educational purposes only. Nothing shared here should be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. You are responsible for your own decisions. 🤝 Our standard Respect first. Education always.Disagree with ideas, not people. Violations may result in post removal or removal from the community.

👋 Welcome to The Trading Lab 👋 We are happy to have you join our growing community. This community is built for people who want to learn, analyze, and simulate trading and investing strategies in an educational, supportive environment. This is not a place for financial advice or trade calls. Instead, we focus on: • understanding how markets work • analyzing charts and trends • learning trading concepts and strategies • practicing with simulations and paper trading • and growing together as a community + more! ✅ How to get started 1. Introduce yourself in the Intro Thread 2. Work through Module 1: Introduction to Markets 3. Explore the Free Resources Module 4. Jump into discussions and ask questions 5. Share charts, observations, and ideas (education only) We’re glad you’re here. Let’s build skills the right way. 👇 Start by introducing yourself below.