October 10th, 2025: The Day "Buy and Hold" Died (Again)
2:00 PM Eastern. Markets in freefall. Portfolios bleeding. President Trump just dropped a financial bomb: a 100% tariff on China, over and above existing tariffs, effective November 1st (possibly sooner) Trump puts extra 100% tariff on China imports, adds export controls on 'critical software'. Export controls on critical software follow the same timeline Trump puts extra 100% tariff on China imports, adds export controls on 'critical software'. The S&P 500 plunged 2%, marking its worst day since April 21st S&P 500 Tumbles 2% as Trump Ramps Up Tariff Threats on China - Bloomberg. The Dow nosedived nearly 900 points Dow drops almost 900 points, S&P 500 declines the most since April after Trump's new China tariff threat. The Nasdaq 100 cratered 2.7%—its first drop of at least 2% in nearly six months S&P 500 Tumbles 2% as Trump Ramps Up Tariff Threats on China - Bloomberg. And while millions watched their retirement accounts evaporate in real-time, there was another group of traders doing something completely different. They were making money. The Two Americas of Trading Today exposed the brutal, unforgiving truth about modern markets: there are two types of people. Type 1: Those who can only profit when markets go up. They're told to "stay the course," to "think long-term," to "ignore the noise." Today, they lost money. Again. Type 2: Those who understand markets move in BOTH directions. They don't hope. They don't pray. They execute. They were short. They profited. The difference isn't luck. It isn't insider information. It isn't a trust fund.