The AM Briefing — ES & MES Futures

George — MicrosTrader
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George's daily pre-market briefing for ES E-mini and MES micro futures traders… overnight price action, the key levels that matter, News Drivers, and what to expect at the open. Recorded live every trading day since 2018. Free, from MicrosTrader.com — home of the Trading Library: 140 lessons mined from 1,000+ live sessions.

  1. 18h ago

    AM Briefing — Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | ES & MES Futures

    5 Lessons From Today's AM Briefing The scripture for the week was simple. Let all things be done decently and in order. On the ES that meant controlling leverage and waiting for the one high probability trade while price pressed up into a Strong Range toward the mapped target. Here is what today was teaching. Lesson 1: Order is leverage and patience Do all things decently and in order means two things for a trader. Size correctly and wait for the high probability entry instead of forcing action. Lesson 2: Add to winners, never to losers Put more size behind the trade the market is already confirming. Your capital belongs behind the position that is proving you right. Lesson 3: Peel, peel, hold the runner The 3-Contract System takes profit into strength, then lets one runner ladder back and survive a double tap so it can catch the big move. Lesson 4: Set the stop where you will really lose Place your stop at the price you are genuinely willing to give up. If it tags, you wake up flat and fresh for the next location. Lesson 5: Trade the location, not the prediction You never know how far price will run, but you know where it is attracted to go. Map the level and let price come to you. Watch the briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qj9MPmbAAg Full breakdown: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-840-wait-for-the-high-probability-trade/ Blogger: https://microstrader.blogspot.com/2026/08/am-briefing-840-wait-for-high.html Tomorrow's AM Briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tya-OY-w1E8 Tomorrow's Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGV345KUlNk Full show notes, charts & timeline: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-840-wait-for-the-high-probability-trade/ The Trading Library — 140 free lessons from 1,000+ live sessions: https://microstrader.com/library/ Get today's ES/MES Battle Plan: https://microstrader.com/battleplan/ Today's live stream is FREE on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@microstrader/live

  2. 1d ago

    AM Briefing — Monday, August 24, 2026 | ES & MES Futures

    5 Lessons From Today's AM Briefing Everything today pointed at one line, the RTH high gap fill. Push through it and price runs south. Stall just under it and you ladder back. And behind it all sits a story from last week that every trader needs to hear about one runner that made the whole trade. Lesson 1: One lotto runner can make your day Bank your base trade, then let a single contract chase the big move. Last week that runner turned a 30 point short into a move near 70. Lesson 2: Park the lotto stop at minus 5 Keep the runner stop at minus 5 points so it survives a double tap. Move to break even only after the tap confirms, never before. Lesson 3: Enter in the drop zone, exit before the next level Drop your order into the drop zone, let the bounce fill you, and take profit before the next Strong Level. Trade around the levels, not the empty air between them. Lesson 4: Check if the indices agree Before you lean on a bias, see if the Russell, Dow, NQ and ES are all on the same train. Agreement is confirmation. Divergence is a reason to trade smaller. Lesson 5: Map the calendar before the open With Warsh speaking 30 minutes after the bell and PCE on Wednesday, know where the news lands. Let the volatility pass before you press size. Watch the briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaABibEXwjQ Full breakdown: https://microstrader.com/how-one-lotto-runner-can-make-your-day-am-briefing-839/ Blogger: https://microstrader.blogspot.com/2026/08/how-one-lotto-runner-can-make-your-day.html Tomorrow's AM Briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qj9MPmbAAg Tomorrow's Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AefdjNziJ4Y Full show notes, charts & timeline: https://microstrader.com/how-one-lotto-runner-can-make-your-day-am-briefing-839/ The Trading Library — 140 free lessons from 1,000+ live sessions: https://microstrader.com/library/ Get today's ES/MES Battle Plan: https://microstrader.com/battleplan/ Watch the live stream — current session plus the AM Briefing and archive playlists: https://academy.microstrader.com/livestream/

  3. 4d ago

    Friday AM Briefing # 838 | MES Micros Futures Trading | Live Trading Room. | Key Levels & Setups

    5 Lessons From Today's AM Briefing It was OPEX Friday, Friday rules on steroids, sitting on the back of a slow August tape that has punished anyone who needs action. Monday handed out a 70 and a 100 point short, and the rest of the week made you work for scraps. Days like this reward the trader who moderates and drills. Here is what today was teaching. Lesson 1: Track your OPEX days separately Tag the day before OPEX and OPEX itself in your journal, then look at your real results on them. If the data says they hurt you, adjust the plan or Stand Down. Lesson 2: The third weekend rule On the third week of each month, put Thursday and Friday on the table as days off. A four-day weekend once a month protects your capital and your mindset. Lesson 3: Expect August, do not fight it August brings wider break-evens and few moves over 30 points. Expect the slow tape, keep your process identical, and stop letting it rattle you. Lesson 4: Proper stops beat tight stops Set your stop where the structure demands, not where your account feels comfortable. If the correct stop is too big for your size, trade smaller. Lesson 5: Slow tape is training time Drill the habits now that pay when the trends return. Journal the reps, refine the Battle Plan, keep the powder dry. Watch the briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjmKfOaG3tE Full breakdown: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-838-moderate-your-expectations-into-opex-friday/ Blogger: https://microstrader.blogspot.com/2026/08/am-briefing-838-moderate-your.html Full show notes, charts & timeline: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-838-moderate-your-expectations-into-opex-friday/ The Trading Library — 140 free lessons from 1,000+ live sessions: https://microstrader.com/library/ Get today's ES/MES Battle Plan: https://microstrader.com/battleplan/ Watch the live stream — current session plus the AM Briefing and archive playlists: https://academy.microstrader.com/livestream/

  4. 5d ago

    AM Briefing — Thursday, August 20, 2026 | ES & MES Futures

    5 Lessons From Today's AM Briefing There was no briefing this morning. Price had already dropped into Battle Plan 3 and the whole session came down to one number… would 87 hold. It did, longs paid, and it happened the day before OPEX when most traders had no business being aggressive. Here is what today was actually teaching. Lesson 1: Trade the chart, not the script The briefing prepares you the night before. When price is already sitting on a mapped level at the open, stop narrating and execute what you planned. Lesson 2: Respect the day before OPEX Treat the day before Option Expiration like a Friday. Size down, stay counter, and demand a perfect entry. Traders who ignore it have not been hurt by it yet. Lesson 3: The first ladder gives you a clean stop When price makes a new low then bounces, that first ladder entry puts your stop right under the low. Defined risk you can see beats a prettier entry you cannot manage. Lesson 4: Cheaper price or more confirmation You rarely get both. The 82 ladder was cheap with a tight stop. The 86.25 entry cost more but confirmed the level was holding. Pick your style before the trade. Lesson 5: Take profits and hold a runner You do not know how far a move travels. Bank the sure points into strength and keep a small runner on for the move you cannot predict. Watch the briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4gcQbLwJL0 Full breakdown: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-837-defending-87-at-battle-plan-3-the-day-before-opex/ Blogger: https://microstrader.blogspot.com/2026/08/am-briefing-837-defending-87-at-battle.html Tomorrow's AM Briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjmKfOaG3tE Tomorrow's Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzI73zV7PIE Full show notes, charts & timeline: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-837-defending-87-at-battle-plan-3-the-day-before-opex/ The Trading Library — 140 free lessons from 1,000+ live sessions: https://microstrader.com/library/ Get today's ES/MES Battle Plan: https://microstrader.com/battleplan/ Watch the live stream — current session plus the AM Briefing and archive playlists: https://academy.microstrader.com/livestream/

  5. 6d ago

    Wednesday AM Briefing # 836 | MES Micros Futures Trading | Live Trading Room. | Key Levels & Setups

    5 Lessons From Today's AM Briefing We are near all-time highs in a dead August tape, digesting a 500-point run, and yesterday paid you a 22-point range and nothing else. Days like this punish the trader who needs action. Here is what today was actually teaching. Lesson 1: Moderate your expectations in August Low volume, no news drivers, and price digesting a big move means smaller ranges. Plan for slow and choppy instead of forcing a trend that is not there. Lesson 2: Map your Strong Levels in advance This week's Strong Level was mapped 80 points away and became the pivot for a short that ran a full 100 points. Let price come to your levels. Lesson 3: Hold the runner when the account allows Holding a lotto runner through the overnight session turned a 32-point trade into an 80-point move. One or two Battle Plan trades a week run 100 points if you can carry them. Lesson 4: Anchor your stop to real structure Once you are up 70 points, an add-on can take 10 points of heat. Put the combined stop above a significant high like the London high and stay in the trade. Lesson 5: Know when to walk from the chart When the range is dead and entries keep failing, saying no is the trade. Step back and protect your capital and your mindset. Watch the briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOyvBJ_5BV8 Full breakdown: https://microstrader.com/when-to-walk-from-the-chart-am-briefing-836/ Blogger: https://microstrader.blogspot.com/2026/08/when-to-walk-from-chart-am-briefing-836.html Tomorrow's AM Briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4gcQbLwJL0 Tomorrow's Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAnngcd-YtU Full show notes, charts & timeline: https://microstrader.com/when-to-walk-from-the-chart-am-briefing-836/ The Trading Library — 140 free lessons from 1,000+ live sessions: https://microstrader.com/library/ Get today's ES/MES Battle Plan: https://microstrader.com/battleplan/ Watch the live stream — current session plus the AM Briefing and archive playlists: https://academy.microstrader.com/livestream/

  6. Aug 18

    Tuesday AM Briefing # 835 | MES Micros Futures Trading | Live Trading Room. | Key Levels & Setups

    5 Lessons From Today's AM Briefing Yesterday's positional short did its job overnight and tagged 7730 for an 80-point full move. The tape is slow, sitting at all-time highs in a small summer range with Opex Friday ahead. Days like this reward the mapped and patient trader. Here is what today was teaching. Lesson 1: Hold the runner You never know how far a strong move goes, so hold the line and let the winner work. Learning to hold a runner is the most profitable skill you can build. Lesson 2: Take fewer, sharper trades A 6-point stop against a 70-point target beats ten reactive scalps. Pre-plan the entry, keep it laser tight, and let the setup come to you. Lesson 3: Honor your exit rules When George is more than 3 points out, he does not let it come back against him. Missing a trade you would not have taken by your own rules is a win for your process. Lesson 4: Read the Battle Plan, not just the chart The mappings on your chart are not the whole story. The written plan carries the range, the reasoning, and the review… skip it and you miss things. Lesson 5: Back up your levels Copy your drawings folder onto a separate instrument and date it. Your mapped levels are work, so protect them before a bad click wipes them. Watch the briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KCI8UJUu7Y Full breakdown: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-835-hold-the-runner-and-play-perfect-chess/ Blogger: https://microstrader.blogspot.com/2026/08/am-briefing-835-hold-runner-and-play.html Tomorrow's AM Briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOyvBJ_5BV8 Tomorrow's Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw5ntph4UYs Full show notes, charts & timeline: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-835-hold-the-runner-and-play-perfect-chess/ The Trading Library — 140 free lessons from 1,000+ live sessions: https://microstrader.com/library/ Get today's ES/MES Battle Plan: https://microstrader.com/battleplan/ Today's live stream is FREE on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@microstrader/live

  7. Aug 17

    Monday AM Briefing # 834 | MES Micros Futures Trading | Live Trading Room. | Key Levels & Setups

    5 Lessons From Today's AM Briefing We opened at all time highs with an 80-point range, no news drivers, and OPEX sitting quietly on Friday. This is the kind of week that punishes the trader who needs action and pays the one who waits. Here is what today was actually teaching. Lesson 1: Moderate your expectations in a dull week When the range is small and the calendar is empty, tighten up. Pick your spots, set your alerts, and wait for price to reach one level you actually care about. Lesson 2: Take profit just before the next Strong Level Price usually bounces back at your Strong Levels, so bank your profit just ahead of one. Then move your stop to break even or slightly negative so a double tap cannot shake you out. Lesson 3: Get leery of the candle you cannot explain A sudden move that makes no sense may be news you have not seen yet. Wait for a clean reaction at a mapped level like the Sunday opening instead of chasing the violence. Lesson 4: Trade edges, not the muddy middle When ES sits at previous day halfback and the other indices disagree, there is no edge. Choosing not to trade the middle is a real decision, not a missed one. Lesson 5: Slow tape is training time When the market is not paying, build the trader you want to be. Work the tutorials, upgrade your tools, and learn the fundamentals like the Initial Balance. Watch the briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrZPOvpCdas Full breakdown: https://microstrader.com/moderate-your-expectations-in-a-dull-week-am-briefing-834/ Blogger: https://microstrader.blogspot.com/2026/08/moderate-your-expectations-in-dull-week.html Tomorrow's AM Briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KCI8UJUu7Y Tomorrow's Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6F600YPnro Full show notes, charts & timeline: https://microstrader.com/moderate-your-expectations-in-a-dull-week-am-briefing-834/ The Trading Library — 140 free lessons from 1,000+ live sessions: https://microstrader.com/library/ Get today's ES/MES Battle Plan: https://microstrader.com/battleplan/ Watch the live stream — current session plus the AM Briefing and archive playlists: https://academy.microstrader.com/livestream/

  8. Aug 13

    AM Briefing — Thursday, August 13, 2026 | ES & MES Futures

    5 Lessons From Today's AM Briefing CPI hit the tape and price was still stuck in the upper end of a multi-day range with no sellers in sight. Days like this tempt you to chase a drift higher that you have no business buying. Here is what today was actually teaching. Lesson 1: Upper distribution favors the short When price sits in the upper distribution of a range, weight your search toward shorts. You do not have to be short, but you have no business initiating a fresh long against the odds. Lesson 2: Trade one level, not ten The multi-day POC at 7730 is today's magnet. Pick the single level that matters, mark it, and let price come to you instead of forcing entries in the middle. Lesson 3: A short plan is a strong plan On a CPI day the discipline is subtraction. Fewer levels, one bias, and the patience to let the tape prove itself before you commit. Lesson 4: No sellers is not a buy signal Price can drift higher with no sellers and still be a poor long. When the broad tape is already extended past its highs, chasing strength gives you terrible location. Lesson 5: A missed target keeps its edge A setup stays valid until price invalidates it. Tuesday's short came within seven points of target and reversed, so the same thesis carries straight into today. Watch the briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z0TtFZMoAY Full breakdown: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-832-upper-distribution-where-shorts-set-up-and-7730-is-the-draw/ Blogger: https://microstrader.blogspot.com/2026/08/am-briefing-832-upper-distribution.html Tomorrow's AM Briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yb0yPAMJZA Tomorrow's Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwIBoMXK-yU Full show notes, charts & timeline: https://microstrader.com/am-briefing-832-upper-distribution-where-shorts-set-up-and-7730-is-the-draw/ The Trading Library — 140 free lessons from 1,000+ live sessions: https://microstrader.com/library/ Get today's ES/MES Battle Plan: https://microstrader.com/battleplan/ Watch the live stream — current session plus the AM Briefing and archive playlists: https://academy.microstrader.com/livestream/

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George's daily pre-market briefing for ES E-mini and MES micro futures traders… overnight price action, the key levels that matter, News Drivers, and what to expect at the open. Recorded live every trading day since 2018. Free, from MicrosTrader.com — home of the Trading Library: 140 lessons mined from 1,000+ live sessions.

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