The Standard and Poors 500 index (SPX) closed today at 6,090, up 15 points or +0.3%. SPX opened the week at 6,040, gaining 0.8% for the week. Trading volume ran along the 50-day moving average (dma) all week.

VIX, the volatility index for the S&P 500 options, opened the week at 14.1% and closed today at 12.8%, down almost 6% today.

I track the Russell 2000 index with the IWM ETF, which closed today at 238.9, up almost one point or +0.4% on the day. IWM opened the week at 242.2 for a weekly loss of -1.4%. IWM steadily moved lower this week. IWM trading volume ran below the 50 dma and declined slightly as the week worn on.

The NASDAQ Composite index closed today at 19,860, up 160 points or 
+0.8%. NASDAQ opened the week at 19,255, setting up a nice weekly gain of 3.1%. NASDAQ’s trading volume ran above the 50 dma on Wednesday and Thursday but ran below average the balance of the week.

The blue chip markets, SPX and NASDAQ traded higher this week, but the small caps of the Russell 2000 index, as represented by IWM, declined steadily all week. Russell’s weekly loss may be a red flag for markets next week. My trading this week has been generally very positive, whether it be the selling calls and puts in the Conservative Income trading service or the SPX Zero DTE options trading service. In the personal account that mirrors the zero dte trading service, I gained $4,600 this week. Trading the zeros is intense and you must diligently manage the risk, but it can be quite lucrative.