All we can do is show up daily and wait for the right trades.

Why be a reactive day trader in uncertain times? Because I thrive on it.

This is when experience as a reactive day trader really shines.

Even though my trades last only minutes, understanding the bigger picture is always beneficial.

To help keep perspective, I recommend Mohamed A. El-Erian’s free Substack for a regular global overview. Each week, he reviews the broader economy and markets.

Since I trade low float U.S. stocks, I also track major indices like the S&P and monitor IWM in real time, typically on 4-hour and 15-minute charts. IWM covers about 2,000 small-cap U.S. companies.

I also consider stock fundamentals, such as float size relative to daily volume. But mismatches aren’t always red flags; market context and news matter for interpreting float and volume.

Ownership structure is a go/no-go. I prefer mostly private shares. If a large institutional or single-name presence exists, I usually avoid the trade.

For companies with unclear ownership, I only trade after thorough research.

A company’s work influences me, but this bias isn’t always reliable—I have favourites like biotech, pharma, and AI.

Still, I assess most opportunities that hit my scanner.

I consider a company’s location, though I try not to. If I trade a more exotic name, it’s later in the move, with smaller size and shorter hold.

I now track my location caution in my Tradervue journal to gauge if it’s justified.

Market sentiment matters. Recently, the IWM hovered near its 200-day moving average, dipped, and retested. For me, that signals scalp-only trades.

I act reactively: enter as a stock climbs, exit when momentum weakens—before any pullback.

The market may be bullish, but it is fickle. Few stocks see persistent buying. All we can do is show up daily and wait for the right trades.