Options Action: VIX Futures Hint at Volatile Q4 Amid Low Liquidity Sell-Off

Morningstar's Dave Sekera says the A.I. trade hasn't shown much weakness, but if you look under the surface of the market's strength, there's plenty of cracks to find. He points to industries like commodity chemicals, transportation, and industrials not connected to A.I. taking big hits to earnings. Dave says there are "deep value" plays to find as long as investors can "white knuckle" quarters ahead. He explains why the energy, health care, and real estate sectors are undervalued plays that can also serve as defense. That's not to say Dave doesn't see value trades in A.I., though he believes they're becoming few and far between.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

A Truth Social post from President Trump sent markets spiraling on Friday — while another sent markets soaring on Monday. This time, Trump took some of the color out of his stance on tariffs against China. Broadcom (AVGO) took market leadership as a top performer in the SPX thanks to its new deal with OpenAI. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) aims to make $10 billion in new investments toward companies it deems critical to national security. Marley Kayden takes investors through the top stories in a busy start to the trading week.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Memory stocks tied to the A.I. trade like Seagate (STX) and Western Digital (WDC) rallied strong to start the trading week, while crypto showed mixed results in Ethereum's rally and Bitcoin's sluggish performance. Marley Kayden and Sam Vadas take investors through their takeaways on Monday's session.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Russell Rhoads discusses today's options action, saying Friday's sell-off was likely exacerbated by low liquidity and a lack of decision-makers on trading desks ahead of the long weekend. With the VIX still elevated, Rhoads notes that short-dated straddles are pricing in limited near-term volatility, but VIX futures are suggesting a potentially more volatile fourth quarter.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Applied Digital (APLD) saw yet another new all-time high as its post-earnings momentum carried the rally into a new week. A rebound in Bitcoin is one factor George Tsilis sees benefitting the company, though sales that nearly doubled year-over-year is something he finds notable as well as it grows alongside A.I. infrastructure needs.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

BNP Paribas issued a rare double upgrade to Micron (MU) and raised its price target from a Street low to a Street high. Alex Coffey analyzes the analyst report and talks about how Micron has become a big beneficiary of the A.I. trade but notes that the stock has soared already in 2025. He later touches on the call demand seen in options trading, showing that investors anticipate even more upside to Micron.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

The electric vehicle industry's adoption pace is gaining momentum, despite some speedbumps. BJ Birtwell discusses the latest trends and challenges in the EV space. With the expiration of the EB tax credits, Birtwell shares his insights on how consumers are responding to the change and what incentives automakers are offering to offset the loss. He remains optimistic about the U.S. EV market. The conversation also explores the growth potential of electric trucks, e-bikes, and motorcycles.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

A strong risk-on sentiment has markets rebounding after last week's sell-off, but headwinds may still be on the horizon. Ben Emons says a combination of factors - including earnings, interest rate decisions, and inflation data - could trigger another dip. However, he believes the underlying psychology is still "buy the dip," especially with companies like JPMorgan Chase (JPM) making significant investments in national security and resiliency. Rare earths are also in focus, with names like MP Materials Inc. (MP) and USA Rare Earth, Inc. (USAR) seeing massive gains.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Government shutdowns tend to be a non-factor for long-term portfolios, says Samuel Diarbakerly. Instead, he recommends focusing on discipline, diversification, and rebalancing (DDR). His top picks include high-quality names like Walmart (WMT) and Microsoft (MSFT). He's also bullish on JPMorgan Chase (JPM). Diarbakerly suggests having some exposure to alternative investments, such as private credit, hedge funds, and private equity, but with caution. Despite concerns about inflation, he remains optimistic about the economy and expects higher highs for the market this year, albeit with increased volatility.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Christine Short and Gene Goldman discuss the start of bank earnings season, which kicks off with JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Citigroup (C), and Wells Fargo (WFC). They highlight five key themes to watch for: investment banking and trading, net interest income, loan growth, credit quality, and capital deployment. Despite economic uncertainty, consumer and commercial loan growth remains resilient, but signs of stress are emerging in certain sectors.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about