I am the Emotional Trader. I focus on ES (E-mini S&P Futures) intraday, and 6E (Euro futures), GC (Gold futures) and ZN (10-year Treasury Notes) for swing trading, using principally Market Profile and Order Flow to analyse market structure, with reference to the work of Merritt Black and the NADRO methodology of Apteros. Other traders I find useful to refer to are Smashelito, and for macro ideas, Brent Donnelly. I am also influenced by the work of Jason Shapiro on the positioning and commitment of traders.
Why emotional? I am aware of the urge all traders experience to do the opposite of what they should. I am interested in leveraging these impulses to inform where market participants are gathered at extremes. To take a quote from Black – ‘my edge is at the edges’: this can apply to value areas and developing value, to positioning, and to other extremes of behaviour.
Newsletter
The purpose of this newsletter is to focus and systematise my own market prep and review processes. Sharing my work consistently is good for me and I hope good for readers too. The daily ES LIS (Line In the Sand) provides a short-term level from a range of contextual and higher time-frame elements which give a reference point for a dynamic trading plan as the day unfolds, alongside intraday and swing targets. Every intraday plan is accompanied by a multi time-frame chart with visual references for the trading day.
Commitment
Subscribers receive:
- Daily Trading Plan: posted before the European session, this provides a detailed plan with key levels and targets for the RTH session.
- Weekly Trading Plan: posted during the weekend, broader market context is explored, alongside upcoming swing setups and macro narratives in confluence or dissonance with technical narratives.
Why am I doing this?
I plan my trades in order to restrain impulsive, over-trading tendencies. By planning the bigger picture ahead, to take account of news, and forthcoming macro and technical events, I manage risk more effectively and am ready for what the trading week and day brings.
Systematic, regular review of trading and decisions is crucial to success as a trader. Tracking stats and actual performance against planned trades also supports the development of a professional trader’s development.
My approach is rooted in disciplined preparation and objective review, seeking constant improvement through the clear articulation of a process. By sharing actionable levels, trade ideas, and rationales, I aim not just to trade better myself, but to foster a community of market participants who value transparency and robust reasoning. Each newsletter edition is designed to be concise yet comprehensive—delivering context, clarity, and a tangible plan to navigate the ever-changing landscape of futures markets.
If you value structure, independent thinking, and practical analysis grounded in both data and experience, this newsletter is intended to be a companion and catalyst for your own trading development.
The Emotional Trader 