With the first full week of the new year now behind us, let's take stock of where we are positioned going forward into the 1st quarter of 2026 and what the next few weeks-to-months could have in store. Planet Labs (PL) We added a new stock, PL, in last weekend's update and after five days of trading its recommended calls have done well: Both the February and April calls reached as high as half-way to reaching triple digit returns, +48% and +60%, respectively. A little more upside and it will allow for the raising the trailing stop from -50% to 50%. One or two more weeks of should gains should do the trick. Longer term, don't be surprised if GOOGL buys out PL before the end of the year, hopefully while we are holding PL calls. Even without the buyout thesis, PL is a strong buy via its own merit. PL 2-Day Silver Update Silver is in a historical run, with much higher prices indicated by the underlying chart patterns. However, some famous market technicians (EWI) are pointing out that sentiment is elevated to near levels that have resulted in massive retracements in the past, i.e., tops in Silver in 2008 (-50%) and again in 2011 (-70%). Accordingly, they claim this is a bearish chart: Spot Silver My take: These are bullish charts, above AND below; in fact, a breakout now (above about $84) and the chart below becomes bang-the-table bullish. It would take a breakdown below $73.00 and especially below $70.00, to turn the Daily chart (directly above) bearish. On the other hand, a close above $84 will then target triple digit Silver, with all of the FOMO hoopla taking hold. Spot Silver - EW Targeting $125 This EW structure has been generating Breakout Wave Five Buys all the way up from $40 in late summer, 2025. Is there one more left in the tank? AAPL - Weekly This is the AAPL Weekly chart that generated the Sell Signal in early December. Our March puts were as high as +89.55% last week, so I moved the stop up from -50% to break-even. If it can reach +100%, it becomes a 50% trailing stop. AAPL - Put Bitcoin/IBIT Bitcoin remains bearish in form, but after over a month of a bear flag, the IBIT puts hit their trailing stop. I expect lower prices for BTC, but time is an enemy of options, so I am standing aside for now. If anyone is still holding, I don't expect to be rolling these over come January options expiration next week, not without an imminent deep decline. In Search of The Next Ten-Baggers We are slowly building our Active Options portfolio back up in both trading services, but in the reality of trading options, more is not necessarily merrier. All it takes is one good trade to make all the difference. This weekend we have a ten-bagger in the PRO service (SLV Jan $55C +1,146%) and last month we had a ten-bagger in the Premium Service (SLV Dec $40C +1,035%) - two trades that make all of the occasional angst over option trading worthwhile. I don't know where our next ten bagger is coming from, but rest assured, I am doing my best to uncover it. In fact, it may already be taking root in our Active Options Portfolios, or it could be the next, "Special Trade Alert" sent from me in your email folder. My best guess this second Saturday in 2026: SLV repeats in both services...then again, who's counting? Market Directional Bets Last weekend I set out a QQQ support zone of 605-600 which if broken, would suggest hard down: "Most vulnerable stock index: If QQQ falls to <600, then <550 likely; therefore, if index declines to 605-600 zone, assume it has begun and buy the Feb 20th 575P." QQQ never got close to triggering this decline, in fact its lowest print last week was 616.72 on Monday, finishing the week at 626.65, nearly 10 points above that low. I will keep an eye out for it getting taken out going forward, but unless and until it does, the only shorts I see are on individual stocks, i.e., AAPL (discussed above). Make no mistake, there is a market decline ahead, but there is no reason to expect it any time soon, not without prior week's lows being taken out. As for the upside, our best bet lays with individual chart patterns, i.e., PL (also discussed above). I'm already scouting our next pick. Be ready. QQQ Still vulnerable to a decline, but non-committal YTD Active Option Portfolios "Active" = Unexpired option recommendations that have not been exited via a -50% hard stop. PRO Service Premium Service
