April 18, 2026, Review | Breakouts arrive as expected, but don't rush to chase
"The trend is your friend, but friends also get tired. The key is to see when they take a breather."
Just past midnight, I glanced at the market, and the big guy had already surged to 78,200, while the second brother also touched 2,462. The two key levels I mentioned yesterday were all broken through. This move is more aggressive than I expected, but it also brings a new question: chase or not?
Welcome everyone to Lao Zhang's trading diary. Lao Zhang will analyze with the SMC strategy framework.
1. Big Brother — Bre

BULLISH: 🇺🇸 Eric Trump says he is confident Bitcoin will reach $1,000,000.

BOJ’s Warning Signal: Slowing Growth and the Fragile Inflation Outlook
Global markets often focus heavily on the U.S. Federal Reserve, but shifts in other major economies can be just as influential. The recent warning from the (BOJ) regarding slowing economic growth and its potential pressure on inflation is one such signal that deserves closer attention.
Japan has long operated in a unique economic environment, characterized by low growth and persistently weak inflation. For years, the BOJ has maintained ultra-loose monetary policy in an effort to stimulate economic activity and push inflati

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🌍🚨 NEWS ROUNDUP | GLOBAL MARKET & CRYPTO 🚨🌍
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💥 MARKET SHOCK:
US$ 800 billion has just entered the US stock market in only 60 minutes!
A massive move signaling a strong capital inflow and a possible trend reversal 📈🔥
🛢️ WAR COMING TO AN END?
Strait of Hormuz fully open, business resumed.
Oil flow restored and global route active again.
The blockade against Iran continues until the agreement is finalized.
The war is practically over, with a deal very close 🤝🌍
🚨 CRYPTO ABOUT TO CHANGE FOREVER:
JPMorgan Chase reports that the crypto market structure

Approximately #TSTBSC 80K needs attention. When selling, there may be situations around 40K.

$SPX
The S&P 500 surged to fresh record highs, extending its bullish momentum after reclaiming the 50-EMA zone around 6,508.23 points, with price accelerating toward the 7,145.28 level in what appears to be a strong risk-on move.
The rally is largely driven by improving geopolitical sentiment following ceasefire developments involving Iran and the United States, alongside news that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open for commercial shipping. This development eased concerns over global oil supply disruptions and helped boost investor confidence.
Global markets reacted positively, with U.S.

🇺🇸👀 #Crypto #ETF Flows Today:
#Bitcoin ETFs:
1D NetFlow: -142 $BTC (-$10.98M)
7D NetFlow: +7,093 $BTC (+$550.09M)
#Ethereum ETFs:
1D NetFlow: +22,357 $ETH (+$54.55M)
7D NetFlow: +89,684 $ETH (+$218.83M)
#Solana ETFs:
1D NetFlow: +182,328 $SOL (+$16.41M)
7D NetFlow: +395,819 $SOL (+$35.62M)
#crypto

#KalshiFacesNevadaRegulatoryClash: Understanding the Legal and Regulatory Tension Around Prediction Markets
The ongoing situation surrounding Kalshi and Nevada regulators has sparked renewed debate about the future of prediction markets in the United States. At the center of the discussion is whether platforms that allow users to trade on the outcome of real-world events should be classified as financial instruments, derivatives exchanges, gambling platforms, or something entirely new.
Kalshi, a U.S.-based prediction market exchange regulated at the federal level by the Commodity Futures Tradi

#AltcoinsRallyStrong
The crypto market on X is currently showing strong discussion around the altcoin rally narrative, with growing belief that the market is transitioning from a Bitcoin-led structure into an early-stage altcoin expansion phase. Sentiment is improving, but it remains uneven and highly selective, with liquidity rotating into specific high-momentum narratives rather than spreading evenly across the entire altcoin market.
A key focus in the current structure is USDT dominance (USDT.D), which is showing clear weakness after failing to break previous resistance levels. The bearish

$BTC is repeating the same bearish pattern as before, with no change. A classic bull trap is forming, which means prices look strong but are tricking buyers. If this chart plays out, BTC could fall to around $50,000 in about 12 days. Don’t get caught being the liquidity for others to exit#
#AltcoinsRallyStrong #GatePreIPOsLaunchesWithSpaceX
#BEAR

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#GatePreIPOsLaunchesWithSpaceX #Gate13thAnniversaryLive

Gold Stability Amid Geopolitical Optimism: Is the Safe-Haven Trade Cooling?
Precious metals markets have remained relatively stable even as geopolitical headlines continue to shift. The latest catalyst comes from renewed optimism expressed by regarding a potential U.S.–Iran ceasefire, which has added a cautious layer of relief to global risk sentiment.
In response, gold has held steady rather than extending a strong breakout. This behavior is important because gold typically reacts sharply to geopolitical tension, inflation expectations, and changes in global risk appetite. Stability in price

🚨 TRUMP: IRAN DEAL IN 1-2 DAYS!
According to Axios, President Trump is hopeful that a final deal with Iran will be reached in the next 1-2 days.
This is a very big **BULLISH** signal for the markets!

$SIREN Are we going back to 0.13 again, or is it hitting a new low? Hey, I was still hoping you'd break a new high. Are many people, like me, getting scammed again?

clearing out quite a bit of risk - i think the top for SPX and equities is in. shorted more ES JUN at 7175~

$GRRR
It’s trying to make a falling wedge breakout! Wave number 5 really creates hype! 🔥

Hormuz Strait fully open for navigation! Crude oil crashes 9%, short-sellers' harvest has just begun
WTI crude oil plummeted 9.26% in a single day, with the current price directly dropping to 82.02, from a high of 91.90, falling off a cliff in a steep waterfall. This epic collapse is rooted in the complete reopening of the Hormuz Strait.
Previously, global markets were frantically betting on escalating Middle East conflicts, blockade of shipping lanes, and disruption of oil supply, pushing oil prices violently above 90+ with capital. Everyone was blindly chasing longs, expecting to break t

Apr 17 Update:
#Bitcoin ETFs:
1D NetFlow: -142 $BTC(-$10.98M)🔴
7D NetFlow: +7,093 $BTC(+$550.09M)🟢
#Ethereum ETFs:
1D NetFlow: +22,357 $ETH(+$54.55M)🟢
7D NetFlow: +89,684 $ETH(+$218.83M)🟢
#Solana ETFs:
1D NetFlow: +182,328 $SOL(+$16.41M)🟢
7D NetFlow: +395,819 $SOL(+$35.62M)🟢