Prior €12.4 billion; revised to €12.7 billionThe euro area trade surplus narrowed considerably in August, owing to a sharp reduction in the surplus of machinery and vehicles, which fell from €18.0 billion to €7.8 billion. But when compared to August last year, the euro area balance decreased by just €2.0 billion. Here are the year-to-date comparisons, which still show growing conditions for the year: This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com. 🔗 Read Full Article 💡 DMK Insight The significant drop in the euro area's trade surplus, particularly in machinery and vehicles, suggests a potential cooling in demand from key markets. This narrowing could signal a shift in economic momentum, raising concerns about the region's export resilience amid global uncertainties. Investors may note that while the year-over-year decline is modest, the sharp monthly contraction could foreshadow deeper challenges for the eurozone economy if trends continue.

There were 271 lawmakers who voted against the government in this round, just below the threshold of 289 votes needed to oust Lecornu and his lackeys.For some context, Lecornu won the crucial support of the Socialist Party in the National Assembly earlier this week after promising to suspend president Macron’s unpopular pension reform. And that is what’s keeping his odds of staying alive here. This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com. 🔗 Read Full Article 💡 DMK Insight This situation highlights the fragility of political alliances in France, particularly as Lecornu navigates a divided assembly. The near-miss in ousting him suggests that while there is significant dissent, the lack of a united front among opposition parties may ultimately stabilize his position for now. Investors may note that political uncertainty can lead to market volatility, and the dynamics within the National Assembly could influence economic policies moving forward. As the government grapples with these challenges, the implications for fiscal strategy and regulatory approaches in key sectors, including finance, remain to be seen.

Ethereum Futures Market Context and Directional BiasEthereum futures are trading near 3,972. According to today’s tradeCompass, traders should watch the 3,866 to 3,876 range very closely. A dip to 3,866 followed by a move back above 3,876 would confirm a bullish activation. If this reclaim happens, the bias turns bullish and traders can look for long opportunities. If price fails to hold above 3,876, the market remains neutral or range-bound for now. The bearish scenario becomes active only if price falls below 3,800, which is relatively far from the current market and would require patience.Ethereum Futures Key Levels and Partial Profit Plan for TodayBullish Threshold: Activation if price dips to 3,866 and reclaims 3,876 Bearish Threshold: Activation only below 3,800Partial Profit Targets:3,925: First partial exit (20 percent) at nearby liquidity area3,947.5: Second partial exit near local high-volume node4,038.5: Third partial target at a round number magnet4,118: Fourth target just under the Value Area High of October 154,355.5: Final target below the Point of Control from October 9If price instead turns bearish and moves below 3,800, first support and partial profit zone is 3,807, while the deeper swing target sits at 3,555.Ethereum Analysis BackgroundIn recent sessions, ETH price has consolidated in a tight range, creating a potential springboard for a directional move. A reclaim of the 3,876 level would likely confirm that buyers absorbed short-term pressure and are ready to push toward higher resistance levels mapped by tradeCompass.Educational Section: Understanding the Reclaim StrategyThe reclaim strategy helps traders avoid premature entries. It waits for price to test and then recover a key level. In this Ethereum example, the 3,866 test and reclaim of 3,876 confirms genuine buyer strength before committing to a long position. This method filters false breaks and improves risk control.Trade Management Rules under tradeCompassTake one trade per direction per setup.After reaching TP1 of, by default, TP2, move the stop to entry to protect remaining positions.Place your stop just beyond your activation side with a small buffer.Never set a stop beyond the opposite threshold.Confirmation by reclaim or retest is valid; for today’s ETH setup, the reclaim confirmation is preferred.How to Use the tradeCompass Map for EthereumTradeCompass provides a map, not a forecast. If Ethereum price hovers near a bullish line but fails to hold above it, traders can use that weakness for short setups back to the range. If the price breaks and sustains below the bearish threshold, the move signals a deeper bearish stage. Partial profit-taking on both sides helps secure progress while managing risk.Risk Disclaimer for Crypto TradersThis analysis is a decision support tool, not investment advice. Trading involves risk and potential loss of capital. Always conduct your own research and use appropriate position sizing. This article was written by Itai Levitan at investinglive.com. 🔗 Read Full Article 💡 DMK Insight The current trading range for Ethereum futures suggests a critical juncture for market sentiment. A dip below 3,866, followed by a rebound, could not only signal a bullish activation but also reinforce confidence among investors who are looking for signs of stability in a volatile market. This highlights the importance of technical levels in shaping trading strategies, as a sustained move above 3,876 could attract more bullish momentum and potentially reshape sentiment in the broader crypto landscape.

Fundamental OverviewThe USD has been weakening across the board since Tuesday when some comments from USTR Greer suggested that de-escalation was still the base case. The fall in Treasury yields has also been a bearish driver for the greenback as the dovish interest rate expectations increased. Domestically, nothing has changed for the US dollar as the US government shutdown continues to delay many key US economic reports. The dollar “repricing trade” needs strong US data to keep going, especially on the labour market side, so any hiccup on that front is likely to keep weighing on the greenback. The BLS announced last week that despite the shutdown, it will release the US CPI report on October 24, so that’s going to be a key risk event. That will need to be seen in the context of US-China relations at that time though. If things go south on that front, then the CPI will not matter much as growth fears will trump everything else. On the NZD side, the RBNZ cut by 50 bps at the last meeting bringing the OCR to 2.5%, which is the lower bound of their estimated neutral range (2.5%-3.5%). They kept an easing bias though as they are trying to “feel their way” as RBNZ’s Conway recently said. On Sunday, we have the New Zealand Q3 inflation report and that’s going to be important for them as an upside surprise could give them a reason to skip the November cut. The market is pricing a 92% probability of a 25 bps cut at the November meeting with a total of 39 bps of easing expected by the end of 2026. NZDUSD Technical Analysis – Daily TimeframeOn the daily chart, we can see that the NZDUSD pulled all the way back into a strong resistance zone around the 0.5760 level where we can also find the downward trendline for confluence. The sellers are likely to step in around these levels with a defined risk above the resistance to position for a drop into the 0.56 handle. The buyers, on the other hand, will want to see the price breaking higher to pile in for a rally into the 0.5850 resistance next.NZDUSD Technical Analysis – 4 hour TimeframeOn the 4 hour chart, we can see more clearly the resistance zone around the 0.5760 level and the rejection as the sellers started to step in. There’s not much else we can add here as the sellers will continue to pile in around these levels, while the buyers will look for a break higher to extend the pullback into the 0.5850 resistance next.NZDUSD Technical Analysis – 1 hour TimeframeOn the 1 hour chart, we can see that we have an upward trendline defining the current pullback. If the price falls into the trendline, we can expect the buyers to lean on it with a defined risk below it to position for a break above the resistance zone. The sellers, on the other hand, will want to see the price breaking lower to increase the bearish bets into the 0.56 handle next. The red lines define the average daily range for today. Upcoming CatalystsWe don’t have anything on the data front for the rest of the week with the focus remaining solely on US-China headlines. Note that the New Zealand Q3 inflation report will be released on Sunday at 21:45 GMT. This article was written by Giuseppe Dellamotta at investinglive.com. 🔗 Read Full Article 💡 DMK Insight The recent weakening of the USD, driven by dovish comments and falling Treasury yields, suggests a growing market sentiment that prioritizes economic stability over aggressive monetary policy. This shift could lead investors to reassess their positions, particularly in risk assets, as a softer dollar may encourage capital flows into equities and commodities. As the landscape evolves, it’s crucial for market participants to remain vigilant about how these dynamics could influence inflation expectations and overall economic growth.

Lecornu lives to fight another day, with the second no-confidence motion seeing only 144 lawmakers vote against the government. Again, that is short of the 289 votes needed to oust Lecornu and his aides.The French benchmark CAC 40 index is now trading up 0.8% to 8,140 near the highs for the day. Meanwhile, EUR/USD remains relatively unfazed as it holds around 1.1657 – up just 0.1% currently. This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com. 🔗 Read Full Article 💡 DMK Insight Lecornu's survival in the face of a no-confidence motion underscores the resilience of the current government, which may bolster investor confidence in the stability of French policy. This highlights a potential shift in political dynamics that could lead to more decisive economic reforms. As the CAC 40 approaches its highs, it suggests that markets are responding positively to the prospect of continuity, indicating that investors may be betting on a more favorable business environment in the near term.

Current rates are not holding back investment or activityFor another cut the economy should do significantly worse than we are assumingInflationary period appears to be overAgain, there’s nothing new here as we’ve been getting such comments for a long time now. The ECB is done with rate cuts and it will need a significant reason to ease further. This article was written by Giuseppe Dellamotta at investinglive.com. 🔗 Read Full Article 💡 DMK Insight The current economic landscape suggests that while investment remains robust, the resilience of the economy may be tested if rates are cut further. This highlights a delicate balance; if inflation truly is behind us, the ECB's decision to halt rate cuts could stabilize market sentiment. However, investors may note that any unexpected downturn could shift the narrative, prompting a reevaluation of growth forecasts and risk appetite.

Palantir Stock Trade Idea – Short setup using options flow and price contextBias: Bearish tilt for a tactical fade of strengthThis article is for education at investingLive.com. It is not investment advice. Do your own research and make your own trading and investing decisions.Why a bearish lean todayOptions flowNet option delta volume: -43,174 shares equivalent. Slight on-balance preference for downside or hedging.Bearish pressure vs bullish: -2,234,165 vs +2,190,991 shares equivalent. Tilt is modest but negative.IV context: 30-day IV 69.9 and rising with IV30 rank 76%. Elevated and rising IV often aligns with demand for protection and pullback risk.Where bears transact: Bearish weighted average price 180.66 sits close to bullish 180.88 and near VWAP 180.69. With spot near 180.5 pre market, sellers have been leaning into strength around 180 to 181.Price location and performanceDay range: 176.02 – 184.35. Our average entry sits near the top of the intraday band.52-week range: 40.90 – 190.00. Average entry is ~3.87% below the 52-week high and ~95% up the 52-week band.Momentum cooling at the margin: 1W -1.74% vs strong 1M +5.91%, 3M +18.51%, YTD +135.72%, 1Y +313.16%. After a major run, short-term softness near prior highs supports a tactical fade.Trade plan for PLTR Stock ShortInstrument: PLTR shares or your chosen derived product Premarket context: Quote ~$180.50 (about +0.5% vs yesterday close $179.62). Premarket orders must be limit orders.Entries (equal size)1st Sell $181.672nd Sell $182.643rd Sell $183.62Average entry: $182.64 Stop: $186.59Risk per share: $3.95 (2.16% of avg entry)Take profitsTP1: $178.46 → +$4.18/share → +2.29% → 1.06× RTP2: $176.43 → +$6.21/share → +3.40% → 1.57× RTP3: $173.29 → +$9.35/share → +5.12% → 2.37× RTP4: $171.17 → +$11.47/share → +6.28% → 2.91× RTP5: $165.17 → +$17.47/share → +9.57% → 4.43× RBlended reward (simple average of the 5 targets): ~2.47× R and +5.33%.Management rules for Palantir TradersDefault rule at investingLive: when TP1 hits, move stop to entry and cancel any unfilled entry orders.Take about 20% off at TP1 and leave most of the size for deeper targets.All entries are equal size and all take profits are equal size unless you choose otherwise.Thesis in one lineOptions flow leans modestly bearish with elevated and rising IV while price is perched near the top of its daily and 52-week ranges, so fading strength into 181.7 to 183.6 with a tight, defined risk at 186.59 offers an attractive tactical R profile.Education and risk notice: Markets are risky. None of the above is a promise of results. This is educational information only. Always size positions prudently, use your own judgment, and trade at your own risk. This article was written by Itai Levitan at investinglive.com. 🔗 Read Full Article 💡 DMK Insight The bearish sentiment surrounding Palantir suggests that investors are increasingly wary of its recent price movements, particularly in light of the options flow indicating a tactical fade. This highlights a growing concern about the stock's ability to maintain momentum, especially as market conditions remain volatile. Traders may note that such setups often precede significant corrections, signaling a potential shift in market confidence that could impact broader tech sector sentiment.