Fresh news and strategies for traders. SPY Trader episode #1362. The U.S. stock market shows decent yeartodate returns, led by Communication Services, Industrials, and Technology, despite a mixed economic picture. While Q2 GDP rebounded, Q3 expectations are lower, and the labor market is significantly weakening with rising unemployment and major job revisions. Inflation remains a concern for consumers and businesses amidst tariff uncertainties. The Federal Reserve is now widely expected to cut interest rates by 0.25% or 0.50% in September due to the softening economy, prompting equities to interpret "bad news as good news." Investor sentiment is cautious, with recession fears rising. Recommendations include growthoriented plays like QQQ, META, NFLX, defensive positions such as XLU, KIE, VNQ, and USB, and gold (GLD) as an inflation hedge. The market is navigating a delicate balance between rate cut tailwinds and an economic slowdown, requiring selective investment and readiness for continued volatility.