Sep 14, 2026 · 23 min
Sideways market rewards discipline as software and defensives lead
Software Wins On AI Slowdown Idea; CrowdStrike, Salesforce, Best Buy In Focus
With indexes lacking a decisive uptrend, the episode maps the support levels, exposure limits, and stock-specific strength that matter before the Federal Reserve meeting and new economic data.
- 1Sideways conditions favor swing trades, smaller positions, and disciplined exposure rather than aggressive portfolio commitments.
- 2CrowdStrike, Salesforce, and Best Buy show distinct forms of strength, but each requires careful interpretation of entries and extension risk.
- 3Insurance and healthcare are providing defensive leadership while investors monitor index support and await clearer market direction.
Don't miss
The hosts contrast Best Buy’s technically strong breakout with the danger of chasing a move already near the top of its buy zone.
The brief
Rachel Fox and Justin Nielsen frame Monday’s mixed action as a sideways market: indexes bounced from intraday lows, then weakened into the close as leadership rotated.
That backdrop favors swing trading, smaller positions, and disciplined exposure, especially with key Nasdaq and S&P 500 support levels facing the Federal Reserve meeting and economic data.
CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity strength stands out, while Salesforce’s reclaimed 10-day moving average shows why earnings gap-ups can complicate buy points and profit zones.
Best Buy breaks out from a strong industry group with volume and relative strength, but its position near the top of the buy zone makes chasing especially risky.
Beneath the uncertain tape, insurance and healthcare are showing defensive leadership, leaving investors to monitor emerging opportunities without assuming a decisive uptrend.
What was said on this episode
18 statements · 10 positive · 6 negative · 2 neutral
AI hacking increases the need for stronger cybersecurity
“when you have a lot of these things going on with... With AI hacking and being able to kind of break out of sandboxes, then your cybersecurity needs to get all that more powerful.”
Listen at 4:08
Software stocks performed strongly during the session
“software in general actually had a very good day.”
Listen at 4:23
Semiconductor stocks suffered substantial declines
“The chips got massacred today.”
Listen at 5:10
The current market environment remains unclear and does not warrant aggressive action
“I think it's still a murky picture out there, not one where you need to go out and be a hero.”
Listen at 6:41
Investors should avoid becoming overextended in the current market
“you do have to be careful when you're poking your head out not to get overextended.”
Listen at 6:52
Cryptocurrency markets are showing early signs of improvement
“a lot of people are looking at the cryptocurrency. market and seeing some green shoots there.”
Listen at 8:16
The S&P 500 will eventually break either upward or downward
“eventually we have to break one way or the other.”
Listen at 9:58
A breakdown below S&P 500 support could trigger further weakness
“If that breaks down, then it's a little bit like look out below.”
Listen at 10:11
Markets expect the Federal Reserve to cut rates
“The expectations are for a cut.”
Listen at 11:08
CrowdStrike has repeatedly found support at its 10-week moving average
“CrowdStrike is how well this has gotten support at its 10-week moving average line.”
Listen at 12:32
CrowdStrike has strong fundamentals and an earnings record
“this is something that's got the fundamental chops. It's got a very strong earnings record.”
Listen at 12:54
Salesforce’s tight price action is attractive to monitor
“I'm watching this one very closely because I really like this tight action.”
Listen at 15:23
Retail remains a sign of economic strength
“there is still a lot of signs of strength here with the economy, and one of those being retail.”
Listen at 16:49
Best Buy produced a notable breakout
“Best Buy really stood out today in terms of a breakout.”
Listen at 17:01
Many recent stock breakouts have failed to perform
“a lot of breakouts haven't been working.”
Listen at 18:14
The strategy is currently emphasizing pullbacks over breakouts
“we've been a little bit more focused on the pullbacks.”
Listen at 18:52
Buying near the top of a buy zone is risky in this market
“buying near the top of anything is kind of tricky.”
Listen at 19:37
Biomed, biotech, and medical sectors contain notable opportunities
“there's a lot of interesting things going on in the biomed, biotech, medical space.”
Listen at 20:57
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.