Weekly Trading Recap: March 16-20, 2026
The S&P 500 futures had a tale of two halves this week, opening at 6721.88 and closing at 6586.12 for a -135.8 point (-2.0%) weekly loss. What started as a relatively contained trading range quickly deteriorated into a sharp selloff by week's end.
Monday kicked things off on a positive note, with ES opening at 6744 and grinding higher throughout the session. We saw a clean +10 point gain to close at 6754, setting a constructive tone. Tuesday initially built on that momentum with an overnight gap to 6786.75 and an early push to the week's high at 6808.5. However, the market couldn't sustain those levels and gave back some ground, closing down -15 points at 6771.75.
Wednesday is where the script flipped. After opening lower at 6748.75, ES got hit with selling pressure that accelerated as the day progressed. The index dropped over 80 points from the morning highs to test 6678.25, ultimately closing at 6682.25 for a -66.5 point loss. That was our first real warning shot.
Thursday brought some relief with a bounce attempt off the overnight lows. ES opened at 6626.75 and managed to rally back above 6690 during the session, posting a +37.2 point recovery day to close at 6664. For a moment, it looked like we might find some stability around these levels.
Friday crushed those hopes. What started as a quiet session at 6642.25 turned into capitulation selling that drove ES down to the week's low at 6523.75 - a brutal -83.2 point decline and the worst single day of the week. The 284.75 point weekly range tells you everything about the volatility we experienced, especially with most of that damage concentrated in the final two sessions.
The market essentially gave up 250 points from Tuesday's highs to Friday's lows in just three trading days. That kind of swift breakdown after testing new highs often signals more than just profit-taking.
DT Algorithm Performance
The DT algorithm navigated this volatile environment exceptionally well, posting 5 wins against 1 loss for a net +97.0 points ($485) on the week. This brings our lifetime record to 22W/2L with a 92% win rate.
Monday delivered three solid winners as the algorithm capitalized on the steady uptrend. The first long entry at 6757.25 caught the morning momentum for a +6.8 point gain, followed by another long at 6772.5 that captured +5.8 points on the continued push higher. A third entry at 6759.75 added another +6.8 points. All three trades hit T1 targets cleanly - exactly what you want to see in a trending environment.
Tuesday brought our biggest winner of the week. The algorithm's long entry at 6786.25 rode the early morning rally all the way to 6806.5, capturing +40.5 points and reaching the T3 target near the session highs. However, a second long entry at 6786.5 got caught in the afternoon reversal and stopped out for a -2.7 point loss. That's our only losing trade of the week, and it's a perfect example of how quickly conditions can change at key resistance levels.
The algorithm stayed patient during Wednesday's selloff and Friday's capitulation, avoiding the downside volatility entirely. This is crucial - knowing when not to trade is just as important as executing good setups.
Thursday provided our final winner with a long entry at 6666.0 during the bounce attempt. The trade captured +40.0 points to the 6686.0 exit, hitting T3 as ES recovered from the overnight lows. This entry came right as the market was testing support from Wednesday's selloff, showing good timing on the reversal.
TF Algorithm Performance
No TF trades this week. The algorithm requires specific momentum conditions and volatility patterns that weren't present despite the overall market turbulence. The TF system is designed to be highly selective, and this week's price action - while volatile - didn't meet its entry criteria.
Next Week Outlook
We're heading into next week with ES closing at 6559, just 35 points above the weekly low at 6523.75. This puts us in a technically vulnerable position, especially after breaking down from what looked like a breakout attempt above 6800 earlier in the week.
The 6523-6530 area becomes critical support to watch. If we can hold above last week's lows and start to base-build, there's potential for a relief rally back toward the 6650-6680 zone where we have previous support turned resistance. However, a breakdown below 6520 could open up significantly lower levels.
For the DT algorithm, this type of environment - where we're testing key support levels after a sharp selloff - often provides good reversal setups if the market can stabilize. The TF system might also come into play if we get the kind of momentum breakouts that occur when markets either decisively break support or bounce hard off key levels.
Keep an eye on any upcoming economic data releases or Fed commentary that could provide the fundamental catalyst for the next directional move. Quarter-end flows at month-end could also add some technical complexity to the price action.
If you're interested in seeing how our algorithms perform in real-time market conditions like these, consider starting with our paper trading platform. You can track the live signals and see how the systems adapt to changing market dynamics without risking capital while you evaluate the approach.