Insider Tips — March 16, 2026

This week’s message is simple: this is not a market for bravado. The major indexes are weakening, volatility is elevated, and too many stocks are breaking down at the same time. When the tape looks like this, I do not try to fight it. I respect the trend, I protect capital, and I stay focused on what is actually holding up instead of hoping weak charts suddenly turn strong.

My practical stance this week is defensive and selective. I am not interested in forcing long exposure just because stocks look cheaper than they did a few weeks ago. In a red market, weakness usually gets weaker. I would rather wait for strength to reappear, keep a disciplined watch list, and make sure risk controls are doing their job.

Technical analysis

• The QQQ remains the weakest of the major indexes. It failed to hold leadership, could not make new highs, and now looks set to test its 200-day moving average again.
• The S&P 500 is in the same pattern: below important short-term levels, under pressure, and vulnerable to another test of the 200-day moving average.
• The Dow is also leaning lower and appears to want a 200-day moving average test, which tells me this weakness is broad, not isolated.
• The New York Stock Exchange is still above its 200-day moving average, but it is below the 50-day. For bulls, that is not a healthy place to be.
• Volatility remains a problem. The panic index spiked hard recently and, even after easing a bit, is still trending higher. That keeps the market vulnerable to more chop and emotional swings.
• Under the surface, there is real damage. Airlines, housing, banks, gold miners, and silver have all been hit, which tells me this is not a narrow pullback.

Technical bottom line: the market still looks heavy, and I do not see enough evidence yet to get aggressive on the long side. Until key indexes reclaim their 50-day moving averages and leadership improves, caution is the right posture.

Market trends I’m calling out

• Geopolitical tension is feeding uncertainty, and that uncertainty is showing up in price action, sector weakness, and higher volatility.
• Defensive behavior is showing up in the rotation toward perceived safety, including Treasury notes, even if the longer-term case for that safety is debatable.
• Energy remains one of the clearer pockets of strength, helped by higher oil and the broader demand story tied to AI infrastructure.
• Several large-cap technology names are under pressure because the market is questioning whether current AI spending will translate into near-term profits.

Individual stocks (what I’m seeing)

Apple (AAPL)

Apple still stands out as one of the stronger big-cap names fundamentally, especially with its architecture giving it an interesting angle in AI. But the chart is what matters right now, and the chart is still below the 50-day moving average. I want it on the watch list, not in a hurry-buy category.

Tesla (TSLA)

Tesla is sitting too close to the 200-day moving average for comfort. I do not like stocks that start hugging that level in a weak market. If it holds, fine, but if it loses that support, risk opens up quickly.

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD)

GLD still has some relative support because it remains above the 50-day moving average, but the chart has weakened into a slight downtrend. That makes it more of a managed trade than a clean momentum setup.

Nvidia (NVDA)

Nvidia has gone sideways for months and is hovering around, but currently below, the 50-day moving average. To me, that means dead money for now. I do not see a compelling reason to force a trade until something changes.

AMD (AMD)

AMD has not delivered the kind of follow-through investors keep waiting for. The stock appears to be trying to bounce off the 200-day moving average, but it still has work to do before the chart earns real confidence.

Micron Technology (MU)

Micron is one of the more constructive charts in the group. Relative strength is strong, the setup looks firmer than most tech names, and it offers useful optionality for covered call sellers. In this market, I want stronger names like this on the radar.

Sandisk (SNDK)

Sandisk also looks relatively solid. It is above the major moving averages and pushing into descending resistance. That does not guarantee a breakout, but it is a healthier chart than most of what the market is offering right now.

Broadcom (AVGO)

Broadcom is trying to stabilize after pulling back from a swing point, and the short-term action looks better than a lot of large-cap tech. It still needs to reclaim the 50-day moving average, but this is the kind of chart I would rather track than chase weaker names.

Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE)

Energy is one of the clearest leadership areas on the board. This is the kind of chart I want to study because it is showing sustained strength while much of the market is struggling. Leadership matters, especially in corrective environments.

Amazon (AMZN)

Amazon’s chart has weakened materially, and the concern is straightforward: heavy AI spending is pressuring profitability. That may pay off later, but the market is not rewarding it now. I would wait for strength rather than sit through the damage.

Meta Platforms (META)

Meta looks unhealthy here. The stock gave back a big move, fell below the 50-day moving average, and flashed technical warnings along the way. Overspending without clear delivery is not the story I want to bet on in a weak tape.

Microsoft (MSFT)

Microsoft is dealing with the same basic issue: big AI ambition, but a less convincing product adoption story than the market wanted. The chart reflects that hesitation. In this environment, I would stay disciplined and avoid forcing a bullish case where the chart does not support it.

Key takeaways

1. This is still a defensive market, not a market for hero trades.
2. Below the 50-day moving average, bulls need to be careful.
3. Do not confuse weakness with value. Cheap stocks often get cheaper.
4. Watch leadership closely. Energy and select stronger tech names matter more than broad hope.
5. A solid trading plan and a circuit breaker are essential in a market like this.
6. Strength is the signal. I would rather buy power than try to rescue weakness.

Conclusion

My message this week is steady and uncomplicated: protect capital, stay patient, and let the market prove itself before you lean in. There are still opportunities out there, but they are not in blind dip-buying. They are in discipline, selective strength, and risk-managed execution.

Current Market Condition

The tape is still unsettled. The major indexes are under pressure, volatility is elevated, and broad participation is not healthy. That tells me the market has not finished working through this correction yet.

In this kind of environment, I care less about forecasts and more about behavior. Are indexes reclaiming key moving averages? Are stronger names holding up? Is leadership broadening? Right now, the answers are not strong enough for me to get aggressive.

That does not mean there is no opportunity. It means opportunity has to be approached with discipline. Risk first, selectivity second, and patience always. When the market improves, there will be time to act.

Stock Tips This Week:

Cash Flow Machine: A Systematic Covered Call Strategy to Target $10,000 a Month

In this video, I’m explaining why most portfolios fail at the exact moment people need them—because they’re built for appreciation, not income—and why a systematic covered call framework turns your portfolio into something closer to a cash-flow machine than a guess. I break down covered calls as “rent collection” (stocks are the property, premium is the rent) and why the edge comes from doing it with rules, not randomness. Then I lay out the three strategic modes—Fortress (defensive), Balance Point (core workhorse), Rocket (more upside participation)—and how a structured approach targets repeatable monthly cash flow (with examples of what that can look like at different portfolio sizes).

Tariff Refund Chaos and Market Volatility: How Covered Calls Can Turn Uncertainty Into Income

In this video, I’m making the key mental flip: uncertainty doesn’t only create risk—it can create opportunity if you have a system. When markets get jumpy, implied volatility rises, and that often means option premiums rise too—fear literally shows up as better pay for premium sellers. The real edge isn’t “sell a call”; it’s having a defensive playbook for unstable markets—knowing when to roll, reduce size, step aside, accept assignment, or admit a stock no longer fits your plan.

Red Market Playbook: Fortress Covered Calls, Bearish Watchlist, and Bullish Setups

In this video, I’m treating a red market like a different game: don’t fight the tape, don’t try to be a hero, and don’t bottom-pick just because something is down. I walk through the two-lane approach—(1) a bearish watchlist of breakdown candidates and (2) bullish setups that are still working even while the market is weak—then I explain how covered calls can still work in red conditions if you shift into a Fortress mindset. Fortress is simple: use in-the-money strikes, collect “juice,” let premium act as a cushion, and be ready to roll down if price keeps falling—income first, defense first, clean setups only.

Stop Letting Headlines Control Your Money: A Systematic Covered Call Plan for Fear Markets

In this video, I’m showing how to replace emotional decision-making with a simple process built for fear markets. The framework starts with a quality filter (only businesses you’d be okay owning), then checking the macro/technical environment (volatility + structure + support zones). The system works because selling the call does two things: it creates immediate income and lowers your effective cost basis, so you’re not at the mercy of every headline. The point isn’t prediction—it’s premium collected through structure, with rules for sizing and adjustments.

GLD Covered Calls: Passive Income From Gold in an Inflationary Market

In this video, I’m highlighting GLD as a clean “get paid while you wait” vehicle: the chart read is uptrend + support above key moving averages + a tightening squeeze/triangle, which often sets up a retest of the prior high (while still acknowledging it can break either way). The strategy focus stays income-first: even if GLD chops sideways, covered calls can keep producing premium, which can matter a lot for anyone building passive income or trying to avoid selling shares during drawdowns. I also explain how strategy selection changes the outcome—Fortress vs Balance Point vs Rocket—and why GLD leans more “Rocket” when hard assets are acting strong.

Upcoming Event:

Strategy Intensive — Chandler, Arizona | April 17–19

In April, we’re hosting a private 3-day Strategy Intensive for investors who want to improve how they execute, manage decisions, and apply the system in real time. Wealth Accelerator Live: The Strategy Room will take place April 17–19, 2026 at the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort in Chandler, Arizona.

This is not a large conference and it is not a passive sit-and-watch event. It is a small-room working session built for investors who want to get closer to the strategy, fix weak spots in their process, and gain more clarity in how they operate day to day.

Across the three days, Mark and the team will walk through the system in a practical way, helping attendees simplify execution, strengthen discipline, and build a more repeatable approach.

Because the room is meant to stay highly focused and interactive, space is limited to 60 attendees. Once those seats are gone, registration will close.

There will be no livestream and no replay. This is an in-person experience for those ready to do the work.

If Arizona is on your radar, now is the time to make your move.

Reserve Your Seat Now

Podcast Episode This Week:

Reverse mortgages are one of the most misunderstood financial tools in retirement planning.

In this episode of the Wealth Architect Podcast, I sit down with reverse mortgage expert Kevin Guttman to break down how they actually work, why they’ve evolved over the years, and how some retirees are using them to unlock home equity, create flexible cash flow, and fund important life goals.

If you’ve ever wondered whether a reverse mortgage is a trap… or a strategic tool, this episode will give you a much clearer picture.