“How do I navigate these crazy markets for profits?”

I understand the confusion.

After all, President Trump is completely reshaping our global climate with his latest 104% retaliatory tariffs on China and other countries.

These tariffs are crushing markets in a way we haven’t seen since COVID over 5 years ago.

Adding to the madness, yesterday Trump paused tariffs on several countries for 90 days. Leading to a big rally.

This volatility is enough to drive even the savviest traders insane.

But the truth is… finding the best companies that can thrive in a trade war will determine whether you survive or thrive.

One recent example is Rockwell Automation (ROK).

I mentioned ROK in the watchlist last week as one of my top tariff-proof picks for a trade.

Here’s how I set it up in The War Room.

I knew ROK had potential to pop. The company provides automated digital services to manufacturing companies. And with Trump pushing for more manufacturing in the United States, I got positioned on the calls.

As you’ll see above, I closed the trade for an 22% winner in less than 2 hours.

That’s how you trade these tariffs. You find companies that could potentially benefit.

And our track record for finding them in The War Room speaks for itself.

Action Plan: Over the last three weeks, we’ve traded at a perfect 100% win rate in The War Room during tariff uncertainty.

The week of March 21: 5 trades, 5 winners (100% win rate)

The week of March 28: 6 trades, 6 winners (100% win rate)

The week of April 4: 4 trades, 4 winners (100% win rate)

I know that sounds hard to believe, but the reason for the success is we’re focusing on companies that thrive in trade wars.

ROK is one of those companies.

I’ll be looking to rinse and repeat on companies like ROK going forward.

To receive all my trade alerts in real time, click here to learn more about The War Room.

The post “Despite the Trade War, we’ve posted a 100% win rate in The War Room over the last 3 weeks.” appeared first on Trade of the Day.

As the S&P 500 crumbles under the weight of President Trump’s tariffs, gold is holding strong at $3,080 per ounce.

The market chaos unleashed by a 104% tariff on Chinese imports and retaliatory measures from major economies has triggered a flight to safety.

With the S&P 500 down over 10% in a week, investors are pouring into assets that protect wealth – and gold is leading the charge.

But here’s the thing: physical gold, while attractive, might not be your best option.

The real opportunity in this market lies in gold miners and royalty companies, where you can gain leveraged exposure to rising gold prices – potentially for the equivalent of under $20 per ounce.

Let’s break it down.

Why Gold Miners Are the Play

Gold miners aren’t just riding the wave of higher gold prices-they’re multiplying its impact. Here’s why:

1. Leverage to Gold Prices: Mining companies have relatively fixed costs. When gold prices rise above those costs, the extra dollars flow straight to the bottom line. So, while gold has risen 30% over the past year, some of the top-performing miners have seen gains far higher than that.
2. Undervalued Stocks: Despite gold’s rally, many gold miners are still trading at attractive valuations. Investors haven’t fully woken up to the earnings potential these companies hold in a $3,000+ gold environment.
3. Royalty Companies Add a Safety Net: If you’re concerned about the risks of mining operations, royalty companies like EMX Royalty or Franco-Nevada offer exposure to gold without the headaches of running mines. They get paid a percentage of the revenue from mines without taking on the operational risks.

How You Can Get Gold for Under $20 Per Ounce

This is where things get really interesting.

Imagine gaining ownership in more than an ounce of gold for less than $20. This isn’t some gimmick – it’s the power of investing in the right mining stock.

Here’s what I mean:

• Many mining companies have massive gold reserves in the ground, and when you buy their stock, you’re essentially buying those reserves at a steep discount to the market price of gold.
• For example, if a miner owns millions of ounces of gold and their market cap is just a fraction of the value of those reserves, you’re effectively getting gold exposure for pennies on the dollar.

One company I’ve been watching closely operates one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in the world.

At current levels, you’re paying less than $20 per ounce for their gold reserves.

This is the kind of opportunity that can deliver exponential returns when the gold bull market kicks into high gear.

Why Now Is the Time

The conditions driving this gold rally are unlike anything we’ve seen in recent history:

1. Global Economic Turmoil: With tariffs escalating and global trade in disarray, investors are seeking safety in gold. Central banks are buying gold at record rates, further boosting demand.
2. Inflation and Debt: The U.S. government’s ballooning debt and an unprecedented increase in money supply have created fears of currency devaluation. Gold, as a store of value, is a natural hedge against these risks.
3. Fed Policy: The Federal Reserve’s dovish stance, combined with low interest rates, has made non-yielding assets like gold and silver more attractive than ever.

YOUR ACTION PLAN

If you’re looking to capitalize on this gold bull market, here’s what you need to do:

1. Understand the Current Market:

• Gold is trading at $3,080 per ounce, and silver is at $30.40.
• Central banks are buying gold at record levels, a strong signal of confidence in the metal’s long-term value.

2. Recognize the Drivers Behind Gold’s Rise:

• Massive global debt and inflation concerns.
• Tariff-driven market volatility.
• A monetary policy environment that favors hard assets like gold.

3. Gain Leverage to Gold Prices:

• Look for gold miners trading at discounts to their in-ground reserves. This is where you can effectively “buy gold” for less than $20 per ounce.

4. Focus on the Big Picture:

• This isn’t just about the next few months. The structural drivers supporting gold’s rise – debt, inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty – aren’t going away anytime soon.

Gold’s bull market is in full swing, and the conditions driving it are only intensifying.

Whether you’re looking for stability in a volatile market or explosive growth potential, gold miners and royalty companies offer an unparalleled opportunity.

And for those willing to dig a little deeper, the chance to “own” gold for under $20 an ounce could be one of the most lucrative investment opportunities of our time.

Click here to discover more.

This is your moment. Don’t let it pass you by.

The post The $20 Mining Play That Could Outperform Physical Gold appeared first on Trade of the Day.

Unlock the Power of AI Trading: Free Live Masterclass!

When:Wednesday, April 9th @ 2 PM EST

What: LIVE AI Trade Finder Masterclass

Join me and Nate G. for an exclusive live session where he’ll reveal how to harness the power of AI-driven tools to uncover high-probability trade setups, even in a volatile market.

Why You Can’t Afford to Miss This:

• Learn to spot hidden opportunities in today’s market chaos.
• Discover how the cutting-edge S.A.M. system simplifies your trading decisions.
• See how AI can help you stay ahead with smarter, faster, and more efficient analysis.

This is your chance to level up your trading game with insights from a seasoned pro—all in real-time!

100% FREE EVENT Save your spot now and be ready to unlock the future of trading.

– Ryan Fitzwater, Publisher

It’s been a choppy, frustrating environment, with major indices struggling to find direction.

The SPY has been stuck in a mess, and we’re in one of those markets where patience and precision are the keys to survival.

But here’s the good news: even in chaos, there are always pockets of opportunity.

My focus stays on strength—stocks that are outperforming the market and setting up for high-probability moves.

Right now, I’ve got my eye on Celsius Holdings (CELH). It’s up +25% year-to-date, showing relative strength, stacked squeezes, and the potential for a breakout. Add in high short interest to fuel the fire, and this one has all the ingredients for a solid lotto trade.

Let’s break it all down.

The Setup: Stacked Squeezes Across Multiple Timeframes

CELH is showing squeezes on multiple shorter timeframes, including the 195-minute, 130-minute, 78-minute, and 1-hour.

That’s a lot of compression, and it’s a clear signal that this stock is coiling up for a potential move.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with squeezes, they occur when Bollinger Bands tighten inside the Keltner Channels, signaling that volatility has dropped and the stock is consolidating energy. Think of it like a spring coiling tighter and tighter—the longer it compresses, the bigger the move when it finally releases.

Now, CELH doesn’t have a squeeze on the daily or weekly chart, but that’s fine. In volatile markets it’s sometimes better to focus on shorter time frame setups.

The shorter timeframes in CELH are showing stacked squeezes, which often lead to explosive intraday or multi-day moves.

Adding to the setup, CELH had an inside day yesterday, which means it’s trading completely within the range of yesterday’s candle.

Inside days are one of my favorite setups because they often act as a launching pad for a breakout.

If CELH can break above its recent high, we could see those shorter time frames squeezes fire to the upside.

Relative Strength: +25% YTD and Leading the Market

Here’s what makes CELH even more interesting—it’s been outperforming the market in a big way. While the SPY and other major indices are stuck in chop, CELH is up +25% year-to-date.

This kind of relative strength is exactly what I look for in my trading. When a stock is leading the pack, it’s telling us that big players—institutions, funds, and hedge managers—are putting their money to work here.

High Short Interest: A Potential Short Squeeze

CELH has another thing going for it: high short interest (around 15%). Stocks with high short interest can be explosive when they start to move higher because short sellers are forced to cover their positions, adding more buying pressure to the stock.

If CELH can break out of its inside day and fire those squeezes, this high short interest could act as rocket fuel.

Quick Note on Fundamentals

You know I’m all about the technicals, but I’ll give a quick nod to the fundamentals here.

CELH had a rough 2024, but they’ve been bouncing back in a big way. International sales are up +39%, and their recent acquisition of Alani Nu positions them to tap into the female-focused wellness market.

That’s great for the long-term view, but for this trade, the focus is on what the charts are telling us right now.

Your Action Plan

CELH has all the ingredients for a solid lotto play:

• Stacked squeezes across multiple shorter timeframes (195m, 130m, 78m, 1hr, 30m).
• An inside day consolidation, ready to break out.
• Relative strength, up +25% YTD.
• High short interest (15%), which could fuel a short squeeze.

This is the kind of setup I love—a strong chart, a clear signal, and a great risk-reward profile. I’m keeping my position small, sticking to my stop, and letting the trade play out.

And remember, gang, if you’re looking for a faster way to catch explosive moves, don’t forget about my Opening Bell Aftershocks strategy. It’s designed to capitalize on high-probability setups like this one within minutes of the market opening.

Click here to learn how to trade Opening Bell Aftershocks today.

The post “In choppy markets, I hunt for pockets of strength. CELH’s stacked squeezes across multiple timeframes, inside day pattern, and 15% short interest make it an ideal lotto play while the broader market struggles to find a bid.” appeared first on Trade of the Day.

Which is why tomorrow at 2 p.m. EST, Nate G. is going live for his first ever AI Trade Finder Masterclass.

Here you’ll get to see all the top buying opportunities he’s looking at in this crazy tariff-fueled environment. All while looking for real, actionable trades.

It’s completely free.

Click here to sign up for the event today.

– Ryan Fitzwater, Publisher

After incredible volatility yesterday, we saw our first relief rally on Tuesday morning.

But I believe this rally could be short-lived.

I’m not exaggerating when I say these markets are historically wild right now, and that will likely continue with potential tariff retaliation from China.

And in today’s video, I go over the indexes and how I’m trading the current conditions.

Plus, I have a new setup for you.

Click the link below to get that trade.

YOUR ACTION PLAN

I like BJ Wholesale for a trade right now. It’s a recent earnings winner, and its chart is holding up incredibly well.

With BJ coming back to its point of control, I’m looking to buy the May $115 calls. I’ll be looking to pick these options up at around $3.

(Click to enlarge)

The swings in these markets are wild right now, and there will be many unique trade opportunities in the future.

If you want to access to more of these trades, I recommend checking out my post-earnings “Aftershocks” trades. This strategy targets gains as high as 300% in minutes, and all you have to do is wake up before 9 a.m. to make the trade.

Click here to learn more about Aftershocks trades.

TESTIMONIAL TUESDAY

“Came to AMZN Lotto $177.5 party a bit late but just took them off for 150% wins (in 1 trading day), thanks Nate.”
– Sharky

“Closed FXI spread @ 4.15 for 33.27% win (in 32 trading days). Thanks Karim!”
– dave1st1ret

“One (ROKU) contract bought at $3.65. Sold at $5.96 for 63%. One contract bought at $3.27. Sold at $6.30. 93% (overnight gain). Thanks BB.”
– P.J.

The post This Post-Earnings Winner is Bucking the Trade War Trend appeared first on Trade of the Day.

Yesterday’s 411-point range on the S&P 500 confused a lot of traders.

So, why did I decide to scoop up some Amazon (AMZN) call options?

Because I know something that most traders don’t – when to take profits.

And you’re about to learn how I do it.

You see, a lot of folks look at an 8.5% move in the S&P in a single day and assume they can catch a flyer that nets them 1,000%.

Here’s the thing…

Those types of gains are just as likely now as they would be when things are calm.

Why?

Because option premiums are more expensive.

That’s why it’s critical to know when to take profits like I did:

So, is this trade over?

No.

In fact, at the time of writing this, I still hold some Amazon calls. Because now that I’ve locked in profits, I can keep a small amount open to try for those massive winners.

Today, I want to lay out the trade setup for Amazon and explain how to manage it in this kind of environment.

But first, let’s get a sense of where things stand.

Current Market

Are we in a “dead cat bounce,” or is this the reversal everyone has been waiting for?

I don’t believe we’ve hit the bottom.

Tariffs, which are the key driver of the selloff, remain an open question.

No one knows what the final verdict will be. Will we keep these sky-high rates or negotiate something better?

I don’t know.

But until we do know, we can expect volatility.

Right now, the VIX, the measure of volatility on the S&P 500, is at its highest levels since the Covid crash.

So, it’s fair to say that we’re heavily oversold at the moment.

That doesn’t mean we’ll get a multi-day relief rally or that any of them will stick.

But we need to manage our positions in a way that maximizes our gains and minimizes risks.

And there’s no better example of that than my latest Amazon trade.

Amazon’s Risk Management

Let’s start with the chart of the TPS setup that I was looking at for this trade:

This is the 15-minute chart for Amazon.

Now, you’re probably looking at this thinking, “What the heck is going on here?”

Allow me to explain.

When stocks bottom out, they’ll often pop and then consolidate. From there, they either make the next move higher or drop back down.

That’s why options are key to my strategy. They limit my downside risk but give me plenty of upside potential.

My goal is to take profits into the first decent move higher I see and then leave a small portion open to try and see if I can catch a runner.

The key is to make sure that you lock in enough profits so that even if your runner fails, you still walk away with money in your wallet.

Oftentimes, that means cutting the runner loose if it drops back to breakeven, though in some cases, you can let the runner go until expiration. It all depends on how much you’re able to lock in.

For example. Let’s say I have ten of those Amazon calls I bought for $2.30, or $2,300 in total.

I sell five of those for 100% profit. That means if the other five go to zero, I walk away at breakeven.

So, in this case, I’d set a stop at my entry for the remainder at breakeven, ensuring I lock in some profits.

Otherwise, I could sell nine of the contracts at 100%. That would mean I could let the tenth contract run and either score big or go to zero. Either way, I’d walk away with profits.

This is the key to thriving in these wacky markets.

Today’s Play in Amazon

Now, there is still a setup on the 30-minute timeframe Amazon chart.

We have a TPS setup with a nice upward TREND, a consolidation PATTERN, and a SQUEEZE which identifies when the Bollinger Bands are inside the Keltner Channel.

This kind of setup necessitates patience.

It’s important to get the entry you want and not chase the trade.

After yesterday’s move in the S&P 500, there are a lot of charts that look like this or even better.

I like Amazon because it’s largely insulated from tariffs and has earnings coming up.

Ready to Master High-Volatility Trading?

Most traders are getting crushed in this market.

They’re either sitting on the sidelines, missing these explosive moves, or they’re jumping in at the wrong times and getting stopped out for losses.

But what if you could start your trading day with potential gains of 100%, 200%, or even 300% within minutes of the opening bell?

That’s exactly what my new Opening Bell Aftershock strategy is designed to do.

Every morning at 9:30 AM, unique profit opportunities emerge after earnings announcements – opportunities most traders completely miss because they’re focused on the wrong things.

I’ve developed a specialized system that:

• Identifies these Opening Bell Aftershocks before they happen
• Shows you exactly when to enter for maximum profit potential
• Helps you lock in gains within minutes of the market opening
• Lets you move on with your day while others struggle through hours of trading

The current market environment is creating once-in-a-decade opportunities at 9:30 AM for those who know exactly what to look for.

Want to see how I turned a single morning trade into a 334% winner in just 11 minutes?

Click here to discover my Opening Bell Aftershock strategy

Let’s transform your mornings into profit machines.

— Nate Bear

The post “This was my strategy during the 411-point swing.” appeared first on Trade of the Day.

And while the short-term pain is real, big market dips have always lead to huge buy opportunities – if you’re willing to get in when others are fearful.

Today at 2 p.m., our Lead Fundamental Tactician Karim Rahemtulla is going live with a Gold Industry CEO.

Learn where gold is headed and how you can invest in this safe-haven asset.

Bring your questions and ask them live.

Click here to sign up for the free event today.

– Ryan Fitzwater, Publisher

Yesterday was one of the craziest days I’ve seen in my almost 20 years of trading.

In the span of just 2 hours, the S&P declined 4.7%, rallied 8.4%, plunged 5.45%, bounced 3.1%, and dropped 1.5%.

Insane.

And while the overall sentiment is bad, the truth is we’re still way up off the overall lows.

Which is why I’m looking for a retraceable bounce this week.

Not sure how many of you remember trading COVID, but this feels similar in many ways.

Back in 2020, when the COVID bounce came, it was fast and furious.

And after looking over hundreds of charts, there’s one stock I’m putting on my radar for if/when another bounce happens.

That stock is Apple (AAPL).

As you’ll see in the chart above, AAPL is hitting $181 at the time of this writing.

I would love to see a bullish headline out of China for AAPL, but I know if that happens, the stock is going to take off quickly and there will no chance to get positioned.

So timing will be key.

Which is why I’m scaling into AAPL throughout this week.

Action Plan: If/when a bounce happens, it will come fast and furious, and Apple is one of the stocks on my watchlist.

I started scaling into AAPL yesterday, and I’ll be looking to buy a lot more this week.

To see exactly how I’m trading it, I invite you to join me in Daily Profits Live. Last week I closed an 83% winner on TMUS in 1 trading day.

Click here to join Daily Profits Live today.

The post “When market bounces happen in this climate, they’ll happen fast.” appeared first on Trade of the Day.

When: Tuesday, April 8, at 2:00 PM EST

Where: MTA Live

– Ryan Fitzwater, Publisher

By now, you’ve seen the stats detailing the eye-popping market losses in response to the tariffs.

• The S&P 500 is now down -17% from its February 19th high.
• The Russell 2000 Small Cap index is down -25% since hitting a high on November 25th
• The Nasdaq is down -23% since December 16th.

Barron’s correctly says “Trump Can’t Win This Trade War: The Stock Market is the Loser.”

As anyone who took Econ 101 knows, nobody wins in a trade war.

With no clear sign of things getting better, panic is setting in across the globe. Everything is getting hit—cryptocurrencies, oil, the U.S. dollar. Even gold is down from its record highs last week.

So, after such a huge market pullback, you’re probably wondering…

Is It Time to Buy the Dip?

Not Yet

Stock-market corrections normally last 115 days – and we’re only 40 days in so far. So, it’s time for us as traders to lock in and remain balanced and hedged.

YOUR ACTION PLAN

Right now, the best tactical trading advice is to trade both the ups and the downs using a strangle trade.

We just did this successfully inside The War Room on JPMorgan Chase (JPM).

With earnings coming up on Friday, combined with a market in the midst of incredible chaos and turmoil, we entered into a call/put strangle position on JPM – and caught a sizable directional move to lock in a profit.

In this uncertain market, this seems to be the only market-neutral trade to make, so that’s the strategy we’re now using.

**NOTE: In fast-moving markets, there’s no time to wait. You need immediate buy and sell advice, which is exactly what you get inside The War Room. To join our elite group of traders, click below:

===> Enter The War Room

The post Market Meltdown: Why It’s Too Early to Buy the Dip and How to Trade the Chaos appeared first on Trade of the Day.

How do you navigate these chaotic conditions and still come out on top?

For me, it’s all about focusing on strength, reliability, and high-probability setups.

Right now, the broader market is reeling—major indices are down double digits for the year, and President Trump’s tariff announcements have only added fuel to the fire.

But in every storm, there are pockets of opportunity. I’m not interested in chasing weak stocks hoping for a bounce.

Instead, I focus on the strongest stocks based on what the charts are telling me.

Altria (MO) has everything I look for in a trade: a strong technical setup, outperformance against the market, and a business model built for resilience.

MO is trading near its 52-week highs of $60.18, and the chart is showing a daily squeeze—a powerful signal that the stock is compressing energy for a potential breakout.

Add in stacked EMAs on both the daily and weekly charts, plus relative strength that’s outshining the broader market, and you’ve got a near-perfect setup to keep on your radar.

Let’s break down why MO is at the top of my watchlist this week.

Squeeze Patterns: Building Energy for a Breakout

One of the things I pay close attention to as a trader is volatility compression, and that’s exactly what a squeeze pattern represents.

A squeeze occurs when Bollinger Bands tighten inside the Keltner Channels, signaling that volatility has dropped and the stock is consolidating energy.

Think of it like a coiled spring: the longer it compresses, the more explosive the move when it finally releases.

For MO, the daily squeeze is present.

And when these patterns “fire,” they often lead to sustained moves over several trading sessions.

With MO trading near its highs, it’s a textbook setup for a breakout.

Stacked EMAs: A Clear Bullish Trend

Another critical piece of this setup is MO’s stacked exponential moving averages (EMAs). This occurs when shorter-term EMAs (like the 8-day and 21-day) are aligned above longer-term EMAs (such as the 34-day and 55-day).

Why is this important?

Stacked EMAs act as a visual confirmation of a strong, healthy trend. They also serve as dynamic support levels, providing a cushion for the stock during pullbacks.

For MO, the stacked EMAs on both the daily and weekly charts are a strong signal that buyers are in control and the bullish momentum is intact.

When you combine this with the squeeze patterns, it creates a high-probability setup for further upside.

Relative Strength: Standing Tall in a Weak Market

In a year where major indices are down double digits, MO has been a standout performer, up more than 8% year-to-date.

Relative strength like this is a key factor in my trading philosophy.

Why? Because it shows where institutional money is flowing.

When a stock outperforms during market chaos, it signals confidence from big players—funds, hedge managers, and other pros who are betting on its resilience.

MO’s ability to thrive in a weak market isn’t just a coincidence. It’s a defensive stock in the consumer staples sector, which tends to perform well during economic uncertainty.

Why MO Is Built to Thrive in Chaos

Let’s zoom out for a moment. Altria’s business model is designed for resilience. As a leader in the tobacco and nicotine industry, MO operates in a sector that doesn’t rely heavily on discretionary spending or global supply chains.

This makes it less vulnerable to the tariff risks and economic uncertainty that are hammering other sectors.

In times of market chaos, defensive plays like MO attract attention from investors looking for stability and cash flow.

Your Action Plan

Here’s where I stand with MO: I don’t have a position yet, but it’s firmly at the top of my watchlist.

With squeezes across multiple timeframes, stacked EMAs, and undeniable relative strength, MO has all the ingredients for a breakout. In a market full of uncertainty, this is exactly the kind of setup I focus on—a strong, reliable stock with both technical and fundamental alignment.

If the setup plays out as expected, I’ll look to take advantage with longer-dated call options, giving the trade room to develop.

And don’t forget—earnings season is just around the corner, which could provide even more opportunities for explosive moves.

If you’re looking for potentially faster results, check out my Opening Bell Aftershocks strategy.

It’s all about capturing high-probability moves within minutes of the market opening.

Click here to learn how to start trading Opening Bell Aftershocks today.

The post “During market chaos, I prioritize strength and resilience. MO’s daily squeeze, perfectly aligned EMAs, and year-to-date outperformance make it a standout trade in today’s volatility.” appeared first on Trade of the Day.

Which is why in today’s guest article, Oxford Club Chief Income Strategist Marc Lichtenfeld is revealing a way for traders to weather this current storm.

While it may not necessarily reflect our own views at Monument Traders Alliance, we believe in giving readers as many options as possible so they can choose what’s best for them.

Marc also revealed a way to lock in a contractually obligated 200% return over the next four years.

Click here to learn more.

– Ryan Fitzwater, Publisher

Today, I want to discuss something that market analysts don’t talk about too often.

Bonds.

Before your eyes glaze over, this is important.

Bonds belong in everyone’s portfolio.

Now, I’m not talking about bond mutual funds or exchange-traded funds.

I’m talking about individual bonds.

First of all, what exactly is a bond?

It’s pretty simple. A bond is a loan that you make to a company or government agency. If we’re talking corporate bonds, then you’re loaning money to a company for a specific amount of time at a specific interest rate.

Bonds are typically sold in $1,000 increments, and they always have a maturity date and a coupon. (The coupon is simply the bond’s annual interest rate.) For example, let’s say there’s a bond that has a 5% coupon and a maturity date of February 1, 2030. If you decide to purchase the bond – meaning you’re lending $1,000 to the underlying company until February 1, 2030 – you will receive 5% per year in interest, which is usually paid in two installments each year. And on February 1, 2030, you’ll get the $1,000 back.

Now, here’s the key: If you buy or sell a bond in the market, it may not trade for $1,000.

When it is first issued by the company, it will. But as soon as it starts trading, the price will vary.

So you could buy the bond for $900. In that case, you’ll receive more than 5% per year, because the 5% coupon is based on the $1,000 figure. No matter where the bond is trading, the bond will pay $50 per year in interest. So if you pay $900 for the bond, you’ll make 5.6% interest ($50 divided by $900 equals 5.6%).

If you pay $1,050 for the bond, you’ll make 4.8% ($50 divided by $1,050 equals 4.8%).

Here’s another important feature: At maturity, a bond pays $1,000, regardless of what you paid for it.

It’s obvious why you might buy a bond for $900 when you know you’ll get $1,000 at maturity, but you may be asking why someone would pay more than $1,000 for a bond if they know they’ll lose money at maturity.

It’s because even with the loss, they may still make more than they would in other places.

For example, let’s say a bond is trading at $1,050 with a 5% coupon until 2030. Even though an investor will lose $50 at maturity, they will collect $50 in interest per year over the next five years.

When you subtract how much the bond loses at maturity from the total amount of interest paid, that comes out to $200, or an average of $40 per year. That equates to 4% per year. With as rocky as the markets have been lately, investors ought to be very happy earning a safe and secure 4% per year.

One last thing about bonds – and this is really important – is how they differ from stocks.

If you hold a stock for five years, anything can happen. It could go up 1,000%, it could get cut in half, it could go to zero, or it could go anywhere in between.

While a bond’s price will fluctuate, the bond will be worth $1,000 on its maturity date. The only way it won’t is if the underlying company goes bankrupt.

So you could own a stock that has putrid earnings and falls 40%. But as long as the company is keeping the lights on, regardless of those putrid earnings, its bonds will be worth $1,000 at maturity. The only way you lose as a bondholder is if the company goes under.

If you buy bonds properly, you can be extremely confident you’re going to get your money back – and then some. And in this chaotic market, everyone could use a little more certainty.

YOUR ACTION PLAN

On April 2, President Trump made a massive tariff announcement that led to a 1,200 drop in the DOW.

And in my latest presentation, I explain how bonds can be a “godsend” for investors in times like these. In fact, they can even generate contractually obligated returns of as much as 200% in as little as four years!

Click here to learn why bonds could be exactly what your portfolio needs right now.

Good investing,

Marc

FUN FACT FRIDAY

Major buying after tariff news: Retail investors bought $4.7 billion in stocks on Thursday, the largest level over the past decade.

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