As you know, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) made its first interest rate cut since December, dropping rates by one-quarter point on September 17.
Some traders were bracing for a more aggressive move—maybe even a 50-basis point cut—but that didn’t happen. In fact, only one member of the committee voted for a bigger cut: Stephen Miran, a new addition to the Fed’s Board of Governors.
At first, the markets seemed to like the news. Major indices held their ground and extended their gains. But things got interesting during the post-announcement presser…
Fed Chair Jerome Powell labeled the move a “risk‑management cut” – and the market reaction flipped almost immediately.
The Dow shot up to an intraday high of 46,261, then sold off sharply to 45,700 before bouncing back to close 260 points higher on the day.
Now for the day traders out there—this was your kind of playground. Big moves. Fast swings. Plenty of action. So if you jumped in and made some money, well done!
That’s not my game of choice, however. It’s just a little too wild for my taste. Instead, I stick to what I know works: finding repeatable, reliable patterns in the 30–60-day window and building trades with a plan. Controlled. Calculated. Consistent.
And that’s why I went live last night.
The Money Calendar just flashed one of the strongest Q4 bull patterns I’ve seen in years. But this next move isn’t going to lift every stock. In fact, only a select few names rise 90% of the time or more during this stretch.
And during the broadcast, I revealed exactly which sectors and stocks those are—and how we’re going to trade them.
I also introduced something brand new: the Money Calendar Mentorship. It’s a hands-on way for me to guide a small group of traders through the next three months… and how to use my tools to go after triple-digit returns by December 31st.
Now, we had a full house last night — and as always, some sharp traders came ready with great questions.
So, in this week’s Mailbag edition, I’m going to tackle the top three…
Q: What exactly is seasonal trading and how do you actually use it?
A: Seasonal trading is all about spotting patterns that repeat at the same time every year—around certain months, quarters, or even holidays. I’m not guessing where the market’s going next… I’m following historical patterns that have played out over and over again. For example, one setup I showed live was a trade on SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) that, going back 10 years, has delivered a 7.5% average return in the 30 days before Thanksgiving and 15 days after—with 90% accuracy. That’s the kind of edge I’m after.
Q: Can you share one of the actual trades you showed in the webinar?
A: Sure. One of the first trades I walked through was that DIA trade, which kicks off September 22nd. I gave two ways to play it:
- Buying the December 460 call that cost about $15.55. If DIA hits its seasonal target around 500, that’s more than a double.
- Creating a spread by buying the 480 call and selling the 490 call for just $2.50. That’s a 3-to-1 reward-to-risk setup based on a proven seasonal window.
And on Monday (September 22), I’ll show you exactly how to enter and manage both of those positions. Click here to join me.
Q: Is the new Money Calendar Mentorship just for experienced traders?
A: Not at all. In fact, if you’re new to options, this is probably the smartest way to get started. I walk you through everything—from the basics to the tools I use to scan for high-probability trades.
You’ll get my best setups every week, access to all the software, and live walkthroughs showing you how to scan, select, and manage trades… all in about 15 minutes a week. So, no matter your skill level, you’ll be able to follow along and start building real trading confidence.
Have a great weekend!
Tom Gentile
America’s Pattern Trader
