Featured: A New Fed Chair, A Hot Inflation Number, and Five Days of Data  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

May 18, 2026 The catch about my 9:30 AM strategy Featured: A New Fed Chair, A Hot Inflation Number, and Five Days of Data Sponsored Hey, I have been getting a lot of the same question lately: "Thomas, if this strategy is so good, why are you giving the guide away for free?" It is a fair question. Especially in an industry where every "free" offer is usually just a Trojan horse for a $2,000 upsell or a 90-minute webinar you have to sit through. So here is my honest answer. I have been trading professionally for years. I have seen talented people blow up their accounts because they were following overly complicated systems sold to them by people who do not actually trade. It bothers me. A lot. The "Opening Bell Breakout" is the simplest, most repeatable strategy I have ever used. It takes about 30 minutes a day. It does not require expensive software. And it has produced gains like 113% on GOOGL and 240% on META. I put it into a free guide because I genuinely believe that if you see how it works, you will understand the kind of real, actionable trading education we provide at Base Camp Trading. And maybe down the road, you will want to learn more from us. But that is entirely up to you. There is no pressure. No auto-billing. Just the strategy, explained clearly, in a guide you can read in 10 minutes. Download the FREE Opening Bell Breakouts Guide If you have been burned before by "free" offers that were anything but, I understand. All I am asking is that you give this one a look. Thomas Wood Pro Trader, Base Camp Trading FEATURED A New Fed Chair, A Hot Inflation Number, and Five Days of Data Hey there, bargain hunter. Kevin Warsh officially became the 17th chair of the Federal Reserve on May 15 – confirmed in a 54-45 Senate vote that was the most partisan in Fed history. He walked into the job carrying a 3.8% inflation rate, oil running above $100 a barrel, and a rate-setting committee that just logged its most divided vote since 1992. This week, the data starts filling in the picture. What Warsh Inherited The April CPI came in at 3.8% year over year – the highest reading since May 2023 – driven largely by energy costs that jumped 17.9% annually as the war with Iran chokes supply through the Strait of Hormuz. Core CPI, which strips out food and energy, ran at 2.8%. Neither number gives Warsh room to maneuver on rates anytime soon. At the April 28-29 FOMC meeting – Powell's last as chair – the committee held the fed funds rate at 3.50%–3.75% for a third straight meeting. The vote was 8-4. One member wanted a cut. Three others opposed language in the statement that even hinted at future easing. That kind of internal friction doesn't resolve itself when a new chair walks in. Traders are currently pricing in rates on hold through year-end, with the odds of a hike rising to roughly 30% by December. Wednesday Is the One to Watch The April FOMC meeting minutes drop Wednesday, May 20, at 2:00 p.m. ET. These are Powell's final minutes as chair, and they matter more than a typical release. With four dissents on the record, the minutes will show exactly where the fractures inside the committee run – who wanted to signal hikes, who pushed for cuts, and how far apart the center of the committee actually is from both flanks. That read-through matters for how Warsh manages consensus at his first meeting on June 16-17. The Rest of the Week Monday (5/18): NY Fed Business Leaders Survey and SCE Household Spending Survey. Services-sector tone at a time when services inflation is doing the quiet damage. Tuesday (5/19): New Residential Construction and NAR Pending Home Sales. Housing has been grinding under rate pressure for months – any further softness here reinforces the hold argument heading into June. Thursday (5/21): Initial Jobless Claims and the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Survey, plus flash PMI readings for May. Claims have been running between 190K–215K recently – the labor market is still holding. The PMIs will be the first real read on May economic momentum. Friday (5/22): Final Michigan Consumer Sentiment for May. Consumer confidence has been deteriorating under the weight of gas prices averaging $4.50 a gallon nationally. A weak reading here could close the week on a sour note for equity markets. None of this week's data moves the Fed before June. But it shapes how loud the rate hike conversation gets by then – and with EY already flagging CPI could push past 4% in May, that conversation is getting louder whether markets want to hear it or not. Stay sharp. – The Cheap Investor This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Investing involves risk. The Cheap Investor is a publication of Investing Media Solutions, LLC. To view our full policies: Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 The Cheap Investor 203 N La Salle Suite 2100 Chicago , Illinois 60601, United States Powered by beehiiv Terms of Service