Wake up and see that the US stock market's S&P night session has plummeted by 2%, continuing the decline from Friday. Over the weekend, geopolitical panic sentiments have been fully unleashed. The substantial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has cut off one-fifth of global oil supply, severing the lifeline of the global energy system, which could trigger a new round of oil crises. On Monday, WTI crude oil futures surged by 20%, the most direct price reaction. Oil prices are also the root of inflation, which will drive the prices of everything else higher. The uncertainty of inflation will further disrupt the Federal Reserve's rate-cutting pace. Coupled with the shocking employment data released last Friday, indicating a slowdown in the job market, both sides are pulling the Fed in different directions. Where the market is headed might be wrong either way; the only option is to stay put. Next week, the FOMC interest rate decision has a 95%+ probability of holding rates steady. This will further depress tech stock valuations, leading to a further decline in the US stock market.

The real opportunity is that the market will give you enough time—possibly weeks or even months—to gradually buy in at lower levels. When the opportunity comes, it’s only about whether you dare to enter and pick up the bloodied chips others are selling. But most people, during true panic and true bottoming, will still choose to wait a little longer, hoping to buy precisely at the market bottom, trying to earn the last penny and maximize their gains. But I want to say that no one can predict the market’s direction. Trump’s TACO, signals of negotiations, the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz, and geopolitical reversals can all cause a reversal in current market sentiment.