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Navigating Volatility: Energy Surges and Tech Opportunities · The SPY Trader

• 0:00
  Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of the Spy Trader podcast .
• 0:05
  I am your host , Benny Bullish , and we are coming to you live at 2:30 pm on Wednesday , September 9th , 2026 , here on the Pacific Coast .
• 0:16
  It is great to have you with us as we navigate what has turned out to be a bit of a bumpy ride in the markets today .
• 0:22
  If you have been checking your apps , you know the atmosphere is getting a little tense out there .
• 0:28
  We have a lot to cover , from geopolitical jitters to some big tech announcements , so let's dive right in .
• 0:35
  The headline for today is one of caution .
• 0:38
  Following the Labor Day holiday , we have seen some significant downward pressure on the major indices .
• 0:45
  The S&P 500 , which many of you track through the SPY ETF , fell about 0.6 percent to roughly 7,673 yesterday , and the Dow Jones Industrial Average took an even bigger hit , dropping 1.2 percent .
• 1:02
  While the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq100 remain up by double digits for the year , today is all about managing volatility .
• 1:12
  The primary drivers here are escalating geopolitical tensions and a surge in energy prices .
• 1:18
  With the ongoing conflict involving Iran and supply disruptions in the Middle East , oil is becoming the talk of the town .
• 1:26
  Brent Crude is knocking on the door of 100 dollars a barrel , and WTI is hovering around 97 dollars .
• 1:35
  This has made Energy the undisputed heavyweight champion of the sectors recently .
• 1:41
  If you look at the Vanguard Energy ETF , ticker VDE , it is up a staggering 45.2 percent yeartodate .
• 1:48
  On the flip side , we are seeing some struggle in the Real Estate and Utilities sectors .
• 1:53
  The Vanguard Real Estate ETF , known as VNQ , and the Utilities Select Sector SPDR , or XLU , are feeling the heat as interest rates climb .
• 2:04
  When Treasuries offer higher yields , those traditional dividendpaying stocks start to look a little less shiny .
• 2:11
  Speaking of yields , the 10year Treasury hit a 35month high of nearly 4.8 percent , which is putting pressure on our favorite tech giants in the Invesco QQQ .
• 2:22
  Looking at the bigger picture , everyone is holding their breath for the August CPI report coming out this Friday , September 11th .
• 2:30
  The Cleveland Fed is predicting a monthovermonth increase of 0.41 percent , mostly because of those rising gas prices .
• 2:39
  This puts the Federal Reserve in a tough spot .
• 2:42
  When they meet on September 15th and 16th , there is now a 60 percent chance they will hike rates by 25 basis points to keep inflation from running away .
• 2:52
  Plus , with the U.S.
• 2:53
  midterm elections only about 60 days away , political uncertainty is starting to weigh on investor sentiment .
• 3:00
  In company news , Apple , ticker AAPL , is gearing up for its big autumn launch .
• 3:06
  We are hearing rumors of foldable iPhones and a massive expansion of their Apple Intelligence AI features .
• 3:14
  JPMorgan still likes the stock , keeping an Overweight rating .
• 3:18
  Meanwhile , Nvidia , ticker NVDA , has its big AI Day tomorrow , September 10th .
• 3:25
  They just reported quarterly revenue of 96 billion dollars , which is just mindboggling .
• 3:30
  Google is also making moves , putting 15.1 billion dollars into AI infrastructure in Finland .
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  Even the food service giant Sysco , ticker SYY , is jumping on the AI train with a 500 million dollar efficiency program .
• 3:46
  Lastly , Teva Pharmaceutical is moving to refinance its debt before rates potentially climb even higher .
• 3:53
  Now , what should you actually do with your money ?
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  Here are a few tactical ideas .
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  First , if you want to hedge against inflation , look at energy through the Energy Select Sector SPDR , ticker XLE , or the Vanguard Energy ETF , VDE .
• 4:08
  As long as oil prices stay high , these producers are a natural shield for your portfolio .
• 4:15
  If you are worried about the conflict in the Middle East , gold is a classic safe haven .
• 4:20
  You can look at SPDR Gold Shares , ticker GLD , especially as it touches its 50day moving average .
• 4:28
  For those looking for safety without the price swings , shortterm Treasuries like the SHY ETF are offering yields over 4 percent with very low risk .
• 4:37
  For your core , longterm holdings , don't forget to stay diversified .
• 4:43
  A simple mix of the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF , VTI , and some international exposure through VXUS can go a long way .
• 4:52
  Interestingly , international stocks are currently trading at about a 9 percent discount compared to U.S.
• 4:58
  megacaps .
• 5:00
  One thing to avoid for the moment is the Real Estate ETF , VNQ .
• 5:05
  It is best to wait until after the Fed meeting to see how rates settle out .
• 5:10
  My final strategy note for you today : use this September dip to slowly add to highconviction tech leaders like Microsoft , ticker MSFT , but keep some cash in a highyield spot like the Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund , VMFXX .
• 5:25
  Having that war chest ready will let you jump on opportunities if the election season gets even more volatile .
• 5:31
  That is all for this update !
• 5:33
  I am Benny Bullish , and this has been Spy Trader .
• 5:36
  Stay smart , stay calm , and I will talk to you in a few hours .