Breaking
True Market Story
Author

admin

Browsing
1 Min Read

How to Improve your Trading Odds and Increase Opportunities

Chartists can improve their odds and increase the number of opportunities by trading short-term bullish setups within bigger uptrends. The first order of business is to identify the long-term trend using a trend-following indicator. Second, chartist can turn to more granular analysis to find short-term bullish setups. Today’s example will use the Cloud Computing ETF (SKYY).

***********************

, which has over a dozen reports. These cover the Zweig Breadth Thrust, trend-following signals, trailing stops and finding bullish setups. Check it out!

//////////////////////////////////////////////////

Keep Reading
By
5 Mins Read

All-Time Highs and An Upcoming Rate Cut: We’re Just Getting Started on This Move Higher

The bears are now left grasping at straws. What about tariffs? What about inflation? What about recession? What about the Fed? What about interest rates? What about the Middle East? What about the deficits? Blah, blah, blah.

When it comes to the media, you need to bury your head in the sand. Actually, take your head out of the sand and bury it in the charts. That’s where you’ll find the truth.

I said all-time highs were coming back at the April low and here we are. The S&P 500 has set a new all-time record high today and, barring a significant afternoon decline, will set its all-time closing high above the previous closing high of 6144, which was set on February 19, 2025. This new high comes just as we begin to prepare for Q2 earnings season. The run up to earnings season is generally and historically quite strong, so get ready for more highs ahead.

Since 1950, the S&P 500 has produced annualized returns of nearly 27% during the period June 28th through July 17th. This annualized pre-earnings run is nearly triple the average S&P 500 annual return of 9% since 1950. Care to guess how the NASDAQ and Russell 2000 have fared during this bullish pre-earnings period?

  • NASDAQ: +38.67%
  • Russell 2000 (IWM): +32.61% (bullish period ends July 15th for small caps)

Clearly, the bulls have the historical advantage for the next 3 weeks. Technically, evidence began turning in the bulls’ favor in mid-March, despite the last big move lower in early April. I have the research to back that up and will discuss it at an event on Saturday (more details below). While the stock market was rapidly declining in April, Wall Street was happily stealing everyone’s shares during the panicked selloff.

Technical Strength

Two of the most important industry groups to follow are semiconductors ($DJUSSC) and software ($DJUSSW). These two groups are among the most influential in terms of driving the S&P 500 higher. Check out both of these charts and be sure to check out both the absolute and relative strength currently.

Semiconductors:

Software:

Now I’m going to provide charts of these same two groups, but this time show you how positively they correlate to the S&P 500’s direction over the course of this century.

Semiconductors:

Software:

Honestly, you don’t need a PhD in Economics to understand the above charts. It’s really quite simple. When semiconductors and software are rallying to new highs and showing relative strength, BUY U.S. stocks! They both have extremely tight positive correlation with the S&P 500 and they both look very technically sound right now.

Interest Rate Cut

It’s coming and it’s coming fast! I’m now convinced that the Fed will cut the fed funds rate in a month at their next scheduled meeting on July 29-30. I’m not saying it because I feel the Fed should cut or needs to cut. I’m saying it because there’s a ton of buying right now in the 1-month treasury, sending its yield down. The 1-month treasury yield ($UST1M) typically begins to move BEFORE any Fed action occurs. We saw it back in August/September 2024, just prior to the 50 basis point cut at the September 2024 meeting:

The black directional lines in the bottom panel mark approximately the date that the Fed lowered the fed funds rate. The red directional lines in the top panel highlight the downward movement in the $UST1M PRIOR to the Fed’s lowering roughly a month later. Again, I’m not making this stuff up. The charts are telling me a story here and the current story is that rates are about to come down.

Checkmate bears.

Follow the charts, not the media!

The Game

I’m beginning to believe that capitulation is nothing more than a staged event for the Wall Street elite and we’re the panicked pawns running around with our hair on fire. Those days are over for EarningsBeats.com members. We saw this one coming, just like we saw it coming in 2022. Getting out at the top with the Wall Street elite and getting back in at the bottom before them is an excellent recipe for beating the S&P 500 by a mile!

Learning is the key. We focus on market research, guidance, and education at EarningsBeats.com. Those are our 3 pillars of business. Calling the 2025 market top wasn’t a coincidence. We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again. Jumping back in near the bottom was no coincidence either. Our signals are proven and they work.

On Saturday morning at 10:00am ET, we’re hosting a FREE educational event, “Trading the Truth: How Market Manipulation Creates Opportunity”. I’m going to show everyone the “play-by-play” of how we were able to move to cash BEFORE the market top and back into stocks NEAR the market bottom. Market tops form with many of the same signals each time. To learn more about this event and to register with your name and email address, CLICK HERE.

If you’ve struggled with all the uncertainty in 2025 and haven’t trusted stocks, it’s time that you change your process and strategies. I’ll see you on Saturday!

Happy trading!

Tom

Keep Reading
By
5 Mins Read

Fibonacci Retracements: The Key to Identifying True Breakouts

If you’ve looked at enough charts over time, you start to recognize classic patterns that often appear. From head-and-shoulders tops to cup-and-handle patterns, they almost jump off the page when you bring up the chart. I would definitely include Fibonacci Retracements on that list, because before I ever bring up the Fibonacci tool on StockCharts, I’m pretty confident the levels are going to line up well with the price action.

Today, we’re going to look at a breakout name that shows why Fibonacci Retracements can be so valuable for confirming upside potential. We’ll also explain some best practices for identifying the most important price levels to use when setting up a Fibonacci framework. Finally, we’ll show how Fibonacci analysis could have helped you validate the current uptrend phase for the S&P 500 index.

Confirming Breakouts: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH)

I started dropping quite a few Fibonacci Retracements on price charts soon after the April 7, 2025 market low. As stocks experienced a sudden and severe bounce off those lows, it became clear that we would need some way to validate a potential upside swing. That helped me zero in on the $20 level for Norwegian (NCLH), a level which was finally eclipsed this week.

Using the January high and the April low, we can see a 38.2% Fibonacci level come in right around $20. A gap higher in mid-May took NCLH close to that level, which was then retested again in early June. After bouncing off the 50-day moving average last week, Norwegian finally pushed above this first Fibonacci resistance level with Friday’s rally.

One of the ways we can differentiate between a “dead cat bounce” off a major low and the beginning of a much larger recovery phase is to key in on the first Fibonacci retracement level. If the price can push above this initial upside target, ideally on heavier than normal volume, then the chances of further upside are significantly increased.

In the case of NCLH, we can now bump up a price target to further Fibonacci levels. The 50% line, just below $20, lines up fairly well with the 200-day moving average. The 61.8% comes in right around $23.50, which represents my next upside target, assuming this week’s strength is confirmed by a follow-through day next week.

Identifying Pullbacks: Raytheon Technologies (RTX)

We can also use Fibonacci Retracements to identify downside targets after a major price peak. In the case of Raytheon Technologies (RTX), that means we use the April low and the high from mid-June to generate potential support levels.

In this case, we can see that the Fibonacci retracement levels line up very well with traditional support levels using the price action itself. The 38.2% level lines up with the mid-June low around $135, which also coordinates with the 50-day moving average. Beyond that support, the 50% level sits right at the late May low at $131, and the 61.8% level comes in right around the early May support at $126.

Given an initial pullback from the June peak around $149, I’m seeing strong potential support at the 38.2% level and 50-day moving average around $135. Now I can use Fibonacci levels to better define my risk vs. reward, showing how much downside action I’d anticipate while still keeping an eye on a return to the previous all-time highs.

Validating Uptrends: The S&P 500 Index ($SPX)

Sometimes Fibonacci Retracements are valuable in that they help validate that an uptrend is progressing with a decent pace. For the S&P 500 chart, every break of a Fibonacci resistance level has confirmed the strength of the broad market indexes off the April low.

It took only two sessions for the SPX to break above the 38.2% retracement of the February to April downtrend phase. In fact, the S&P almost reached the 50% level before pulling back to around 5100 in mid-April. From there, we can see a gap back above the 38.2% level, which helped confirm the strength of the new uptrend phase.

I still have the pink trendline on my chart that I remember drawing during the downtrend phase. “As long as the S&P remains below trendline resistance, the market is in a clear downtrend,” I remember saying out loud on my market recap show. So when the SPX broke above the 50% level, as well as that clear trendline, I was forced to acknowledge the staying power of this new uptrend phase.

The S&P 500 stalled out at the 61.8% retracement level in early May, but another price gap higher signaled that the final Fibonacci resistance level was no longer going to hold. And once you eclipse the final Fibonacci level, that implies a full retest back to the 100% point.

So am I surprised that the S&P 500 has pushed to new all-time highs this week? Absolutely not. Indeed, using Fibonacci Retracements on charts like this have helped me admit when a new uptrend is showing strength, and provide plenty of reminders to follow the trend until proven otherwise!

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC

marketmisbehavior.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/MarketMisbehavior

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

Keep Reading
By
5 Mins Read

3 Stock Setups for the Second Half of 2025

As we head into the second half of 2025, here are three stocks that present strong technical setups with favorable risk/reward profiles. One is the largest market cap stock we’re familiar with, which bodes well for the market in general. The second is an old tech giant that’s making a comeback. The third is a beaten-down S&P 500 name that may be ready to rally.

Let’s dive into these three stocks.

NVIDIA (NVDA) is Leading the Market

Nvidia (NVDA) shares have finally broken out and closed above $150, a level we’ve been closely watching. With price action above that resistance threshold, NVDA’s stock price has room to run.

DeepSeek and tariff concerns seem to be in the rearview mirror. The fundamental positives are continued earnings growth, continued large tech cap-ex spend, and, more recently, Jensen Huang’s unveiling of a cute robot he feels could be the next big thing.

Technically, this move has legs, and we have the patterns and history to show for it. The risk/reward set-up is now quite favorable. Let’s break it down.

Over the last five years, there have been periods of consolidation (green boxes) and then significant breakouts to the upside. In all cases, shares became overbought according to the relative strength index (RSI). But overbought doesn’t mean NVDA’s stock price will reverse. During uptrends, overbought conditions can last for quite some time, as they did after the prior two significant breakouts.

With the official breakout above $150 and RSI again reading over 70, history suggests an extended rally is in the cards. A gain of 25–30% from current levels and a run to $200 is likely.

The downside risk is to the $150 level, from which shares just broke out. If this move is just a head fake, then use that level as a stop to limit your losses. This risk/reward set-up is why we believe this is one to own for the back half of 2025.

Cisco Systems (CSCO) Finds New Life

Old-timers like me may remember what a high flyer Cisco Systems (CSCO) once was. It’s been a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) since June 2009, and shares have struggled to sustain any upward momentum until lately.

Fundamentally, the company continued to grow through acquisition. Now, those deals are starting to help their bottom line, namely the $28 billion acquisition of Splunk that closed in 2024. 

Technically — and that’s what we care about on the StockCharts platform — we can have some fun.

Below is a 30-year chart going back to the dot-com boom. Cisco was one of Wall Street’s darlings and climbed astronomically before falling from the skies. It has struggled to revisit those levels, but that could change soon. 

Switching to a smaller time frame — a three-year weekly chart (see below) — we are seeing great set-ups as we head into the back half of 2025.

CSCO’s stock price consolidated between $43 and $55 for 15 months and broke out in late 2024. Shares rallied and then pulled back to old resistance (now support) at $55 and began their climb back.

Now shares are breaking out again. An upside target of $82, the all-time high set back during the dot-com era, is within reach and may just get there by year-end. The risk/reward seems favorable and, given the run in tech and cyber stocks which CSCO represents, the momentum is there to reach those highs.

Generac’s Power Play

Welcome to hurricane season! It lasts from June 1st to November 30. Generac (GNRC), a leader in home backup power, tends to perform well during weather extremes. It isn’t always the primary catalyst for rallies over the long term in the stock, but it can spur short-term rallies.

Last week, as much of the country was in the middle of a heat wave, GNRC had the best week of gains since November 2024, rallying nearly 12%. The trend change seems to be underway. Shares are lower by -8.1% year-to-date, and there’s room to run.

However, the charts are showing signs of life. Let’s keep this one as simple as possible.

The stock broke its longer-term downtrend (red line)

Shares have made a consistent set of higher lows (green uptrend)

Shares recaptured their 50-day moving average

Shares consolidated in an ascending triangle and broke out

Shares tested and failed to recapture their 200-day moving average

Progress is being made. The trend has changed, there’s something to reverse, and seasonal factors and reduced tariff concerns are a true tailwind.

Shares could easily pull back — a flag, if you will — to the $135 area, but should be a great entry point from a risk/reward perspective. Overall, shares are poised to continue reversing that longer-term downtrend, and could be a good addition to the portfolio for the end of 2025.

The Bottom Line

Each of these stocks offers a viable investment strategy with favorable risk-to-reward ratios. If you’re going to enter a position, use clearly-defined stop levels to manage your risks.

Keep Reading
By
4 Mins Read

Week Ahead: As NIFTY Breaks Out, Change Of Leadership Likely To Keep The Index Moving

After six weeks of consolidation and trading in a defined range, the markets finally broke out from this formation and ended the week with gains. Over the past five sessions, the markets have largely traded with a positive undercurrent, continuing to edge higher. The trading range was wider than anticipated; the Nifty traded in an 829-point range over the past few days. Volatility took a backseat; the India Vix slumped by 9.40% to 12.39 on a weekly basis. While trending higher throughout the week, the headline index closed with a net weekly gain of 525.40 points (2.09%).

The breakout that occurred in the previous week has pushed the support level higher for the Index. Now, the most immediate support level has been dragged higher to the 25100-25150 zone, the one that the markets penetrated to move higher. So long as the Nifty keeps its head above this zone, it is likely to continue moving higher. Over the coming weeks, we are also likely to see a distinct shift in the leadership, with the sectors that were in the bottoming-out process taking the lead. This would also mean that one must now focus on taking profits in the spaces that have run up much harder over the past week. While protecting gains, it would be wise to shift focus to the sectors that are likely to see much improved relative strength going forward from here.

The levels of 25750 and 26000 are likely to act as potential resistance levels for the coming week. The supports come in at the 25,300 and 25,000 levels. The trading range is likely to stay wider than usual.

The weekly RSI is 64.58; it stays neutral and does not show any divergence against the price. The weekly MACD is bullish and remains above its signal line. A large white candle emerged, indicating the directional strength that the markets exhibited throughout the week.

The pattern analysis of the weekly chart shows that the Nifty initially crossed above the rising trendline pattern resistance. This trendline began from the low of 21150 and joined the subsequent rising bottoms. However, the Nifty consolidated above the breakout point for six weeks before finally resuming its move higher. The Index has pushed its resistance levels higher; as long as the Index stays above the 25000 level, this breakout will remain valid.

It is also important to note that the Nifty’s Relative Strength (RS) line is attempting to reverse its trajectory. This may lead to the frontline index improving its relative performance against the broader markets. Along with this shift in relative strength, it is also strongly recommended that one consider protecting gains in sectors that have risen significantly over the past several weeks. The leadership over the coming weeks is likely to change, making rotating sectors even more important than before. While protecting gains, new purchases must be initiated in sectors that are showing improvement in momentum and relative strength. While some consolidation cannot be ruled out, a positive outlook is suggested for the coming week.

Sector Analysis for the coming week

In our look at Relative Rotation Graphs®, we compared various sectors against the CNX500 (NIFTY 500 Index), representing over 95% of the free-float market cap of all the listed stocks. 

Relative Rotation Graphs (RRG) show that only two sector Indices, Nifty Midcap 100 and the Nifty PSU Bank Index, are inside the leading quadrant. While the Midcap Index continues to rotate strongly, the PSU Bank Index is seen giving up on its relative momentum. These two groups are likely to outperform the broader markets relatively.

The Nifty PSE Index has rolled inside the weakening quadrant. This may result in the sector slowing down on its relative performance. The Nifty Commodities, Financial Services, Infrastructure, Banknifty, and the Services Sector Index are also inside the weakening quadrant.

The Nifty Consumption Index has rolled into the lagging quadrant. The FMCG Index and the Pharma Index also continue to languish inside this quadrant. The Nifty Metal Index is also located within the lagging quadrant; however, it is sharply improving its relative momentum compared to the broader markets.

The Nifty Realty, Media, IT, Auto, and Energy Indices are located within the leading quadrant. These groups are likely to assume leadership over the coming weeks as they continue to improve their relative momentum and strength compared to the broader Nifty 500 Index.

Important Note: RRG charts show the relative strength and momentum of a group of stocks. In the above Chart, they show relative performance against NIFTY500 Index (Broader Markets) and should not be used directly as buy or sell signals.  

Milan Vaishnav, CMT, MSTA

Consulting Technical Analyst

www.EquityResearch.asia | www.ChartWizard.ae

Keep Reading
By
2 Mins Read

Report: Naz Reid expected to sign contract extension with Timberwolves

Center Naz Reid is expected to factor into the Minnesota Timberwolves’ long-term plans.

Reid intends to sign a new five-year deal worth $125 million and features a player option, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The 6-foot-9 center had another strong season coming off the bench as the primary backup behind Rudy Gobert. Reid also provides some versatility on the roster with the ability to play as a power forward.

Reid’s new extension will closely align with Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who is under contract until the conclusion of the 2028-29 season.

Reid averaged a career-high 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 80 games, with 17 starts, shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point range this past season. He has averaged 11.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists through the first six years of his career.

Naz Reid’s contract history

Reid has been one of the best values in the NBA, finding an important role after going undrafted in 2019 following one season at LSU.

He has become a fan favorite and a primary option off the bench or a spot start when matchups dictate it.

Reid initially signed a two-way contract with the Timberwolves on July 5, 2019, as an undrafted free agent from LSU. His contract was converted from a two-way deal to a regular contract 13 days later. He had previously signed a contract extension in June 2023.

The 25-year-old signed a three-year, $41.9 million contract in 2023, and it immediately paid dividends as he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award the following year.

He had one year left on that previous contract worth $15 million for the 2025-26 season.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Keep Reading
By
2 Mins Read

Watch: Matthew Schaefer emotional after Islanders make him first pick

Matthew Schaefer is officially the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

The 17-year-old star was selected by the New York Islanders on June 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, despite missing half of last season due to a broken clavicle.

As Schaefer put on his Islanders uniform with the No. 25 on stage, he got emotional, kissing the jersey where a pink ribbon was placed, and pointing to the sky. Schaefer was likely paying homage to his mother, Jennifer, who died during the 2023-24 season.

Watch: Matthew Schaefer emotional after Islanders make him top pick

Schaefer was wearing a jacket with his mother’s picture inside when he arrived at the draft in Los Angeles. His mother, Jennifer, died following a two-year battle with breast cancer during the 2023-24 season. His billet mother, Emily Matson, and Erie Otters owner Jim Waters also died that same season. Schaefer played his junior hockey with Erie.

‘Thank you guys, I appreciate you taking a chance on me,’ Schaefer said to the Islanders’ decision makers following the selection on stage. ‘I promise I won’t disappoint, but especially want to say to my mom and the rest of my family and friends, ‘thanks for everything.”

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Keep Reading
By
6 Mins Read

NHL trade tracker: Analyzing Islanders-Canadiens deal and more

The NHL draft is entering its second day on June 28, and free agency is around the corner on July 1.

But there are also trades to be made as NHL teams acquire or move players to improve their immediate future or get their salary cap situation under control.

The latest big one was a trade on June 27 between the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens that also affected the first round of the draft. The Islanders sent defenseman Noah Dobson to the Canadiens for winger Emil Heineman and Montreal’s first two first-round picks (16th and 17th overall).

Trades will pick up with the draft continuing and free agency approaching. Tracking the latest NHL deals:

June 27: Hurricanes, Blackhawks trade picks

The Carolina Hurricanes trade No. 29 pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for No. 34 and 61, plus a fifth-round in 2027. The Blackhawks select Fargo forward Mason West.

June 27: Kings, Penguins trade draft picks

The Los Angeles Kings trade the No. 24 pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 31st and 59th overall picks. The hometown Kings move down seven spots and pick up a late second-rounder. Pittsburgh uses the pick on University of Michigan winger Will Horcoff, son for former Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff.

June 27: Senators, Predators trade draft picks

The Ottawa Senators trade the No. 21 pick to the Nashville Predators for the 23rd and 67th overall picks. Ottawa moves down two spots and gets a third-rounder. Nashville uses the pick to draft Kitchener (Ontario) defenseman Cameron Reid.

June 27: Penguins, Flyers trade draft picks

The Pittsburgh Penguins trade pick No. 12 to the Philadelphia Flyers for picks No. 22 and 31. No back-to-back picks for the Penguins and the Flyers go from three first-rounders to two. The Flyers take Windsor (Ontario) center Jack Nesbitt with the pick.

June 27: Blue Jackets acquire Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood from Avalanche

The Avalanche get back 20-year-old forward Gavin Brindley, a third-round selection (77th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft and a conditional 2027 second-rounder. This move helps the Blue Jackets’ depth. Wood has a lot of speed and kills penalties. Coyle, acquired by the Avalanche at the trade deadline, had 25 goals two seasons ago. The Avalanche clear cap space.

June 27: Canadiens acquire Noah Dobson from Islanders

Dobson, a restricted free agent, signed an eight-year, $76 million extension as part of the deal, according to Friedman. Dobson, a skilled offensive defenseman, had 70 points two seasons ago and joins a Montreal blue line that features rookie of the year Lane Hutson. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche gets two picks in the middle of the first round. Could he use the 16th and 17th picks as part of a package to move up in the draft? He didn’t, drafting Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson. Heineman, whom the Islanders acquired from the Canadiens as part of the deal, is known for his speed and two-way ability.

June 26: Mammoth acquire JJ Peterka from Sabres

The Utah Mammoth will be aggressive this offseason as they head into their second season in Salt Lake City. Peterka is coming off a career-best 68 points and totaled 55 goals the past two seasons. The 23-year-old was a restricted free agent and signed a five-year deal with the Mammoth after the trade.

The Sabres, who need to adjust their roster to try to end a 14-season playoff drought, get back defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. Kesselring, 25, had a career-best 29 points as he got more ice time because of injuries on the Utah blue line. Doan, 23, is the son of former Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan. He has another year left on his contract.

June 26: Panthers acquire Daniil Tarasov from the Blue Jackets

The Panthers give up a 2025 fifth-round pick for Tarasov, 26, a restricted free agent who became available with Jet Greaves emerging in Columbus. Current backup Vitek Vanecek is a pending unrestricted free agent. Tarasov has a career 3.44 goals-against average but those numbers should come down while playing behind a better Panthers defense. Sergei Bobrovsky will be 37 next season and has a year left on his contract. General Bill Zito potentially has found his future No. 1 goalie.

Also: The Seattle Kraken acquired two-way center Frederick Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild for a 2025 fourth-round pick. … In a free agency move, the Dallas Stars re-signed captain Jamie Benn for one year at $1 million, plus an additional $3 million in potential performance bonuses

June 25: Oilers trade Evander Kane to Canucks

This was a salary cap move, saving more than $5 million with the Oilers needing to re-sign defenseman Evan Bouchard. The Oilers get back a fourth-round pick. Kane, a Vancouver native, adds help on the wing with the Canucks expected to lose Brock Boeser to free agency.

June 23: Flyers acquire Trevor Zegras from Ducks

Zegras wanted to play center and the Ducks didn’t have room for him there in their top six. The Flyers land a creative forward who has scored several lacrosse-style goals but also has dealt recently with injuries. The Ducks get back center Ryan Poehling, who wins faceoffs and kills penalties, two areas where Anaheim needed improvement. They also receive a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder.

June 21: Blackhawks, Kraken make trade

The Chicago Blackhawks traded for left wing Andre Burakovsky, sending center Joe Veleno back to the Seattle Kraken. Burakovsky was available after the Kraken earlier acquired Mason Marchment. Burakovsky has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons but bounced back to play 79 games during the 2024-25 season, netting 10 goals and 27 assists with Seattle. Veleno scored 17 points this season between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. – Elizabeth Flores

June 19: Kraken acquire Mason Marchment from Stars

The Stars needed to clear out cap space after re-signing Matt Duchene so they traded 22-goal scorer Mason Marchment and his $4.5 million contract to the Seattle Kraken for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2025 fourth-rounder. In addition to his goals, he’s 6-foot-5 and throws hits.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Keep Reading
By
12 Mins Read

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon results: Fight card highlights

Deontay Wilder beat Tyrrell Herndon by seventh-round TKO Friday night at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas, possibly breathing life back into Wilder’s boxing career.

The former heavyweight world champion had lost four of his past five fights – including three by knockout – before his successful return to the ring.

Wilder, 39, did not land the thunderbolt right hand for which he is known. But he hit Herndon hard enough to win the fight, which the referee waved off at 2:16 of Round 7. Wilder also showed versatility, using his jab, his left and the right. He scored knockdowns in Round 2 and Round 6, but neither were the result of the infamous right hand.

“I know I didn’t give everybody what they truly wanted to see, but we going to get better and better as we get going,’’ Wilder said during an in-ring interview on the BLK Prime livestream. “This is a new beginning for me, so we’re striving to be better and better each day to give people what they want.”

Wilder improved to 44-4-1. Herndon, a 37-year-old journeyman from San Antonio, dropped to 24-6.

Wilder won the WBC world heavyweight championship in 2015 and defended the title 10 times before losing it to Tyson Fury in 2020. Wilder was fighting for the first time since he got knocked out in the fifth round by Zhilei Zhang on June 1, 2024.

‘I laid off a long time getting myself back together, getting myself mentally, physically, emotionally back together,’ Wilder said. ‘It’s been a long road for me. Just glad to be back in the ring.’

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon fight: Round-by-round analysis

Round 1

Buster Douglas, who shocked the world when he knocked out Mike Tyson in 1990, is in attendance. Tyrrell Herndon is hoping to borrow that “shock the world’’ script as his fight against Deontay Wilder begins. Wilder lets fly with a sharp left. Misses. They’re standing toe-to-toe before Herndon begins backpedaling, wisely. Wilder looks to be in terrific shape but so far is relying on the left jab. Herndon looks understandably cautious. Wilder stalking, but the right hand remains holstered. Now he lets a right go and misses. Herndon looks far more focused on avoiding the big punch than throwing one. Wilder returns to his jab but not showing ferocity. Wilder 10, Herndon 9.

Round 2

Wilder opens by flicking the left jab again. Herndon responds with his own jab and Wilder backs away. Then Wilder unloads a right that misses the mark. Wilder pawing now with the jab and backing away. He is not exuding the Wilder confidence. Throws another big right that Herndon dodges and he scurries away. Herndon has yet to throw a punch of consequence, but eats another jab. Oh, Wilder lands a left jab that knocks Herndon down! Herndon indicates it was a slip, and he’s quickly up and the fight resumes. Wilder 20, Herndon 17.

Round 3

Wilder firing the jab and looks more comfortable. Herndon looks stymied by Wilder’s significant reach advantage. He sidesteps another Wilder right without countering. His next impressive punch will be his first, as Wilder dominates the action here behind his jab. Misses with an uppercut and continues to stalk Herndon with the jab. Herndon lands a jab. Let’s document it before we forget it. He unloads with a right that’s way off the mark and the round ends. Wilder 30, Herndon 26.

Round 4

Wilder comes out aggressively, but he eats a left as he tries to position himself for … the KO punch? Wilder again working behind the left jab. Herndon lands a couple of effective lefts and this fight suddenly looks less one-sided. Herndon showing more confidence, at which point Wilder unloads his right and has Herndon escaping by bouncing off the ropes. Sloppy. Bell rings. Wilder 40, Herndon 35.

Round 5

Wilder throws a left and a right and is getting revved up. He tags Herndon with a right that backs up Herndon but won’t close Herndon’s eyes and end the fight. Herndon fighting back. Well, trying. Having trouble closing the distance between himself and Wilder. Wilder lands a nice left but can’t find his target with the right. Herndon lands a noteworthy right before the round ends with Herndon bleeding from the nose. Wilder 50, Herndon 44.

Round 6

Wilder delivers a hard left to the body, not unleashing rights. Herndon’s on the canvas, but this time it’s a slip. Wilder pounces, unleashing his left and right as Herndon ducks. Wilder throwing rights but struggling to hit the mark. Herndon smiling, then lowers his head and reaches for Wilder in hopes of holding on. Wilder unloading rights and down goes Herndon. As a result of letting his gloves hit the canvas. Herndon back up and the fight resumes. Wilder unloading again, drills Herndon and throws him to the canvas as the round ends. Wilder 60, Herndon 52.

Round 7

Wilder comes out behind that left jab. Throws a big right that misses. But he lands with a follow-up and scores with a left. Herndon, covering up, drops to his knee in a corner. Boos can be heard. Wilder moving forward, lands a big right and the referee stops the fight! It’s Wilder by TKO!

Deon Nicholson def. Devonte Williams

Most of the crowd had emptied the arena before this bizarre finish. Originally scheduled as the co-main event, the light heavyweight bout ended up serving as the final and most confounding fight of the night.

The BLK Prime broadcasters repeatedly suggested Williams was looking for a way out of the fight. Williams virtually confirmed it in the fourth round, when he took a knee after getting hit with a body shot, smiled, spit out his mouthguard and watched as the referee halted the fight.

It was hard to tell who was smiling more broadly – Nicholson, who improved to 22-1, or Williams, who dropped to 13-2 after appearing to let the bout end prematurely.

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon: Time, PPV, streaming for fight

The highly anticipated bout between Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon will take place on Friday, June 27 and can be watched on BLK Prime pay-per-view.

  • Date: Friday, June 27, 2025
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET
  • Location: Wichita, Kansas
  • PPV: BLK Prime pay-per-view
  • Streaming: Fubo as a Pay-per-view

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon main card, ring walk start times

  • Main card start time: 9 p.m. ET
  • Main event ring walks: 11 p.m. ET (approximate)

Nico Hernandez def. Robert Ledesma by TKO

Hernandez, a bronze medalist at the 2016 Olympics, put on a show. Fighting for the first time in two years, Hernandez, a native of Wichita, dominated Ledesma with power and flair.

Hernandez, 29, knocked down Ledesma with a body punch in the first round and did it a second time in the following round, at which point the ref waved off the fight.

Hernandez improved to 12-0.

Ledesma, a 37-year-old from San Antonio, hardly looked like Olympic medalist material while falling to 3-15-1.

Gustavo Trujillo def. Lateef Kayode by TKO

Trujillo pounded Kayode into submission in the sixth round of the heavyweight bout. It ended with Kayode’s corner calling to the ref to end the fight, with the referee officially halting it at 2:15 of the sixth round.

Trujillo, a 32-year-old Cuban, improved to 8-0.

Kayode looked stiff and awkward almost from the start of the bout. But while he continued to absorb punishment, he periodically fought back.

That finally ceased in the sixth round as Trujillo whaled away. Kayode, a 42-year-old from Nigeria, dropped to 22-6.

Aaron Casper def Jeff Page Jr. by unanimous decision

Do not judge a fighter by his record. At least not the 8-11-2 record that Casper brought into the fight.

Casper consistently landed a variety of head-snapping punches and won the six-round cruiserweight fight.

The judges scored it 59-55, 59-55, 58-56 in favor of Casper, a 36-year-old from Georgia.

Page entered with a record of 18-3, and Casper seemed to be only one of his issues. So was ring rust and fatigue while fighting pro for the first time in eight years.

Eric Valencia def. Willie Harris by TKO

It started oddly, with Harris taking a knee just a few seconds into the fight after taking a punch to the head.

The lightweight bout ended somewhat mysteriously, too, when Harris dropped to the canvas several seconds after getting hit by a body shot later in the first round. He wore a look of agony, indicated he couldn’t continue and the referee waved off the fight.

Valencia, 21, improved to 4-0. Harris, 20, dropped to 0-2.

John Cantrell def. Franklin Sparks by KO

The canvas is getting a workout at Charles Koch Arena. Cantrell floored Sparks with a knockout punch that left him slumped in the corner in the first round of their heavyweight fight.

Cantrell, a 35-year-old from Kansas, improved to 14-0. Sparks, a 40-year-old from Missouri, dropped to 4-5.

Cantrell’s first-round KO was the second straight on the card

Jorge Carlos def. Jay Krupp by KO

The 42-year-old Krupp returned to the ring for the first time in almost 10 years. For a chance to face undefeated, 19-year-old Carlos.

It’s no stretch to think Krupp will regret the decision.

Carlos knocked him out in the first round with a brutal body shot. Krupp already had gone down once from another left to the body. The KO shot left him wincing, gasping for air and clearly unable to continue the lightweight bout.

Kansas City’s Carlos improved to 10-0 and Florida’s Krupp fell to 18-11.

Marco Romero def. Andre Amaro by KO

Amaro took the fight on short notice. It ended on short notice, too.

The 43-year-old Amaro of Hawaii crumpled to the canvas in the first round of the super middleweight bout after getting clubbed by an overhand right from the 19-year-old Romero of Wichita.

With the knockout, Romero improved to 9-0 with eight KOs. Amaro dropped to 2-1.

Chauncey Wilson def. Joshua Richey by unanimous decision

Wilson celebrated his victory with a double backflip that was almost as entertaining as the four-round featherweight fight.

Showboating. Trash talking. Plenty of slugging, and a knockdown.

It was Wilson who knocked down Richey in the second round in the pro debut of both fighters who hail from Wichita, Kansas.

The judges scored it 40-35, 40-35 and 39-36 for the 33-year-old Wilson. Richey, 31, got no creativity points despite what appeared to be an attempt to throw a punch from behind his back during a clinch.

Kayla Williams def. Helen Lucero by unanimous decision

At 47, Helen Lucero of Denver stepped into the ring with an 0-4 record and a chance to end the skid against a fighter 15 years younger.

No luck.

Kayla Williams, a 32-year-old from Andover, Kansas, controlled the fight with her trusty right hand during the four-round lightweight fight. She improved to 2-1. Lucero never backed down but suffered her fifth straight loss by decision.

The judges scored the fight 40-39, 40-39 and 39-37 in favor of Williams

Noah Aldana def. General Lee by TKO

Aldana dropped Lee to the canvas with a straight right followed by a left in the third round of their lightweight fight.

With Lee bleeding from the mouth and wobbly as he reached his feet, the referee stopped the fight at 2:38 of the third round.

Aldana, a 22-year-old from Garden City, Kansas, improved to 4-0 with his fourth knockout.

Lee, a 33-year-old from Joplin, Missouri, was making his pro debut. 

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon fight card

  • Deontay Wilder (43-4-1) vs. Tyrrell Herndon (24-5)
  • Deon Nicholson (21-1) vs. Devonte Williams (13-1)
  • Nico Hernandez (11-0) vs. Robert Ledesma (3-14-1)
  • Gustavo Trujillo (7-0) vs. Lateef Kayode (22-5)
  • Jeff Page Jr. (18-3) vs. Aaron Casper (8-11-2)
  • Jorge Carlos (9-0) vs. Jay Krupp (18-10)
  • John Cantrell (13-0) vs. Franklin Sparks (4-4)
  • Joshua Richey (debut) vs. Chancey Wilson (debut)
  • Eric Valencia (3-0) vs. Willie Harris (0-1)
  • Kayla Williams (1-1) vs. Helen Lucero (0-4)
  • Miguel Noah Aldana (3-0) vs. General Lee (debut)

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon fight odds

All odds are for moneyline bets as of evening of Friday, June 27, according to BetMGM.

  • Deontay Wilder (-1600) vs. Tyrrell Herndon (+700)
  • Tie: (+2500)

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon predictions

Sporting News: Wilder via KO

Daniel Yanofsky writes, ‘As we have seen through his career, Wilder can take damage. Recently, he hasn’t been able to take shots from the best boxing has to offer. However, he only needs one punch to take an opponent out.  If Wilder can’t get the win, it’s an indication of where he is in his career. He doesn’t need to be his best. The 39-year-old just needs to throw like a madman with everything to lose.  Don’t count out an upset, but if he still has that pop, Wilder should finish things off in the early rounds.’

CBS Sports: Deontay Wilder via KO1

Brent Brookhouse writes, ‘Wilder doesn’t need to be at his best to beat a fighter like Herndon, he just needs to throw punches. The biggest concerns for Wilder are that he didn’t throw nearly enough punches in his two most recent outings and that he has suffered some big knockdowns and knockouts over his past five fights. Those are probably concerns that come into play against a better opponent than Herndon.’

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon price

The full card for the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyrrell Herndon will be shown on BLK Prime pay-per-view for $24.99.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Keep Reading
By
4 Mins Read

Key information for NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta, In-Season Challenge debut

The NASCAR Cup Series rolls into the Atlanta area for a Saturday night race that will also serve as the debut of its inaugural In-Season Challenge.

The full field will race for the win at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) just as they normally would, but within the race, 32 drivers will compete in head-to-head matchups seeking to finish better than their opponent and advance to the next round.

The NASCAR In-Season Challenge will run for five races, culminating with the final on Sunday, July 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where two drivers will compete against each other for a $1 million prize. The single-elimination tournament, which is similar to March Madness or a tennis draw, will cut the field of competitors in half following each race leading up to the championship.

The 32 drivers were seeded based on their finishes at three previous races – at Michigan, Mexico City and Pocono – with Denny Hamlin earning the No. 1 seed, while his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe earned the No. 2 seed. But, drivers who did not qualify for the In-Season Challenge will still be racing on the track alongside tournament participants, and everyone will be seeking the ultimate prize: taking the checkered flag at the end of the night and celebrating in victory lane.

Who will come out on top? Here is all the information you need to get ready for the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway:

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta start?

The Quaker State 400 is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 28, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta on?

The Quaker State 400 will be broadcast on TNT, with an alternate telecast on truTV. A pre-race show on TNT will air at 6:30 p.m. ET, with a post-race show to follow the completion of the race.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta?

Yes. The Quaker State 400 can be live streamed on Max and Sling TV.

Stream the NASCAR race at Atlanta on Sling

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta?

The Quaker State 400 is 260 laps around the 1.54-mile oval for a total of 400.4 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 60 laps; Stage 2: 100 laps; Stage 3: 100 laps.

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup races at Atlanta?

In the second race of the 2025 season on Feb. 23, Christopher Bell won in overtime, topping Carson Hocevar as the race ended under caution due to a crash on the final lap. Bell had started way back in 32nd place but found himself up front when the race restarted for a green-white-checkered finish. 

What is the lineup for the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta?

(Car number in parentheses)

  1. (22) Joey Logano, Ford
  2. (21) Josh Berry, Ford
  3. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
  4. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
  5. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford
  6. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
  7. (41) Cole Custer, Ford
  8. (38) Zane Smith, Ford
  9. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
  10. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
  11. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
  12. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
  13. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford
  14. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
  15. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
  16. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
  17. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
  18. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet
  19. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
  20. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota
  21. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
  22. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
  23. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
  24. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
  25. (1) Corey LaJoie, Ford
  26. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota
  27. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford
  28. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
  29. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
  30. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
  31. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
  32. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
  33. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
  34. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
  35. (88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
  36. (87) Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet
  37. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
  38. (78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet
  39. (51) Cody Ware, Ford
  40. (66) David Starr, Ford

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Keep Reading
By