21 trade ideas for 20 October 2026: 11 long and 10 short. Entry, stop and two targets are given for each, with the reasoning and the level at which the idea is abandoned.
Today's framework
Tuesday 20 October 2026. Oil is the engine of the list: the Houthis said they had struck Saudi energy and airport targets, Brent is in its highest zone since 20 May, and the two oil majors are the strongest names on the buy side. The second thread is the debate over the return on artificial intelligence spending, which is pressing the chip side while sparing the names outside it.
Eleven of the ideas are long and ten short, all taken at the market. The sell side is concentrated in the metals group and the weaker crypto majors.
Trade ideas
Every idea on this list is medium-term and entry is given as a band. The note under the table gives the reasoning and the level at which the idea is abandoned.
| No | Instrument | Direction | Entry | Stop | Target 1 | Target 2 | Entry condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cryptocurrencies | |||||||
| 1 | BTC | Long | 81,300 – 82,000 | 81,200 | 83,158 | 84,500 | Market |
| 2 | ETH | Short | 2,405 – 2,430 | 2,446 | 2,372.62 | 2,329 | Market · small size |
| Stocks | |||||||
| 3 | XOM | Long | 177.50 – 178.80 | 177.2 | 179.3 | 181.5 | Market |
| 4 | CVX | Long | 223.50 – 225.00 | 223 | 225.67 | 228 | Market |
| Commodities | |||||||
| 5 | Brent Crude | Long | 109.00 – 110.20 | 106.8 | 111.02 | 113 | Market |
| 6 | WTI | Long | 98.00 – 99.30 | 96.85 | 101.9 | 104.18 | Market |
| Stocks | |||||||
| 7 | AAPL | Long | 341.50 – 343.50 | 340 | 346 | 347.82 | Market |
| 8 | AMZN | Long | 260 – 263 | 255 | 263.72 | 268 | Market |
| 9 | MSFT | Long | 531 – 535 | 528 | 543.82 | 550 | Market |
| Indices | |||||||
| 10 | S&P 500 | Long | 7,685 – 7,700 | 7,631 | 7,731.18 | 7,756.84 | Market · small size |
| 11 | FTSE 100 | Long | 10,740 – 10,790 | 10,730 | 10,889.9 | 10,980 | Market · small size |
| Commodities | |||||||
| 12 | Copper | Long | 6.56 – 6.60 | 6.5 | 6.594 | 6.65 | Market · small size |
| Cryptocurrencies | |||||||
| 13 | XRP | Short | 1.3050 – 1.3150 | 1.322 | 1.2865 | 1.2562 | Market |
| 14 | AVAX | Short | 9.60 – 9.72 | 9.84 | 9.43 | 9.26 | Market · small size |
| 15 | ADA | Short | 0.2185 – 0.2225 | 0.2229 | 0.2147 | 0.2111 | Market · small size |
| Stocks | |||||||
| 16 | AMD | Short | 540 – 548 | 554.5 | 535.67 | 526.83 | Market · small size |
| Indices | |||||||
| 17 | CAC 40 | Short | 7,875 – 7,895 | 7,900 | 7,821.29 | 7,780 | Market |
| Commodities | |||||||
| 18 | Silver | Short | 57.80 – 58.10 | 58.3 | 56.51 | 56 | Market |
| 19 | Platinum | Short | 1,656 – 1,668 | 1,680 | 1,636 | 1,623.3 | Market · small size |
| 20 | Palladium | Short | 1,116 – 1,128 | 1,135 | 1,106.5 | 1,090 | Market |
| Currencies | |||||||
| 21 | CHFJPY | Short | 191.50 – 191.90 | 192.1 | 191.35 | 190.78 | Market · small size |
- 1. BTC — long. At 81,849 dollars and squeezed between the 50 and 20-day averages; the lower bound is 81,481 and the upper 83,242. The trading range of the past three days stayed below the 90-day median, so volatility is narrowing, which usually signals a breakout. Kuptsikevich of FxPro calls yesterday's move a reaction rather than the resumption of the rise. A close above 83,242 is needed for direction. Action: buy in the 81,300-82,000 band, target 83,158. Invalidated if: A close below 81,200.
- 2. ETH — short. At 2,399 dollars with the price making successively lower highs and lower lows; the monthly loss is 8.87% and it is 8.2% behind bitcoin over the past month. The support area around 2,350 still holds but weakens with every test. The structure is down, so no buy is given here. Action: small sell in the 2,405-2,430 band, target 2,372. Invalidated if: A close above 2,446.
- 3. XOM — long. At 178.28 dollars with the price making successively higher highs and higher lows; over the past month it returned 19.6% more than the market. It is only 0.6% below its one-year high and the weekly gain is 3.56%. Brent is at 110 dollars, and the Houthis said on Monday they had targeted the Aramco facility at Yanbu, the Shaybah oil field and Riyadh airport; Kpler reports at least 18 ships attacked in two weeks. Action: buy in the 177.50-178.80 band, target 179.30. Invalidated if: A close below 177.20.
- 4. CVX — long. At 224.37 dollars with the price holding its rising high-low structure; over the past month it is 19.5% ahead of the market and it is within 0.6% of its one-year high. With a 4.36% weekly gain it is stronger than Exxon. It is tied to the same supply story but has performed better this week. Action: buy in the 223.50-225 band, target 225.67. Invalidated if: A close below 223.
- 5. Brent Crude — long. At 109.93 dollars and in its highest zone since 20 May; it touched 110.70 on Monday and the weekly gain is 3.08%. The rise comes directly from the attacks: the Houthis said they had carried out several strikes on Saudi energy and airport targets. ING's warning matters: if flows continue unobstructed the risk premium erodes slowly, but there is no sign of that now. Action: buy in the 109-110.20 band, target 111.02. Invalidated if: A close below 106.80.
- 6. WTI — long. At 98.62 dollars and the strongest in commodities with a 5.21% weekly gain; after touching 104.18 on Monday it pulled back 4.86% yesterday, which improved the entry. The spread to Brent is 11.30 dollars. Trump's executive order suspending the Russia sanctions is not yet clear, and that uncertainty moves the price both ways. Action: buy in the 98-99.30 band, target 101.90. Invalidated if: A close below 96.85.
- 7. AAPL — long. At 342.94 dollars with the price sustaining its rising high-low structure; over the past month it is 14.7% ahead of the market and only 1.5% below its one-year high. With the return on artificial intelligence spending under debate, this company staying outside that debate explains the divergence. Action: buy in the 341.50-343.50 band, target 346. Invalidated if: A close below 340.
- 8. AMZN — long. At 262.45 dollars and with 4.98% yesterday it was the strongest large stock in the market; the price is in a rising high-low structure and it is 7% ahead of the market over the past month. Volume was 54% above average, so the buying came with real interest. Because the cloud side rests on contracted revenue it is the name least affected by the spending debate. Action: buy in the 260-263 band, target 263.72. Invalidated if: A close below 255.
- 9. MSFT — long. At 533.52 dollars with the price holding its rising high-low structure; over the past month it is 16.7% ahead of the market. It rose 0.84% yesterday but is 1.41% lower on the week and fell to 528 on Friday. That pullback improved the entry and the structure is intact. Action: buy in the 531-535 band, target 543.82. Invalidated if: A close below 528. It is not traded on MT5.
- 10. S&P 500 — long. At 7,690.73 and up 0.41% yesterday; the weekly loss is 1.49% and the price sits above the 200-day average by 5.1%. The recovery came from short covering rather than from new buyers. Netflix and SpaceX report today. Action: small buy in the 7,685-7,700 band, target 7,731. Invalidated if: A close below 7,631.
- 11. FTSE 100 — long. At 10,764.69 and down 1.08% yesterday; the weekly gain is still 1.02% and the price sits above the 200-day average by 3.5%. Its energy weighting supports it while Brent is at 110 dollars, but yesterday's fall weakened the structure. Action: small buy in the 10,740-10,790 band, target 10,889. Invalidated if: A close below 10,730.
- 12. Copper — long. At 6.592 dollars and up 0.83% yesterday; the weekly loss is 1.59% and the price is 3.5% below its one-year high. China grew 4.5% in the third quarter and beat expectations, which supports the demand side. The structure is mixed, so the size is small. Action: small buy in the 6.56-6.60 band, target 6.594. Invalidated if: A close below 6.50.
- 13. XRP — short. At 1.3023 dollars with the price in a falling high-low structure; it is 10.7% behind bitcoin over the past month and the monthly loss is 7.66%. Circulating supply has grown since 2017 by 63%, which makes a recovery in the price harder even if market value holds. Action: sell in the 1.3050-1.3150 band, target 1.2865. Invalidated if: A close above 1.3220.
- 14. AVAX — short. At 9.569 dollars and, 14.2% behind bitcoin over the past month, the weakest in crypto; the weekly loss is 5.69% and it fell 2.12% yesterday. It has dropped below 10 dollars and cannot recover. Action: small sell in the 9.60-9.72 band, target 9.43. Invalidated if: A close above 9.84.
- 15. ADA — short. At 0.2178 dollars and 8.9% behind bitcoin over the past month; the weekly loss is 6.56% and it sits below the 200-day average by 5.1%. Action: small sell in the 0.2185-0.2225 band, target 0.2147. Invalidated if: A close above 0.2229.
- 16. AMD — short. At 538.05 dollars and 11.8% behind the market over the past month; the weekly loss is 9.46% and it recovered 1.76% yesterday. The chip side is the group under most pressure while the return on artificial intelligence spending is questioned. Action: small sell in the 540-548 band, target 535.67. Invalidated if: A close above 554.50.
- 17. CAC 40 — short. At 7,868 and 3.8% behind the market over the past month; it fell 1.11% yesterday and the price sits below the 200-day average by 10.1%. More than 500 thousand people marched in France and a curfew was declared in several cities including Paris and Nice. The France-Germany bond spread is at 145 basis points, the widest in two weeks. Action: sell in the 7,875-7,895 band, target 7,821. Invalidated if: A close above 7,900.
- 18. Silver — short. At 57.72 dollars with the price in a falling high-low structure; the monthly loss is 13.28% and it is 52% below its one-year high. It rose 1.30% yesterday, which offers a better level for the entry. Gold is in the same structure but the fall in silver is far sharper. Action: sell in the 57.80-58.10 band, target 56.51. Invalidated if: A close above 58.30.
- 19. Platinum — short. At 1,655.20 dollars with the price in a falling high-low structure; the monthly loss is 8.22% and it is 42% below its one-year high. It rose 1% yesterday, which created a better level for the sell. Action: sell in the 1,656-1,668 band, target 1,636. Invalidated if: A close above 1,680.
- 20. Palladium — short. At 1,114 dollars with the price in a falling high-low structure; the monthly loss is 14.71% and it is 49% below its one-year high. Industrial demand is weak and the worst performance in the metals group is here. Action: sell in the 1,116-1,128 band, target 1,106.50. Invalidated if: A close above 1,135.
- 21. CHFJPY — short. At 191.46 and flat yesterday; the price is in a falling high-low structure and sits below the 200-day average by 2%. But on Friday it touched 192.03 and went through our stop level, so the level has to be set again. Action: sell in the 191.50-191.90 band, target 191.35. Invalidated if: A close above 192.10.
This page is for general information only. It is not investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any financial instrument, and it does not take account of any recipient's objectives, financial situation or needs. Levels and commentary reflect a view at a point in time and may change without notice. Past performance does not indicate future results. Trading in leveraged products including Forex, CFDs and cryptocurrencies carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors; you may lose more than your initial investment.