☕ SPY ZERO DTE February 17, 2026 EDGE News – VIP LEVELS
📰 THE MORNING LESSON
“Back From The Long Weekend — Don’t Rush The First Pitch”
Markets were closed Monday for Presidents’ Day.
You had a long weekend. You rested. You’re eager to trade.
That eagerness is dangerous.
After a long weekend:
- Overnight gaps may have formed
- Positioning has shifted
- Liquidity is rebuilding
- The first 30 minutes is chaos, not opportunity
The market doesn’t care that you missed it.
It will be here tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that.
Don’t swing at the first pitch because you’re anxious. Wait for YOUR pitch. The fat one over the plate.
Today’s setup: We’re in DEEP BEAR COUNTY — 10+ points below the Flip. #1 and #2 magnets are BOTH NEGATIVE. This is not the day to be a hero catching bottoms.
Respect the trend. Wait for structure. Let the market show its hand FIRST.
☕ HOW TO USE THIS LETTER:
This Coffee With Q letter is a NEWSPAPER that comes out at night. Q wakes up at 4 AM, reads other markets, and does the pre-market update.
So with your coffee and croissant, consume this FAT-FREE DOSE to keep you LEAN and MEAN.
Read it. Study it. Apply it. Or become liquidity.
⚖️ DISCLAIMER – READ FIRST
This is not investment advisory. I’m not calling trades. I’m teaching you to think. These levels are NOT buy/sell signals. Trading involves substantial risk of loss. If you can’t afford to lose, don’t trade. No guarantees. Full disclaimer at bottom.
📋 To Be Fair to All:
- Do not post your trades publicly — only share with Gary or Q confidentially.
- The levels are key levels, but price can always change — no one controls the market. No crystal ball. No guarantees.
- We will post the tape after the fact — to avoid any misunderstanding during live calls.
- IF you create a student zoom room and you are bringing in paid members you are supposed to take permission. IKIGAI, Q or G and our associates and undertakings are not liable in any manner whatsoever directly or indirectly. Please review your agreement.
- We will not cherry pick. You will see the good, the bad, and the ugly.
- We’ll continue doing weekly calls to help you maintain clarity with structure.
🚨 WHAT ARE Q LEVELS? (READ THIS OR LOSE MONEY)
Q Levels are NOT support and resistance.
Q Levels are strikes where Market Makers who are EXPOSED will HEDGE. When price reaches these levels, MM activity creates reactions — but that does NOT mean you enter a trade.
Q Levels are 1 of 6 structure points. You need ALL 6 to make a trade decision:
| # |
Structure Point |
What It Tells You |
| 1 |
Q Levels (Exposure) |
Where MMs are exposed and will hedge |
| 2 |
Liquidity Zones |
Where stops are sitting (LQ Green / LQ Red) |
| 3 |
Market Structure |
Higher Highs, Lower Lows |
| 4 |
Volume |
Is money flowing in or out? |
| 5 |
Time |
Opening range, power hour, lunch chop |
| 6 |
POI Confluence |
Do multiple points align? |
❌ Q Levels alone = You will lose money ✅ Q Levels + 5 other structure points = You have an edge
Follow the education.
🚨 THE 5-MINUTE RULE (YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG)
WRONG: “Price hits 680, I wait 5 minutes, then I enter.”
RIGHT: “Price hits 680, I watch if it HOLDS above/below for 5+ minutes while checking structure. If it holds AND structure confirms, THEN I look for an entry.”
The 5 minutes is not a timer to enter. It’s a FILTER to see if the level is real.
| What You See |
What It Means |
What You Do |
| Price hits 680, immediately reverses |
Level rejected, no hold |
NO TRADE – wait |
| Price hits 680, chops around for 3 min, falls back |
Failed to hold |
NO TRADE – wait |
| Price breaks 680, holds below for 5+ min, structure confirms |
Level accepted as resistance |
NOW check your 6 points for entry |
The 5-minute hold is CONFIRMATION, not a green light.
⚙️ Q ALGO™ TIMEFRAME PRESSURE
Draw these 3 lines on your chart:
| Line |
Value |
Color |
Meaning |
| MM Flip |
691 |
🟠 Orange |
Above = Bulls in control. Below = Bears in control. |
| MM Ceiling |
687 |
🔴 Red |
Break + hold above = See structure for LONG |
| MM Floor |
675 |
🟢 Green |
Break + hold below = See structure for SHORT |
📍 TODAY: Price at 680.95 = 10.43 pts BELOW Flip = 🐻🐻 DEEP BEAR COUNTY
We’re sitting RIGHT ON #2 magnet (680). The #1 MONSTER (675) is 6 pts below us, pulling DOWN.
📊 YOUR LEVELS
TradingView String (Copy & Paste):
695,688,687,680.95,695,691.38,679,680,675,675
How to use: Paste into IKIGAI Master QZ Structure indicator.
Options Flow (Strike, Calls, Puts):
695, 11.5K, 0
690, 6.7K, 0
688, 4.6K, 1.4K
687, 5.5K, 0.9K
685, 3.4K, 2.9K
684, 2.1K, 1.8K
682, 1.6K, 2.5K
680, 0.6K, 8.3K
679, 0.3K, 2.4K
675, 0.3K, 24.7K
Look at the flow 👆 — MASSIVE PUT WALL at 675 (24.7K puts). 680 also heavy puts (8.3K). Calls only show up at 687+. Bears dominate the battlefield.
🐂 LONG LEVELS (See Structure for Long)
| Level |
Name |
GEX |
What Must Happen |
| 687 |
P1 / Ceiling |
11.9M |
Break above + hold 5 min + structure confirms |
| 688 |
P2 |
7.5M |
After 687 holds, next target |
| 691 |
Flip Zone |
— |
After 688 holds, reclaim bull territory |
⚠️ DO NOT buy just because “it’s oversold” or “we’re at support.” ✅ DO wait for reclaim + hold + structure (all 6 points).
NOTE: Long trades are COUNTER-TREND in this environment. Higher risk.
🐻 SHORT LEVELS (See Structure for Short)
| Level |
Name |
GEX |
What Must Happen |
| 680 |
N2 / Current |
-23.8M |
Break below + hold 5 min + structure confirms |
| 679 |
N3 |
-6.7M |
After 680 breaks, next target |
| 675 |
N1 / Floor / MONSTER |
-55.5M |
After 679 breaks, next target |
⚠️ DO NOT short just because chart is red. ✅ DO wait for break + hold + structure (all 6 points).
☕ CHOP ZONE
| Zone |
Why No Trade |
| 681-686 |
Between current price and Ceiling (687). Chop zone. This is where the enemy cooks you 🍳 |
What to do: Wait for price to break above 687 (bullish attempt) or break below 680 (bearish continuation toward 675), then check ALL 6 structure points.
📊 SIMPLE DECISION TABLE
| Price Location |
What To Do |
| Above 687 (break + holding) |
See structure for LONG (counter-trend) |
| At 687 |
Decision point – break or reject? |
| Between 681-686 |
☕ No trade – wait for edges |
| At 680 |
⚡ WE ARE HERE – Decision point |
| Below 680 (and holding) |
See structure for SHORT toward 675 |
🔥 TUESDAY FACTOR (Post-Long Weekend)
| What To Expect |
Why |
| Gap potential |
Weekend news, positioning shifts |
| First 30 min = chaos |
Liquidity rebuilding, algos recalibrating |
| Trend continuation likely |
#1 and #2 both negative = bears still in charge |
Key question: Does 680 hold as support? Or do we slide toward the MONSTER at 675?
DO NOT rush the first trade of the week. Let the market show you first.
⚖️ DISCLAIMER
This is not investment advisory. I’m not calling trades. I’m teaching you to think. Trading futures and options involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The IKIGAI Algo and any associated indicators, tools, or educational materials are provided for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. You should consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any trading decisions. Q Levels and affiliated parties are not registered investment advisors, broker-dealers, or financial planners. By participation, you acknowledge you are solely responsible for your own trading decisions and any resulting gains or losses. No guarantees of profit or specific results are made or implied. All sales are final. Please trade responsibly and only risk capital you can afford to lose.
— Q Levels Trading | Coffee With Q ☕🐻🐻
