🤑 Friday Finale: Greed Index Spikes in Bear Territory

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Hello, my Friends!

🟢 Wall Street wrapped the earnings week in the green, and I want you closing this email with the same winning Mindset.

🤝 Two economic titans are back at the negotiating table over tariffs, while daily headlines out of the White House keep volatility on a hair‑trigger.

📊 Add in the record‑breaking surge in options volume, and the tape is primed for explosive moves in either direction.

The Fear & Greed Index just flipped to “Greed” territory - even though many analysts still call this a bear market. 

Remember that markets are always looking six months ahead, not in the rear‑view mirror.

The Index rolls seven market gauges - momentum, breadth, put‑call ratios, junk‑bond demand, safe‑haven flows, 52‑week highs vs. lows, and the VIX - into a single score.

• Extreme Fear (0‑25): Capitulation.

• Extreme Greed (75‑100): Euphoria.

Think of it as Wall Street’s mood ring: glance once, and you know when to lean in.

Enough headlines about tariffs and high‑stakes deal‑making - let’s pull back the curtain and see how the top 1% close better deals.

Lessons from the Trenches

Most entrepreneurs react; elite founders orchestrate. After dissecting more than 2,000 seed‑to‑Series B negotiations, one pattern was unmistakable: winners combine clarity, structure, and tactical empathy.

They prepare like lawyers, not gamblers.

Mediocre negotiators show up with vibes. Elite ones show up with research.

• The BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement) for both sides

• What concessions they’re willing to give - and what’s non-negotiable

• How to anchor the conversation around a number that benefits them

“Negotiation is 90% prep, 10% talk.” – top-performing founder, SaaS exit $120M

They ask uncomfortable questions

While others tiptoe, top 1% founders go straight to the core:

• “What are your internal constraints?”

• “Who else needs to sign off?”

• “What does a 'win' look like for your team?”

These questions frame control early and reveal decision-makers, deadlines, and dealbreakers before they explode at the final hour.

They play the long game - without being soft

They don’t get emotionally hijacked by a pause, a “no,” or a power move.
They understand: silence is strategy. Rejection is leverage.
They’re not just closing this deal - they’re building future deal flow.

They treat each negotiation like a data point, not a battle.

They create win conditions that align incentives

Instead of arguing over price, they shift the discussion to outcomes.
Examples:

• Revenue share instead of a flat fee

• Performance-based equity clauses

• Deferred comp tied to project success

This makes the deal a mutual mission - not a tug-of-war.

They track their negotiation performance like a KPI

You track your probability - but what about your negotiation hit rate?

• Keep a deal journal

• Review what worked and what backfired

• Debrief with advisors or team post-close

They learn forward - every time!

If you’re winging it, you’re burning money and leverage. Treat negotiation as a craft: prep, execute, review, repeat. The top 1% treat negotiating like a craft. They plan for it, train for it, and debrief after it.

Market Rundown

📈 The S&P 500 kept inching higher despite ending the week with a subtle bearish print.

🛑 Friday’s close clung to the mid‑week support zone, setting up a classic suspense point: will the uptrend gather momentum, or will the next big headline slam the brakes?

Market Snapshot Headlines

• Wall Street Wobbles on Trade Jitters – S&P 500 slips, Dow ticks lower, Nasdaq squeaks into the green as investors await U.S. - China tariff talks.

• Trump Floats “80 % Tariff” on Chinese Goods – First concrete alternative to his 145 % levy heightens weekend‑deal suspense.

• Sector Split: Healthcare sinks 1.1 %, while Energy surges on a nearly 2 % crude‑oil pop.

• Weekly Scorecard: Big three indexes finish down; small‑cap Russell 2000 logs a fifth straight weekly win - its best streak since 2023.

• Next Week’s Spotlight: Walmart earnings take center stage as tariff anxieties linger.

• Notable Move: Expedia tumbles 7 % after missing revenue targets.

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Before you shut the screens, take one deliberate breath, unclench your shoulders, and ask: “What one decision tomorrow will move me closer to the life I’m building?”

Share your entrepreneurial journey! Simply hit “reply” to this email and join the conversation on X.

Until next time,
Steve B
Founder, The Daily Impulse

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