Table of Contents
This interview brings together three heavy hitters right on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange: Cameron Dawson (CFA and frequent Bloomberg/CNBC guest), Daniel Ives (tech analyst with decades of Wall Street experience), and Peter Tuchman (the most photographed trader on the NYSE floor). They compare notes on markets, AI’s impact on tech, and how retail traders can stop chasing hype and start building a repeatable process. Shot at the NYSE, this conversation matters because it blends top-down fundamentals, technicians’ tape-reading, and on-the-floor practicality—exactly the mix most traders miss when they’re lost in social feeds and FOMO.
In this piece, you’ll learn how Cameron Dawson sizes pullbacks and uses breadth/oscillators to strip out emotion, why Daniel Ives thinks we’re still early in an AI-led cycle (and how to separate real trends from spreadsheet mirages), and how Peter Tuchman turns volatility into “singles and doubles” instead of lottery tickets. You’ll also see concrete ways to systematize buying in down moves, avoid narrative traps when price leads headlines, and build a trader strategy that outlasts hype cycles so you can keep your risk tight, your process consistent, and your confidence intact.
Cameron Dawson Playbook & Strategy: How She Actually Trades
Core Framework: Top-Down First, Bottom-Up Confirmations
Here’s the big picture: start with the macro regime, then drill into sectors, then pick names only when price confirms. This keeps you from forcing trades when the backdrop is hostile and helps you lean in when conditions actually support risk.
- Define regime weekly: Risk-On (easing financial conditions, improving earnings revisions) vs. Risk-Control (tightening, falling revisions); trade size and frequency must be smaller in Risk-Control.
- Only deploy full risk when at least two of three flash green: credit spreads narrowing, earnings revisions breadth rising, and index above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
- Use bottom-up only after the regime is set: no single stock offsets a hostile regime.
Macro Dashboard & Risk Guardrails
You need a dashboard that fits on one screen and answers, “Is liquidity supportive? Are financial conditions easing? Are growth and inflation trending in a tradable direction?” This keeps emotion out and ensures you trade what’s actually happening, not what you hope happens.
- Track weekly: real 10-year yield, 2s/10s curve slope, credit spreads, dollar trend, and financial-conditions index; risk only scales up when at least three improve versus 4-week averages.
- If real yields rise >20 bps week-over-week and credit widens, cap net exposure at 50% until the next weekly review.
- Treat a strong dollar + rising real yields combo as a “growth test”: rotate toward quality, cash-rich names; avoid high-beta breakouts.
Earnings, Margins & Revisions—What Actually Moves Multiples
Multiples expand when the market believes margins and earnings are improving. Anchor your buys to where revisions are turning up and margins are durable; avoid the “cheap for a reason” traps.
- Scan revisions breadth weekly: only add to sectors with >60% of constituents seeing 3-month EPS upgrades.
- Require evidence of margin durability: gross margin stable or improving for two consecutive quarters before initiating a swing position.
- Fade valuation fear/greed: allow P/E to expand only after revisions flip positive; never pre-pay for growth without the upgrade cycle.
Breadth, Momentum & Pullback Playbook
When the index pulls back, you need a ruleset that separates healthy digestion from trend breaks. Use breadth and moving averages to time entries so you’re buying strength after a controlled reset—not catching knives.
- “Green-light pullback” = index above 200-day, pullback ≤5–8%, percent of constituents above 50-day recovers from <40% to >50%; start scaling in on the breadth crossover day.
- For leaders, buy the first reclaim of the 21–25 day EMA with volume ≥ 1.3x 20-day average and a higher low versus the prior swing.
- Avoid breakout attempts if the A/D line makes a lower low—wait for a breadth higher low first.
Position Sizing, Risk & Asymmetric Setups
Great calls still fail; sizing is your real edge. Use a small, repeatable risk unit, widen or tighten exposure based on regime, and let math—not mood—decide.
- Standard risk unit (SRU) = 0.75% of equity per position using ATR-based stops; max 4 SRUs when regime is Risk-On, 2 SRUs in Risk-Control.
- Initial stop = 1.2× ATR(14) below trigger for longs; trail to 1.0× ATR once price gains 1.5× risk.
- Never let a winner turn red after +2× risk; move stop to breakeven plus fees once target 1 hits.
Sector Rotation & Factor Tilts
Performance clusters by regime. Rotate with data, not opinions, and let factor leadership tell you whether to prefer growth, quality, or defensives.
- In falling real-yield phases with tightening spreads, tilt toward Quality and Defensive factors; reduce exposure to unprofitable growth.
- In easing conditions with widening breadth, favor Growth and Momentum, but only in sectors with positive revisions breadth.
- Rebalance tilts biweekly; if factor leadership flips for two consecutive weeks, rotate 50% of exposure toward the new leader.
Liquidity & Policy: Reading the Fed Without Guessing
Policy shifts don’t need predictions; they need triggers. Translate policy signals into exposure rules so you’re never “hoping” into a decision.
- If the next meeting’s implied path moves 25 bps more hawkish over five sessions, cut gross exposure by 25% until post-meeting close.
- When the dot plot or presser surprises dovish and credit tightens anyway, treat it as a risk signal—price action over policy talk; reduce beta until credit confirms.
- Use real-yield trend as tie-breaker: three straight daily closes with real yields down and index above 50-day = permission to add one SRU.
Entry Triggers That Respect Price
Macro sets the backdrop; price grants permission. Use simple, testable triggers that keep you out of chop and into trend continuation.
- “Continuation A”: prior 10-day high breaks on 1.2× volume while RSI(14) resets from 45–55 to >55; enter on close, half-size if index is within 1% of resistance.
- “Mean-revert B”: leader pulls back to rising 50-day MA with intraday undercut and reclaim; enter on reclaim, stop 1.2× ATR below the day’s low.
- Avoid entries if the stock’s 20-day volume average is falling >10% week-over-week; illiquid breakouts fail quietly.
Trade Management: Scaling, Targets, and Exits
Get paid systematically. Pre-define adds and exits so one trade can’t hijack your week.
- Scale in thirds: 40% at trigger, 30% on +1× risk, 30% on first higher-low retest; cancellation rule—skip remaining adds if breadth deteriorates.
- Targets: T1 = +1.5× risk (take 25%), T2 = +3× risk (take 25%), ride the rest with a 10-day low stop or 2× ATR trailing stop.
- Hard exit if the stock closes below the 50-day with volume ≥ 1.5× average and sector revisions breadth <50%.
Risk-Off Protocol When Conditions Deteriorate
Bad regimes happen. The goal is to shrink quickly, protect mental capital, and keep your playbook intact for the next upswing.
- If credit spreads widen for five sessions and percent-above-50-day falls <35%, cut gross exposure to ≤30% and stop initiating new positions.
- Move from swing to tactical: same names, smaller timeframes, tighter stops; prefer intraday mean-reversions over multi-day holds.
- Weekly reset: close underperformers that lag their sector by >3% over 10 sessions—no “story” exceptions.
Weekly Routine & Review (Non-Negotiable)
Process compounds. A short, repeatable cadence keeps you aligned with the regime and ready for the next rotation.
- Sunday: update dashboard, label regime, set max gross/net, and pre-select sectors with >60% upgrades; build A-list of 10–15 names only.
- Midweek: verify breadth/credit; if both confirm improvement, permit one incremental add; if they diverge, freeze adds until next review.
- Friday: mark each position vs. plan—entry quality, adherence to stops, target discipline; archive charts and notes before the weekend.
Daniel Ives Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Core Lens: Tech Supercycle With Risk Controls
This approach centers on riding multi-year tech themes (AI, cloud, devices) while using simple guardrails to avoid getting steamrolled by volatility. You begin with the secular story, pressure-test it with near-term numbers, then let price action give final permission.
- Label the backdrop weekly: “Offense” when big-cap tech indices are above the 50- and 200-day MAs and earnings revisions are improving; otherwise “Defense.”
- Only put on full-size positions when both the secular thesis and near-term numbers (revenue/EPS guide) are trending up.
- If the index loses the 50-day on rising volume, cut gross exposure by 25% and shift to Defense until reclaimed.
Theme → Catalyst → Ticker
You don’t chase every headline—you map themes to concrete catalysts and then to specific tickers that can actually move. This turns vague narratives into tradeable setups with dates and triggers.
- For each theme (AI, cloud, iPhone cycle, EV supply chain), list the next 3–5 dated catalysts (product events, earnings, guide updates).
- Only trade names with at least two near-term catalysts within 90 days.
- If a theme lacks dated catalysts, downgrade it to the watchlist—no new risk until dates appear.
Earnings & Guide Math (Where Conviction Comes From)
Numbers drive shares. Convert stories into estimates so you’re never hand-waving. If management’s guide turns, your sizing should too.
- Initiate or add only when forward revenue growth accelerates versus the trailing four quarters or the company raises full-year guide.
- If a name misses but raises guide and the stock gaps up on ≥1.5× volume, treat it as constructive—buy the day-2 pullback to VWAP/5-day MA.
- Cut the position by half if two straight quarters show decelerating growth with rising operating expenses.
AI Spend Tracker: Following the Checkbook
Capex and opex are the real “truth serum” for AI adoption. Track who’s spending, where, and how fast, then align positions with the beneficiaries.
- Maintain a running tally of AI/datacenter capex by the top platform players; overweight the suppliers seeing accelerating order books.
- Favor companies with growing backlog or RPO tied to AI workloads; new highs in backlog justify keeping winners longer.
- If capex commentary cools across two or more platforms in a month, reduce beta names and rotate to cash-rich quality.
Entry Triggers That Respect Price
The thesis earns you the right to look; the price gives you the right to act. Use simple, repeatable triggers so you don’t buy into exhaustion.
- Breakout entry: close above prior 20-day high on ≥1.2× 20-day average volume, with RSI(14) between 55–65 (not overbought); enter on close, risk = 1.2× ATR(14).
- Pullback entry: rising 50-day MA, undercut-and-reclaim of that average intraday, then close back above it; enter next open, stop 1.0× ATR below the reclaim day’s low.
- Skip entries if the stock is >10% above its 20-day MA—wait for a basing day or a 20-day “tag.”
Position Sizing & Risk Budget
Conviction is expressed in size, not adjectives. Tie your risk to volatility and the macro switch so drawdowns stay survivable.
- Standard Risk Unit (SRU) = 0.75% of equity per trade based on ATR; max 5 SRUs when in Offense, max 3 in Defense.
- Never exceed 30% gross exposure to a single sub-theme (e.g., AI infrastructure), regardless of how good it looks.
- Trail winners to a 10-day low in Offense and a 5-day low in Defense.
Catalyst Trading: Earnings, Launches, Conferences
Event risk can pay—if you box it. Define pre-, during-, and post-catalyst behavior so you’re not improvising when the tape speeds up.
- Two days before earnings: cut position size by one-third unless you have a measured-move target and hedge via options.
- If a stock gaps up ≥6% on earnings with a guide raise, enter on the first 30-minute higher low; take 1/3 off into the prior all-time high.
- If a product launch disappoints price (red on heavy volume), wait for a day-2 higher low reclaim before touching.
Relative Strength & Leadership Signals
Leaders lead—simple as that. RS tells you where demand lives and when to rotate.
- Require RS vs. sector ETF to be rising for 10 sessions before upgrading a name to A-list.
- If RS breaks a 20-day uptrend line while price is still rising, stop adding—distribution is likely hiding under the surface.
- Rotate 50% of capital from laggards to fresh RS highs each Friday review.
Liquidity, Rates, and Dollar: The Tech Weather
Tech is rate-sensitive. Keep a short list of macro tells that affect multiples so you can lean in or lighten up quickly.
- When real 10-year yields fall for 5 of 7 sessions and the dollar softens, add one SRU to AI/cloud leaders.
- When real yields and the dollar rise together for a week, trim high-beta exposure by 20–30% and shift to quality compounders.
- If credit spreads widen for five straight sessions, suspend new breakouts until spreads stabilize.
Exit Rules: Get Paid and Move On
Pre-define exits so one trade can’t hijack your P&L. You want a consistent way to bank gains and cut losers.
- Profit taking: T1 at +2× risk (sell 30%), T2 at prior measured move or +4× risk (sell 30%), ride remainder with trailing stop.
- Hard stop: daily close below the 50-day MA on ≥1.5× average volume.
- Time stop: if a breakout doesn’t make progress within 10 trading days, reduce by half.
Watchlist Construction & A/B/C Lists
Focus is alpha. Keep a tight list that reflects your themes and catalysts so you’re always ready to act.
- A-list: 8–12 names with accelerating numbers and near-term catalysts—eligible for full SRUs.
- B-list: 10–15 names needing one missing piece (price trigger or catalyst)—half-size only.
- C-list: interesting stories without dates—no capital until catalysts appear.
Weekly Routine (Non-Negotiable)
Process beats predictions. A short cadence keeps you aligned with the tape and the calendar.
- Sunday: label Offense/Defense, update catalyst calendar, refresh A/B/C lists, and pre-plan entries with stops and targets.
- Midweek: if breadth and RS confirm, allow one incremental add; if they diverge, freeze adds and tighten stops.
- Friday: grade every trade against plan—entry timing, size, exit discipline—and archive charts for pattern study.
Peter Tuchman Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Floor Edge: Read the Tape, Not the Tweets
Peter’s advantage starts with the tape and order flow. You want to focus on what the auction is telling you—who’s urgent, where liquidity sits, and when momentum actually has sponsorship.
- Mark the opening imbalance 10 minutes before the bell; trade only names with an imbalance ≥ 0.5% of float or ≥ 5× their average opening print.
- Treat the first reclaim or rejection of VWAP as your “tape truth.” No long trades below a falling VWAP; no shorts above a rising VWAP.
- If the spread widens >2× its 20-day median, use limit orders only and cut size by 50%—wide markets mean hidden risk.
Opening Drive: Take the Singles and Doubles
Peter leans into the opening when volatility is most honest. You’re not hunting home runs—you’re extracting consistent edges from institutional urgency.
- Trade the first 30 minutes only if the stock gaps ≥1.0% with volume ≥ 1.5× the 10-day average at the 10-minute mark.
- Entry trigger long: opening range breakout (ORB) above the first 5-minute high with time & sales showing higher-lows in prints; stop = low of opening 5-minute bar or 1.2× ATR(5), whichever is tighter.
- Take profits in thirds at +0.75R, +1.5R, and trail the remainder to a 9-EMA on the 1-minute chart; if price closes back inside the opening range, flatten.
Midday Discipline: Only Trade If There’s a Reason
The middle of the day is where P&L goes to die. If the auction is quiet, protect your capital and your headspace.
- If 1-minute realized volatility drops below its morning average by 40% and volume dries to <60% of the morning pace, stop initiating new positions.
- Only take midday trades on fresh catalysts (unexpected headlines, halts, re-openings) and require the first pullback to hold above VWAP.
- If you’ve had two consecutive losers in midday, stand down for 60 minutes—no exceptions.
Closing Auction: Liquidity Is an Edge
The close brings real volume back. Use it to clean up positions, not to gamble on a last-second swing.
- For winners, scale out 30–50% between 3:30–3:50 p.m. if the stock is >1% away from VWAP in your favor; hold the rest into the close only if the imbalance supports your side.
- If the stock crosses below VWAP after 3:30 p.m. on rising volume, exit the day-trade—closing sellers often finish the move.
- Avoid initiating new positions after 3:45 p.m. unless there’s a confirmed closing imbalance of≥ $50M notional in your direction.
News and Halts: Control the Chaos
Floor traders thrive in chaos by using rules, not hope. Codify how you react to halts and surprise headlines so you don’t freeze.
- On resumption from a volatility halt, wait for the second 1-minute candle; enter only if it holds >50% of the halt candle’s range with prints stepping up.
- Cap risk at half-size on any headline-driven move; widen stop to 1.5× ATR(5) but predefine a time stop of 10 minutes if momentum stalls.
- If a name halts twice in 30 minutes, skip it for the rest of the session—probabilities deteriorate with each halt cycle.
Position Sizing & Risk Budget
Survival funds are the next opportunity. Keep your dollar-at-risk stable so you can show up every day.
- Standard Risk Unit (SRU) = 0.5–0.75% of equity per trade using ATR(5) for stops; max 3 SRUs in correlated names.
- Daily loss limit = 2.5× your average green day over the last 20 sessions; hit it and you’re done for the day.
- After two consecutive losses in the first hour, cut the size in half SRU for the next two trades; if both lose, go flat and observe.
Order Execution: Be the Liquidity, Don’t Chase It
Peter’s job is liquidity. You need to think like a liquidity provider even as a discretionary trader.
- Enter with limit orders at micro-pullbacks near VWAP or prior micro-structure pivot; avoid crossing more than 20% of the current spread.
- If the spread balloons mid-trade, convert to bracket orders: profit target and stop resting in the book to avoid slippage shocks.
- Never average down beyond your planned add. One planned add only, at a higher low for longs (or lower high for shorts), else flatten.
Pattern Pack: Three Setups That Travel Well
Keep a small menu you can execute flawlessly. These three cover most of Peter’s “singles and doubles” style.
- VWAP Reclaim: Gap up, selloff to VWAP, higher low > VWAP, time & sales stepping up; enter on the break of the pivot high, stop just below VWAP minus 0.3× ATR(5).
- ORB + Retest: Break of opening range with volume surge, then a retest that holds; enter on retake of the ORB level, first target = measured move of opening range.
- Late-Day Squeeze: RS leaders making HH/HLs into 3 p.m., short interest elevated intraday (persistent upticks), and imbalance aligns; buy the first pullback that holds above a rising 9-EMA.
Psychology & Pace: Stay in the Box
Floor trading is 90% mental pace control. Define how you reset so you can trade the next moment—not the last mistake.
- Start with two “confidence reps”: trade your easiest setup with half size to sync with the tape before scaling up.
- If heart rate and click frequency spike (two trades opened within 60 seconds), step away for five minutes—breathe, reset, re-read VWAP and imbalances.
- End green days early when you hit 1.25× your daily goal; protect the win, don’t donate it back.
Playbook for Quiet vs. Wild Days
Some days are choppy, some are fireworks. Your rules should adapt automatically based on the market’s behavior.
- Quiet day (index inside prior day’s range, low vol): focus on VWAP fades and ORB retests; cap gross exposure at 2 SRUs.
- Wild day (index gap >1%, breadth extreme): take ORB and VWAP reclaims only in liquid leaders; allow up to 4 SRUs but stagger entries.
- If the index reverses its gap direction and crosses VWAP, trade with the new direction only—no countertrend attempts.
Review & Reset: Make Tomorrow Easier
Peter’s edge compounds through repetition and brutal honesty. Lock the lessons in while the tape is fresh.
- Screenshot the opening range, your entries, and VWAP interactions for each trade; annotate reasons you clicked and whether the tape confirmed.
- Tag each trade by setup (VWAP Reclaim, ORB+Retest, Late-Day Squeeze) and outcome (A/B/C); cut any setup running <45% win rate over 30 trades.
- Pre-market plan for tomorrow: list three tickers with fresh catalysts, their ORB levels, VWAP bias conditions, and max SRUs you’ll allow.
Size Risk Like a Pro: Volatility Sets Your Position, Not Ego
Volatility should decide how big you go—period. Cameron Dawson would say the backdrop sets your limits, and that starts with how wild the name is relative to the tape. Daniel Ives focuses on tech leaders, but he still cuts size when ranges expand and real risk rises. Peter Tuchman lives this on the NYSE floor: when spreads widen and the tape gets jumpy, he halves size and lets the market calm down before pressing.
Here’s the practical version: translate volatility into dollars at risk, then back into shares or contracts. Use a simple ATR or average true range to anchor stops, then cap each trade’s loss to a fixed percent of equity so one idea can’t wreck your week. Increase size only when volatility contracts and price is confirming higher lows; decrease it when the range explodes or breadth rolls over. If your sizing plan changes because you feel “extra confident,” that’s ego—stick to what the numbers allow.
Diversify Smart: Mix Underlyings, Strategies, and Durations to Smooth Drawdowns
Diversification isn’t about owning “a little of everything”—it’s about pairing things that behave differently when the market mood flips. Cameron Dawson would balance factor tilts and sectors so a growth wobble doesn’t sink the whole boat, while Daniel Ives spreads exposure across AI infrastructure, software, and devices instead of betting on a single tech lane. Peter Tuchman adds the time element: when the open is chaotic, he’ll bank quick “singles and doubles,” then switch to calmer, higher-probability setups later in the day.
Translate that into practice by mixing underlyings (indices, sector leaders, defensives), strategy types (trend, mean-reversion, catalyst), and holding periods (intraday vs. multi-day). Let each sleeve have clear rules and separate risk limits so one cold patch can’t torch the entire account. When correlations spike, downshift the most crowded sleeve and let the other sleeves carry the load; when dispersion returns, re-balance to your base mix. Diversification done right doesn’t maximize excitement—it minimizes regret and keeps you trading tomorrow.
Trade the Mechanics, Not Predictions: Let Price and Breadth Grant Permission
Prediction is a story; mechanics are rules. Cameron Dawson focuses on whether breadth, credit, and trend agree before she commits, because alignment beats guessing the next headline. Daniel Ives waits for catalysts and guides math to line up with price strength instead of front-running moves on hope. Peter Tuchman reads VWAP and tape action at the open—if sponsorship isn’t there, he won’t force the trade.
Let the market invite you in. Require a simple checklist—index above key MAs, improving breadth, and your stock reclaiming a level with volume—before size goes on. Skip entries when price is extended or internals diverge, no matter how compelling the narrative sounds. When the mechanics flip (breadth rolls over, VWAP lost, credit widens), exit cleanly and revisit later; process discipline keeps you in sync while predictions keep you stuck.
Use Defined-Risk Setups; Avoid Open-Ended Pain from Undefined Exposures
Defined risk keeps you in the game when the tape turns violent. Cameron Dawson frames trades so the downside is quantified before any upside is chased, because regimes change faster than opinions. Daniel Ives won’t lean into a tech theme without a clean invalidation level—if the guide or price breaks the thesis, he’s out, not “hoping.” Peter Tuchman treats VWAP and the opening range like guardrails: lose them with heavy prints, and he cuts, no debate.
Make every trade express a capped loss—hard stops, ATR-based exits, or option structures that limit tails. Avoid open-ended exposures like averaging down into a trend day, naked short options without hedges, or “I’ll just give it a little more room.” Size first, then enter; if the stop makes the position too small to matter, the setup isn’t worth it. Write the exit in the plan before the click, because clarity beats courage when the market is moving faster than you are.
Process Over Hype: Routine Checklists, Catalyst Calendars, and Ruthless Reviews
Hype fades; routines pay. Cameron Dawson builds her week around a simple checklist—regime label, breadth, credit, trend—so she isn’t swayed by headlines. Daniel Ives blocks his calendar with dated catalysts and only scales into names with real events on deck, not vague narratives. Peter Tuchman bookends his day with an opening range plan and a closing review so the next session starts sharper than the last.
Your edge is consistency, not inspiration. Write the checklist, schedule the catalysts, and grade every trade against the plan—keep or kill setups based on data. If the checklist doesn’t confirm, size down or sit out; if a catalyst disappoints, prune and move on. Keep a rolling log of mistakes with one fix per mistake, then verify that you applied it in the very next session. Cameron Dawson, Daniel Ives, and Peter Tuchman all prove the same thing: discipline compounds; hype doesn’t.
In the end, the through-line across Cameron Dawson, Daniel Ives, and Peter Tuchman is brutally simple: size what you can measure, trade what you can prove, and let the tape—not the ego—make the final call. Cameron Dawson keeps the macro regime front and center, then only leans into sectors and names when breadth, credit, and trend are aligned. Daniel Ives rides clear tech themes but demands dated catalysts and improving guide math before he scales; the story earns attention, the numbers earn size. Peter Tuchman reminds us that the auction is the ultimate truth: VWAP, opening range, imbalances, and time-and-sales either show sponsorship or they don’t—and if they don’t, he’s flat.
Taken together, the playbook is practical and repeatable. Risk is expressed as a fixed unit tied to volatility; exposure flexes with the regime. Diversification is intentional—by underlying, strategy, and duration—so one cold patch can’t derail the account. Entries are mechanical (reclaims, breakouts with volume, higher-low retests), exits are prewritten (ATR stops, 10-day/50-day rules), and post-trade reviews are non-negotiable. If you internalize Cameron Dawson’s top-down discipline, Daniel Ives’s catalyst math, and Peter Tuchman’s tape-first execution, you’ll trade smaller when it’s noisy, press when conditions truly line up, and let a calm, rules-driven process do what hype never can: compound.
