Hello, this is JSCC2020. We have officially reached Day 10 of our investment journey. While the 10th day is often seen as a milestone, today’s market delivered a stern reminder of the volatility inherent in US tech stocks. The Nasdaq closed down -1.59%, and the S&P 500 followed with a -1.23% decline.
For international investors navigating the “Tomato System,” these are the days where your “Cash Shield”—the defensive income from dividends and premiums—proves its worth. Let’s break down the data to see how our Leverage, Index, and Covered Call groups performed.
[Notice] For the best viewing experience, we recommend viewing the tables in this post in landscape mode on your smartphone.
🌐 Today’s Market Pulse: 3 Key Drivers
- Big Tech Capex Shock: Investor sentiment turned cautious as Alphabet (Google) and Amazon revealed massive capital expenditure plans for AI infrastructure (Alphabet’s 2026 Capex is projected near $185 billion). Markets are increasingly demanding proof that this record spending is translating into immediate bottom-line growth. (Source: News1 / Reuters)
- Labor Market Cooling: A jump in unemployment benefit applications and discouraging job market reports triggered a “risk-off” sentiment. This led to a sharp sell-off in growth assets and even caused Bitcoin to plunge as investors moved toward cash and defensive bonds. (Source: AP News / Investopedia)
- The Fed’s Neutral Stance: The Federal Reserve has maintained interest rates at 3.5%–3.75%. While rate cuts occurred in late 2025, the current pause suggests a slower path to normalization, putting pressure on high-valuation software and semiconductor stocks like Qualcomm and AMD. (Source: J.P. Morgan / Schwab)
📊 Portfolio Performance by Strategy Group (Day 10)
This table organizes every stock in the portfolio, including domestic Korean ETFs and US-listed holdings.
1. [Group 1] Nasdaq 100 Focused (Tech & Growth)
| Ticker | ETF Name | Strategy | Daily Chg | My Return |
| QLD | ProShares 2x Nasdaq 100 | 2x Leverage | -2.85% | -10.16% |
| 494300 | KODEX US Nasdaq100 Daily | Covered Call | -1.89% | -2.79% |
| QQQM | Invesco Nasdaq 100 | Index | -1.42% | -5.07% |
| GPIQ | GS Nasdaq-100 Core | Covered Call | -1.36% | -5.07% |
| JEPQ | JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity | Covered Call | -1.30% | -4.71% |
| QQQI | NEOS Nasdaq 100 High Inc. | Covered Call | -1.27% | -5.37% |
2. [Group 2] S&P 500 Focused (Broad Market)
| Ticker | ETF Name | Strategy | Daily Chg | My Return |
| SSO | ProShares 2x S&P 500 | 2x Leverage | -2.52% | -5.99% |
| SPYM | SPDR S&P 500 Portfolio | Index | -1.28% | -2.95% |
| GPIX | GS S&P 500 Core Premium | Covered Call | -1.12% | -3.37% |
| JEPI | JPMorgan Equity Premium | Covered Call | -0.58% | -0.62% |
3. [Group 3] Dividend, Bond & Specialty
| Ticker | ETF Name | Strategy | Daily Chg | My Return |
| 473460 | KODEX US Stock Ant (Active) | Active | -2.05% | -5.31% |
| 490600 | RISE US Div 100 Daily | Covered Call | -0.34% | -0.59% |
| SCHD | Schwab US Dividend Equity | Div. Growth | -0.13% | +5.77% |
| 473330 | SOL US 30Yr Treasury | Covered Call | -0.12% | -2.44% |
🔍 Day 10 Insights: Protection in Action
- Leverage Vulnerability: Today clearly showed the risk of QLD and SSO. With a -10.16% total return on QLD, the lack of dividends means there is no “safety net” when the index slides.
- The Yield Shield: While the Nasdaq dropped sharply, Covered Call ETFs like JEPI (-0.58%) and RISE US Div 100 (-0.34%) showed much higher stability. The premiums earned from selling volatility act as a buffer against price depreciation.
- Dividend Growth Reliability: SCHD remains our portfolio anchor, maintaining a positive +5.77% return despite the broad market sell-off. It continues to demonstrate why it is a legendary defensive asset.
💡 Final Thought: Focus on the Cash Flow
Market prices fluctuate, but our 2026 yield targets remain the focus. Even on a down day, your Covered Call holdings are busy generating the “rent” that will fund your future “buy the dip” opportunities.
