How do You Know the Market is at the Bottom?

Fifth straight losing week. Dow enters correction territory. Oil surges toward $100. 13 dark pool setups for the week ahead, plus: How do you know when we're at the bottom? The UNH case study shows exactly what to look for.

MobyTick Weekly Dark Pool Report — Week of March 23–27, 2026

Last Week’s Callout Performance

Our Mar 16–20 setups vs Mar 23–27 results:

BULLISH: 8/11 triggered | 3 targets hit
BEARISH: 10/11 triggered | 22 targets hit

OVERALL: 18/22 setups triggered. Bearish dominated — fifth straight losing week for U.S. equities.

Ticker Bull Trigger Bull Result Bear Trigger Bear Result
SPY $662.50 Triggered (high $662.62) — T0 $642.50 T2 — hit to $635
QQQ $595 Triggered (high $595.08) — T0 $578.50 T4 — hit to $565
IWM $251.25 T0 (high $253.07) $240 No trigger
NVDA $180 T0 (high $181.22) $170 T1 — hit $167.50
AVGO $325 T0 (high $326.48) $307.50 T1 — hit $300
MSFT $390 No trigger $380 T5 — all targets to $360
XLE $60.50 T2 — hit $62.50 $58 T0 (low $57.66)
SMCI $24 T0 (high $24.19) $20 T0 (low $19.48)
UNH $290 No trigger $275 T4 — hit to $260
AMZN $210 T1 — hit $212.50 $205 T2 — hit to $200
GLD $428 No trigger $411 T3 — hit to $400

Highlights: MSFT bear side hit ALL 5 targets to $360 (−7% week). XLE was the only real bullish winner as energy surged. Many bull triggers barely triggered then reversed — classic bull trap week.

Market Overview — Correction Territory

The fifth consecutive losing week for U.S. equities — the longest weekly decline since 2022. The Dow Jones officially entered correction territory Friday, closing down nearly 800 points as escalating Iran tensions and surging oil prices rattled global markets.

Weekly Index Performance

  • S&P 500 (SPY): −3.64% ($658.07 → $634.09)
  • Nasdaq 100 (QQQ): −4.73% ($590.52 → $562.58)
  • Russell 2000 (IWM): −1.65% ($247.17 → $243.10)
  • Dow Jones (DIA): −2.57% ($463.30 → $451.39)

What Moved Markets

  • Iran Escalation: Trump extended the negotiation deadline, but markets interpreted it as prolonged uncertainty. Asian and European markets sold off hard.
  • Oil Surge: WTI crude settled at $99.64/barrel Friday (+5.5% on the day), approaching the $100 psychological level. USO ETF rallied from $110 to $124 on the week.
  • Rate Hike Fears: Futures markets priced in a 52% probability of a Fed rate increase by year-end for the first time — the oil-driven inflation narrative is shifting the calculus.
  • Dow in Correction: The DJIA closed at 45,167, more than 10% below its February record of 50,512.
  • S&P 500: Down 8.74% from its late-January peak, approaching but not yet in correction territory.
  • Flight to Safety: Gold (GLD) hit $420 intraweek before pulling back. Treasury bonds (TLT) declined as yields spiked on inflation fears.

Sector Rotation

  • Energy (XLE): +8.06%
  • Consumer Staples (XLP): 0.00%
  • Healthcare (XLV): −2.25%
  • Industrials (XLI): −2.99%
  • Financials (XLF): −3.80%
  • Comm. Services (XLC): −5.16%
  • Technology (XLK): −5.51%

Energy is the clear outperformer with oil spiking. Tech and communications bore the brunt of the selloff. Consumer staples held flat as a defensive shelter.

▲ Bullish Setups (Above Trigger) — March 30 – April 3

Ticker Above T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7
SPY $648 $650 $652.50 $655 $657.50 $660 $665
QQQ $570 $572.50 $575 $580 $582.50 $585 $590
IWM $252.50 $255 $257.50 $260 $262 $265
TSM $350 $355 $360 $365 $370 $375 $380
TER $305 $310 $315 $320 $325 $330 $340
MU $372.50 $380 $390 $395 $400 $410 $415
BP $47 $47.50 $48 $50 $52.50 $55
AVGO $312.50 $315 $317 $320 $322.50 $325 $330
TERN $53.25 $55 $57.50 $60
MCD $312.50 $315 $317.50 $320 $322.50 $324 $325
UNH $272.50 $275 $277.50 $280 $285 $290
META $550 $555 $560 $570 $580 $590 $592.50
NVDA $173 $175 $177.50 $178.25 $180 $182.50 $185 $190

▼ Bearish Setups (Below Trigger) — March 30 – April 3

Ticker Below T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6
SPY $630 $625 $622.50 $620 $615 $610 $600
QQQ $560 $557.50 $555 $550 $540 $530
IWM $240 $237.50 $235 $230 $225 $222.50 $220
TSM $322.50 $320 $315 $312.50 $310 $307.50 $305
TER $290 $285 $280 $275 $270 $260 $250
MU $350 $340 $330 $320 $310 $300 $295
BP $44.75 $44 $42.50 $42 $40.50 $40
AVGO $297.50 $295 $290 $285 $280 $275
TERN $50 $49 $47.50 $46.25 $45 $42.50
MCD $304.75 $302.50 $300 $295 $292.50 $290
UNH $257 $255 $250 $245 $240 $230 $220
META $517.50 $510 $500 $490 $480 $475 $470
NVDA $165 $162.50 $160 $158 $155 $150 $140

Trade Setups with Dark Pool Charts

$SPY — $634.09

SPY Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $648 → Targets: $650, $652.50, $655, $657.50, $660, $665
Bearish below $630 → Targets: $625, $622.50, $620, $615, $610, $600

$QQQ — $562.58

QQQ Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $570 → Targets: $572.50, $575, $580, $582.50, $585, $590
Bearish below $560 → Targets: $557.50, $555, $550, $540, $530

$IWM — $243.10

IWM Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $252.50 → Targets: $255, $257.50, $260, $262, $265
Bearish below $240 → Targets: $237.50, $235, $230, $225, $222.50, $220

$TSM — $324.60

TSM Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $350 → Targets: $355, $360, $365, $370, $375, $380
Bearish below $322.50 → Targets: $320, $315, $312.50, $310, $307.50, $305

$TER — $292.00

TER Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $305 → Targets: $310, $315, $320, $325, $330, $340
Bearish below $290 → Targets: $285, $280, $275, $270, $260, $250

$MU — $352.45

MU Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $372.50 → Targets: $380, $390, $395, $400, $410, $415
Bearish below $350 → Targets: $340, $330, $320, $310, $300, $295

$BP — $46.59

BP Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $47 → Targets: $47.50, $48, $50, $52.50, $55
Bearish below $44.75 → Targets: $44, $42.50, $42, $40.50, $40

$AVGO — $298.29

AVGO Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $312.50 → Targets: $315, $317, $320, $322.50, $325, $330
Bearish below $297.50 → Targets: $295, $290, $285, $280, $275

$TERN — $52.93

TERN Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $53.25 → Targets: $55, $57.50, $60
Bearish below $50 → Targets: $49, $47.50, $46.25, $45, $42.50

$MCD — $305.75

MCD Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $312.50 → Targets: $315, $317.50, $320, $322.50, $324, $325
Bearish below $304.75 → Targets: $302.50, $300, $295, $292.50, $290

$UNH — $257.51

UNH Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $272.50 → Targets: $275, $277.50, $280, $285, $290
Bearish below $257 → Targets: $255, $250, $245, $240, $230, $220

$META — $520.07

META Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $550 → Targets: $555, $560, $570, $580, $590, $592.50
Bearish below $517.50 → Targets: $510, $500, $490, $480, $475, $470

$NVDA — $166.60

NVDA Dark Pool Chart

Bullish above $173 → Targets: $175, $177.50, $178.25, $180, $182.50, $185, $190
Bearish below $165 → Targets: $162.50, $160, $158, $155, $150, $140

📚 How Do You Know When We’re at the Bottom?

Five straight losing weeks. The Dow in correction territory. Oil surging toward $100. Every headline is screaming doom. So the question every trader is asking right now: when does this end?

The answer won’t come from the news. Analysts are quite often wrong — and make the worst traders. The talking heads on TV will tell you to sell at the bottom and buy at the top. They always have.

The real answer comes from the dark pools. Bottoms aren’t called by pundits — they’re built by institutional capital. Here’s what to look for:

Step 1: Massive New Prints Appear

When institutions decide a stock has fallen far enough, they start buying — in size. We’re talking hundreds of millions of dollars in dark pool trades at specific price levels. One large print is interesting. Multiple large prints at the same level over several days? That’s an institution building a position.

Step 2: The Level Holds

This is the critical part. A big print alone doesn’t make a bottom. The price has to hold above that level. If the stock breaks below where hundreds of millions were committed, that’s a failed floor — not a bottom. But when the price retests and bounces, again and again, that’s institutions defending their position.

Step 3: The Reversal

Once price holds above the institutional zone and starts closing consistently higher, the bottom is likely in. The news will still be bearish. Retail will still be selling. But the smart money is already positioned — and the reversal follows.

Real Example: UNH — $285M Print Marks the Exact Bottom

Last summer, UnitedHealth (UNH) showed us exactly how this plays out. First, notice the consolidation of massive block trades between $295.17–$317.34 and the break below them on July 15, 2025. The institutions were finished distributing — UNH closed at $291.71 and fell all the way to $237.77 by August 1st. A $54 drop.

UNH short setup with dark pool prints and increasing volume

Dark pool prints consolidated between $295–$317. When price broke below on increasing volume, the downside move was clear.

Then on August 1st — right at the lows with maximum fear in the market — a 1.2 million share trade came in at $237.53, valued at $285,000,000. That’s not noise. That’s an institution drawing a line in the sand. That’s step one.

UNH 1.2 million share dark pool trade at $237.53

August 1st: A $285M dark pool print at $237.53 — the institutional floor. Step 1: Massive print appears.

The level held. UNH didn’t break below that $237 zone. That’s step two — the floor is confirmed.

Then on August 15th — just 10 days later — UNH gapped up $32.52 on news that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway had invested $1.4–$1.6 billion. Step three: the reversal.

UNH gap up on Buffett news August 15, 2025

August 15th: UNH gaps up $32+ on Berkshire Hathaway news. Dark pool traders were already positioned days earlier.

Traders who followed the institutional money flow — not the news — were already in. Some captured 310% ROI on options trades. The news came after the institutions were positioned. By the time retail heard about Buffett, the bottom was already two weeks old.

What to Watch For Right Now

We’re in the fear phase of the current selloff. Apply the same framework to the tickers above:

  1. Watch for massive new prints — not just one big trade, but repeated prints at similar prices over multiple days
  2. Wait for the level to hold — retests that bounce confirm the floor is real
  3. Look for the reversal — price closing consistently above the print zone signals the bottom is in
  4. Ignore the headlines — the news will still be bearish when the bottom forms. That’s the point. Institutions buy fear.

A bottom isn’t a single candle — it’s a process. Dark pool data lets you see that process unfold in real time, while everyone else is guessing.

📖 Read the full UNH case study →


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About MobyTick

MobyTick Trading provides institutional-grade dark pool and block trade intelligence to retail traders. We track 10,000+ stocks with 6+ years of historical data and a 91% accuracy rate on trade callouts.

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Dark pool data shows where institutional trades have occurred — it does not predict future price movement. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Trading involves risk and you may lose your entire investment.

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