Greg Boland

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When to Trade Earnings: Using Trends and Momentum to Time Your Entry

In my last post, we looked at how to read earnings fundamentally — revenue, margins, guidance, AI spend.

But earnings is only half the story.

Because here’s the truth:

You can be right on earnings… and still lose money on the trade.

Why?
Look at $Palantir (PLTR.US)$ versus $Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.US)$ this week. Both great results but price, positioning, and momentum matter.

So this week, let’s talk about technical analysis — or as I call it:

Learning to read what the market is rewarding.

And yes, I do this every earnings season using moomoo.

Before Earnings: What Do I Look For?

Before I ever trade earnings, I ask one simple question:

What is the chart telling me before the numbers?

Because often, institutions position before the event. And as traders we follow price first, opinions second.

Step 1 — Start with the Trend

Open moomoo: click on Stock → Chart → Daily View

Ensure your chart is set to your preferred style of chart (line, candle, etc.). I prefer Candle

First thing I look for:

Is the stock:

– Making higher highs?

– Making higher lows?

– Trading above key moving averages?

NVDA Chart → Daily candles + Moving Averages

Step 2 — My First Indicators

I keep it simple.

I mainly use:

1. 10-Day and 20-Day Moving Averages to gauge short-term momentum

2. 50-Day Moving Average to look at the medium-term trend

3. Volume to judge is the move real?

That’s it.

No 14 indicators. No magic formula.

Step 3 — Relative Strength

Now I ask - is this stock stronger than the market?

For example - if the $NASDAQ 100 Index (.NDX.US)$ and $PHLX Semiconductor Index (.SOX.US)$ are flat

…but NVIDIA keeps pushing higher…

That’s leadership - and leaders often stay leaders through earnings.

Step 4 — Avoid Chasing Before Earnings

This is where retail gets trapped. Say a stock is up 20% in two weeks…

Everyone piles in…then earnings hit…and the stock falls.

Why?

Expectations were already priced in.

Remember:

“Buy the rumour, sell the news.”

So before earnings I ask:

– Has the stock already run hard?

– Is volume becoming climactic?

– Is momentum becoming crowded?

Step 5 — The Morning After Earnings

You wake up. Stock is up 8%. Now what?

Don’t chase immediately.

First I check:

1. Gap size

2. Pre-market volume

3. Futures direction

4. Sector reaction

Because ....... good earnings do not always equal good trades.

Greg’s Favourite Setup

My favourite earnings setup?

Gap… pullback… confirmation.

Not chasing the first move.

I want to see:

– Stock gaps higher

– Pulls back into support

– Buyers step back in

– Volume confirms

That’s where risk/reward improves.

Intraday chart with VWAP / moving averages

What About Bad Earnings?

Sometimes bad earnings create opportunity too.

If a stock gaps down…but buyers step in…and volume stabilises…

That can signal that the bad news was already priced in.

So don’t argue with price......follow it.

My Daily Earnings Workflow on moomoo

Every earnings season I do this:

1. Look at the earnings Calendar - what’s coming tomorrow or next week?

2. Watchlist - who matters? Click on the stock and add it to your watchlist.

3. Charts - what’s trending?

4. Alerts - let the market come to me.

5. Price reaction - trade the reaction, not the prediction.

My Final Thought

Technical analysis doesn’t predict earnings.

It helps you - manage timing - manage risk - manage emotion

Because during earnings season:

Being right is good. Being positioned properly is better.

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