Market Review: All-Time Highs and the Path Ahead (4/24/26)E-mini Nasdaq-100 Futures (Jun 2026)CME_MINI:NQM2026JP_MarketProfileMarket Review: New All-Time Highs and the Path Ahead (April 24, 2026) This is the review for April 24, 2026. Using our proprietary Camelback TradingView Market Profile and custom charts, we are diving into Friday's price action and setting the stage for what looks to be a pivotal week ahead. Friday's Action: From Disconnect to Synchronized Surge The session began with a notable disconnect between the two leaders. While the S&P 500 (ES) started the day inside value and within a Daily Balance, the Nasdaq (NQ) gapped up, immediately shifting its Daily trend to UP. Despite the divergence, one thing was clear: inventory was 100% long for both indices, but NQ was leading with GAP, Value, and indices in favor of the bulls. The opening saw ES push lower while NQ remained rotational above its gap. Eventually, the gap was filled, and NQ found firm support at yesterday’s Value Area High (VAH). Once the indices got in sync, the real move began. Both took out their Initial Balance (IB) highs and began trending, leaving a trail of single prints behind them. The momentum was further fueled by geopolitical optimism following headlines regarding Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi and potential considerations for ending regional conflict. This emotional "pro-risk" tailwind propelled both ES and NQ to New All-Time Highs (ATHs), with ES finally shattering its Daily Balance high. The afternoon settled into a rotational phase, offering only a brief window for an afternoon pullback at H’s low (NQ) and I’s low (ES). We ended the day with a 7-0 score for the Bulls, characterized by a Triple Distribution in ES and a Double Distribution in NQ. This is a screenshot of our new Camelback Trading Automatic Scorecard, which is now available for you to add directly to your charts. Market Structure: Acceptance at the Highs Currently, both the Weekly and Daily timeframes are UP. The Monthly remains in a developing balance as we approach the final days of April. The bulls are utilizing recent balance periods as "checkpoints" to absorb buying pressure from last week’s run-up before pushing higher. A critical observation for Friday's profile was the Point of Control (POC). It migrated to the upper end of the range, finishing as a 9-wide POC. Market Profile Principle: Price is the advertising mechanism, Time regulates it, and Volume confirms it. The fact that we spent the most time and volume (9-wide) at these record highs suggests that price is being accepted at ATH levels. This acceptance makes further continuation to the upside less difficult, as the market isn't rejecting these lofty prices; it's living in them. Looking Ahead: The Battle for May While the trend is undeniably bullish, we must look at where we came from to understand where we are going. Both NQ and ES have enjoyed a healthy stair-step move, utilizing balances to prevent exhaustion. Key Levels to Watch The Bull Defense: Value High is at the All-Time Highs. If the Bulls start next week opening inside Value the will need to work to maintain control. They must defend the 9-wide POC, the Afternoon Pullback levels, and Friday's Single Prints, but their objective is to escape from value to the upside. The Bear Opportunity: For the bears to gain any traction, they first need to trade below Friday's value. Their primary goal is to take the Daily back to Balance, which would be the first step in a larger attempt to target this week’s lows and put the Weekly also to Balance (ES: 7079.25 | NQ: 26551.75). As we head into the final day of the month next Thursday, the Monthly Balance will be the focal point. If we close at the highs, the bulls could potentially open May, taking April's high and putting all three time frames (Daily, Weekly, Monthly) aligned to the upside. However, the start of a new month in Balance, often brings "Balance Rules" into play at these extremes. We may see a significant defensive stand by the bears at the Monthly Balance highs. Closing Thoughts The market is currently a "show me" story for the bears, until they can prove they can hold price below value, the bulls remain the dominant force. However, trading at all-time highs requires discipline. Don't chase the "advertised" price; wait for the "time and volume" to provide you with a high-probability entry. The data is the only truth in this game, so let the Market Profile and the MGI (Market Generated Information) guide your setups. Don't start with a bias; let the data guide you. Be safe and trade well.