CCS
CENTURY COMMUNITIES, INC.
stockNYSE

***Happy Friday, and happy (early) Halloween everyone!*** **🎃 👻** I'm a 0DTE credit spread trader with a focus on SPX. Positions traded today: * 7495/7475 PCS * 7600/7620 CCS * 7650/7670 CCS * 7675/7695 CCS P/L: **+$795** [SPX 5-min chart, October 30, 2026](https://preview.redd.it/6pt24361zoyh1.png?width=1542&format=png&auto=webp&s=5e47d4df80b0f7bf7402c30bd813e1883a1320c8) ***The trend paid me. The countertrend PCS made me work much harder to keep the day under control.*** Today turned into a bigger win day for me, but the result deserves an honest review. # Morning Thesis SPX opened with a large gap down. My lean was bearish, with weak tech earnings reactions and elevated oil/shipping risks in the background, but I wanted price to establish the structure first. I usually do better on [trending days](https://www.reddit.com/r/Daytrading/s/qgVmFMtDbe) ([here too](https://www.reddit.com/r/Daytrading/s/2dWzbCEDTf)). In my experience, they’re easier to manage, particularly the initial trade. And today started that way too. # My First Trade I sold a **5-lot 7675/7695 CCS anchor for $0.60** after the weekly-low break. My entry was a little early, before the 7600 psychological level reaction, and the recovery put pressure on it without clearing the morning range high. During that bounce, **I scalped one additional spread at $1.35** and **closed it at $0.85 for $50**. The recovery failed though, and selling resumed. Once SPX broke 7600 and held below it, I added **one 7650/7670 CCS for $0.65**. # Where the PCS Changed the Day With the CCS side working, and local structure and levels running out, I zoomed out to find a larger reference area and identified 7575 level as somewhere to watch for a potential reaction. [SPX daily chart — Potential support level marked](https://preview.redd.it/igkp8ebc0pyh1.png?width=1542&format=png&auto=webp&s=f8fd2af9ce3e6b91afdeec8dfea07d1f57561be9) This is an area where I had interested in building a PCS trade outside of. Around there, I started **building the 7495/7475 PCS anchor** — a good distance away, and just below the 7500 psychological level: **two spreads at $0.25**, then **one each at $0.30**, **$0.45** and **$0.65**. Five spreads was my cap. ***I don’t encourage trading against a strong trend.*** Or trends in general for that matter. When I do, my rules are to start small, build gradually and stay at **no more than half my normal size**. I only consider it midday or later, with short strikes beyond identifiable key levels and enough distance from price to provide cushion. I followed that framework here. But it still got uncomfortable. At different points, individual sides were down more than $500, even while combined P/L stayed within my $500 daily loss limit. Net P/L swung from roughly -$400 to +$250 and back toward -$400 again. The offsetting gains were masking larger drawdowns on individual sides, and my stops nearly triggered. # Stop Management My emergency stops apply to the whole spread. Depending on the day and credit collected, I generally use a buyback-price threshold between $1 and $3, often around 3x the average entry credit. I sometimes allow extra room when I have an iron condor or a profit cushion. Today highlighted why that choice deserves scrutiny — an acceptable combined P/L can coexist with a position under significant pressure. # Afternoon & Power Hour As selling continued, I passed on further countertrend scalps. Using the 4-hour structure, I added **five 7600/7620 CCS at $0.45**. The late reversal relieved the PCS, then briefly pressured that final CCS as price rebounded sharply. The rebound’s follow-through faded, and **both the PCS and final CCS expired worthless**. Everything ultimately finished green. **Key Takeaway** The CCS side alone would have been enough. Adding the countertrend PCS created more risk and monitoring than the trend-following trades required. **Distance** and **smaller size** helped, but the near-stop experience showed how quickly countertrend trading can become dangerous, especially with too much size. A profitable finish doesn’t settle the risk review. Each side still needs to justify its place in the trade. *Have a great weekend traders! Have a Happy Halloween and stay safe! I'll end with a quick joke:* *Why don't skeletons ever go trick or treating? Because they have no body to go with!* **💀** *See you all next week!*