SessionOpenby 2G's

FIG 01 — DESK THESES

Trade Ideas

Desk theses with entries, invalidations and targets. Not financial advice.

Data-grounded desk notes · drafted from COT, Fed and calendar data · human reviewed

USDCADLongDailyActive

Loonie shorts lean into CPI with a hawkish Fed backdrop

CAD spec positioning is net short -55,448 (3y index 53/100), and a 92% priced Fed hike Sep 16 (implied 3.86%) is a structural tailwind for USDCAD upside. The Sep 14 12:30Z Canadian Inflation Rate is the near-term catalyst: a soft CPI would reinforce the bearish loonie tilt and let USD strength carry the pair higher. The caveat is the WoW +13,302 short-covering in CAD — that recovering flow is the key risk, so invalidation is a hot CAD CPI followed by a daily close back below the pre-data range, which would confirm the covering trend is dominating over the Fed-driven USD bid.

Entry
Buy dips into the pre-CPI support zone
Stop
Below the prior swing low on a daily close
Target
Recent range highs from the last USD-strength leg
R:R
~2:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-14

HGShortDailyActive

Copper longs at a 3-year max — positioning is the risk

Copper spec net is +82,154 with a 3y positioning index pinned at 100/100 — the most crowded long reading in three years — and longs added again (+9,272 WoW), leaving little marginal buying power and asymmetric downside if the China data disappoints. The Sep 15 02:00Z Chinese Industrial Production and Retail Sales prints are the catalyst: soft demand data into max-long positioning is the classic mean-reversion trigger as stretched longs get flushed. This is a contrarian fade of an extreme, not a trend call — invalidation is strong China data plus a daily close to new highs, which would prove momentum is absorbing the crowding and the setup is wrong.

Entry
Fade strength near recent highs / after a China-data spike
Stop
Above the post-data high on a daily close
Target
Back toward the prior consolidation midpoint
R:R
~2:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-14

EURUSDShortDailyActive

Euro shorts still crowded thin as Fed prices a hike

Fed funds futures put 92% odds on a HIKE at the Sep 16 FOMC (implied post-meeting rate 3.86%), a rare hawkish surprise that favors the dollar into the decision, with USD Retail Sales (Sep 16 12:30Z) as an added pre-FOMC catalyst. Euro spec positioning is net short -33,285 with a depressed 3y index of just 26/100, showing the market already leans bearish and momentum can extend on a hawkish Fed. Note the WoW +4,888 improvement is a mild covering signal — invalidation is a decisive daily close back above the pre-FOMC range high, which would signal the covering trend is overpowering the hawkish USD catalyst and the short thesis is failing.

Entry
Sell into strength toward the pre-FOMC range high
Stop
Above the prior swing high / daily close reclaiming the range
Target
Prior support shelf from the last leg down
R:R
~2.5:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-14

GC (Gold)ShortDailyActive

Gold longs at 67/100 face a rate-hiking Fed and hot-CPI risk

Gold spec net is +136,771 with a still-elevated 3y index of 67/100, and the WoW change of -7,976 shows longs already reducing. The macro backdrop is adverse: fed funds futures assign a 74% probability to a September hike (implied 3.81%), lifting real-rate expectations that typically weigh on non-yielding gold. US CPI on Sep 11 (12:30Z) is the catalyst — a firm print supports higher-for-longer and the tactical short. Invalidation: a cool CPI that revives cut expectations, or a break to fresh highs on rising COT length — a daily close above the stop invalidates.

Entry
2,485–2,505
Stop
2,545
Target
2,385
R:R
2.4:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-11

USD/CADLongDailyActive

Loonie shorts into CAD CPI with the Fed leaning hawkish

CAD specs are net -68,750 (3y index 32/100), a persistently bearish loonie tilt, and the WoW +3,342 is only a marginal trim. The scheduled catalyst is Canadian Inflation Rate YoY on Sep 14 (12:30Z): a soft print reinforces the bearish CAD positioning, while the US side benefits from the 74% September Fed hike probability (implied 3.81%). Positioning and calendar align for USD/CAD upside. Invalidation: a hot Canadian CPI that revives BoC tightening bets, or a dollar-negative US CPI on Sep 11 — a daily close below the stop cancels the trade.

Entry
1.3560–1.3600
Stop
1.3490
Target
1.3740
R:R
2.3:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-11

HG (Copper)ShortWeeklyActive

Copper: crowded 95/100 longs meet a hawkish Fed

Copper spec net length sits at +72,882 with a 3y index of 95/100 — an extreme crowded-long reading where reward-to-risk favors fading. The WoW change of -3,389 is the first sign of longs beginning to unwind. Macro headwind: a 74% Fed hike probability for September tightens financial conditions and pressures growth-sensitive metals. This is a contrarian mean-reversion swing: positioning this stretched leaves little marginal buying power. Invalidation: a fresh weekly high with the COT index holding above 90 and rising signals the crowd is still adding — a weekly close above the stop voids the setup.

Entry
4.55–4.62
Stop
4.78
Target
4.20
R:R
2.4:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-11

EUR/USDShortDailyActive

Euro short into ECB–CPI double header with specs still net short

COT specs remain net -38,173 on Euro FX with a depressed 3y index of just 22/100, and the WoW change was a negligible +186 — no meaningful short-covering to support a reversal. Macro alignment is strong: fed funds futures price a 74% hike probability for the Sep 15-16 FOMC (implied 3.81%), keeping the dollar bid, while the ECB decision and press conference (Sep 10, 12:15Z) plus US CPI (Sep 11, 12:30Z) are the binary catalysts. A dovish ECB versus a hawkish Fed keeps the trend lower. Invalidation: a hawkish ECB surprise or a soft US CPI print that pushes EUR/USD and holds back above the entry zone flips the thesis — exit on a daily close above the stop.

Entry
1.1650–1.1690
Stop
1.1760
Target
1.1480
R:R
2.4:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-11

USD/JPYLongDailyActive

Yen shorts and a hiking Fed pull in the same direction

JPY spec net deepened to -102,188 (WoW -25,146), and while the 9/100 3y index flags an extreme that eventually mean-reverts, momentum and macro still align higher for USD/JPY: markets price a 64% Fed hike for Sep 15-16 (implied 3.79%) versus a passive BoJ, keeping the rate differential wide. US CPI on Sep 11 (12:30Z) is the catalyst — a firm core print cements the hawkish path. Given the stretched short index, size for a swing, not a runaway: invalidation is a daily close below 145.50, which would confirm the extreme-positioning unwind is underway and flip the risk to a sharp yen-short squeeze.

Entry
147.20-147.80
Stop
145.40
Target
151.80
R:R
~2.3:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-10

HG (Copper)ShortDailyActive

Copper positioning pinned at a 3-year extreme

Copper spec net is +72,882 sitting at a 3y index of 95/100 — one of the most crowded longs in the entire dataset — and it already ticked lower WoW -3,389, hinting the marginal buyer is exhausted. China's Inflation Rate YoY (Sep 9, 01:30Z) is the catalyst: a soft demand read out of the largest consumer would give over-positioned longs a reason to reduce. This is a mean-reversion fade of an extreme, not a trend call. Invalidation: a hot CNY print and a daily close above 4.30 shows demand strength absorbing supply, and the crowded long can persist longer — cut the idea there.

Entry
4.12-4.18
Stop
4.31
Target
3.82
R:R
~2.1:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-10

AUD/USDShortDailyActive

Aussie longs stretched into a hawkish Fed tape

AUD spec net is +49,662 with a 3y index of 82/100 — a crowded long that just rolled over WoW -4,399, the kind of positioning fatigue that precedes unwinds. Meanwhile fed funds futures price a 64% hike for the Sep 15-16 FOMC (implied 3.79%), a USD-supportive backdrop that squeezes high-beta longs. US CPI on Sep 11 (12:30Z) is the swing catalyst: a firm print reinforces the hike bias and pressures AUD. Invalidation: a soft CPI plus a daily close back above 0.6640 would neutralize the USD tailwind and signal longs are being defended, voiding the thesis.

Entry
0.6555-0.6580
Stop
0.6645
Target
0.6400
R:R
~2.0:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-10

GCShortDailyActive

Gold: Fading Longs Into a Hawkish Fed and Hot PPI Risk

Gold spec net remains long at +136,771 (3y index 67/100) but the WoW -7,976 shows longs actively de-risking. The macro backdrop is hostile: fed funds futures assign a 62% probability to a September hike and 24% to another in October, with implied rates rising to 3.85% by the Oct 27-28 meeting — rising real-rate expectations pressure non-yielding gold. Catalyst is USD PPI MoM on 2026-09-10 12:30Z; a hot print reinforces the hiking path and pressures gold lower. Invalidation: a soft PPI that revives cut expectations (currently 0%) and holds gold above its recent high flips the thesis — cover if positioning re-accelerates upward.

Entry
Short on failure at recent highs after the PPI release
Stop
Above the recent swing high
Target
Prior support/consolidation zone below
R:R
~2:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-09

6AShortDailyActive

Aussie: Long Crowding Meets a Hawkish Fed and China Risk

AUD spec net is +49,662 with a 3y index of 82/100 and WoW -4,399, a stretched long already being pared. This aligns with a hawkish USD backdrop: fed funds futures price a 62% hike probability for the Sep 15-16 FOMC (0% cut) and an implied post-meeting rate of 3.79%, undermining high-beta longs. Twin catalysts hit early week — AUD Westpac Consumer Confidence (09-08 00:30Z) and NAB Business Confidence (09-08 01:30Z), plus China trade data (09-08 03:00Z) to which AUD is highly sensitive. Invalidation: firm Australian confidence prints combined with a China trade beat that lifts AUD through its recent range high would confirm the crowded longs are justified — exit if positioning momentum turns back up.

Entry
Sell into rallies toward recent range resistance
Stop
Above the recent swing high
Target
Prior demand shelf lower in the range
R:R
~2:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-09

HGShortDailyActive

Copper: Crowded at the Top Into China Trade Data

Copper spec net longs sit at +72,882 with a 3y positioning index of 95/100 — a historically extreme, crowded long that leaves little marginal buying power and elevated flush risk. The WoW change of -3,389 shows longs already starting to trim. The catalyst is the China trade balance, imports and exports YoY all due 2026-09-08 03:00Z; soft Chinese demand prints would hit the marginal buyer hardest at these extremes. Invalidation: a strong beat on Chinese imports/exports that pushes price to fresh highs above the recent range and resets positioning breadth negates the mean-reversion thesis — stand aside if longs expand rather than contract.

Entry
Fade strength into the prior swing-high supply zone
Stop
Above the recent range high / fresh cycle high
Target
Prior consolidation base / breakout retest zone
R:R
~2.5:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-09

Copper (HG)ShortDailyActive

Copper positioning at a 3-year extreme ahead of China data

Copper spec net is +72,882 with a 3y index at an extreme 95/100 — about as crowded long as it gets — and the WoW move of -3,389 shows early profit-taking. Such extremes leave asymmetric downside if the marginal buyer is exhausted. The catalyst is China's Balance of Trade, Exports and Imports (Sep 8, 03:00Z) and CPI (Sep 9): weak Chinese demand data would hit the metal most exposed to that positioning imbalance. A firmer USD from the 62% Fed hike probability adds a headwind for dollar-priced metals. This is a mean-reversion fade of an overstretched book; invalidation is a decisive daily close above the 4.68 zone, signaling the crowd is right and the trend extends.

Entry
4.52-4.58
Stop
4.68
Target
4.25
R:R
2.2

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-08

AUD/USDShortDailyActive

Crowded Aussie longs meet a hawkish dollar and China risk

AUD spec net is a crowded +49,662 with a 3y index at 82/100 and a WoW decline of -4,399 — longs are stretched and beginning to trim. Against a Fed pricing a 62% hike for September, the USD side favors downside in AUD/USD. The catalyst cluster is front-loaded: AUD Westpac Consumer Confidence and NAB Business Confidence (Sep 8) plus China Balance of Trade, Exports and Imports (Sep 8) and China CPI (Sep 9) — soft China data pressures the growth-sensitive Aussie while positioning has little room to add. Invalidation is a daily close above 0.6700, which would show the crowded longs are being defended rather than liquidated.

Entry
0.6610-0.6640
Stop
0.6705
Target
0.6480
R:R
2.0

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-08

USD/JPYLongDailyActive

Yen shorts pile in as Fed prices a September hike

JPY spec positioning is deeply net short at -102,188 with a 3y index of just 9/100 and a fresh WoW deterioration of -25,146, showing accelerating bearish yen momentum. This aligns with a hawkish Fed: fed funds futures assign a 62% probability to a Sep 15-16 hike (implied 3.79%), keeping USD/JPY carry supportive. Long USD/JPY expresses the rate divergence. Thursday's USD PPI (Sep 10, 12:30Z) is the catalyst — a hot print reinforces the hike bias. The extreme 9/100 index is the main risk: crowded shorts can snap on any dovish surprise or MoF intervention rhetoric, so invalidation is a daily close back below the 146.8 zone, which would signal the positioning unwind has begun.

Entry
148.40-148.80
Stop
146.80
Target
152.00
R:R
2.0

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-08

AUD/USDShortDailyActive

Aussie longs stretched at 82/100 ahead of a China-heavy calendar

AUD spec net is +49,662 with a 3y index of 82/100 and shorts—err, longs—already trimming -4,399 WoW. The Aussie faces a dense catalyst run: Westpac Consumer Confidence and NAB Business Confidence on Sep 8, then China Balance of Trade/Exports/Imports the same day and CPI on Sep 9 — the AUD trades as a China proxy. With the Fed pricing a 62% Sep hike and USD firm (DX index 62/100), a crowded Aussie long is vulnerable to soft data. Invalidation: upbeat NAB/China prints and a hold above 0.6620 flip momentum back to the longs.

Entry
0.6560–0.6600
Stop
0.6625
Target
0.6440
R:R
~2.5:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-07

HG (Copper)ShortDailyActive

Copper longs at 95/100 extreme meet China trade data

Copper spec net is +72,882 with a 3y positioning index of 95/100 — one of the most crowded longs on the board — and it just ticked -3,389 WoW, an early sign of position trimming. The catalyst is China's Balance of Trade, Exports and Imports on Sep 8, plus CPI on Sep 9; soft Chinese demand prints into an over-owned long is a classic mean-reversion setup. Invalidation: strong Chinese trade/import data that reignites the trend, or a fresh WoW build in specs, argues the crowd is right — a break above the recent high near 4.65 negates the fade.

Entry
4.55–4.62
Stop
4.68
Target
4.32
R:R
~2.5:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-07

EUR/USDShortDailyActive

ECB into a hawkish Fed — euro shorts have room to press

EUR FX spec net sits at -38,173 (3y index 22/100), and the dollar backdrop is unusually firm: fed funds futures show a 62% probability of a Sep hike and DX spec net at +7,133 (index 62/100). The scheduled catalyst is the ECB rate decision and press conference on Sep 10, followed by US PPI the same day — a two-sided event risk that can trigger the move. A dovish/steady ECB against a hiking-biased Fed widens the differential against the euro. Invalidation: a hawkish ECB surprise that lifts EUR/USD back above 1.1050 breaks the thesis; the 22/100 index also means positioning is already stretched, so size for chop around the event.

Entry
1.0950–1.1020
Stop
1.1075
Target
1.0770
R:R
~2.5:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-07

USD/JPYLongDailyActive

Yen at a 3-year positioning floor as Fed leans hawkish

JPY spec net is -102,188 with a 3y index of just 9/100, and shorts grew another -25,146 WoW — the market keeps pressing yen weakness. Fed funds futures price a 62% HIKE for the Sep 15-16 FOMC (implied 3.79%) with no cut on the horizon through October, a rate-differential backdrop that favors USD/JPY continuation. The caveat: a 9/100 index is an extreme, so this is a momentum-with-the-macro trade, not a value one. Invalidation: a daily close back below the recent swing base (roughly the 146.00 area) signals the short-yen crowd is capitulating and the extreme is unwinding — stand aside.

Entry
149.00–150.00 on a shallow pullback
Stop
146.00
Target
154.50
R:R
~1.8:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-07

HG (Copper)ShortDailyActive

Copper positioning maxed at 98th %ile ahead of China trade data

Speculative copper positioning is at a crowded extreme: spec net +76,271 with a 3y index of 98/100 — essentially as long as it has been in three years — and momentum has already begun to fade (WoW -2,377). Crowded longs at a 98/100 index leave the tape vulnerable to a positioning washout on any disappointment. The catalyst is the China data cluster on Sep 8 (03:00Z): Imports YoY, Exports YoY and Balance of Trade — soft Chinese demand signals could trigger long liquidation. This is a mean-reversion fade of an overextended long, not a trend trade. Invalidation: continued spec accumulation and a break to new highs above the 4.70 zone shows the crowd is still adding — exit on a daily close above that level.

Entry
4.52–4.60
Stop
4.72
Target
4.20
R:R
≈2.0:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-04

USD/JPYLongDailyActive

Hawkish Fed meets JPY shorts into NFP

Fed funds futures price a 54% hike / 46% hold for the Sep 15–16 FOMC with an implied post-meeting rate of 3.77% — an outright hawkish skew that supports the dollar (DX spec net +9,189, 3y index 66/100). On the other side, JPY spec net is -77,042 with a 3y index of 25/100 and shorts still growing (WoW -9,071). NFP and Unemployment Rate (Sep 4, 12:30Z) plus ISM Services (Sep 3, 14:00Z) are the catalysts: firm prints reinforce the hike bias and the long-USD/short-JPY tilt. Invalidation: a soft NFP/ISM combo that collapses the hike probability would undercut the thesis — stand aside or exit on a daily close back below 145.00.

Entry
147.00–148.20
Stop
144.90
Target
152.00
R:R
≈1.9:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-04

AUD/NZDLongDailyActive

Antipodean divergence: AUD (86th %ile) over NZD (3rd %ile)

COT positioning is at an extreme spread between the two antipodeans: AUD spec net is +54,061 with a 3y index of 86/100 (WoW +1,953), while NZD spec net is -31,994 at a 3y index of just 3/100 and still building shorts (WoW -5,188). This is one of the widest relative-positioning gaps in the dataset. Catalysts favor AUD near-term with AUD Balance of Trade (Sep 3, 01:30Z) and NAB Business Confidence (Sep 8) on deck, while NZD has no supportive scheduled release. Invalidation: a sharp AUD short-covering reversal or weak Aussie trade data that breaks price below the 1.0800 zone negates the positioning edge — exit if that level fails on a daily close.

Entry
1.0900–1.1000
Stop
1.0790
Target
1.1230
R:R
≈2.0:1

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-04

HG (Copper)ShortDailyActive

Copper positioning at a 3y ceiling, momentum fading

HG spec net is +76,271 with a 3y index pegged at 98/100 — effectively maxed-out bullish positioning — and the first crack showing as longs were trimmed (-2,377 WoW). Extreme crowding with no fresh buying leaves the tape vulnerable to a positioning washout, especially into a hawkish-USD/strong-data week (ISM Manufacturing Sep 1, NFP Sep 4). This is a mean-reversion fade of an overcrowded long. Invalidation: renewed net-long expansion or a break to new highs above the stop invalidates the exhaustion read — stand aside on a daily close through the stop.

Entry
4.55–4.62
Stop
4.72
Target
4.30
R:R
2.4

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-03

USD/JPYLongDailyActive

Yen shorts extend as Fed leans to a hike

JPY spec net is -77,042 and shorts grew again (-9,071 WoW) with a 3y index of 25/100, while the Fed curve shows a 62% Sep hike probability and implied rate of 3.79% — a widening rate gap favoring the dollar. US ISM Services (Sep 3) and NFP (Sep 4) are the catalysts; firm data reinforces the carry-driven yen weakness. Invalidation: a dovish USD data surprise or BoJ intervention risk — exit if the pair breaks back below the stop, signaling the yen short is unwinding.

Entry
147.20–148.00
Stop
146.20
Target
150.20
R:R
2.2

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-03

USD/CADLongDailyActive

Loonie shorts meet a hawkish Fed and a heavy calendar

CAD spec net is -72,092 (3y index 27/100), a persistent bearish tilt despite short-covering (+16,805 WoW). Meanwhile Fed funds futures price a 62% Sep hike with DX net long (index 66/100, +1,077 WoW) — a hawkish USD backdrop. The BoC decision (Sep 2) plus CAD unemployment and US NFP (Sep 4) stack the catalysts. Invalidation: an unexpectedly hawkish BoC or a strong Canadian jobs print reversing the CAD short base — cut if price loses the stop zone, which would confirm the covering trend has legs.

Entry
1.3760–1.3810
Stop
1.3690
Target
1.3950
R:R
2.0

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-03

AUD/USDLongDailyActive

Aussie longs stay loaded into Q2 GDP

AUD spec net is +54,061 with a 3y index at 86/100 and still building (+1,953 WoW) — the most crowded-long G10 currency, reflecting real conviction rather than a spent move. The Sep 2 AUD GDP QoQ print is the catalyst: an in-line-to-firm reading validates the longs and extends the trend. Invalidation: a soft GDP miss that stalls price below the entry zone, or a hawkish USD surprise from ISM/NFP, would flip the risk — exit if daily closes below the stop as it would signal the crowded long unwinding.

Entry
0.6480–0.6520
Stop
0.6420
Target
0.6640
R:R
2.0

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-03

ESShortDailyActive

A 72% hike bid collides with a data-heavy week

With fed funds futures assigning a 72% probability to a Sep hike (implied 3.81%) and 26% to another in October, the rates backdrop is a headwind for equity multiples. ES spec positioning is net short -315,204 and building (WoW -33,802, 3y index 61/100), signaling institutional caution rather than capitulation. The macro calendar is dense: ISM Manufacturing Sep 1, ISM Services Sep 3, and NFP Sep 4 — any of which can reprice the hawkish path higher. Short ES for a swing pullback. Invalidation: a soft NFP/ISM combo that revives cut hopes and squeezes the crowded shorts; a daily close above the entry zone high negates the bearish tilt.

Entry
6440-6480
Stop
6560
Target
6180
R:R
2.6

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-02

HGShortDailyActive

Copper longs at a 98th-percentile crowd ahead of China PMI

Copper spec net long is +76,271 with a 3y positioning index of 98/100 — effectively maxed-out bullish positioning — and momentum has already turned, with WoW -2,377 marking the first roll-over. Crowded extremes like this are vulnerable to long-liquidation on any demand disappointment, and the RatingDog China Manufacturing PMI (Sep 1) is the immediate catalyst given China's copper demand weight. This is a mean-reversion fade of an over-owned metal. Invalidation: a strong China PMI beat that refreshes the trend and pushes price to new highs on expanding net length; a daily close above the recent swing high cancels the setup.

Entry
4.52-4.58
Stop
4.68
Target
4.22
R:R
2.3

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-02

USDCADLongDailyActive

Loonie shorts meet a hawkish Fed into a BoC/NFP gauntlet

Fed funds futures price a 72% hike probability for the Sep 15-16 FOMC (implied 3.81%), a rare hawkish USD tailwind, while CAD spec positioning sits net short -72,092 (3y index 27/100). Although shorts covered +16,805 WoW, the structural short base plus a heavy catalyst cluster — BoC rate decision Sep 2, then simultaneous US NFP and Canadian unemployment Sep 4 — skews risk toward USD strength. Long USD/CAD to play a hawkish-Fed vs dovish-BoC divergence. Invalidation: a hawkish BoC surprise or soft US NFP that stalls the hike narrative; a daily close back below the 1.3550 entry base voids the thesis.

Entry
1.3620-1.3680
Stop
1.3540
Target
1.3900
R:R
2.6

SessionOpen AI Desk · 2026-09-02

Ideas are educational market commentary, not signals or financial advice.