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Showing posts with label SP 500. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SP 500. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
How To Position Yourself for a 10 Year Pattern Breakout
As mentioned last Friday just before things took a dive on the weekend, a look at the major market indices did not look promising. If we take an even longer term look and examine the monthly charts we can see that The S&P 500 as well as the Dow Jones have been approaching multi decade rising channel resistance lines. Further, they also appear to be forming bearish rising wedge patterns.
Monthly Long Term Chart Analysis & Thoughts....
As many of my longer term subscribers can attest to, I always preach that technical analysis is one part art and one part science: you can never be completely certain on what the outcome of a pattern is going to be. However, we can use historical analysis to make better investments. The great American Novelist Mark Twain probably said it best in that “history does not repeat itself, but it rhymes”. Regarding a rising wedge pattern, we know that roughly two thirds of the time they will break to the downside. This also means that one third of the time they break to the upside.
In accomplishing our goal of capital growth we must do a number of things. We must make returns on our investments, we must protect our investments, and we must limit our losses. While all three aspects work in tandem with each other, there are times when focus must be allocated to one specific approach.
Regarding the current technical setup, I’m not so focused on the 67% chance that these wedges will break to the downside, but more so the impact of each outcome on the average Joe’s portfolio and mom and pop businesses. The S&P 500 and the Dow are approaching long term resistance lines that have been in place for decades. If we do break to the downside, which I suspect we will, there could be a very significant sell off with consequences that no one can predict at this point though I mention some things in the chart above. Alternatively, there is significant overhead resistance in the various indices, and I don’t believe an upside break would be too monumental.
That being said, I always like to keep an open outlook and wait for the right opportunity. I’m trying to think of scenarios that would prelude further upside action and I really am not coming up with much. As evidenced by the completion of the recent 5 wave uptrend on the S&P that coincided nicely with the various quantitative easing policies, Ben Bernanke and the fed have had less and less impact. I truly can’t see many fiscal developments that would prompt any significant bullish action.
The only scenario I really think that could pump up equities is a series of positive earnings announcements. A lot of expectations, earnings numbers, guidance, etc… have been revised downwards over the last couple of quarters, so there is the opportunity for some positive surprises that could lead to some bullish price action. In absence of such a scenario, I really can’t think of much else that would prompt a run up.
Look at these charts of positive and negative earnings surprises… and the dates and remember what happened following this negative data....
Positive Earnings Surprise
Negative Earnings Surprise
That being said, I am recommending two courses of action. For those steadfast bulls, lock in some profits and/or buy some protection. Missing out on some of the upside is a lot better than losing some of the gains you have fought so hard for over the past couple of years. For the more aggressive traders and investors, start following my updates a little more regularly as I foresee many shorting opportunities coming up in the future. As many of you know, sell offs are often quick and abrupt, and timing is extremely important when playing the downside.
Further, trading could get very volatile in the near future. Historically, and even more so looking forward as August and September have been very costly for the average investor. Our focus will be in taking the highest probability trades that offer the best risk to reward scenarios. There will be times when we miss trades, and times when they’re not timed perfectly. But, as those who have been with me for a while can attest to, patience pays off in the long run....
Join my Free Market Analysis & Trade Idea Newsletter > Now at The Gold & Oil Guy
Chris Vermeulen
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Monthly Long Term Chart Analysis & Thoughts....
As many of my longer term subscribers can attest to, I always preach that technical analysis is one part art and one part science: you can never be completely certain on what the outcome of a pattern is going to be. However, we can use historical analysis to make better investments. The great American Novelist Mark Twain probably said it best in that “history does not repeat itself, but it rhymes”. Regarding a rising wedge pattern, we know that roughly two thirds of the time they will break to the downside. This also means that one third of the time they break to the upside.
In accomplishing our goal of capital growth we must do a number of things. We must make returns on our investments, we must protect our investments, and we must limit our losses. While all three aspects work in tandem with each other, there are times when focus must be allocated to one specific approach.
Regarding the current technical setup, I’m not so focused on the 67% chance that these wedges will break to the downside, but more so the impact of each outcome on the average Joe’s portfolio and mom and pop businesses. The S&P 500 and the Dow are approaching long term resistance lines that have been in place for decades. If we do break to the downside, which I suspect we will, there could be a very significant sell off with consequences that no one can predict at this point though I mention some things in the chart above. Alternatively, there is significant overhead resistance in the various indices, and I don’t believe an upside break would be too monumental.
That being said, I always like to keep an open outlook and wait for the right opportunity. I’m trying to think of scenarios that would prelude further upside action and I really am not coming up with much. As evidenced by the completion of the recent 5 wave uptrend on the S&P that coincided nicely with the various quantitative easing policies, Ben Bernanke and the fed have had less and less impact. I truly can’t see many fiscal developments that would prompt any significant bullish action.
The only scenario I really think that could pump up equities is a series of positive earnings announcements. A lot of expectations, earnings numbers, guidance, etc… have been revised downwards over the last couple of quarters, so there is the opportunity for some positive surprises that could lead to some bullish price action. In absence of such a scenario, I really can’t think of much else that would prompt a run up.
Look at these charts of positive and negative earnings surprises… and the dates and remember what happened following this negative data....
Positive Earnings Surprise
Negative Earnings Surprise
Further, trading could get very volatile in the near future. Historically, and even more so looking forward as August and September have been very costly for the average investor. Our focus will be in taking the highest probability trades that offer the best risk to reward scenarios. There will be times when we miss trades, and times when they’re not timed perfectly. But, as those who have been with me for a while can attest to, patience pays off in the long run....
Join my Free Market Analysis & Trade Idea Newsletter > Now at The Gold & Oil Guy
Chris Vermeulen
Get our Free Trading Videos, Lessons and eBook today!
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Saturday, July 21, 2012
Put Your Seatbelts On, It’s About To Get Bumpy!
It was just about a year ago today when the S&P was sitting at fresh highs and everyone was enjoying a rather upbeat summer. It was a nice summer, the markets were calm, and there was a surreal sense of optimism. Then, in the matter of a few days, things got real ugly, real quickly.
Well, it doesn’t seem like too much has changed since then. We’ve had mixed earnings reports, ever evolving worries in Europe, and the always looming fiscal mess in the U.S. Once again, are we in the calm before the storm?
It looks like things in Europe may start to heat up again. Riots turned violent again in Spain as protestors took to the street over austerity measures. With seemingly no resolution, a sinking tourism industry in the PIGS, and a typically hot summer August on its way, all signs point to further turmoil.
Technically, we’re currently seeing a number of bearish indicators setting up in the S&P and other markets. First, on the weekly chart of the SP500 Futures we can see what appears to be a bear flag formation developing. Note the recent rise in price since the beginning of June on decreasing volume.
Weekly SP500 Futures Chart Patterns
Daily Chart Elliott Wave Count For SP500
A second look at the S&P daily illustrates a down trend and 5 wave count bounce in the market, both are currently pointing to lower prices.
>> Completion of two intermediate cycles within longer term 5 wave pattern
>> Downwards wave one from April until beginning of June followed by wave 2 correction from June until present.
The wave two correction typically proceeds the longest wave, wave three, which is pointing towards a large move down (Note that in the first shorter term cycle the downwards wave three was the longest by far. We expect the same to be repeated in the longer term cycle.)
SP500 BIG PICTURE Wave Count
A look at the longer term view once again using the weekly chart, again supports our argument for a major correction. We have just completed a 5 wave pattern since the 2009 lows, and it is looking more like a big pull back is due. Remember most major trends end after the fifth wave.
Copper Weekly Chart Patterns
If we take a look at the copper ETF, “JJC”, we are provided with further justification. Copper is often referred to as “Dr.Copper” due to its industrial application and is known to be a leading indicator for equity markets. Copper has significantly underperformed equity markets and is likely leading the next move down. A look at the weekly chart which points to a rather dismal outlook. There is a major head and shoulder patterns developing.
Major Market Pattern Analysis Conclusion:
Last summer turned into a bloodbath with nothing but red candlesticks taking stocks and commodities sharply lower. If you haven’t already, it’s time to lock in some profits. Short, intermediate, and long term cycles are pointing down, and the increasingly bearish technical developments cannot be ignored. We’ll be looking at entering multiple shorts potentially in the very near future once/if setups present themselves.
Buckle up and stay tune for more....
Stay in the loop by joining my free weekly newsletter
Get our Free Trading Videos, Lessons and eBook today!
Well, it doesn’t seem like too much has changed since then. We’ve had mixed earnings reports, ever evolving worries in Europe, and the always looming fiscal mess in the U.S. Once again, are we in the calm before the storm?
It looks like things in Europe may start to heat up again. Riots turned violent again in Spain as protestors took to the street over austerity measures. With seemingly no resolution, a sinking tourism industry in the PIGS, and a typically hot summer August on its way, all signs point to further turmoil.
Technically, we’re currently seeing a number of bearish indicators setting up in the S&P and other markets. First, on the weekly chart of the SP500 Futures we can see what appears to be a bear flag formation developing. Note the recent rise in price since the beginning of June on decreasing volume.
Weekly SP500 Futures Chart Patterns
Daily Chart Elliott Wave Count For SP500
A second look at the S&P daily illustrates a down trend and 5 wave count bounce in the market, both are currently pointing to lower prices.
>> Completion of two intermediate cycles within longer term 5 wave pattern
>> Downwards wave one from April until beginning of June followed by wave 2 correction from June until present.
The wave two correction typically proceeds the longest wave, wave three, which is pointing towards a large move down (Note that in the first shorter term cycle the downwards wave three was the longest by far. We expect the same to be repeated in the longer term cycle.)
SP500 BIG PICTURE Wave Count
A look at the longer term view once again using the weekly chart, again supports our argument for a major correction. We have just completed a 5 wave pattern since the 2009 lows, and it is looking more like a big pull back is due. Remember most major trends end after the fifth wave.
Copper Weekly Chart Patterns
If we take a look at the copper ETF, “JJC”, we are provided with further justification. Copper is often referred to as “Dr.Copper” due to its industrial application and is known to be a leading indicator for equity markets. Copper has significantly underperformed equity markets and is likely leading the next move down. A look at the weekly chart which points to a rather dismal outlook. There is a major head and shoulder patterns developing.
Major Market Pattern Analysis Conclusion:
Last summer turned into a bloodbath with nothing but red candlesticks taking stocks and commodities sharply lower. If you haven’t already, it’s time to lock in some profits. Short, intermediate, and long term cycles are pointing down, and the increasingly bearish technical developments cannot be ignored. We’ll be looking at entering multiple shorts potentially in the very near future once/if setups present themselves.
Buckle up and stay tune for more....
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& videos to stay ahead of the crowd.
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Monday, May 21, 2012
Todd’s Secret Weapon, the 30 Minute Breakout Strategy
It was American writer Orison Swett Marden who observed, “A good system shortens the road to the goal.”
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Take a few minutes to just click here and watch the 30 Minute E-Mini Breakout video and see what I mean.
Todd Mitchell is only making this free report and trading tutorial available for a limited time.
Get the free strategy now ... trade it tomorrow.
If you have a trading goal, but the lack a proven system for getting there, grab veteran trader Todd Mitchell’s step by step blueprint for setting up a profitable trade right now.
Get Todd's "30 Minute E-Mini Breakout, valued at $497"
He’s fine tuned and perfected a system for making money during just the first 30 minutes of the trading day. Yes, only 30 minutes....Please don’t miss out on this.
If you visit this website right now, you can download this strategy at no cost to you whatsoever. Everything you will need to know about trading this strategy is revealed to you. Nothing is being held back.
Take a few minutes to just click here and watch the 30 Minute E-Mini Breakout video and see what I mean.
Todd Mitchell is only making this free report and trading tutorial available for a limited time.
Get the free strategy now ... trade it tomorrow.
Monday, May 7, 2012
The Dollar and Manipulation Control the Market
Over the weekend I had an interesting conversation with a local trader. We typically meet a few times a year to share our market outlooks, new trading tools and techniques, and usually finish our session off in a debate about the US market manipulation and how to trade around it.
Talking about market manipulation always opens up a can of worms and sparks some interesting theories… And while everyone has their own views and opinion on this subject I thought I would briefly share the main points I pulled from our conversation.
I did talk about the dollar index last week, but the recent price action unfolding today is important so I’m going to recap on it again.
My Weekend Conversation Key Thoughts:
Point form thoughts supporting Lower Equity prices and a Higher Dollar:
- Dollar index looks ready for a major rally (high dollar means lower stocks)
- SP500 may have just formed a double top
- SP500 closed strongly below the 20 day moving average
- First week of May for the past two years have been intermediate market tops
Points supporting Higher Equity prices and a Lower Dollar:
Countries around the globe are trying to keep their currency value low including the United States.
Presidential cycle strongly favors higher stocks prices which means the dollar should not rally until Nov.
What do all these points mean? Let’s take a look at the dollar charts below…
4 Hour Dollar Index Chart:
This chart time frame allows us to see all intraday price action while being able to zoom out several months for patterns along with key support and resistance levels.
As you can see over the past few months the dollar has been consolidating sideways. Within this consolidation it has formed two bullish falling wedges with the most recent one breakout last week right on queue.
Using this 24 hour futures dollar index chart we can see where things are trading through the weekend. On Friday the dollar index closed around the 79.50 level. As you can see the dollar has surged Sunday night by more than half a penny breaking through its down trend line.
The next few weeks will continue to be exciting ones as strong moves in the dollar will create wild movements in stocks and commodities.
Long Term Weekly Dollar Index Chart:
If you zoom WAY OUT using the weekly chart this shows you the two major areas where the dollar index is likely to reach come November. Also with these levels are my SP500 price points which are simply numbers I pulled from the charts using basic analysis. I say this because I’m not into long term forecasting but rather shorter term price movements. A lot can change between now and then.
So, if the dollar index rallies to the 86 – 88 level then I would expect the SP500 to be trading back down at the 1000 level. If this takes place, the Fed will likely issue QE3 to jam the dollar back down and boost equities.
The flip side of the coin is that the dollar rolls over here and gets pulled down. This will boost stock prices in favor for the president’s election. After that the dollar would likely rally which in turn would put a major top in the stock market, kick starting a bear market.
The big question…
Do you short the market in anticipation of rising dollar and falling stock prices? OR do you buck the trend and stick with the theory of a lower dollar value and presidential cycle?
The charts above clearly show how we are entering a major tipping point for the market and the next couple months are likely going to provide some big price swings for stocks, commodities and currencies.
If you want to get my thoughts and market ideas each morning before the opening bell be sure to join my video newsletter The Gold & Oil Guy.com
Chris Vermeulen
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Sunday, April 29, 2012
Why the U.S. Dollar is Critical for the S&P 500 Index this Week
Unfortunately I was sick the past few weeks and I am just now getting back into the swing of things. Similar to the demand pull that the warmer than usual spring has had on macroeconomic data, the warmer spring caused me to have an earlier than usual sinus infection as well as some horrific allergies.
I suppose I am pushing it a bit far when I am comparing my health concerns to economic data, but alas I fly my nerd flag proudly.
Recently I have been advising members of my service to be cautious as the market appears to be at a major crossroads. The U.S. Dollar Index is on the verge of a major breakdown. If a breakdown occurs it will be clear that the Federal Reserve will have officially stopped any potential rise in the U.S. Dollar.
Over the past few months the Dollar has been producing a series of higher highs and higher lows, however the current cycle may break the pattern.....as can be seen here.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
The Federal Reserve, Gold, the S&P 500, & the Retail Mindset
The recent rally has been breathtaking, however the majority of investors have missed out on a large portion of these gains as significant levels of cash have been either moved to bond funds or taken out of equity markets consistently during this rally. Let’s face it, financial markets around the world are not what they once were.
U.S. equity markets in particular are manipulated by high frequency trading which is wreaking havoc in the marketplace in terms of potential short term volatility expansions and “flash crashes” that can be isolated to one underlying stock.
U.S. equity markets in particular are manipulated by high frequency trading which is wreaking havoc in the marketplace in terms of potential short term volatility expansions and “flash crashes” that can be isolated to one underlying stock.
In addition to the high frequency trading robots, the Federal Reserve is equally involved in the direct manipulation of financial markets through record easing adjustments. The Federal Reserve has unleashed massive amounts of liquidity while keeping interest rates incredibly low which has produced an environment where the risk-on attitude permeates the landscape.
As a basic example of the failure of recent Federal Reserve policies and their impact generally on the valuation of various underlying assets, I submit for consideration to readers a 20 year price chart of the U.S. Dollar Index.
20 Year U.S. Dollar Index Chart
It boggles the mind to consider that Chairman Bernanke routinely denies that the Federal Reserve has failed to maintainwhat he calls “price stability.” When looking at the chart of the valuation of the U.S. Dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, most 5th graders if given the context would proclaim that the Federal Reserve has failed in their objective to maintain price stability.
As time passes and the financial crisis moves further into the rear view mirror, average Americans have varied views about the economy, the stock market, and trust in their government. For most Americans, the stock market does not make sense because they view the stock market and the economy as the same thing. Sophisticated investors understand that stocks and the economy are two totally separate issues, particularly with the amount of manipulation that has been taken place since 2007.
This manipulation has not gone unnoticed by the average American. Now more than ever regular people are not only distrustful of domestic financial markets, but they do not trust Wall Street, and for good reason. In light of this, data compiled during the recent uptrend suggests that retail investors have been pulling money out of equities for weeks even though prices continue to move higher. The chart shown below courtesy of ZeroHedge.com illustrates the recent trend.
U.S. Domestic Mutual Fund Flows
The chart above shows the price of SPY represented as the black line and equity fund inflows/outflows as the red area. As can be seen above, retail investors have been pulling massive amounts of capital out of equity based mutual funds over the past few months as equity prices have rallied. The retail crowd, commonly referred to as sheep or courtesy of Goldman Sachs “muppets,” are selling into the rally.
So why is the retail crowd selling? They do not believe that this rally will last because the real world around them is arguing in the face of everything that this rally stands for. Gasoline prices are crippling the lower and middle classes further reducing their disposable income. Higher food and energy prices paired with job scarcity and serious concerns have begun to mount.
The average retail investor believes the game is rigged at this point and the everyday investor is only helping Wall Street bankers fund their lavish lifestyles. Ultimately, the retail crowd likelybelieves that the only way to win the game is to simply not play.
Will time prove the supposed sheep wrong? Statistically one would think so, but in this case the retail folks may just be right. Headwinds surround the global macroeconomic landscape. Europe is moving into a recession which is being exacerbated by austerity measures. Data came out yesterday (Thursday) that the PMI in several European countries and China contracted. Ireland missed growth targets and central banks around the world continue to print unprecedented levels of fiat currency as if printing money and creating more debt will solve a debt problem.
All of these issues are concerns, but ultimately price is the final arbiter in the world of flickering ticks. From these eyes there are two possible outcomes for the price action in the S&P 500. The first outcome which I believe is more likely is a test of the 2011 highs which results in a snap-back rally that takes us deeper into the 1,420 – 1,440 resistance zone. The chart below demonstrates the bullish potential outcome.
SPX Bullish Outcome
Price action at some point will backtest the 2011 highs and the reaction at that point will be critical. Generally speaking price action does not break a key support or resistance level on the first attempt. Usually the 2nd or 3rd attempt will result in a break of a key support / resistance level.
In this case, a test in coming days would likely result in a bounce and reversion to the previous trend. A possible, albeit unlikely outcome would be a break below the 2011 support zone which would then come close to triggering a trend change. The daily chart below demonstrates the bearish potential outcome.
SPX Bearish Outcome
I do firmly believe that the U.S. Dollar Index will hold clues about the future for the price action of equities. According to cycle analysis, the Dollar should come into is daily cycle low sometime in the next few weeks, if not sooner.
From that low, we should see another move higher for the Dollar Index which I anticipate will test the recent highs near 81. The daily chart of the U.S. Dollar Index futures is shown below.
U.S. Dollar Index Futures Daily Chart
If my expectations are somewhat accurate, the short term weakness in the Dollar will assist stocks and risk assets in a move above recent highs. In the case of the S&P 500, a move to key resistance at 1,420 – 1,450 could occur.
Readers should keep in mind that weakness could be disguised as just a consolidation near the 20 period moving average which has occurred in the past when analyzing the Dollar Index. However, I would not rule out one more leg lower before the Dollar finds a bottom.
Gold, silver, and the miners have been under selling pressure for some time and are likely due for a bounce to the upside. The weakness in the Dollar discussed above would allow precious metals and miners to work off some of the short term oversold conditions that we are seeing presently. The daily chart of gold futures is shown below.
Gold Futures Daily Chart
After a move higher into or around the $1,700 / ounce price level for gold, I believe that another leg lower will be quite likely.
Conclusion
Readers should be mindful that the 1st Quarter will end on March 30th for financial markets. Window dressing and portfolio painting are likely to occur next week. I would not be at all surprised to see the tape painted to the upside during the final week of March after this brief pullback that we witnessed on Thursday and Friday morning.
Money managers want to show off their returns while demonstrating ownership of key names that drove performance during the quarter such as AAPL. I expect the price action on Friday and the rest of next week to have relatively light volume and a bias to the upside.
Barring any major financial news or geopolitical event, I do not expect to see price action work below the 2011 highs in the near term. The possibility cannot be totally ruled out, but it would seemingly be a rare occurrence to see a major support level break down on the first back test attempt. We may see lower prices early next week, but if the 2011 highs hold the bulls remain in control in the short term.
The real question readers should ask themselves is if prices do extend higher and we reach my target resistance zone for the S&P 500, will the retail crowd jump in and push prices higher, or will the banks be trading with each other as a major top forms? In coming days and weeks we should find out once and for all just who the real muppets truly are.
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Monday, March 5, 2012
Don’t Understand the Volatility Index, Then Think of it as the "Fear Index"
Over the past 5 months we have seen volatility steadily decline as stocks and commodities rise in value. The 65% drop in the volatility index is now trading at a level which has triggered many selloffs in the stock market over the years as investors become more and more comfortable and greedy with rising stock prices.
Looking at the market from a HERD mentality and seeing everyone run to buy more stocks for their portfolio has me on edge. We could see a strong wave of fear/selling hit the S&P 500 Index over the next two weeks catching the masses with their hand in the cookie jar ........ again.
If you don’t know what the volatility index (VIX) is, then think of it as the fear index. It tells us how fearful/uncertain investors are or how complacent they are with rising stock prices. Additionally a rising VIX also demonstrates how certain the herd is that higher prices should continue.
The chart below shows this fear index on top with the SP500 index below and the correlation between the two underlying assets. Just remember the phrase “When the VIX is low it’s time to GO, When the VIX is high it’s time to BUY”.
Additionally the Volatility Index prices in fear for the next 30 days so do not be looking at this for big picture analysis. Fear happens very quickly and turns on a dime so it should only be used for short term trading, generally 3-15 days.
Volatility Index and SP500 Correlation & Forecast Daily Chart:
Global Issues Continue To Grow But What Will Spark Global Fear?
Everyone has to admit the stock market has been on fire since the October lows of last year with the S&P 500 Index trading up over 26%. It has been a great run, but is it about to end? Where should investors focus on putting their money? Dividend stocks, bonds, gold, or just sit in cash for the time being?
I may be able to help you figure that out.
Below is a chart of the Volatility index and the gold exchange traded fund which tracks the price of gold bullion. Notice how when fear is just starting to ramp up gold tends to be a neutral or a little weak but not long after investors start selling their shares of securities we see money flow into the shiny yellow safe haven.
Gold & Fear Go Hand In Hand: Daily Chart
Looking at the relationship between investor fear/uncertainty and gold you will notice scared money has a tendency to move out of stocks and into safe havens.
Trading Conclusion Looking Forward 3 months…
In short, I feel the financial markets overall (stocks, commodities, and currencies) are going to start seeing a rise in volatility meaning larger daily swings which inherently increased overall downside risk to portfolios and all open positions.
To give you a really basic example of how risk increases, look at the daily potential risk the SP500 can have during different VIX price levels:
Volatility index under 20.00 Low Risk: Expect up to 1% price gaps at 9:30am ET, and up to 5% corrections from a previous high.
Volatility index between 20 – 30 Medium Risk: Expect up to 2% price gaps at 9:30am ET, and up to 15% corrections from recent market tops or bottoms.
Volatility index over 30 High Risk: Expect 3+% price gaps at 9:30am ET, and possibly another 5-15% correction from the previous VIX reading at Medium Risk
Note on price gaps: If you don’t know what I am talking about a price gap is simply the difference between the previous day’s close at 4:00pm ET and the opening price at 9:30am ET.
To continue on my market outlook, I feel the stock market will trade sideways or possibly grind higher for the next 1-2 weeks, during this time volatility should trade flat or slightly higher because it is already trading at a historically low level. It is just a matter of time before some bad news hits the market or sellers start to apply pressure and either of these will send the fear index higher.
I hope you found this info useful and if you would like to get these reports free every week delivered to your inbox be sure to visit here to join my FREE NEWSLETTER!
Chris Vermeulen
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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Dollar, Weak Earnings Indicate a Top is Near For The S&P 500
Earnings season is now upon us and so far the only major earnings component that has been released is the J.P. Morgan earnings report that came in Friday before the market opened. After the report was digested by the marketplace, prices fell dramatically.
While the charlatans in Washington try to sell the American public into believing that the U.S economy is starting to firm up, the underlying truth is that the recovery has been relatively week. If it were not for the massive liquidity injections provided by the Federal Reserve through multiple quantitative easing adjustments, risk assets would likely be priced significantly lower.
Inquiring minds combed through the data provided in the J.P. Morgan earnings release and a few major outcomes were placed front and center. Earnings disappointed overall due to a massive decline in investment banking activity. Investment banking profits represent a large portion of all of the major banks’ earnings.
On Friday the guys at Zero Hedge provided the following chart in its article titled, “Charting Disappearing Investment Banking Revenues And Profits, JPM Edition.” The chart below illustrates the massive decline in investment banking revenue:
To make the chart a bit easier to follow, the blue bars represent investment banking revenue. It is rather obvious that investment banking revenue is in free fall having dropped nearly 50% since the first quarter of 2011. In addition, I would point out the sharp declines in total net income (purple) and the massive decline in equity market revenue (green).
It is without question that the other major banks that have a large investment banking presence are likely to experience similar revenue losses. A significant reduction in investment banking gross revenue puts tremendous pressure on total bank revenues in this quarter and looking ahead.
I am of the opinion that major money-center banks like Bank of America and Citigroup are likely to experience similar revenue reductions. We will know for sure in the coming weeks as most of the large banks are set to report earnings in the near term. Clearly this expected reduction in overall revenue will likely have a major impact on the financial sector of the economy.
The financial complex is absolutely critical when looking at broad index returns. It is common knowledge that broad indexes such as the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average struggle to rally when the financial complex lags. The same can be said for the semiconductor sector as well.
Recently financials (XLF) and the semiconductor (SMH) sectors have worked considerably higher on relatively light volume. Both XLF and SMH are trading into major resistance and both are starting to show signs that they are nearing a potential top The daily charts of XLF and SMH are shown below:
XLF Daily Chart
SMH Daily Chart
Both the XLF and SMH daily charts illustrate that a major top may be forming in both sectors. It is widely noted that if the financials and semiconductors are not showing strength in a rising market, a correction or major reversal may not be far away.
I have been writing about the potential for a major top to be forming for several weeks now and I find that I am not in the majority in this viewpoint. Recent sentiment and momentum in U.S. equities demonstrate that we are very overbought at this time. Retail investors are extremely bullish and the Volatility Index (VIX) is trading near recent lows.
I am unsure whether this is a major top that leads to strong selling pressure or whether a correction is a more likely outcome. What I do know is that tops are a process, not a singular event and at this point more and more evidence is supporting the viewpoint that equities may be getting tired and some profit taking is likely.
In addition to the lackluster price action in the charts above, earnings releases have been revised lower in the 4th quarter of 2011. In fact almost 3.5 companies have announced earnings revisions to the downside for every company that has indicated a stable to rising earnings announcements. This type of scenario has not been present since the first quarter of 2008 which as we know was not exactly a great time frame to be looking to put cash into risk assets.
Furthermore, Goldman Sachs analysts came out with the following commentary, “While the 4th Quarter is typically the strongest quarter for earnings, estimates have fallen 9% since the summer and are now below both realized 2nd and 3rd Quarter results.” Goldman Sachs is also expecting significant price pressure coming from a weak U.S. economy and the fears of a European recession in 2012. Overall, the estimates are far from bullish and are in fact quite concerning when looking at the current valuation of U.S. equities.
The impact that a stronger U.S. Dollar will have on domestic companies which are used to having a competitive advantage when looking at earnings due to currency adjustments could produce negative surprises. Typically positive earnings adjustments are likely to be revised to the downside as the U.S. Dollar has rallied sharply higher in light of the weakening Euro currency. The weekly chart of the U.S. Dollar Index is shown below:
The U.S. Dollar Index is consolidating directly beneath resistance which is generally seen as a bullish development. I expect a breakout over new highs is only a matter of time. It is unlikely that in the long term the U.S. Dollar can rally while stocks trade flat or work their way higher. While this is always possible, the likelihood of that scenario is unlikely due to earnings pressures that would occur if the Dollar pushes higher in the intermediate term.
In addition to the variety of above mentioned factors which could have a major impact on equity valuations, the S&P 500 Index is trading into major resistance. Unless the S&P 500 Index can work above the 1,325 area it is unlikely that a new bull market has begun.
If the S&P 500 Index manages to work above the 1,325 level then my analysis may be proven completely incorrect. However, right now the S&P 500 Index has a lot of overhead resistance at the 1,292, 1,300, and 1,310 price levels. The daily chart of the S&P 500 Index is shown below’
Ultimately we are coming into the final week for the January options contracts which are set to expire at the close of business this coming Friday. I would not be shocked to see some volatility late this week and potentially even higher prices for equities.
However, my expectation is that once the January expiration hangover is behind us, increased volatility and lower prices are likely ahead for U.S. equities. The earnings announcements this week will likely have a large impact on the price action. Heads up, risk is exceptionally high!
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Thursday, December 29, 2011
Rising Dollar and Five Investments Moving in the Directions we Anticipated
The last week of the year volume tends to be light due to the fact that big money traders are busy enjoying the holidays and waiting for their yearend bonuses.
I was not planning on doing much this week because of the low volume but after reviewing some charts and risk levels on my top 5 trading vehicles I could not help but share my findings with everyone last Friday.
You can see what I talked about on Friday here > Holiday Short Squeeze & Crude Oil Trade Idea
This Wednesday turned out to be an exciting session with all 5 of my trade ideas moving in our favour right on queue.
Charts of the 5 investments moving in the directions we anticipated …
- Dollar bounced off support
- Stocks are topping and selling off today
- Oil looks to have topped and is selling off
- Gold and Silver are moving lower
- VIX (Volatility Index) just bounced
Many of my readers took full advantage of my recent analysis and trade ideas which is great to hear. All the different ways individuals used to make money from Friday’s analysis is mind blowin......
The most common trade is the oil one with most traders adding more to Tuesday when the price reached its key resistance level on the chart. Also many traders took partial profits Wednesday locking in 3% or more in two days using the SCO ETF.
It’s amazing how many people like to trade the vix using ETFs. The best trade from followers thus far was an 8% gain in TVIX which was bought 4 days ago anticipating the pop in volatility which I had been talking about last week. Keep in mind ETFs for trading the vix are not very good in general. I stay away from them, but TVIX is the best I found so far.
Currently stocks are oversold falling sharply from the pre-market highs. Meaning stocks have fallen too far too fast and a bounce is likely to take place Thursday.
Also we saw some panic selling hit the market today with 14 sellers to 1 buyer. That level tells me that the market needs some time to recover and build up strength for another selloff later this week or next. We will see this pause unfold when the SP500 drifts higher for a session or two with light buying volume. This will confirm sellers are in control and give us another short setup.
In my Wednesday morning video I explained how/where to set stops when using leveraged ETFs because I know 90% of traders using them do not have a clue as to how to do this and they get shaken out of their trades just before a top or bottom.
I hope this helps you understand things more...... Over time you will pickup on a lot of new trading tips, tools and techniques with this free newsletter so just give it time and keep trades small until you are comfortable with my analysis.
Chris Vermeulen
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