Weak Open But Strong Close!

SPX- Weak Open But Strong Close
SPX- Weak Open But Strong Close

Thursday, March 29, 2012
Stock Market Commentary:

Stocks and other risk assets fell on Thursday after the latest round of economic data missed estimates and fears emerged regarding the European  debt crisis. From our point of view, the major averages confirmed their latest rally attempt on Tuesday 1.3.12 which was Day 9 of their current rally attempt. Since then, stocks have been enjoying a very strong uptrend. The benchmark S&P 500 paused near its 2011 high (~1370) before moving higher and that level should now become support. The next level of support would be the 50 DMA line, then a deeper 5-9% pullback. It is important to note that the bulls remain in control of this market as long as the benchmark S&P 500 stays above its 50 DMA line.

Fear of an Economic Slowdown Hurts Stocks:

Stocks ended mixed on Thursday, recovering from a weak open, after fear spread regarding the global economic recovery, fresh EU debt woes, and weaker than expected economic data from the U.S.. European stock markets were smacked after workers in Spain went on strike to protect their austerity measures one day before their 2012 budget is slated to be released. Spain’s stock market, IBEX, fell to a four-month low while Italy’s also got hammered on debt woes. Meanwhile, two important economic reports missed estimates in the U.S. The Commerce Department said its final estimate for Q4 2011 GDP was unchanged at +3.0%. This was the strongest gain since Q2 of 2008 but missed the Street’s +3.2% estimate. Meanwhile, the Labor Department said weekly jobless claims fell by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted +359,000 last week. Jobless claims fell to a four year low but missed the Street’s estimate of 350,000.

Market Outlook- Confirmed Rally

Risk assets (mainly stocks and a slew of commodities) are pulling back after a very healthy rally. This shallow pullback is considered healthy and shows how strong the bulls are at this point. However, if sellers show up and support is breached then the bears will have regained control of this market. As always, keep your losses small and never argue with the tape. If you are looking for specific help navigating this market, feel free to contact us for more information. That’s what we are here for!
Coming Up This Week:
WEDNESDAY: Weekly mortgage apps, durable goods orders, oil inventories, 5-yr note auction, Fed’s Bullard speaks, FDA discusses obesity drugs
THURSDAY: GDP, jobless claims, corporate profits, Fed’s Plosser speaks, 7-yr note auction, farm prices, Fed’s Lacker speaks; Earnings from Best Buy, Research In Motion
FRIDAY: Personal income & outlays, Chicago PMI, consumer sentiment, Stringer’s last day as Sony CEO
Source: CNBC.com

Similar Posts

  • Stocks Dive On Tepid Housing Data

    The technical action in the major averages continues to weaken alongside the latest round of tepid economic data. Currently, resistance for the the major averages are their 50 DMA lines, then their longer term 200 DMA lines. It is also disconcerting to see the action in several leading stocks remain questionable as evidenced by the dearth of high-ranked leaders breaking out of sound bases.
    From our perspective, Monday’s negatively reversal coupled with Tuesday’s ugly distribution day effectively ended the latest rally attempt which emphasizes the importance of remaining cautious until the rally is back in a confirmed uptrend. Put simply, we can expect this sideways/choppy action to continue until the market breaks out above resistance or below support (recent chart lows). The first scenario will have bullish ramifications while the second will be clearly bearish. Trade accordingly.

  • Stocks Soar After Worst Thanksgiving Week Since 1932!

    Monday, November 28, 2011 Stock Market Commentary: Risk assets surged across the world as rumor spread that EU officials were working on a new super deal to save the ailing Euro. Monday marked Day 1 of a new rally attempt which means the earliest a possible follow-through day (FTD) could emerge will be Thursday, providing…

  • Stocks Enjoy Healthy Gains For The Week

    Market Outlook- Rally Under Pressure:
    The major averages confirmed their latest rally attempt on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 which was the 11th day of their latest rally attempt. It is important to note that all major rallies in history began with a FTD however not every FTD leads to a new rally (i.e. several FTDs fail). In addition, it is important to note that the major averages still are under pressure as they are all trading below their longer and shorter term moving averages (50 and 200 DMA lines) and are all still negative year-to-date. Our longstanding clients/readers know, we like to filter out the noise and focus on what matters most: market action. This rally will fail if/when several distribution days emerge or August’s lows are breached. Until then, the bulls deserve the benefit of the doubt. If you are looking for specific help navigating this market, please contact us for more information.

  • Market Remains In A Correction; Day Count Reset

    All the major averages sliced below their recent lows which means the day count is reset and we are now looking for Day 1 of a new rally attempt to occur. At this point, the 200 DMA line (i.e. 40 week-moving average) remains support for all the major averages while the 50 DMA line is resistance. If the 200 DMA line is breached, on a closing basis, then odds favor lower prices will follow. The converse is also true. Until either event occurs, we should expect this sideways action (between the 50 & 200 DMA line) to continue. What does all of this mean for investors? Simple, the market remains in a correction which reiterates the importance of adopting a strong defense stance until a new rally is confirmed. Trade accordingly.