Stocks and a slew of other “riskon” assets bounced from deeply oversold levels as hope spread that another round of global monetary easing will curb the economic slowdown across the globe. In early May, all the major averages sliced below their respective 50 DMA lines which prompted us to label this market “in a correction.” For the past few weeks, we have written about the importance of being defensive especially because the action in the major averages and a slew of leading stocks deteriorated. After the sharp fall, the bulls showed up and are doing their best to defend the longer term 200 DMA lines for the major averages. If that level is “broken” on a closing basis- then we have to expect another leg lower to begin.
Stocks rallied on Monday erasing earlier losses and marked Day 1 of a new rally attempt. Stocks looked passed a lackluster non-manufacturing PMI reading from China and were hopeful that the EU crisis was not deteriorating further. The CRB Commodity Index managed to snap a four day losing streak which also helped stocks rally. The euro, which is a great barometer for “riskon” assets, also rallied from deeply oversold levels which paved the way for a “riskon” day.
Stocks rallied on Tuesday after the latest round of economic data was mixed. European retail sales slid but non-manufacturing PMI improved marginally. Finance ministers from the G7 held an emergency teleconference but failed to come up with any ground breaking solutions. The latest ISM Services Index rose to 53.7 in May from 53.5 in April. Moody’s one of the popular rating agencies, slashed the ratings on several European banks.
Stocks extended their gains on Wednesday after the ECB held rates steady at 1% and optimism spread. The ECB held its key interest rate unchanged at 1% which matched expectations. ECB President Mario Draghi said the central bank will do its best to curb inflation but added that inflation pressures remain subdued. Draghi also said the ECB expects inflation should remain above 2% for the rest of 2012 and then fall to 1-2% in 2013.
Thursday & Friday’s Action- Stocks Slide As Enthusiasm Wanes:
Before Thursday’s open, China lowered their interest rates by 25 basis points to 6.31% to help boost their “sagging economy.” The PBC move was not expected and helped send a slew of risk assets higher. Janet Yellen, the vice chair of the Fed, gave a speech in Boston where she made a case for another round of monetary easing to protect and stimulate the US economy from the impact of the euro zone debt crisis. After the open, Bernanke testified before the Congressional Joint Economic Committee and reiterated his recent stance regarding continued “downside” risks to the economy and capital markets. In European news, Spain has not yet requested assistance from the ECB and has resisted being placed under international supervision. However, Reuters reported that both German and European Union officials are urgently searching for solutions to their onerous debt problems. Stocks sold off in the final hour after the U.S. Fed boosted capital requirements for several of the country’s largest banks. Stocks rallied on Friday as enthusiasm regarding the global economy improved.
Overall, the action since this rally was confirmed on the September 1, 2010 follow-through day (FTD) remains healthy. Looking forward, the window is now open for disciplined investors to begin carefully buying high-ranked stocks again. It was encouraging to see a flurry of high-ranked leaders trigger fresh technical buy signals and break out of sound bases in recent weeks. All the major averages rallied above their respective 200-day moving average (DMA) lines this week, which is another encouraging sign. The next important resistance level the major averages are facing is their respective summer highs.
The technical action in the major averages has deteriorated significantly now that all the major averages failed to close above their recent chart highs (resistance) and sliced below their respective 200 DMA lines. It is also worrisome to see the number of distribution days pile up in recent weeks which puts pressure on the current five-week rally. In order for a new leg higher to begin, all the major averages must close and remain above their respective resistance levels. Trade accordingly.
Seven In A Row! Stocks rallied for the 7th-consecutive week – helping the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average hit new record highs. Over the past few months, we have seen a massive coordinated “offensive” from global central banks to help boost both Main St & Wall St. At the end of October, we saw the U.S. Federal…
Market Outlook- Uptrend Under Pressure:
The last week of June’s strong action suggests the market is back in a confirmed rally. As our longstanding clients/readers know, we like to filter out the noise and focus on what matters most: market action. That said, the current rally is under severe pressure as investors patiently await earnings season and continue to digest the latest economic data. Until all the major averages violate their respective 50 DMA lines on a closing basis, the market deserves the bullish benefit of the doubt. If you are looking for specific help navigating this market, please contact us for more information.
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Friday, October 19, 2012 Stock Market Commentary: The major averages ended mixed last week but ended near their lows (which is not a healthy sign for the bulls) as sellers showed up in the latter half of the week and sold shares. So far, this is nothing more than a normal pullback after a big…
Tuesday’s steep sell off effectively ended the latest rally attempt and sent all the major average back down towards their recent lows. Since the June 15, 2010 follow-through day (FTD), this column has steadily noted the importance of remaining very selective and disciplined because all of the major averages are still trading below their downward sloping 50-day moving average (DMA) lines. Looking forward, the 50 DMA line may act as stubborn resistance and this month’s lows should act as support. It is also worrisome to see the 50 DMA line already slice below the 200 DMA line on the NYSE. This event is known by market technicians as a death cross and usually has bearish implications. Trade accordingly.
