Bond yields were higher, oil prices were higher, Fed speaking about inflation, all things that kept the markets in check on Tuesday following the long holiday weekend. Almost all the key sectors showed red at the close as investors were willing to take some money off the table. Midcaps were down more than 2% on the day giving up most of last week’s gains. Crude was up more than 1% on continued cuts from Saudia Arabia and Russia. Projections remain $100-120 per barrel by year-end. As we have discussed before this acts as a tax on the consumer and with inflation already high could be the tipping point for the recession that is in the headlines. Plenty of underlying issues continue to face the markets and could be the drag on stock prices currently. Manage the risk accordingly.
The markets moved modestly lower to start the week of trading. Volume was below average but higher on the selling than last week’s buying. Scanning the indexes we see a move to resistance and a modest move lower… watching how the near-term trend will unfold… thus patience for now. The S&P 500 index closed down 0.4%. The NASDAQ was down 0.1%. The SOXX was down 0.1%. Small Caps (Russell 2000) were down 2.1%. The ten-year treasury yield closed at 4.26% up 9 bps. Crude (USO) was up 1.1%. (UGA) was down 0.1%. Natural gas (UNG) was down 5.6%. The dollar was up 0.5%. We are focused on managing the risk and seeing how investors respond to the current situation.
Markets are closed on Monday for the Labor Day Holiday.
ONE Chart to Watch: QQQ – 1) The Chart remains positive following the test lower. 2) Short-term downtrend reversed. 3) $379.55 resistance in play. 4) Entry $370. Stop $375.
Additional Charts to Watch:
SOXX – Tested to support at $473.23. Bounced off the low offered entry $497. Stop $504. Letting it unfold.
Retail Stores – EMTY breaking higher as the short side of commercial real estate for retail stores struggles with plenty of distressed sales and bankruptcy issues in play. Hit Entry $15.25. Stop moved to $15.25 and let it unfold near term.
Energy turns higher – Tested support near $86 and bounced… entry $87.80. Stop $88.50. Crude marching higher again as well. UCO entry $30.72. Stop $31.30. Letting it run. UGA watching for entry hasn’t followed crude higher yet. Tuesday left a hammer doji worth watching.
Stops Hit: NONE
Quote of the Day: “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” – Will Rogers
The S&P 500 index closed down 18 points to 4496 moving the index down 0.42% with below-average volume on the day. The index holding support at 4338 and watching the uptrend off the lows. Three of the eleven sectors closed higher on the day with energy as the leader up 0.5%. The worst performer of the day was basic materials down 1.8%. The VIX index closed at 14.1 moving higher as sentiment shifted to start the week. The bounce at support remains in place and resumed the previous uptrend.
Sector Rotation and the S&P 500 Index:
XLB – Basic Materials Reversed to the 200-day MA and bounced. The sector was up 1.1% for the week. No Positions. XME broke higher looking for an entry point. Led downside off 1.8%.
Metals – Moving higher again and worthy of attention. NUE, STLD, X, FCX, SCCO…
XLU – Utilities back to the previous lows and looking ugly near term. Short entry hit. The sector was down 0.2% for the week. SDP entry. Dropped 1.5% to break support… Think treasury yields near 4.3% versus dividends on utility stocks… cause for the drop.
IYZ – Telecom broke higher from the trading range offer upside position. Entry $22.50. The sector was up 3.7% for the week. Manage the risk. Fell 1.3% and back into the trading range.
XLP – Consumer Staples moved back to the June lows. The sector was down 0.4% for the week. No Positions. Broke previous lows not looking good.
XLI – Industrials Tested support at $105.41 and bounced. Looking for upside follow through. The sector was up 2.1% for the week. No Positions. Down 1.7% reversing the upside move.
XLV – Healthcare Moved back to support at $132.64. The sector was up 0.1% for the week. No Positions. Broke support…
XLE – Energy tested to support with lower crude prices… then bounced on higher prices to resume the uptrend. Big and small caps are moving higher on the cuts from Russia and Saudi Arabia… Biden administration has painted themselves in a corner relative to the petroleum sector. The sector was up 3.6% for the week. Entry $81.95. Stop $85.05. Back above the previous high. Gapped higher again… watching doji candle on the close.
IEO – broke higher as offshore interest rise. Entry $85. Stop $97.10.
OIS – break higher on Friday… entry $8.35 if holds the move higher.
XLK – Technology The sector broke lower found support at $165 and bounced. The sector was up 4.4% for the week. Entry $167. Stop $170.
XLF – Financials Tested the $33.78 level of support and bounced. The sector was up 2% for the week. Bank downgrades not helping the sector. BAC consolidation pattern on chart.
XLY – Consumer Discretionary Bounced off support and watching the outcome. The sector was up 3% for the week. No Positions.
Retail: Break down the charts of the discount store… DG, DLTR, FIVE, BIG = Ugly. TJX, ROST, WMT slowing but holding their trends. RH, ANF, AEO, DBI, CAL are all trending higher… an interesting picture of the current economic picture.
IYR – REITs Bounced at support… watching how it unfolds. The sector was up 1.9% for the week. No Positions. Down 1.2% reversed…
Summary: The index moved modestly lower on the day, but as seen above some negative reversals in sectors breaking support. Investors may see a recession on the horizon based on the numbers… I believe we are already in one. Three of the eleven sectors closed higher on the day with XLE in the leadership role. The index is looking for direction and the talking heads believe it is lower… no, higher? let the charts unfold and take what is offered. Remember two things; first, the trend is your friend, and second, don’t fight the Fed.
(The notes above are posted at the end of each week based on activity from the previous week’s trading. The BOLD/ITALIC comments are the current-day changes worthy of note.)
KEY INDICATORS/SECTORS & LEADERS TO WATCH:
The NASDAQ index closed down 11 points to 14,020 as the index was down 0.08% for the day. The index was mixed overall with the mega caps holding up the index. Support is 13,274. Letting the move unfold as tech and megacaps find their collective direction. SOXX was down 0.1% on the day. IGV was up 0.5%. Watching support and how the activity unfolds.
NASDAQ 100 (QQQ) was up 0.13% on the day as mega caps traded flat. The sector bounced back from the test lower and watching how it unfolds. The sector had a negative bias with 36 of the 100 stocks closing in positive territory for the day.
Semiconductors (SOXX) The sector held support at $473.23 and bounced. Moved back above the $497 level to show momentum. The sector was up 5.4% for the week. Entry $497. Stop $505.
Software (IGV) The sector tested below the $336 level of support and bounced. The sector was up 4.6% for the week. Entry $345.50. Stop $355.
Biotech (IBB) The sector remains in a four-month trading range. The sector was up 1.9% for the week. No Positions. Negative day down 1.4% back below $128.35 support.
Small-Cap Index (IWM) Tested back to the 200-day MA and bounced showing some near-term leadership. The sector was up 3.7% for the week. No Position. Gave up gains down 2.1%. Midcaps fell 2.3% giving up gains as well.
Transports (IYT) Tested below the $247.67 and bounced modestly but still not showing much strength. Consolidation pattern on the chart near the lows. The sector was up 1.8% for the week. No positions. Fell 2.2% back to previous support.
The Dollar (UUP) The dollar moved back above the June highs with a wild week of trading… The dollar was up 0.2% for the week. More chatter about losing dollar status globally as BRIC nations establish gold-backed currency. No Positions.
Treasury Yield 10-Year Bond (TNX) The yield closed the week at 4.17% down from 4.23% last week. TLT was down 0.4% for the week. Watching how the Fed manages the yield curve. Yields back up to 4.27%.
Crude oil (USO) Crude bounced off support and broke higher. USO was up 6.1% for the week. UCO entry $30.72. Letting it unfold. Higher again $86.69…
Gold (GLD) The commodity found support and offered entry at $57.46 UGL. Stop $57.46. The metal was up 1.4% for the week. Letting it unfold. Down on Tuesday.
FINAL NOTES:
Our longer-term view shifted to neutral as the upside trend from the October lows was challenged but remains in play. Nothing goes straight down or up… there are always positive and negative swings in a longer-term trend. A look at the daily chart from the October lows validates exactly that premise with the trend higher overall but plenty of volatility along the way. With the trend higher it puts the broad indexes in an intermediate uptrend… of course, the last three weeks’ micro-trend tested the longer-term trend and we need to manage stops accordingly on longer-term positions. The topping patterns broke short-term support to create micro-term downtrends that have found support and bounced. Taking what is offered short term and managing the risk longer term. The economic data is showing signs of fatigue relative to growth. We added some short-term positions this week and letting them play out. Sector-driven activity is in play as seen in energy and software. The key remains, know where you are now, know what is happening now, and know what is on the horizon… act accordingly. The goal is to manage the risk of positions, take what is offered… short or long, and then manage your money. Listen to the market not the talking heads.
Tuesday: Start the week shaky as some of the sectors move below support on stronger selling. The major indexes held up thanks to the mega-cap stocks. Letting it play out as we look for directional confirmation on QQQ, SPY, SOXX, and IWM. We continue to follow the trends as they play out. Looking at how this bounce plays out with resistance ahead. Patience is the key currently. Manage the risk that is and let the current activity play out. Plenty to ponder as we progress in the current environment.
What I am watching on Wednesday:
Reaction to selling in six sectors. XLF, XLV, IYZ, XLU, XLI, XLB
Leadership… energy isn’t my favorite as it taxes the consumer… but we own it for the upside move. USO, XLE, OIS, IEO… Oil prices are moving higher? Russia stated it would increase its oil production cuts. Saudi Arabia has extended its cuts as well… This leads to inflation not just at the pump, but in products that use petroleum in production… This could get ugly looking forward.
Previous highs/resistance.
Economic data out: Mortgages, trade balance, and Services ISM released in the early morning, Fed Beige Book is in the afternoon. ISM Services is worth our attention as the Fed will be watching the data closely. It could be more important than the Beige book.
QQQ upside to hold (no big rise) as IWM and IJH decline. IGV looking solid on the chart.
Trending concerns:
Inflation warnings are popping up again… on May 4th crude was $67. On August 1st crude was $81.96 which is a 22.1% increase in price… where does it go? Correct, into everything we basically touch. We own USO and UGA in order to keep pace with being able to afford gasoline. But it goes further and we should be looking at where to invest to keep pace with the next wave of inflation.
To Quote The Babylon Bee: “Bidenomics is so successful the average American has twice as many jobs as [he] had 2 years ago.”
Decide what you’re doing before the market opens based on your beliefs. Entry. Exit. Target. Define the risk of the position. Nothing more… Nothing less.
“Vision without action is a daydream… Action without vision is a nightmare.” Japanese proverb
The goal of these notes is to allow you, the investor, to learn how to see the market development as the progression through the sector develops based on news, speculation, and data. Data drives long-term results and develops trends… speculation and news are short-term drivers and offer higher-risk trading opportunities. Through the use of both technical and fundamental data, we can have greater confidence in our trading strategies with a disciplined approach to investing and managing the risk of our money.