While I'm still not convinced we've seen "the" low in the recent correction/bear market, the recent daily price action of the indices sure is doing its best to chisel away at my resolve. And it at least has me considering adding some long exposure to my portfolio, if for no other reason than a hedge.
Earlier this week, All Star Charts published a free post titled A "Loco" Trade Idea. I liked the idea so much I'm gonna copy the guys and layer in a simple options play to take advantage of the outlook.
When it comes to stock market bellwethers, I can think of very few that are as important as J.P. Morgan Chase. If you look at a chart of the S&P500 going back decades and a chart of the JP Morgan, they look exactly the same. This brings me to our current dilemma. As J.P. Morgan goes, so goes the rest of the market right?
If that's the case, then this stock market has its work cut out for it. $JPM broke some serious support levels last month that have kept it below overhead supply, and that's a problem for the bulls.
One of my favorite exercises in our process is the use of "mystery charts." Essentially, we take out the x and y-axes and and all labels to eliminate any biases. The chart can be any security in any asset class on any timeframe on an absolute or relative basis. It can even be inverted.
The point here is to not guess what it actually is (though most of you will try), but instead to think about what you would do. Buy, Sell, or Do Nothing?
One of my favorite exercises in our process is the use of "mystery charts." Essentially, we take out the x and y-axes and and all labels to eliminate any biases. The chart can be any security in any asset class on any timeframe on an absolute or relative basis. It can even be inverted.
The point here is to not guess what it actually is (though most of you will try), but instead to think about what you would do.Buy,Sell, or Do Nothing?
Some of the most important stocks in the world are at such critical levels that we'd be fools to ignore it.
More specifically, I'm referring to Financials: Broker Dealers and Regional Banks in particular.
As we are all aware, Financials peaked in 2007 before the epic collapse throughout 2008 and into early 2009. The repercussions of those events were felt all over the world. Some people are calling for a repeat of that period. Could we actually see it? Maybe. But I think it's going to depend a lot on the outcome of the current battle taking place between buyers and sellers at one of the most critical levels in the history of these stocks.
As part of my weekly review I went through the entire S&P 1500 across on both the weekly and daily timeframes to identify long and short opportunities, as well as any major market themes.
Unfortunately the evidence is still mixed when it comes to the market's next directional move, but there was one chart that I wanted to point out because it reminded that opportunity can often lie where you least expect.
It's a great trade idea, but it also is a great reminder that while the major stock market indexes may not be trending, there's still plenty of opportunity on both the long and short side of this "market of stocks".
Yesterday I discussed how we use ratio charts to identify trends for both trading opportunities and information that we can use to make inferences about the stock market's next major move. Today I want to look at an inter-market relationship between Base Metals and Precious Metals that may help provide information about where interest rates are headed.
The S&P 500 has rallied more than 10% off its late December lows, making the reward/risk on the long side a lot less favorable as many of the major indexes and sectors approach overhead supply. When the market is at a point on an absolute basis where the weight of the evidence is mixed, the use of ratio charts to identify the trends that are happening under the surface becomes even more valuable.
Let's get something straight: being a market participant is not a right, it is a privilege. You have a responsibility to yourself, or your clients, to manage risk appropriately. Our goal is to profit while systematically having protection in place to adjust risk according to the environment. Not only is it not easy, the smartest minds in human history have failed in their attempts to profit from the market. See: The Market Owes You Nothing
A long time ago Mike Bellafiore, from SMB Capital, engraved in my mind that we need to be grateful for the opportunity to participate in the market. This isn't a right. We need to be humble and know that Mr. Market is here to take it all away at any given moment. The worst trade of your life could be the next one if you're not careful.
In the final Chart of the Week for 2018, we looked at the US Dollar reaching a key upside objective and then rolling over to finish the year on a sour note. I started out my Q1 2019 Playbook emphasizing the importance of the US Dollar Index in 2019 and I think we're already seeing the implications of a weaker Dollar. I also think this trend is likely to remain in place.
The way we saw it, if the US Dollar were to just break through these levels, without even acknowledging it, then there is most likely a severe flight to safety away from stocks and that's why the Dollar is getting bid up. The counter-argument there is that if the Dollar is weakening, stocks would most likely do well in that environment. That has been our thesis coming into the year.
Earlier today we uploaded a post outlining the case for some mean reversion in Canadian Equities, as well as the stocks we're buying to take advantage of that thesis. The same pattern that can potentially drive those stocks higher is also present in the IBD 50 ETF FFTY, so in this post we're outlining the IBD 50 stocks with the best reward/risk.
First let's take a look at the ETF itself, which has fallen 35% since October and recently undercut support as momentum diverged. If prices are above 26.75, this failed breakdown and bullish momentum divergence setup remains intact, targeting former support near 32.
