Not too far : As the crow flies

S&P 500

If flat tops bring market drop, we have a big one at our hands. S&P 500 is simply trading waters since March 1998. Today it stands exactly the same point it first crossed on the upside in March 1998. Nearly 12 years and nothing. And as far as current financial year go - nothing. This is the last quarter for S&P 500 to set a direction for the year as a whole and if prevailing 9 months have anything to go by, there is no clear trend still. The volatility has been grinding down progressively and the implied correlations across asset classes are slowly approaching 100%. The underlying risk in the markets is building up and severe price moves can occur to adjust for the ground realities. For a breakout trader, this is a point of extreme patience. Bigger the range, greater the breakout as they say. When it could happen, no one knows but it would certainly be a big one.

JPY has been rising steadily, even in the face of threat of interventions by BOJ. USD is also looking to breakout upwards after a recent pullback. These point to the continual deleveraging going on and corresponding destruction of outstanding debt. The US national debt may be increasing but the overall debt (govt + private) is decreasing fast and that is deflationary and constant source of worry. Commodity prices have started moving up for grains, softs and metals bur crude oil and energy sector looks poised for a correction down.

I am closely watching the foreign exchange markets for emerging signs about trend which is likely to break the range bound trades in other markets. If USD, JPY and CHF can continue to attract bids, it would be bullish for GOLD and Bonds but bearish for equities and consumption linked commodities. Meanwhile, waiting and waiting…

Glass half full or half empty?

S&P 500

I believe S&P 500 is at some inflection point and I get two projections. 1350 and 850. Now that is most troublesome considering I was outright bearish for some time. It all depends upon how the breakout from current formation occurs. Many correlations appear to be breaking from recent past. For one, S&P 500 has shown tremendous strength even in the time of falling treasury yields – i.e. bonds and S&P have risen together. Also US dollar has started breaking down recently indicating a risk-on attitude amongst market participants. Commodities have taken off strongly lately indicating an inflationary expectation BUT the bonds markets are not pricing in that inflation. Something has to give and what would that be? If an upward breakout occurs, the impulse wave from March 2009 correction has high end projection of 1350 for S&P500. However if we are to believe that the corrective wave from March 2009 lows has completed at 1219 then the next stop for S&P 500 should be 850 or about before resuming next down leg eventually below March 2009 lows. I know this is a “no view” post but that is the position I am finding myself lately.

Is this the end of the suckers rally from March 09 lows?

S&P 500 (ESu0) and other indices

Most world markets responded strongly from the March 2009 lows and the rally went on much longer than anticipated and killed many a bears. But with fundamentals disappointing for such strong expected recovery and crisis after crisis unfolding it does appear that the rally has run out its time. In the attached weekly chart of S&P500 index, it appears that:

- Top of the rally as 1219 was a key Fib reversal point for the down move from 1576-666. This indicate start of another big move down. It is quite likely to see lows below 666 but worth assessing that scenario after nearest support point is reached.

- Medium term top has been formed by Head and Shoulder pattern which has been completed. The projection from current H&S pattern down are looking like 950 – 850 region which is also a point where bulls can regroup and attempt to take the markets higher.

- The index is below 200d and 50d MA and 50d MA is about to cross 200d MA which is usually a strong bearish signal.

It would seem appropriate to keep selling the rallies until the pips squeak.

When they are only half way up they are neither up nor down!

GOLD (GC) S&P500 (ES)

The markets are always divided into two camps, bulls and bears. The bear camp for a long time has been calling the top in the stock markets and wants to see S&P500 dropped much below the March 2009 lows whereas the bull camp is calling for bears blood. In between we have analysts who have created an alphabet soup of recovery (or expected recovery) U, V, W, L are quite common.

There is a case by bears for “Grand Super Cycle” of stock market reaching an end and a catastrophic drop coming in not so near future to take out all excesses since the Industrial Revolution. Bulls seem to discount that as “gibberish” and keep putting their faith (and money) on unstoppable expansion of global economies (barring timely set backs but not catastrophe) as human race has managed so far since the day they walked out of African plains as apes.

A minor flaw in Bear analysis is that it relies on S&P 500 as measured in US Dollar terms. This is good for few years but for longer term data, the effects of inflation, deflation and other effects starts creeping in distorting the picture. For the danger of valuing a market in a debasing currency, just look at the performance of Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. It might look great in local currency terms but would be pathetic if you take into account inflation and foreign currency terms.

A reasonable alternative would be to pay attention to S&P500/Gold ratio, assuming (and a separate discussion required on this assumption) GOLD as stable store of value. I had written a note about this subject late in March 2009 here discussing the S&P500/Gold ratio. There I posed the following questions

a) Stocks are very cheap relative to GOLD (i.e. at the level they were nearly 20 years ago) and time to buy stocks.

b) Stock have dropped like stone and there is no faith left in these pseudo measure of wealth and time to pile into "real" assets like GOLD.

c) At least one of S&P or GOLD is overvalued relative to the other and therefore an inflexion point can be in offing.

Since then the ratio has started heading up, after hitting low in March 2009 indicating a faith in Stocks (over Gold). However over longer term perspective the current trend in S&P50/GOLD ratio is down (since 2000). On Elliot Wave perspective, the 5-3 wave correction appears to be over and therefore there is a point in the case that March 2009 was indeed the longer term bottom for the stock markets (in Gold terms) and even if a severe correction is in pipe line, the current direction points to stocks outperforming GOLD for some time (until the ratio is 1.81 – 3.125 range). That could mean Gold is due a severe correction and/or stocks are due a severe ride up (at current price of Gold, it implies S&P 500 at 1810 at least – taking out its all time high).

These appear certainly “mind boggling” at current stage but just to get the perspective, imagine this analysis in 1984 when the ratio was .45 and people who were long S&P short Gold made 12.10 times return in GOLD terms. I (accidently or by good fortune) was able to ride a very small part of this curve in 2007-2008 being long GOLD, short S&P500 and still managed to do very well in that trade.

So what appears as next steps: There are the following trades:

i) Sell Gold, Buy S&P500  and put stop loss at S&P500/GOLD ratio of 0.86

ii) Buy Gold, Sell S&P500 and put stop loss at S&P500/GOLD ratio of 1.81

iii) Buy GOLD, Buy S&P500. Even in the severe down turn in stock, this trade has only lost 4% since 2000 peak.

iv) Sell Gold, Sell S&P500. This is opposite of trade iii) and therefore with inverse performance.

Like before, I still do not have a firm bias as to which trade to take but I know that there is money to be made in this trade if traded correctly. I will take a cautious position on trade ii) with some hedges built with options in case it goes against me. I would also like to do more analysis on this subject. I could only get data up to 1984. I am sure the truth is out there if I try harder to get data going back a lot further but my laziness is getting better of me. Any readers want to present a table of closing numbers for GOLD and S&P500 for years before 1984?

Winter of discontent or Santa Claus is here again?

key levels – indices, Grains, OIL, Currencies, Bonds, Metals

WARNING – I could be spectacularly wrong here. Do not follow blindly and jump out on signs of trend reversing. 

It has been an exciting summer for many and as far as markets go, it was quite a choppy session. However a clear pattern is visible in all developed world markets (and much earlier in the Developing World – India/China/Brazil etc) and that of an abundant return of confidence.  Markets have rallied without a significant pullback since March 2009. It is bit tough to find a fundamental reason for such strong recovery when the underlying economy is still on crutches but who said markets are rational.

Autumn and Winter 2009 could be a great period for current trend as the Markets are now setting up into a vacuum zone as Oscar calls it.

Starting with a bullish stance in June 2009, I flattened my positions and took a bearish stance for rest of the summer expecting a correction which so far did not materialise to the extent I was expecting. Recent price action leaves me flat on my positions once again looking for next set of trends to build on.

A NOTE OF CAUTION – it could very well be a summer low volume play and the markets could very well reverse drastically on down side and the whole bull market hoopla turns out to be an pouncing opportunity for bears who return after summer vacation. After all the world has not changed much and there are still several reasons to start selling. Caution is required going into early part of September. Also I do not see this as start of a secular bull market, instead I see it as last legs of the current trends. Possibly we will have new chapter/direction later on the in the year.

S&P500 (ESu9/z9)

The case for bulls is quite strong and I feel we are in the final leg of the up move from March before a long term correction/pullback sets in. My key projection level on upside range from 1066 – 1229. A very wide zone I agree but some are key milestone targets where I will be tempted to watch the action (or move stops higher).

Current Position – Small Long (1025 area)

Bias – Build Long position on breakouts and pullbacks. 972 key level to watch on downside with stops below that level.

Nasdaq 100 (NQu9/z9)

Nasdaq has been much stronger compared to S&P500 and if the bull market is continuing, it should likely to benefit more on the upside. But given the same reason, Nasdaq had been butting against the key sell level (1633) for a long time and it should remain above this level for me to comfortable about the longevity of the bull market. So NQ will be my key barometer on this breakout market. My projections are 1633 – 2040 range (again very wide) but I have some intermediate levels to keep an eye on.

Current Position – Small Long (1635 area)

Bias – Build long position on breakouts and pullbacks. 1560 is key level to watch on downside with stop below that level.

Nikkei 225 (Japan)

The benchmark index of Japan has seen the mother of bear market and has seen decades of decline. In some sense Japan has witnessed the effects of a bubble burst and deflation, things which western world is panicking about today and also most central bankers are trying to avoid. There are however signs that finally after decades of savings, Japanese consumers are waking up to spending. Any global turn around should help.

My current projections on Nik225 are 12000-12384-13000. Break below 9600 will negate this analysis. I do not have any trades on.

CORN (ZCz9)

On my EW analysis, the current bear markets in Corns appears to be over and 300 level in Corn should act as good floor to build positions on. Fundamentally, there is abundance of Corn crop but I feel that is already priced in the markets. Inflation fears and rising crude oil should support Corn at these levels and possible shoot it higher. However end of bear market does not always mean start of next bull market and very often Elliot Waves are not accurate in exact levels (they are good for direction though). In terms of my trading plan, I am starting with key level long dated call options (360/470). Failure of a key short level at 344 could help me come into the trade properly.

Current Position – Flat

Bias – Start with longer dated options on key levels. Look for a short setup failure before getting long with stops below 310.

Wheat (ZWz9)

Wheat on the other hand does not confirm that the down move is over, though it is at support level here. Some of my silly (it seems now) see wheat all the way down to 317 level. I am not prepared to back such a bold bet as of now but instead I would look to sell breaks below current lows. Can act as a good hedge against the corn options.

Current Position – Flat

Bias – Small Sell breaks below lows (485) or watch for action along with Corn/Soybean

Soybean (ZSx9)

The most volatile and exciting of the grains complex is also the most fickle. Best used as a leading indicator for other markets or short term trades. So far I do not see any long term trends. 1180 are likely near term targets if the bullishness continues but none worth putting a fat trade on. Best to be traded on day by day basis.

Crude Oil (CLv9/z9)

Like other commodities complex, crude oil has also shown the return to bullish momentum since bottoming out at $35. From the EW perspective, the Crude should be heading to 88 – 95 region. The pattern with negate on the breach of $58 level on the downside. However given that crude is now trading at 74, the risk rewards are 1:1 on such trades and not worth putting a big position. Need to wait for next big wave. I will continue to trade on day by day basis if opportunities arise keeping the broader direction in mind. The whole energy complex except Natural Gas (NG) is setting up for this bullish formation and worth keeping an eye.

Dollar Index (DXu9/z9)

US Dollar appears to be heading for completing its last wave of down move which can take it all the way down to 72 – 75 region. Considering we are around 78-79, there is not much risk:reward in left in long term trade so worth playing on the downside on short term basis. If DX moves up to 82 I will need to think of a different scenario but until then I am not a dollar bull. Mostly on sidelines watching the fun. 

Along with Dollar, I feel GBP is another currency to sell in coming days and month. It seems to have topped and has a long way to go down.

T-Bonds (ZBu9/z9)

Bonds are one market which is sticking out like a sore thumb. If the world trouble are getting over, the interest rates should start heading up, especially the long term interest rates. And for a long time, I am of the view (which had been quite profitable) that the long term bull market in govt bonds is OVER. But current setup points that most bonds (T-Bonds, German Bunds and even UK Gilts) are looking up. The central banks are keeping the market distorted. Banks are also buying bonds instead of putting the money in economy to repair the damaged balance sheets and keep cushion. Or they are simply setting up for a juicy short somewhere up there. In all cases, I am on sideline watching them wearily. Hopefully some clue will emerge soon.

Gold (GCz9)/Silver (SIz9)

Gold and Silver markets have been consolidating in a range for better part of this year. Best is to play them on range breakout basis. For Gold, I am watching 966/900 level. Breakout above could lead it to 1220/1350 level. Breakout below could target 840-740 area.

Silver is in similar predicament and similar levels to watch for breakout are 15.40/12.40

Cocoa (Cz9 on liffe)

Cocoa is setting up for upside breakout once again. Buying dips and breakouts with stops below 1700 is the plan currently.

Correction! What correction?

S&P500 (ESu9)

Sell up to 932, Stop above 957, Target 810-780

Fashion is like swine flu, easy to catch and difficult to understand and it tends to take over a clear mind. Recall when you last heard the "green shoots" and now it seems every one is talking about it. So much so that the real meaning of "green shoots" when it was first used is almost forgotten. We are talking about the impressive spring 2009 recovery in world markets and Indices have not looked back after hitting their lows in March 2009 (in case of Asian/Emerging markets the lows were since in Oct-Dec 2008 period). The rally has taken many pundits by surprise. They were talking it down all the way up, first calling it a bear market blip, then a bear market correction and then a bear market rally. But markets needs no pundits and the rally did march on. The green shoots were firmly in ground.

Now that most pundits have become a firm believers in those green shoots that they are overlooking their lawns. The green shoots appear to be overgrown and need a good mowing.

The rally which started in March 2009 appears to be halting at key technical levels as the supply of good news seems to be drying up. The weekly S&P500 seems to indicate a double top. Also the MACD on daily charts have started showing signs of fatigues.

The markets are divided in two camps, those who missed the rally and waiting for a chance to jump on and those who were lucky enough to climb at start and looking to get out with fat profit. And there is no doubt that a lot of money is sitting in low yield "safe" accounts and that wall of money can hit the market any time.

Given this outlook, I still believe in the rally which started in March 2009 and if the money on sideline start coming back into the market on pullbacks, we can soon see next wave (wave 3 which is usually the juiciest) of this bull market. But for that to happen a healthy correction is needed.

I expect a pullback to 810 - 780 region on S&P500. This would likely to bring down the cyclical PE ratios near enough to the lows of the previous bear cycles. If market could hold this area, the next bounce up should take us to 1126-1234 region. However if the green shoots get burnt by excess fertilizers or scorching summer sun, March lows could easily be taken out. This indicates that these markets are delicate and nimble trading is required.

I am positioning myself for the pullback with a cautious shorts, hoping to hop on to the next bull wave soon. It would be interesting to review the situation when we are in the next buy zone. Since this trade is technically a counter trend trade (the major trend is still bullish), a safe way to play this is also via options (850/810/770 Sep 09 PUT). If a profitable position is created and pullback materialises, 810 puts can be sold and then shorted to create a risk free butterfly.

UPDATE: Looking for bottom in an abyss

My Development as a Commodities Trader: TRADE UPDATE: Looking for bottom in an abyss

This bottom (800 region) in S&P is now tested for the 5th time and with progressive lower lows. This makes it very weak and now I am not sure if it will hold in a meaningful way. Which means I need to analyse this and other markets in light of current situation. My option positions are with limited loss so I am leaving them on but most likely they will expire with loss and I am on sideline waiting for a clear direction. Tempting as it might sound, I am not keen on shorting this market as of now. And the weak bottom is not encouraging me to take long positions.

Technical and fundamentals are coming at loggerhead at current point. US markets have not seen 5 consecutive down months (even in 1920) so technically there can still be a rally but fundamentals are very weak.

Time to attend to the the garden and other matters while markets find a direction.

TRADE UPDATE: Looking for bottom in an abyss

My Development as a Commodities Trader: TRADE UPDATE: Looking for bottom in an abyss

Even though the low point of S&P was breached today (816.75 previous 825) the rebound from the low further strengthens the case that a rally may be in the making. I was glad my position was taken via options so I there was no stop loss trigger (my losses are limited by the virtue of options) and I am happy that the market has changed direction after hitting the lows. Next few days will confirm if this rally has legs and then I can add aggressive positions.

TRADE UPDATE: Looking for bottom in an abyss

My Development as a Commodities Trader: Looking for bottom in an abyss

With recent price action, I feel we have found a short term bottom in the indices markets and we have reached a turning point. I am taking 865 and 837 as bottom for S&P and trading from the long side. I expect bounce up to 1150 - 1200 region (one of my projection is 1445 but I would not hang my hat on that one so early). Break below 865 will be warning sign and close below 837 will derail this analysis.

To limit risk I have taken certain option positions in line with this analysis. A good combo is to sell 3 x Dec 850 PUT, Buy 3x 800 Put and buy 1x 1050, 1150 and 1250 calls. Once the trade moves in the right direction, one can easily convert the calls into butterfly and close the puts. Futures position can be added on long side with stop below 865/837 area.

Price levels are based upon ESZ8 (December E-Mini S&P 500) future and not cash level.

TRADE UPDATE: Looking for bottom in an abyss

My Development as a Commodities Trader: Looking for bottom in an abyss

This trade has stopped out and I am on sideline. I am still looking for an upside but need to wait for the selling to stop.

Looking for bottom in an abyss

S&P500 (ESZ8) and other world equity indices

Buy up to 960 stop below 940 target 1080 - 1180

I might regret writing this blog (and more so taking this trade) but I feel that we are reaching a bottom in S&P. I will analyse other markets for exact entry and exit levels but the analysis is likely to be similar. I am still not falling in love with upside but I do not see harm with a small fling for sometime. My target for this bear market (2007 - 2009) is 800 or lower and I still expect that to reach in 2009. However I feel that we now need a pause in this relentless selling we have witnessed for whole of last week. Can anyone imagine S&P was at 1250 just 2 weeks ago? So what factors ask me to see an upside here:

a) We seem to be in capitulation mode where people lose all sense of "reason" and trade with "just get me out of here mode".
b) VIX is hitting all time high. It cannot last or else option markets will go out of line with reality.
c) October Expiry is next week and I feel environment of fear is created (so that puts can be sold at inflated prices before they are allowed to expire worth less)
d) Central Banks world over have come together and even though I do not agree with lot of things they have resorted to doing, but at least there is no point picking up a head to head fight with fed. Ultimately markets will go where they are supposed to be going (which so far is 800 as my bear market target) but that does not mean they have to go there in a straight line.

I also feel some of recent selling was exagrated by some very powerful "fire sale". It was known that ice landic banks were selling assets to raise cash this week and I am sure there might be some more hidden skeletons somewhere in the world (which should start coming out soon). But I feel it should get over now.

This should give us a powerful relief rally, enough to suck a lots of recent undecided bears who will turn bull or get tagged while markets move up through their stops. Also election month in US should keep regulators on their toes to ensure markets do not become "sense less". However the next set of shoe to drop will be earning disappointments and further credit write downs (auto loans/credit card loans/commercial loans). That should give us the final leg of the bear market some time in Q1/Q2 2009.

So while I remain a bear, I would try to ride this move up. As always I will start by taking smaller positions as "probes" and once the trend is confirmed, I will be more aggressive and start buying on dips as well as moving stops up to limit risk.

The risk to this trade remain that it is quite "possible" that we may not stop at this point and sell all the way to 800 level. Afterall we did drop over 250 points in 2 weeks, so it is not surprising to drop further 200 points in next 2 weeks. So I will have one eye open for that eventuality. One "small risk" way is to buy butterflies for 1080/1160/1240 calls in S&P for December. That way the risk would be limited and rewards would be substantial.

Weekend after the regulators paniced

Extraordinary times required extraordinary measures! Certainly the times are extraordinary but is it governments business to intervene directly in the functioning markets. By preventing short selling of stocks the regulators might have been able to create a much required bear squeeze and they might end up punishing some hedge funds and short sellers. But will that solve the problem? Will RTC style vehicle solve the problems plaguing the financial markets? Well the answers will not be known for some time. Though it can provide some sort of floor to the markets (sellers will be reluctant to bet against fed and I am not sure there are many buyers out there after the short squeeze if finished). The upside is limited until I can clearly see recovery sign in economy. Markets lead economic indicators so any "possibility" of economy recovering might signal the end of the current bear markets BUT I think so far the bear market has not played out fully and at any sign of current bet by Fed and Treasury failing, the bottom will fall, buyers will drop the bids and we can see the fearsome bear again!

S&P ESZ8
The 2 day up move can be a change of direction OR a time to sell once again. I am looking for sign of weakness to initiate short positions but will be a nimble scalper on the buy side if the squeeze continues. Don't fall in love with the upside is still the motto!

WTI CLX8
Oil has rebounded sharply after hitting lows. The upside seems temporary though. I am looking to sell 105 - 107 area with stops above 110 and looking for further downside in the 80 - 90 region.