With the kids at the card-table, freaking about ‘plunge protection team‘, rigged markets and Bitcoin, grownups the next table over, are planning their moves.

Friday’s late session rebound higher was not uncommon for a typical short squeeze.

These gyrations are intended to make sure only a select few are aboard when we get the break.

This idea is not new. You’ll find statements to that effect over and over in most any trading book.

The big difference now, is the amazing level of complacency and learned helplessness of the overall population.

Just one example of such before we move on to the charts.

Texas has opened up. Schools are about to go without diapers. Perish the thought.

Yet, there’s still a contingent that’s near hysteria about ‘safety’.

With all the information available, yes one actually has to do real research to find out what’s going on, huge segments of the population adamantly remain (intentionally) ignorant.

Unfortunately, that segment has voluntarily (at least in the U.S.) lined themselves up to be taken out; financially as well as physically.

Just a few of the most recent links, here, here, and here.

At some point, those links are going to become common knowledge.

Hopefully, there will be long lasting and certain retribution for the perpetrators. However, for those who ‘volunteered’, it’s already too late.

Now, on to the markets.

Friday’s real estate rebound (IYR) looked like short-squeeze action.

In response to that and late in the session, short position DRV (3X inverse IYR) was increased at price 9.37 (not advice, not a recommendation).

Volatility is still low in IYR. Short positions can be increased with less risk.

The Big Break

When and if the break comes, it’s likely to be fast; no time to plan.

Whatever plans one has should’ve been laid out well ahead of time.

Two markets being watching closely are Peabody Energy (BTU) and Seabridge Gold (SA).

By now everyone’s aware that a certain far east country is going about its business and building their infrastructure … as if nothing had ever happened. Funny that.

Conversely, the coal market has bottomed out and so has Peabody.

On top of that, the Texas Freeze laid bare the farce that is climate change, global warming and green energy.

Quietly, without fanfare, coal is seeing increased demand.

The blue arrow is a gap in trading that could be filled.

To do that, there might have to be a massive market collapse, pushing BTU back to that level … if only temporarily.

Huge volume in the past six months shows that somebody’s buying.

The next market is Seabridge Gold (SA) which is being watched for essentially the same reasons. If Van Metre is right and we’re in a deflationary impulse, the entire public’s on the wrong side of the trade.

If SA can get itself below 13 – 14, it then enters free-fall territory.

If that happens, as with BTU, it too might be a short lived event.

Positioning:

Currently, the firm’s position (not advice, not a recommendation) is short biotech and real estate via LABD and DRV, respectively.

If BTU and SA get to extreme lows, both of them have potential for a ‘ten-bagger’, the possibility to gain over 1,000%.

Getting to such gains would necessitate a change in the current strategy of trading, to buy and hold.

Summary:

Pressure seems to be building for some unexpected event that would cause a market break; Possibly the devaluation of the Yuan as discussed by Steven Van Metre.

If that’s going to happen it’s likely to be soon.

Stay Tuned

Charts by StockCharts

Note:  Posts on this site are for education purposes only.  They provide one firm’s insight on the markets.  Not investment advice.  See additional disclaimer here.