Biotech (IBB) Action Like AMT

In price action very similar to AMT before its reversal, IBB looks ready to move decisively lower. Early session hit 38.2% retrace and now, test action (higher) looks weak.

Markets are fractal. Price action repeats itself at various time-frames.

Expectation is that IBB will continue lower from here just as was the case with AMT.

The difference is, since we’re dealing with an hourly time frame instead of daily, price action is faster.

All accounts have been cleared of positions except for being short biotech.

Positions are as follows (not advice, not a recommendation):

LABD: Entry, 19.976, Stop 19.52

BIS: Entry 22.32, Stop 21.75

There are a number of problems for biotech hovering the background that could blow the lid off the ‘planned event’ of the past year.

More information to be provided in a subsequent update

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.

Real Estate Channel

Yesterday, real estate IYR, may have formed a trading channel.

Update: 1:17p.m. EST. IYR has pushed past the channel. Short position via DRV exited (for now).

A new daily low (today) within channel boundaries would help to confirm.

If so, then stops for the long standing short position (via DRV) will follow down the outside right channel line.

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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.

Off With Their Heads

Head & Shoulders patterns are showing up in several markets.

First, there’s biotech IBB … and now the SOXX.

The SOXX is higher in pre-market around +2.5% , +2.70%, near 385.25.

Conversely, inverse SOXS is down -9% to -10% near the 14.00 -area.

Today could be the day where risk is minimized to position short via inverse SOXS (not advice, not a recommendation).

If SOXX remains below yesterday’s high of 397.71, it has set itself up to break the neckline. Once that’s completed, we’d then have a measured move lower to around 320.

If short via SOXS, the stop would theoretically be yesterday’s low of 13.21.

We all know however, inverse funds and especially the 3X versions, have significant negative erosion.

If during the regular session, SOXX price action persists throughout the day near yesterday’s high (397.71), inverse SOXS will continue to erode below its own prior daily low.

A different view is the Right Shoulder has not been completed. We’ll know that if SOXX makes a new daily high.

It’s a myriad of scenarios and the professional understands there’re an infinite number of outcomes. However, at times, risk is reduced enough to take a position on a probable direction.

At this juncture and given the above conditions, the most probable direction is down.

One last caveat.

SOXX has broken below well established support. That puts it in Wyckoff spring position. The market will automatically attempt to rally as we see in the pre-market.

Based on the conditions described, we’re expecting that spring attempt (to new all time highs) to fail.

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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.

Test, Then Reverse

Today’s price action in real estate (IYR) looks like a test of the failed breakout (up-thrust) from February.

This session, price action came all the way back to support (87.90), which is now resistance.

The important part, the level did not hold. Late in the session there was erosion and retreat to close well below the day’s highs.

This type of behavior is near textbook for a significant reversal.

From a trading perspective, the short position via DRV was maintained (not advice, not a recommendation) except for reducing the position by about 2.5% … essentially negligible.

Today’s test and erosion is one of those few times where probabilities are high; the market’s tested the up-thrust (failed breakout) and we can expect prices to decline from here.

One last note adding weight: Today is Fibonacci Day 8, from the high on February 25th.

With conditions noted, posting a test high today, then backing off … indicates downside ahead.

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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.

American Tower, Leads Down

AMT’s the big cap leader in the real estate sector, IYR. Four weeks ago, a potential reversal was covered in this report. Since then, it’s been a dramatic move to the downside.

Early Session Update, DRV as noted below:

The weekly chart above, shows about 20-months of price action. Included (but faint to see) is the Fibonacci projection tool.

The same chart below, has key areas highlighted for clarity.

At this juncture, AMT’s adhering (almost exactly) to downside Fibonacci projection levels.

However, once it becomes obvious, markets tend to break away from predictable paths.

So, we’ll see what happens next.

At this point, there’s no doubt, AMT’s reversed down and not showing signs of a bottom

Positioning:

The firm’s position has not changed. We’re short this sector via DRV (not advice, not a recommendation). The last update noted the short position was increased during Friday’s late session rally.

At the trader’s discretion, DRV position is being maintained (past the soft-stop).

Summary:

This week’s action may tell us if we’re going to continue oscillating about the axis line discussed here, or if now’s the time for a decisive move lower.

In a forthcoming report, we’ll discuss market alternation and how the character of the AMT reversal has changed.

Stay Tuned

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.

Inflation or Deflation?

Is the latest stimulus bill inflationary or deflationary?

For those adhering to the tenets of Wyckoff analysis (as this site does), you already know it’s sort of a trick question.

The answer is: It doesn’t matter.

Maybe a better way to put it, it’s the wrong question.

The right question is: What’s the market saying about itself?

The market itself will decide (or reveal) the next probable direction.

Before we get to the charts; remember, one objective for the (U.S.) markets and political kabuki theater is, destroy the middle class.

Exactly how that’s going to happen in the final act is unknown.

Perhaps it’ll be illegal to go to the bullion dealer (or the grocer) without proof of protection (injection). Problem solved.

That destruction remains the backdrop; the macro for the analysis.

Moving on to the charts:

Real estate remains in a terminating wedge. Last week’s action had IYR contact the lower wedge boundary and then retrace into the close.

Weekly volume was the highest since the week of March 13th, 2020, almost exactly one year ago.

So, we see the ‘face ripping’ Friday rally, ‘plunge protection team‘ action, had no material effect on the chart’s technical message.

Looking at it a different way, there’s also an axis line in play.

Market oscillations about axis lines are completely normal.

We’ll see if Monday’s action is ‘buy the rumor, sell the news’. We’ve already had buy the rumor (stimulus) with Friday’s rally.

Stay Tuned

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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.

Closer to The Break

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

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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.

Real Estate Breakout … Down

Interest rate sensitive markets are on the move … lower.

Updated 3:02 p.m. EST, as noted below

Fastenal (FAST), Home Depot (HD), Lowes (LOW), Real Estate (IYR), Weyerhaeuser (WY), Homebuilders (XHB), all taking a hit early in the session.

In their own way, there’re interest rate sensitive and related to real estate, construction or maintenance.

Since mid-January this year, real estate, IYR was identified as a potential strategic short opportunity.

Numerous shorts (via DRV) were opened, some exited (not advice not a recommendation).

On February 25th, it was obvious in early trading, this is it.

Reversal at hand.

The last of the shorts via DRV was opened and documented here (not advice, not a recommendation). Now in today’s session, we have a completed wedge and apparent downside breakout in progress.

There’s a lot of congestion to get through before (if and when) IYR reaches ‘free-fall’ territory. A lot could happen between now and then.

Even so, it’s fairly safe to say, price action’s not likely to come back to the IYR session high.

But that’s exactly what it did … and pushed just a bit higher (+0.15-pts).

So, we’ll set the DRV stop at that location (session low) … approximately 9.41; not advice, not a recommendation.

With the above push, the DRV stop will be set at today’s session low (currently 9.39).

Stay Tuned

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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.

Set The Stop

“Set the stop and walk away”.

That was a phrase from the late David Weis, used during his training session video (link here).

That’s what we’re gong to do.

Biotech (IBB) is nearing support and it was thought the overnight would result in an obvious gap-down open, exit signal.

However, with just about a half-hour to go before the regular session, markets maintained their positions overnight keeping the door open for continued decline or counter-trend action.

All markets, the S&P, Dow, Nasdaq, (and biotech) are pivoting lower from insane valuations. We could be at the very beginning stages of a sustained deflationary move.

One example of how such moves behave, was the oil market in July of 2014. The tracking fund USO, had nine successive down months (declining over 60%), before a significant retrace.

With that in mind, we’re setting the LABD stop at the prior session low of 21.80 (not advice, not a recommendation).

With an LABD entry point at 18.08, being stopped out at 21.80, would yield a gain around 21%.

So, we’ll leave it there and move on to other opportunities.

The weekly has IBB, nearing support around 140 – 142 (dashed line). We can expect price action to hesitate as (or if) it encounters those levels.

Stay Tuned

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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.

Overnight, Pre-Market

Markets might continue their decline in overnight and pre-market.

If pre-market or early regular session has IBB trading near its target level, we’ll plan on exiting (LABD) in response; not advice, not a recommendation..

Every other active trader sees the H&S at this point and is probably waiting to close out (their shorts) at or near the bottom.

If so, it may result in buoyancy and the trade will start to degrade; exit is warranted under those conditions.

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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.