It’s been three weeks since the SOXX, competed nearly an 18% plunge that started back on March 8th.
Price has action rebounded since then.
However, in the past several days, it has completed an upside test and now (as of 12:05 p.m., EST) is posting a potential reversal to the downside (not advice, not a recommendation).
The 3-Day chart shows us the prior move had the second largest downward thrust energy, ever, for the index.
Semiconductors SOXX, 3-Day
The last downthrust energy, the largest ever, kicked off a decline lasting from January of 2022, to October the same year.
Moving closer-in on the details we have the following:
Do we have a ‘mini’ Up-Thrust, in the expanded view?
Whether the SOXX, is about to reverse down or not, one thing looks clear, it’s at The Danger Point®
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.
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.
In the case of biotech XBI, it may have started the ‘dynamic phase’, suggested two days ago, in this update.
Then, there’s Elliott Wave.
Back in the day, while being mentored by the late David Weis, he revealed his ‘love/hate’ relationship with the method.
His quote to me was “Intermittent reinforcement, is a hook”; meaning, it works just well enough (but not profitably enough) to keep you coming back to ‘get it right’ next time … which never comes.
For me, I’m not going to use the approach for trading decisions, but highlight in the case of XBI, we just might have an Elliott Wave structure (not advice not a recommendation).
Biotech XBI, Weekly
If this structure’s correct, a lot can happen on the way to the end of ‘Wave 3’.
Note the XBI, topped-out right at the 38.2%, retrace in March (labeled, as ‘Wave 2’), before reversing lower.
Big In, Big Out
The chart above is a massive structure; years of action to form the top, reversal, counter trend wave, then reversal again, which is where we are now.
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.
There’s been something wrong with the precious metal’s, gold and silver, for years.
Gold and silver used to move essentially in tandem, over the long term; not anymore.
This link shows there’s a huge divergence in the correlation between the two metals. Gold has launched higher, while silver has lagged.
Right around June of 2020, the correlation began to break down. What else was going on (or being ‘rolled out’) around June of 2020?
Recall, silver’s primarily an industrial metal; affected much more (than gold) by manufacturing demand.
Strategy First
Shown by the market itself, direct correlation between silver and gold no longer applies (or has somehow changed into a new construct), silver’s not confirming the ‘inflation’ shtick, possibly influenced more by industrial demand.
Thus, we have the following.
Silver SLV, Weekly
Just listening to what the market’s telling us, it says, when SLV, reaches a top and inflection point (to reverse lower), it tends to print heavy upside volume bar(s).
Looking at the chart, price action’s all over the place. Wide bars, volume spikes, the gamut.
Markets like this are unstable and usually can’t mount a sustained move in either direction.
Typically, if there’s going to be a breakout (or breakdown), price action tends to get tight, or get itself into a ‘coil’.
Even so, we need to account for the market itself.
Having traded silver futures contracts during the last run up and meltdown from 2011 – 2014, the silver market is thin and likes to ‘spike’.
That (spike) behavior is confirmed by Ed Seykota in Market Wizards and David Wies in his (formerly) daily market updates.
We may be at the beginning of a set-up for a Wyckoff up-thrust (above resistance) and then reversal.
A possible measured move for SLV (to be covered in another update), puts the tracking ETF, right around 25.60, about 2-pts. from where we are now (not advice, not a recommendation).
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.
Right along with the current narrative, ‘The Fed’s going to cut rates’, is another narrative, ‘The Fed’s in charge, a leader, and sets rates’.
Is either one, actually true?
Years ago, Robert Prechter Jr. pointed out very convincingly, the Fed’s a follower, not a leader.
His research showed, over many years, the Fed consistently follows the market.
Along with that, was his premise, ‘The market leads the news, not the other way around’.
Using that, we’ll look at what the Fed’s likely to do next; let’s use the long-term view, the 10-Year Treasury.
What’s it telling us?
Macrotrends Historical Chart: Ten Year Treasury
As posted in the prior update, the 40-yr bond bull market, i.e., lower rates, is over (not advice, not a recommendation).
We see the upside reversal in rates (downside for bonds) took over 10-years to set up.
Rates pushed below established support into a Wyckoff spring condition, then reversed higher, then into an outright breakout.
Currently, we’re hovering around in ‘no-man’s land’.
Could rates dip lower (bonds higher) and we get a token rate cut in response from the Fed?
Well, as David Weis used to say, ‘Anything can happen’.
Strategy First
However, from a strategic standpoint and for the long-term, higher rates are more probable.
The market has already responded with interest rate sensitive sectors and stocks (IYR, KMX, CVNA, etc.), having peaked long ago, in 2021.
A Dangerous Game
Depending on one’s perspective, what’s going on here with interest rates, is a dangerous game of ‘chicken’.
As Uneducated Economist puts it, the Fed’s a ‘credible threat’; all they have to do is ‘talk’ and propose (i.e., threaten) to move rates and the market responds without the Fed actually doing anything.
It’s working, for now.
The Emperor Has No Clothes
The problem is, as Prechter has already shown with research done years ago, ‘the emperor has no clothes’.
The Fed does not control rates at all; it’s a follower, only doing what the bond market’s telling it to do.
For some reading this, it’s old news.
For others, it’s a shock to find out, yet another institution is not what you thought it was.
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.
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.
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.
You would think with all the handwringing, mental machinations, ‘debt ceiling’, we’re all going bankrupt, YouTube gold grifters et al, gold (GLD) would be in a monstrous rally.
Instead, we have what appears to be exhaustion and non-confirmation.
Gold (GCM23), is the only monetary metal (gold, palladium, platinum, silver) anywhere near its all-time highs.
Old-timers would call it a huge non-confirmation. The other metals are not on board with the ‘inflation’ narrative.
Time and again, we’re back to actually reading price action and having it tell us what’s real, not the mainstream.
So, trading ‘kabuki’ seems to be straightforward; just read the chart. Here’s one explanation from an unlikely source on why that simple task is so difficult: absolute, total, unrelenting focus.
Gold (GLD), Daily
When we look at gold (as of 12:05 p.m. EST), from a technical standpoint, it’s in Wyckoff spring position; a set-up to move higher.
The difference in this set-up as opposed to the one on November 3rd, of 2022 (not shown), price action’s ‘hugging the lows’ as David Weis used to call it.
We’re not springing higher.
The miners on the other hand (GDX, GDXJ) have already made their decision, moving decisively lower during this session (not advice, not a recommendation).
Junior Miners GDXJ, Daily
The chart below has two locations identified.
The first is this post identifying GDXJ, as a potential short opportunity.
The second is this post identifying the ‘test, reverse’ of the up-thrust with high probability of more downside (not advice, not a recommendation).
We can see the result.
Even though gold (GLD) had declined modestly with silver (SLV) more-so, the mining sector appears to be responding dramatically to the downside.
This ‘elevated metals, miners collapsing’ potential has been discussed previously.
Now, it appears that strategy is coming into play (not advice, not a recommendation).
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.
For the mining sector we’re about to find out if it’s bulls or bears.
With today’s overall (S&P, Dow, QQQ, etc.) down market and the press screaming in hysterical panic at the start of the day, you’d think the market had collapsed 50% or more.
The last update (over the weekend) had this to say about the S&P (emphasis added):
“So, here we are: The market (SPY) has rallied over the past week, giving the illusion that all is well.
However, it too is now in up-thrust (reversal) position.“
So, the SPY declines by just over 1%, everyone loses their head and starts talking about CBDC.
Moving on to the ‘knee-jerk’ sector for the day, let’s look at the miners and specifically GDXJ.
Junior Miners GDXJ, Daily Close
Admittedly, the prior update was unsure whether or not this sector had its up-thrust reversal ‘test’.
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.
Back in October last year, the update on CarMax, said this:
“… there could be small blip up to resistance in the 85-area before potentially rolling over into a descent that projects to the 4.00, level.
If and when that happens, CarMax rival Carvana, may be long gone; its disruptive vending machines possibly being used as homeless shelters or insect farms.”
Even with the short-squeeze mania last week, rival Carvana, remains down a blistering – 96.2%, from its all-time highs; having reached an interim low of – 99.1%, in December.
Insect farms, dead-ahead. 🙂
The ‘Bounce’
So, does getting to a high of KMX 80.92, meet the forecast of “the 85-area” ?
It looks close enough, but the real story is the bearish trade set-up.
I’ve lost track of the number of Wyckoff ‘Spring to Up-Thrust’, set-ups that have been covered since this post, over sixteen months ago; we now have another.
CarMax KMX, Weekly
Unmarked chart.
Long time users should be able to spot the set-up immediately.
For those new to the site or if more clarification is needed, here it is:
Getting down to the daily, is where a trading plan is created.
KMX, Daily
Several scenarios.
Three potential scenarios are below.
Remember, we’re in possibly the largest bull-trap in market history.
Those in control of the markets need to bleed-off the VIX Call options values by having the market go up, sideways, or down slowly (at first).
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.
The Danger Point® 