Category Archives: David Weis

Biotech, XBI … Implosion

April 19, 2024 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, David Weis, Elliott Wave, LABD, SPBIO, XBI

And Then, There’s ‘Elliott Wave‘

We’re heading into the weekend. Who wants to be ‘long’ this market?

Bueller? Bueller?

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.

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

Silver Top?

April 4, 2024 By in David Weis, Ed Seykota, Gold & Silver, Silver Collapse, SLV, Wyckoff, zsl 4 Comments

Know Your Market

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).

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

Fed Leader … or … Fed Follower

March 24, 2024 By in Bonds, CVNA, David Weis, Federal Reserve, Interest Rates, IYR, KMX, Prechter, Uneducated Economist, Wyckoff

Which Is It?

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.

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

Nat-Gas … Heading Lower?

March 20, 2024 By in BOIL, David Weis, Livermore, Natural Gas, UNG, Wyckoff 1 Comment

No Breakout, Yet

The upside breakout anticipated and discussed in the last update has not materialized.

Instead of UNG, moving higher to penetrate 16.08, it’s moving lower.

We’re already at multi-decade lows, in Wyckoff spring position.

So, let’s look at what’s going on, getting down to a more granular level, the hourly chart.

Nat-Gas, UNG, Hourly

Action on the hourly shows a breakdown from a wedge.

Standard ‘measured move’ shows potential for UNG to target 14.50 – 14.60, (not advice, not a recommendation).

We’re already at historic lows, so continued downside may just be splitting hairs.

Strategy First

From a strategic standpoint, already discussed, is our new-normal environment of ‘disruption‘.

Expecting uninterrupted access to our current infrastructure is not the reality.

If UNG, manages to post new lows, we’ll address the potential for a strategic, long position (not advice, not a recommendation).

My former mentor, the late David Weis had a penchant for looking at the very long term, even yearly charts.

This also maps into Jesse Livermore’s approach; identify what’s likely to happen in a ‘big way’.

Remember, we have the EIA Nat-Gas report coming up, typically released on Thursday.

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

Set-Ups That Repeat

September 5, 2023 By in David Weis, Positions, SOXS, SOXX, Spring-to-Up-Thrust, Wyckoff 1 Comment

Two Years Later

The on-going short position via SOXS has been maintained (with a new stop) and here’s why.

Just over two years ago was this post.

There are certain behaviors that markets tend to repeat; what’s called a Wyckoff ‘spring to up thrust’, is one of those.

Looking at the 30-minute chart of SOXX, that’s what we have today, … just barely.

What happened this session in the SOXX may be the last move upward before a sustained reversal.

Semiconductor SOXX, 30-minute

This morning, the SOXX penetrates prior 30-minute lows and sets-up a minor ‘spring’.

Price action then moves higher to just barely exceed the prior session highs for the ‘up-thrust’.

Then we have a retreat in the SOXX, effectively confirming that what just happened was a Wyckoff spring to up-thrust.

This is where sustainable reversals tend to occur.

Positioning

The previous Hard Stop of SOXS 8.97, is adjusted by two ticks to 8.95 (not advice, not a recommendation).

Obviously, the expectation is for a SOXX downside (SOXS higher) reversal from this point.

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

Kabuki ‘Debt Ceiling’, & Gold

May 24, 2023 By in David Weis, DUST, GDX, GDXJ, GLD, JDST, SLV, Wyckoff 2 Comments

How To Trade ‘Kabuki’

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).

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

Market ‘Tests’ & ‘Instability’

May 2, 2023 By in David Weis, GDXJ, JDST, Spring-to-Up-Thrust, SPY, Usual Suspects 1 Comment

Taking The Helm

‘We have assumed control …’

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’.

Well, now we know.

The chart above has all the Usual Suspects.

We see the spring to up-thrust repeating pattern.

Then, a steady decline from the up-thrust and today’s short-sharp test or as the late David Weis used to call it, a ‘gut check’.

At this point the market’s unstable.

We’ll know soon if somehow we’re on to new highs or if this was the last gasp of a bull move withing an overall, years-long, bear market.

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

CarMax … Dead Cat Bounce

February 4, 2023 By in CVNA, David Weis, KMX, Spring-to-Up-Thrust, VIX-Calendar, Wyckoff

That, Was Then …

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).

Here is the VIX Option expiration calendar for 2023-2025.

Going straight down at this juncture (although anything can happen), is not the most probable outcome.

Scenario No. 1

Lower open at the next session, followed by a labored move to test the underside of resistance.

The test can happen in one day or several days.

Scenario No. 2

Next up, is congestion tests before heading lower.

Scenario No. 3

Lastly, a steady but ratcheting move lower.

These are just three potential outcomes of an infinite number.

The market itself will give clues at the next session to the more probable outcome.

Summary

It may be after the 15th (past VIX option expiration), before there is a decisive move lower.

Not covered in this update is what happens if KMX, actually goes higher instead of lower. If that happens, we’ll post updates as necessary.

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

Biotech … Behind The Scenes

January 10, 2023 By in Biotech, BIS, BIS-23-01, David Weis, DXD, IBB, Positions, QID, SDS, SOXS, Speck-Effect, Wyckoff, ZeroHedge

The Big Reveal

Was yesterday, the infection point?

Was that the day where irrefutable evidence like this is going to stick?

Price action of Biotech Sector IBB, has posted a long awaited and anticipated reversal signal (not advice, not a recommendation).

We’ll look at that below.

The IBB, Up-Thrust & Reversal

As a reminder, in Wyckoff terms, an ‘up-thrust’ is where price action struggles above known resistance for some period of time and then reverses to the downside.

In the case of IBB, that ‘struggle’ lasted an incredible seven-weeks.

Biotech IBB, Weekly

Price action attempted to break above resistance for nearly two-months, before reversing lower.

Then we had an initial test during the week of 12/23/22 (on the daily for three days), and a secondary test last week.

Biotech IBB, Daily

The daily shows more detail on the struggle.

Point No. 1, was the initial test. Point No. 2, was the secondary test which appears to have decisively failed.

Pre-market action shows IBB, set to open slightly lower.

If it does, then expectation is for some (brief) attempt to rally as a test of the breakdown.

The Driving Force

For years, this site has not wavered in the assessment, what’s happening in this sector, will be the driving force for the entire market on a go-forward basis (not advice, not a recommendation).

Anything can happen.

It’s unknown if yesterday was ‘the day’.

What is known however, evidence is building on a massive scale. Every day, sometimes multiple times a day, we see the effects.

Positioning

This site presents the data, the insight and price action nuances. It does not give recommendations.

With that said, going short this sector is not as straightforward as the other major indices.

IBB, may be shorted directly but will likely result in a maintenance fee from the broker.

Of course, that puts one on the hook for the sector’s dividend payment (currently yielding 0.31%).

The other option is 2X leveraged inverse fund BIS.

However, this fund’s volume is thin … meaning it’s not nearly as liquid as the other inverse funds such as SDS, DXD, QID, SOXS and so on.

It’s up to the trader/speculator to participate or not.

We’re about fifteen-minutes before the open. Let’s see what happens next.

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279

Gold … Repeating (Short) Set-Up

December 21, 2022 By in David Weis, GDX, GDXJ, GLD, GOLD, Gold & Silver, Gold Miners, JDST, Wyckoff, ZeroHedge

At The Extreme

Gold is at the extreme … again.

It’s also posting a repeating pattern; indicating a short set-up (not advice, not a recommendation).

As presented over a year ago, that set-up is defined as what’s called (in Wyckoff terms), a spring-to-up-thrust.

Meaning, price action has a repeating tendency to go from one trade set-up to another.

We’ll go to the daily chart.

Gold GLD, Daily

The Changing of Hands, is included because as of yet, that (downside) reversal has not been decisively negated.

There’s no downside capitulation volume; indicating we’re on the other side (bullish side) of the current downtrend.

Now gold is at The Danger Point®. The ephemeral place where risk is least; price action can (easily) go either way.

So The Question Is, Which Way?

Here’s one perspective that’s reasonably balanced.

The theory is all about Central Banks … ok, if it works.

From a personal (trading) standpoint, the fundamental approach was abandoned years, if not decades ago.

Moving closer-in on the daily, we have the following.

Price action is struggling at resistance (upper blue line).

As stated in a prior update, if GLD, can’t hold and move above this level, it’s an indicator of potential serious trouble to the downside.

Of course, it goes without saying, the miners, GDX, GDXJ, are at similar danger points.

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.

The Danger Point®, trade mark: No. 6,505,279