Category Archives: SPBIO

Biotech … Breakout or Breakdown

January 13, 2023 By in Biotech, LABD, Wyckoff, The Speck, ZeroHedge, SPBIO, Usual Suspects, Speck-Effect, $SPSIBI

The Usual Suspects

During the past three months, biotech index SPBIO, has been oscillating, coiling like a spring; preparing for a dramatic move.

Then yesterday (Thursday), there’s an upside launch.

We now have price action instability; either the bulls or the bears are in control.

At this point, we don’t know who has the upper hand.

However, based on the list of recent news items below, it does not look good for the bulls.

Biotech’s Frankenstein

Within the past few days, we have this:

Deadline Passes For Pfizer To Submit Results Of Post-Vaccination Heart Inflammation Study To US Regulators

FDA Deviated From Normal Process In Pfizer Vaccine Approval, Documents Show

Former Employees Sue ESPN After Being Fired For COVID Vaccine Refusal

Lead Author Of Research On Pfizer And Moderna Trials Warns COVID Vaccinations Must Be Stopped

Pentagon Drops COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate For Troops

Let’s see if the market’s ready to hand it to this sector. What’s the price action telling us.

Biotech SPBIO, Weekly

The weekly chart shows the potetial breakout.

However, since we’re looking at this from a ‘going short’ perspective (not advice, not a recommendation), the chart following this one is inverted.

When we invert the chart, it takes on a whole different look.

Biotech SPBIO, Weekly (Inverted)

If price action’s spent over three months getting where support has been penetrated only to have it fail into a reversal, the ensuing move has massive potential.

In Wyckoff terms, it’s cause and effect.

The ’cause’ has been three months of congestion. The ‘effect’ is a potential long duration, or wide volatility move.

Before The Open

It’s twenty minutes before the open and 3X leveraged inverse fund LABD, is trading higher by about +3.5%.

This is normal behavior whether we have a reversal or not.

One last check of ZeroHedge, before releasing this post turns up this:

Senator Questions CDC On Why It Claimed No ‘Unexpected Safety Signals’ For COVID Vaccines

The ‘monster’ continues to grow.

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

Claus & Effect, The Next Wave

December 24, 2022 By in Biotech, The Speck, CVNA, ZeroHedge, SPBIO, Useful Idiots, Catherine Austin Fitts, Speck-Effect, $SPSIBI, NFLX, TGT 1 Comment

Unprecedented … Again

Nefarious forces operate in distraction and darkness.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

The year 2021, was the year everyone (except children) showed their true colors; they made their decision, knowingly or not, for darkness or light.

This year, 2022, is where the effects (or ‘side effects’) of that decision began to take hold.

Now, as 2023 approaches, we’re likely to move into the realm of unprecedented chaos and collapse.

As if on cue, under the cloak of this week’s holiday distraction, we have what’s possibly the next wave.

This could be the reason as presented in the last update, why biotech appears to be in the early stages of disconnecting from the overall market.

That separation may continue or not; price action is always the final arbiter.

The ‘Woke’ Go Broke

The useful idiots that comprise the ‘woke’ business crowd may be in for the biggest surprise in the coming year.

If there is one overriding theme to keep in mind for 2023, this could be it.

Separate enclaves are now forming of those who have not, will not, and are not going to go along with the ever more unbelievable narratives.

Here is a link to just one of those enclaves.

As a digression; in Texas, we’re just now coming out of yet another record-breaking cold spell.

That’s two, never before seen record breaking low temp events within the past three years!

How does that fit with the global warming narrative?

Anyone awake knows full well what’s going on … and it’s not global warming.

Who’s On First: NFLX or TGT?

Now that vending machine Carvana (CVNA), is out of the way, who’s next?

Partly as a result of economic decline and partly from the decision to take consumer spending elsewhere, Netflix and Target now appear ready to continue their implosion.

More on their technical chart conditions in the next update.

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 Disconnects & The Claus

December 23, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, IWM, LABD, Positions, Russell 2000, SPBIO, Speck-Effect, The Speck, TZA, TZA-22-02, Vernon Coleman, Wyckoff, ZeroHedge 1 Comment

Naughty or Nice ?

Biotech price action’s disconnecting from the rest of the market.

Around the last Fed meeting, biotech separated from the major indices, heading the opposite direction, i.e., sideways to higher.

We’ll see that as we get into the snapshots of the hourly charts (below), but first several clues on why biotech (so far) isn’t going along.

The Next Plan Rolls Out

First up is this, just out on ZeroHedge.

It appears the next push is on … and the target is the kids. Another wave of ‘protection’ is certain to boost profits.

Note: Those commenting on ZH have been ‘awake’ from the start; an invaluable resource.

Next up is this, just out on BrandNewTube; another clear thinker that helps ‘tie it all together’.

Is this the explanation for biotech’s current behavior?

Strictly speaking and from a Wyckoff perspective, we won’t know the real reason for a move until it’s nearing the end.

What we can see, is that character of price action has changed (again).

With that, we’ll look at the 3X, leveraged inverse funds of two indices, Russell 2000 (TZA) and SPBIO (LABD).

TZA & LABD, Hourly

The disconnect has been a recent observation.

We’ll drill right down to the hourly and put the charts one on top of the other.

We can see that while inverse TZA, is now back up to the pre-squeeze high, inverse LABD, is far below that level.

That’s not to say things can’t change quickly.

For now, however, there may be something else going on that’s keeping the sector buoyant and suppressing the LABD, inverse fund.

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 … Now, Comes Deflation

December 13, 2022 By in 1929, Biotech, GLD, LABD, LABD-22-14, Michael Cowan, SPBIO, Uneducated Economist, ZeroHedge 3 Comments

The ‘Pivot’, No One Expects

Happy days are here, again!

So, the Fed can pivot, and the bull’s on again.

At least, that’s what the media wants us to believe. The CPI is out, and ‘inflation’ has slowed.

The problem is, as Michael Cowan stated in this update (he’s done the work), from here, it does not matter what the Fed does.

The decline (crash) or whatever you want to call it, is baked in the cake.

Once deflationary forces start, it becomes a juggernaut.

The previous update on gold (GLD) showed in multiple time frames, upward thrust energy is dissipating; in at least one case, (weekly) it’s also divergent.

Now that we’ve had yet another blip higher, as expected, it’s rabid bullishness in the gold camp.

So, let’s look at what GLD, is actually doing. What does the market say about itself?

Gold (GLD), Daily

One thing is for sure; GLD, is at The Danger Point®

If GLD can’t hold above (and move above) this level, it may be in serious trouble.

Let’s look at it a different way … the terminating wedge.

A ‘wedge’ is typically the last pattern in a move up or down, hence the name.

As this post is being created (12:23 p.m., EST), GLD continues to decline from its open; currently sitting right at the resistance (potential support) level at the 168-area.

In a separate market, biotech SPBIO, has completely reversed its opening spike and is now posting lower.

We’re still maintaining the LABD-22-14 trade (not advice, not a recommendation).

Today’s CPI print and resulting price action, may be the kick-off to an overall sustained and persistent decline.

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 … Breakdown, Imminent

December 9, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, CVNA, Elliott Wave, LABD, LABD-22-14, Positions, Prechter, SPBIO

Waiting For A New Daily Low

Price action leads the news.

As with the Carvana analysis, a year ago which said CVNA, would likely not survive, so too it would appear, biotech is about to join the ranks.

Join the ranks but for different reasons.

Price action leading the news was a concept presented decades ago by Robert Prechter Jr., as part of his Elliott Wave Theory.

His view was the market indicates ‘social mood’; in that case, the market must go down first, before the bad news comes out.

In effect, the public has to be ready and actually want bad news and/or be ready for unexpected, cataclysmic events.

It’s the complete opposite of the accepted mantra, from financial advisors and media alike.

The bear flag in biotech SPBIO, has been forming now for three months. In the history of this sector, there’s never been anything like it.

The last update said there’s been a change in the character of price action; that SPBIO, is heading lower and about to threaten the bottom of the flag.

As we’ll see from the daily chart, indeed we’re getting close.

At this point, there’s no apparent demand for the upside.

Biotech SPBIO, Daily

The change in character is clear. We’re pulling away from the top of the flag and now, hovering at the lows.

Switching gears and going to the 3X leveraged inverse fund LABD, on the daily basis, we see repeating trend lines.

SPBIO, 3X Leveraged Inverse LABD, Daily

As the magenta arrow shows, we’re looking for a new daily high in LABD, to confirm the trendline; that high would naturally correspond to a new daily low in SPBIO.

As of this post (1:02 p.m., EST) neither one has occurred.

Summary

Even as the overall markets are mixed to slightly higher, SPBIO, is posting down – 1.51%; a possible indication it may lead to the downside.

Just exactly what ‘news’ is about to come out is unknown.

However, at this juncture with action pressing lower, it appears, the market is ready.

Positioning

Not advice, not a recommendation.

LABD-22-14

Entry@ 18.905, 18.95*** Stop @ 18.36***

Note: Positions may be increased, decreased, entered, or exited at any time.

***, Indicates change

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 … Bear Flag, Break ?

December 6, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, DRV, DRV-22-06, IYR, LABD, LABD-22-14, Positions, Real Estate, SPBIO 1 Comment

The Character Has Changed

It’s been more than frustrating attempting to short biotech.

So far this year there’ve been thirteen attempts; some successful, but most were not.

None of the attempts have captured the ‘big move’ that’s overdue for this market.

The last post essentially gave up on biotech, but it seems like the potential just won’t go away.

This time, over the past two days, the character of price action has changed.

Re-capping briefly, biotech SPBIO, has been in a bear flag for over two months.

During that time, it’s been oscillating and coiling; looking for a breakout to the downside.

As of this post, there’s no breakout yet but we’re heading to the bottom of the flag, with a change of character.

SPBIO, Weekly

It’s important to note, the pattern below, is unique.

The sector data goes way back to April of 2009. During its trading history SPBIO, has never posted a bear flag with a two-plus month duration.

An expanded version of the chart is below:

Now, comes the interesting part.

Going to the hourly, we have a trend line and a breakdown of intermediate support in the SPBIO 6,390-area.

This is the change of character.

SPBIO, Hourly

Note that we’re deep within the bear flag and at the right edge of price action.

We’ve got the trendline as shown.

Price action during yesterday’s session, contacted that line six consecutive times.

As of this post (12:50 p.m., EST), price continues lower.

Summary

So, is this ‘the big one’?

The correct answer is that it’s unknown.

What we do know however, just by looking at what the market is saying about itself; there’s been a change, at least in the past two days.

Price action’s breaking through support levels and heading for the bear flag lows in the vicinity of SPBIO 6,125.

A reasonable expectation is for some kind of a bounce if or when it hits this area.

Positioning

Not advice, not a recommendation.

DRV-22-06: Closed***

Gain + 5.61%

Re-opened biotech SPBIO Short (not advice, not a recommendation)

LABD-22-14***

Entry@ 18.905*** Stop @ 18.39***

Note: Positions may be increased, decreased, entered, or exited at any time.

***, Indicates change

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 Forecast … Pivot or Not

December 1, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, LABD, LABD-22-13, Positions, SPBIO, ZeroHedge

Multiple Scenarios, Going Forward

The ability to see multiple scenarios is like a Rorschach Test.

With each additional tick on the chart, it takes on a different character.

So, let’s look at what’s most likely, based on where we are now with one of, if not the weakest sectors; biotech SPBIO.

For reference, we’ll start with the big picture … the weekly chart to show the two-month long, bear flag.

Biotech SPBIO, Weekly

Next, is the daily for the past several months.

We’re at The Danger Point®; the test, where there’s not much distance between pass and fail.

Price action can (easily) go either way.

SPBIO, Daily

However, from a probability standpoint, we’ve been in a bear flag for months; the expectation is the test will pass, price action reverses and we get a downside breakout.

The hourly chart has the most likely potential outcome.

Pre-market action shows flat (as of 9:08 a.m., EST).

SPBIO, Hourly

The chart has two likely scenarios: one pass, one fail.

A less likely outcome is a straight up launch above resistance.

However, anything can happen.

Summary

With the Fed out talking hawkish again, we’ll say it again; there is no ‘pivot’.

Whether or not the press is intentionally miss-directing the narrative, in a sense, does not matter.

We’re looking at the price action.

Right now, it says, we’re at a dangerous spot and may be about to pivot (pun intended) to the downside.

Positioning

Not advice, not a recommendation.

No change since yesterday.

Short position in SPBIO via LABD; details are as follows:

LABD-22-13:

Entry @ 18.72: Stop @ TBD

Note: Positions may be increased, decreased, entered, or exited at any time.

***, Indicates change

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

Can It Get Any More Dangerous ?

November 30, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, David Weis, LABD, LABD-22-13, Positions, SPBIO, Wyckoff

Testing The Reversals

First, some housekeeping.

This morning’s action in biotech SPBIO, forced exit of LABD-22-12, with a minimal loss of -0.12% (not advice, not a recommendation)

There was a bounce off SPBIO, resistance in the early session and then, it became clear the market was setting up to penetrate that resistance.

As the Fed announcement progressed, SPBIO, indeed moved up sharply.

Reversal Set-Up

By definition, such action puts SPBIO, in a test of a prior Up-Thrust (reversal) from 11/11/22 – 11/15/22.

Conversely, it puts the leveraged inverse fund LABD, in a test of a Spring set-up during the same period.

You can already see where this is going.

The work has been done on a fundamental basis as well as technical; biotech is set for significant downside.

Whether or not, we’re at that inflection point right now, is unknown.

Biotech 3X Leveraged Inverse LABD, Daily

Looking at the mark-up below, we’ve had a spring set-up; then, sign of demand with action moving higher and finally today, a test of that spring set-up.

David Weis used to call such drastic moves a ‘gut-check’, to see if you can hang on (not advice, not a recommendation).

Price action has come right back to support with a wide bar and high volume.

Such bars increase the probability of a counter move to test which in this case, is a move higher.

Summary

Remember, all this action’s occurring ‘within’, the SPBIO, bear flag that’s formed over two-plus months.

It seems like a huge understatement to say this market and the main indices, are in a dangerous position.

Positioning

Not advice, not a recommendation.

Like a Terrier on a Mailman’s leg, we’re not giving up on biotech’s potential downside … at least not yet.

Short position in SPBIO via LABD; details are as follows:

LABD-22-13***:

Entry @ 18.72***: Stop @ TBD***

Note: Positions may be increased, decreased, entered, or exited at any time.

***, Indicates change

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

Pandora & Twitter, The Box Opens

November 29, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, LABD, LABD-22-12, Positions, SPBIO, The Speck, Twitter, Van Metre, Wyckoff, ZeroHedge

Fuel, For The Downside

With Twitter’s lifting of the ban on truth, linked here, we may be entering the next phase of collapse.

Whether or not it’s going to immediately show up in market price action, is unknown at this point.

Nascent Reversal?

The last update identified the markets were poised for potential reversal.

Two days later and we’re mostly down; that’s in spite of the supposed positive ‘machine’ bias as presented at this link.

A positive machine-market could still happen (data released tomorrow) but for now, price action itself, is posting lower; this is the crux of Wyckoff analysis … ‘What is the market saying about itself’.

In line with the truth being let out, not surprisingly, chief cook and bottle washer, biotech, is having a rough time.

Biotech Bear Market

Prior posts have documented the bear flag that’s been forming for over nine-weeks. Now, we have an apparent coiled action, ready for the downside.

Since we’re short this sector via LABD (not advice, not a recommendation), we’re going to look at LABD, to identify the potential.

SPBIO, 3X Leveraged Inverse, LABD

We have three charts, all depicting daily action.

The first (un-marked) chart is close-in and it looks like a mess. That is, until you put in trend lines and a Fibonacci count as shown on the second chart.

Adding the mark-up.

Then, keeping those trend lines intact, pulling farther out, we see the potential if there’s a sustained move.

Price action has been trading in a tight range over the past eight-days. Let’s see what happens next.

Positioning

Not advice, not a recommendation.

Short position in SPBIO via LABD; details are as follows:

LABD-22-12:

Entry @ 19.9194, 20.91***: Stop @ 19.28***

Note: Positions may be increased, decreased, entered, or exited at any time.

***, Indicates change

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

The Set-Up … SOXX & QQQ

November 27, 2022 By in Biotech, Bonds, IBB, Nasdaq, QQQ, Semiconductors, SOXX, SPBIO, TLT 1 Comment

Hitting The Channel

The majority of the indices are at their right-side channel lines.

We’ll cover semiconductor SOXX, and QQQs, below. However, biotech IBB, and SPBIO, are in similar positions.

From a calendar and data standpoint, there’ll be plenty that could be used as an ‘excuse’ for market moves but let’s ignore the (intended) distractions and take a look at what the market is saying about itself.

First up, is the semiconductor index, the SOXX.

Semiconductor’s, SOXX, Daily

The chart has Fibonacci retrace levels shown. Price action has retraced to 38.2% and stalled.

But wait, there’s more.

Putting in a trading channel, we could be at a reversal point.

Note the upward thrust energy (‘Force’) has dissipated.

the NASDAQ is in a similar situation but weaker from a retrace standpoint.

NASDAQ, QQQ, Daily

Looking at the monthly chart for the Q’s (not shown), it’s been a Fibonacci 13-months since all-time highs.

Force dissipation and ‘Contact Points’ are near identical to the SOXX.

Summary

Biotech IBB and SPBIO, are in similar positions. In fact, the overall markets appear poised for downside reversal.

As discussed in the last update, the bond market could be signaling danger ahead with its sharp upward reversal; now (potentially) entering its sixth week.

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