Category Archives: TDA-LABD-22-02

Three Amigos of Biotech

August 20, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, BEAM, FATE, IBB, LABD, LABD-22-05, MRNA, Positions, S&P, S&P 500, SPBIO, SPY, TDA-LABD-22-02, TWST, ZeroHedge 2 Comments

BEAM, TWST & FATE

It looks like having a real (positive) P/E, may be about to be important.

The prior biotech update said that so far, no P/E, negative P/E, and ‘no money down’ was not affecting the sector.

That is, until now.

Well, ok. I made up the ‘no money down’, part. 🙂

That little jest does not take away from the fact, biotech SPBIO, and its top three weightings, BEAM, TWST and FATE, have all reversed, decisively to the downside.

For the week just ended, BEAM is down – 22.86%, TWST down – 19.18%, and FATE down – 14.16%.

Back at the ranch in the IBB index, Moderna (MRNA) is also down – 14.65% for the week.

So, we have confirmation the entire industry is now continuing its downward course.

Contrast the reversal of index SPBIO, at – 7.04%, with S&P (SPY) at – 1.16%, and the market itself is telling us where to go for opportunity (not advice, not a recommendation).

At this point, all three amigos (BEAM, TWST, FATE) are in downward trading channels.

Trading channel for BEAM is the most aggressive. The weekly chart is below.

Beam Therapeutics (BEAM) Weekly

If BEAM maintains its channel for the rest of this year, the chart below shows the target area(s) for price action.

The coming week may let us know if this channel will be confirmed or negated.

Recall, the S&P is topping out and appears to be reversing.

Goldman says the squeeze is over but that ‘downside is limited’.

We’ll see.

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 Moderna (MRNA) Channel

August 17, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, IBB, LABD, LABD-22-05, MRNA, Positions, SPBIO, TDA-LABD-22-02 1 Comment

Chief Cook & Bottle Washer

We’re about forty minutes into the session; Moderna (MRNA) has just confirmed the up-thrust reversal discussed in the last update.

It took seven trading days for MRNA, to post a new weekly low below 160.06.

That was plenty of time to perform research like finding this bullish outlook and deciding for oneself, whether to be bull or bear.

This update is brief.

Two charts of MRNA, are shown below.

Price action’s in a channel with the right side declining at approx: – 93.7%, annualized.

Moderna MRNA, Weekly Bar

Compressed version.

We’re using MRNA, as the proxy for the biotech sector.

The previous report showed a weak 23.6%, retrace and potential reversal.

With today’s print below 160.06, it looks like an initial confirmation of the right-side trend line (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

No P/E ? … No Problem … Yet

August 14, 2022 By in Biotech, CVNA, LABD, LABD-22-05, Livermore, Loeb, Positions, SPBIO, TDA-LABD-22-02, Wyckoff 1 Comment

Biotech SPBIO, Has No P/E

Is this like Carvana on steroids?

Looking at the top ten components of the SPBIO sector, making up over 14%, of the weighting, none have a P/E ratio.

The three largest weightings are listed below along with hyperlinks to their corporate summaries or research.

Beam Therapeutics Inc.: BEAM

Twist Biosciences Corp.: TWST

Fate Therapeutics Inc.: FATE

The Return on Equity for the list is Negative – 31.9%

With returns like that, it’s unlikely a positive P/E, is showing up anytime soon.

The Market Itself

Livermore worked to prefect his technique, searching for what’s going to happen in a ‘big way’.

Wyckoff discovered the market itself, decides on its next likely course.

Loeb presented the power of ‘focus’; Concentrated positions that eschewed the mediocre mantra of ‘a well-diversified portfolio’.

It’s important to note, Loeb was the former Vice Chairman of E.F. Hutton. The old commercials from the 70s, like the one linked here, were talking about him: ‘When Loeb talks, people listen’.

The Biotech Short

The vultures are circling this sector.

We’ve already shown in the last update, speculative volume on the 3X Inverse fund LABD, is literally off the chart.

The corporate links above, give us a potential ‘why’ for their short positioning.

All three of those companies have a common theme.

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’s, Jaw-Dropping Volume

August 13, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, David Weis, LABD, LABD-22-05, Positions, SPBIO, Spring-to-Up-Thrust, TDA-LABD-22-02, Wyckoff, ZeroHedge 2 Comments

Bears Capitulate

According to this, just out on ZeroHedge, that’s what’s happened.

As we’ll see below, there’s certainly something unprecedented going on, specifically in biotech.

The prior update made the argument, biotech SPBIO, has a unique distinction that’s showing up on the leveraged inverse fund LABD, shorting the sector.

For illustration purposes, we’re going to do a little ‘trick’.

The weekly close of SPBIO, is shown below.

This index does not provide volume but we’re going to ‘fix’ that by putting in the lower panel, weekly volume for leveraged inverse fund LABD.

It’s clear, as SPBIO reached all-time highs and reversed, short activity via LABD picked up significantly.

However, the past several weeks tells us from a Wyckoff perspective, something major could be about to happen.

As SPBIO, has moved counter-trend higher, activity going short (via LABD) has gone off the scale.

Spring-To-Up-Thrust

If the unprecedented volume activity weren’t enough to draw attention, we also have a repeating set-up that’s well, repeating; Spring-to-Up-Thrust.

With the idea originally obtained from the late Daivd Weis, later confirmed time and again, it’s a unique (high probability) characteristic of market behavior.

That’s where we are now.

SPBIO: Up Close & Technical

It may be hard to see in the above chart.

The next one, moves closer-in.

The upward advance of SPBIO slowed dramatically last week, closing up just +1.68%, for the week.

Contrast that move with the week prior at +13.83%, and the slowdown is evident.

All Hands, On Deck

Figuratively speaking, everything’s been dropped to focus exclusively on this sector. It’s obvious, what’s going on at this juncture is unprecedented.

That goes for the rest of the markets as well.

However, this sector alone, is telling us to ‘look here’; potentially setting up for a major reversal.

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

‘Follow The Money’

August 12, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, LABD, LABD-22-05, Livermore, Positions, SPBIO, TDA-LABD-22-02, The Speck, Wyckoff 1 Comment

Well, Almost … Now, It’s ‘Follow The Volume’

‘Follow the money’ was the clue back in the days of the Watergate scandal.

To unravel the secrets of the break-in, you had to follow the money trail.

Not much has changed since then; except this time around it’s important to look at the volume as well.

The 3X Inverse List

Compiled below, is a list of triple-leveraged inverse funds.

Only one (in bold) has recently posted record breaking volume day after day and week after week.

BNKD, DRV, EDZ, FAZ, LABD, SMDD, SOXS, SPXS, TMV, TZA, WEBS, YANG

From a Wyckoff analysis standpoint and from the volume itself, LABD is clamoring for attention.

The daily chart shows us volume is off the scale.

Biotech SPBIO, 3X Leveraged Inverse LABD, Daily

No other leveraged inverse fund’s chart (in the above list) has this look.

Somebody, Always Knows ‘Something‘

Wyckoff wrote back in the day, ‘insiders’ can’t leave well enough alone; their greed is too great to keep under control.

They take their information and act accordingly.

Our job is to look for those actions, decipher them, and then ourselves, act accordingly.

Who Could It Be Now?

So, what could it be that would cause ‘insiders’ (and professional speculators) to focus nearly exclusively on biotech and go short the sector.

Hmmm, just what could it be?

Well, the mainstream media doesn’t seem to have a clue either. It’s all a big ‘mystery’ to them (although cracks are appearing).

It’s The ‘What’ … Not The ‘Why’

Both Livermore and Wyckoff admonished us not to focus on the why of market movements. The ‘why’ will always come out later, after the fact.

They were concerned with ‘what’ is happening; is price moving up, down, or going sideways in accumulation.

Summary

There’s no mistake based on the chart of LABD above, something major, potentially long-term, is setting-up in the biotech (SPBIO) sector.

The chart itself tells us to focus specifically on this area (not advice not a recommendation).

With that, we’re about mid-way through today’s session.

Price action appears to be going through a test of yesterday’s reversal.

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 Tags The 200-Day

August 5, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, GDXJ, LABD, LABD-22-05, Positions, SPBIO, TDA-LABD-22-02

Now Comes The Dangerous Part

In what seemed to be never ending thrusts to the upside, biotech SPBIO, appears to have tagged the 200 Day, Moving Average, ready to pivot.

We’ll start first with the daily chart of tracking ticker $SPSIBI (SPBIO) to show the near contact with the 200 Day.

SPBIO, Daily

Next up is the 3X Inverse Leveraged fund, LABD.

It has printed record volumes (changing of hands), on weekly, daily, hourly, half-hourly and even a 15-minute basis.

Now, with today’s extreme move, we may be done.

SPBIO Leveraged Inverse LABD, Hourly

The chart is compressed to show the entire retrace move so, it’s a bit hard to see.

A zoom version is provided on the second chart

Zoom version

The markets in general and biotech specifically are in a precarious position.

The weekly chart of SPBIO ($SPSIBI) below shows the cross of the 50-Wk and 200-Wk MAs.

SPBIO Weekly

This is the only major index to be posting this characteristic (with GDXJ, very near).

It’s a short squeeze in a major downtrend.

Price action itself, says so.

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 Short … Simple, Not Easy

August 2, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, LABD, LABD-22-05, Positions, SPBIO, TDA-LABD-22-02

Stop Runs & Tomfoolery

Sometimes you feel like an idiot and sometimes you don’t 🙂

Question: How do you know where the market’s going to go?

Answer: Put in your stop; that’s where it goes.

The stop level mentioned in yesterday’s update was not physically placed in the market but a mental identifier; indicating if the LABD trade was subject to failure.

As if on cue; no sooner was the stop posted than today, the market heads right for it.

In or Out

With the level being tagged so easily, it means that one’s thinking is right along with the amateurs, doing the same thing. Ouch.

So, price action penetrated the LABD 26.50, lows.

It’s what happened next that’s important.

It took less than one hour for LABD, to reverse off the lows and begin to print decisively higher.

Therefore, we just witnessed a run on the stops.

At the trader’s discretion, LABD-22-05, was maintained throughout the stop-run process.

The hourly chart of 3X Leveraged Inverse Fund LABD, provides detail; note LABD got itself back above an existing trend line.

SPBIO 3X Leveraged Inverse LABD, Hourly

Time is approximately 2:11 p.m., EST

Typically, a ‘bump-and-run’ move like this signals the kick-off for price action.

Summary

Biotech appears to have gyrated enough at the extremes to frustrate both the bulls and bears.

With today’s run, we may now be ready for a directional move; LABD to the upside.

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

Biotech … ‘Changing of Hands’

August 1, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, GLD, LABD, LABD-22-05, Positions, TDA-LABD-22-02 1 Comment

From Weak (Longs), to Strong (Shorts)

Biotech has similar price action to gold (GLD), back when it changed hands (link here).

The 3X Leveraged Inverse Fund LABD, shows the detail.

SPBIO, 3X Leveraged Inverse LABD, Daily

The message of LABD, is straightforward if you know where and how to look.

We’ll start first, with the un-marked chart.

The record volume spike is obvious and noted below.

Immediately after the record volume, LABD shows a change of character; it’s reversed to the upside.

The next chart points out that LABD, just finished three consecutive up closes with heavy volume.

There have been higher single day up volume(s) but not ever three in a row at this (elevated) level.

The inference: This reversal is or has potential to be significant.

Summary

Starting on July 12th, and all through the reversal, a short position (LABD-22-05), has been and continues to be accumulated (not advice, not a recommendation).

There have been minor adjustments (small exits) throughout, but the core position has been maintained and increased as the market allowed.

As long as LABD, price action remains agreeable, stays calm, potentially ratcheting higher, the plan is to continue to increase the position until volatility or hitting the stop prevents further action.

Current stop is now located @ LABD 26.21 (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

‘Off The Cliff’

July 29, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, LABD, LABD-22-05, Positions, SPBIO, TDA-LABD-22-02, Wyckoff

It’s Official

With a new daily low printed for biotech SPBIO, we’ve got confirmation of yesterday’s sell signal (not advice, not a recommendation).

To show that biotech is the weakest of them all, an updated chart (below) has the major indices ranked in order of downside action.

Prices as of 11:12 a.m., EST

Index Table

It’s a no-brainer (almost).

Even with the recent rebound, SPBIO remains the weakest.

From a Wyckoff standpoint, if one is going to short the market, his approach was to select the weakest sector(s) as they’re likely to fall farther, faster.

It’s the complete opposite of the amateur who spends his time trying to pick the top of the highest flyer.

We’re interested in opportunity; not bragging rights.

Let’s go straight to the 3X Leveraged Inverse Fund LABD, hourly basis.

SPBIO 3X Leveraged Inverse LABD, Hourly

Slowly but surely, LABD is competing the spring set-up and testing action.

If you’re not looking, it’s nearly imperceptible.

However, we’re still at the stage where the test can fail. We’re still at The Danger Point®

A reasonable soft-stop would be today’s low @ LABD 26.21, with a hard stop at yesterday’s low @ LABD 24.60

‘Soft-Stop’ meaning, if it’s hit, probabilities of trade failure have just increased significantly.

Summary

As can be seen on the side-bar, we’re short this sector with LABD-22-05, and TDA-LABD-22-02 (not advice, not a recommendation).

If price action continues to proceed as expected, the next update will show a repeating trendline that’s sure to catch one’s breath.

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

When It Heads South …

July 28, 2022 By in $SPSIBI, Biotech, LABD, LABD-22-05, Positions, SPBIO, TDA-LABD-22-02, The Epoch Times, The Speck, ZeroHedge

… Bad News, Comes Out

Is that where we are with Biotech?

Houston Methodist Sued, $25-million

In what may be just the beginning of similar actions, is this the pivot point?

Part of a lawsuit’s process is ‘discovery’. That’s probably the last thing any ‘institution’ wants.

ZeroHedge picked up the news, linked here; the comment section is telling.

Potential for a significant reversal in SPBIO, has been on the radar for about three-weeks.

What’s price action saying at this juncture?

SPBIO, Daily

For starters, within the first hour of today’s session, we’ve already had an ‘outside-down’ print; last session’s highs and lows have been exceeded by today’s action.

Shifting gears for the next chart, we’re looking at 3X Leveraged Inverse Fund LABD.

LABD, Hourly

The Wyckoff spring set-up is clear. The testing discussed in this update, is per-the-book for Wyckoff action.

‘Tests’ can always fail.

That’s why it’s called ‘The Danger Point’. It’s the location where the risk of being wrong is least (not advice, not a recommendation).

The next chart, also LABD, highlights the record volume on two time-frames, daily and hourly.

This is a potential ‘changing of hands’ from weak to strong for the short-side on SPBIO.

It should be noted, last week’s volume for LABD, was also a record, making it three time-frames.

Summary

As this post was being created, LABD continues to rachet lower into what is now a deep test.

Currently trading at LABD 25.98 (mid-session), we’ll see if the test holds and LABD finishes higher for the day.

Meanwhile, the fundamental backdrop and pressure continues to build.

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