Another ‘Data Point’, Collapse

Baltic Dry Index

‘The longer the delay, the bigger the break.’

That was Jesse Livermore’s assessment of the market just before The Panic of 1907.

That Was, Then

Back then, it was money spent on The Boer War, tight financial conditions and extreme overvaluations.

Looks more and more, like today

It’s been this site’s opinion for about a year (now supported by data), that we’ve gone straight past recession, into economic collapse and depression.

And Now, This

Another data point confirming the ‘depression’ scenario is this, just out from ZeroHedge: The Baltic Dry Index had its largest one-day collapse on record.

As if to drive it home; demand is in free-fall as Amazon, just announced plans to fire 18,000 workers.

From a strategic standpoint, collapsing shipping demand means collapsing fuel demand.

Which brings us to the sector of the day, Oil & Gas

Oil & Gas Sector XOP, Weekly

The last update, showed the weekly chart has reversed down and stayed down.

XOP is penetrating support, now at The Danger Point®.

The daily chart has more detail; we’re hovering at support, testing the right side trendline (again).

Providing some (minor) upward bias for the day is this report on WTI (West Texas Intermediate).

Oil & Gas Sector XOP, Daily

It’s 1:31 p.m., EST and XOP, has not posted a new daily high (it’s very close).

Doing so, would weaken the downtrend case and point probabilities to a Wyckoff spring move higher.

Summary

Demand is rapidly collapsing on many fronts and the WTI report linked above uses the word ‘tepid’.

That may be completely inaccurate or misleading when considering the demand for shipping has seen its worst down-day, on record.

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.

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

Asset Confiscation, Gaining Speed

Higher Taxes, Starting Today

But wait, it’s not just taxes.

According to this link, it’s not only higher taxes, but retirement accounts being hi-jacked through rule changes.

‘The bulk of the wealth of the American people.’

Not to be outdone, the IRS will increase penalties for under and overpayment of taxes as reported by Fox Business via Jerimiah Babe (time stamp 22:16).

At least it’s nice to know, implementation of the ‘$600’ rule will be saved until next year. 🙂

So, we have the context for the year 2023; i.e., wealth destruction, asset confiscation, fines and fees.

It’s a straightforward plan on ‘their’ part.

What’s also straightforward as reported by Babe, a large number of Americans don’t even know what’s going on let alone be willing to take action.

Then, The Elephant

Let’s not forget the ‘elephant’ that’s likely to be the biggest driver for 2023.

We see that elephant every day now and sometimes multiple times a day. It’s starting to reach the fringes of the mainstream with articles like this one.

Scroll down to The List … It’s No. 2

That elephant and its subsequent lack of demand (less population, fewer buyers) as a result, will likely affect real estate in a big way … for decades to come (not advice, not a recommendation).

The last update showed the weekly trading channels in IYR. The next chart goes further out to the monthly and identifies a Fibonacci sequence.

Real Estate IYR, Monthly

So far, we’ve had IYR on the daily (link here), the weekly (link here), and now the monthly, below.

Major inflection points on the monthly have occurred at Fibonacci timeframes.

Original Forecast, October

The analysis of the current set-up started way back in late October. Using a weekly chart, a potential Fibonacci sequence was identified that ultimately proved correct.

Real estate IYR, had its print high during Fibonacci Week 8, as shown below in the original forecast.

The next chart shows where we are now, again on the weekly timeframe.

Real Estate IYR, Weekly

Original Analysis & Forecast

The updated chart shows the subsequent price action.

Real estate IYR, has pivoted lower and posted tight price action over the past two weeks. Tight action typically precedes a breakout or directional move.

Summary

Anything can happen in the markets.

Even though a good analysis has been presented to indicate further downside for IYR, this Tuesday’s action will let us know for sure.

Typical vehicles to go short the sector are leveraged inverse funds DRV (-3X) and SRS (-2X) or to short the IYR directly (not advice, not a recommendation).

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.

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

Trend & Channel

Get In … Get Out

There tends to be a period of consolidation and organized chaos, before price action enters and exhibits channel behavior.

Of course, the problem from a trading perspective, be able to wait through the chaos getting to the set-up and that’s no small feat.

Several of the major indices are in a channel right now. Those are (ETF symbol) SPY, QQQ, IYR and IWM.

We’ll discuss the Q’s farther down but first, this just out, on ZeroHedge, concerning the overall economic conditions.

That is, we’re already in full scale economic collapse and they have the data to prove it.

As incredible as it may be, there are still sectors of the population that believe, ‘the consumer is strong’.

A big wake-up call is coming for them. Oh wait, is that a telephone ringing off in the distance 🙂

The media lies appear to be crumbling at an exponential rate; there’s no guarantee it’ll all hold together into late January, or mid-February as presented only yesterday.

From a Nasdaq (QQQ), technology sector perspective, we have the following.

NASDAQ QQQ, Weekly

The Q’s began the week with a lower open and within the range of the prior week.

It’s a subtle clue the direction remains down and the market’s not volatile … just yet.

Next up, is the channel

It has the right ‘look’.

Moving in closer; the right-side trend line verification (hits).

There are no fewer than four weekly hits (including today) that verify the right side. The attempted push out of the channel is identified as the ‘Throw-Over’.

Attempted breakouts (and failures) are common market behaviors. We see that price action quickly got itself back into the channel.

Get In … Get Out

At this juncture, price action remains in the channel.

A short position (via QID, or equivalent) is a viable choice for the trader/speculator (not advice, not a recommendation).

For the reasons described above (the collapse), we appear to still be in the early stages of the down channel.

Obvious discretionary exit points for a short trade would be left side contact of the channel i.e., the ‘demand’ side or a decisive right-side breakout i.e., the ‘supply’ side (not advice, not a recommendation).

Summary

In a separate market, Netflix (NFLX), may have hit the right side of its own tend line as well.

It seems to be all happening very quietly.

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.

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

Discretionary Destruction … 2023

The Cash Squeeze

During 2022, we’ve had one short squeeze after another.

For 2023, it could be forced liquidation in the relentless squeeze for cash.

One corporate example of the squeeze is the announcement from CarMax; they’ve suspended their stock buybacks.

This ‘buy-back halt’, theme, needs to be added to the market strategy for the coming year.

We can put that on the list right along with skipped dividends, power outages, market outages, internet cyber-attack and supply chain disruptions.

A comment below, posted in yesterday’s update from Jerrimiah Babe, opines the typical consumer’s going to carry on unabated, until the very last minute.

“I don’t believe most people will stop spending until all access to credit is exhausted. Whether it be cards, after-pay, family, theft most will continue to keep up appearances. I honestly think most could be 2 months behind on their mortgage or rent and still be spending on crap. There’s no financial responsibility or discipline anymore.”

How that may translate to the mainstream is, they continue to report ‘the consumer is strong’ until instantly, overnight, they’re not.

Possible timing for that event may be late January, or mid-February (not advice, not a recommendation).

With all that in mind, the last post identified Netflix and Target, as potential candidates for significant downside opportunity.

‘Significant’, meaning a 50% to 90% decline from current levels (not advice, not a recommendation).

Target TGT, Yearly

The year is just about over so let’s start with a very long-term view.

Two things have happened over the past three-years.

Price action has met a measured move out of the wedge as shown; then, a massive downward thrust.

It’s important to note, this year’s down-thrust, dwarfs the previous one during the -64.7%, decline of ’07 – ’09.

There’s a band of support that’s at least nine-years wide, in the vicinity of 50 – 75.

We’ll discuss that in another update.

Netflix NFLX, Yearly

Technically, Netflix is worse than target. That is, it has the potential to decline farther and faster.

NFLX, has support as well but comparatively minor in the area of 50.

It does not become significant until the wedge (blue lines) in the vicinity of 5 – 10.

With Netflix’s ‘product’ being completely discretionary, it’s ultimate downside potential, from a fundamental standpoint, surpasses that of Target.

Summary

Time permitting, shorter timeframes will be presented.

However, since the primary focus of this site, is first on ‘strategy’ (think dollar rally), we’re interested in the larger timeframes.

That in turn, provides background to drill down further for any trade decisions (not advice, not a recommendation).

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.

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

Claus & Effect, The Next Wave

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

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

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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.

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

Gold … Repeating (Short) Set-Up

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

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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.

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

Gold … The Five Stages of Reversal

First, is Denial

We’re about to find out the truth of gold’s direction.

The last update showed a ‘blip’ above known resistance.

It’s been three trading days since then and gold (GLD), has yet to close above last Tuesday’s level.

Gold could head straight lower from here. However, the more likely outcome is a test of resistance.

The test, if it happens, may be the defining moment for gold on a go-forward basis.

Just to add some intrigue, we have yet another bullish forecast for gold.

How GLD, handles the test may let us know if it’s going to act just like the rest of the market. i.e., potentially head much lower.

Going back to the bullish article, it’s interesting the author references the Maginot Line.

In an odd ‘predictive programming‘ kind of way, referencing that support area in such a way, may actually put it into play.

That Was Then …

The Maginot Line was built (like most government projects), to handle a catastrophic event after the fact.

World War I had already happened. Whatever comes next (WWII), won’t be like what came before.

The same is true for the markets. It’s called the ‘rule of alternation’.

However, in the markets, anything can happen.

With that, let’s take a look at the most probable outcomes for gold.

Gold GLD, Daily

As of Friday’s close, GLD, is sitting right at the 38.2%, retrace from the ‘blip’ high posted on Tuesday, the 13th.

Getting all the way up to the resistance (blue line) would put GLD, at 61.8%, retrace.

Of course, powering through resistance changes the character of the action. If that happens, then maybe we really do have a bull market continuation.

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.

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

Fake Data, Fake Market, Real Price

‘Head Fake’ … 1-million Jobs

Within the mirage of fake data, one thing’s not fake, the price.

The latest revelation about fake data, comes at this link, telling us something we already knew; the jobs data is a complete mirage.

What must be over a year ago, Neil McCoyWard, presented a series whereby he reviewed several individual, personal diaries, from The Great Depression.

From that series, no-one (in the public) seemed to know the extent of unemployment until much later.

The numbers were ‘hidden’ back then, just like now; what a coincidence.

The search, and need for the ‘truth’, becomes more clear by the day. In the markets, truth is the price and price only.

Apparently driving it home, revelation that chief cook and (woke) bottle washer Netflix, drank the Kool-Aid and overestimated advertising demand.

The last update on NFLX, stated there may be a rally to test the breakdown. So far, it hasn’t happened.

Last Thursday’s – 8.6%, ‘air-pocket’, may have been the kick-off to much lower prices (not advice, not a recommendation).

Let’s take another look at the big picture on Netflix.

Netflix NFLX, Weekly

Very quickly we see the overall (impulsive) direction of the market is down.

In Wyckoff terms, there’s what he called ‘ease-of-movement’, to the downside.

Next, we have a possible Head & Shoulders, top.

If NFLX, reverses from here all the way down to the neckline (blue line), and if it breaks that line, then we target the 40-area; that’s a lot of ‘ifs’.

Moving in closer on the daily chart, is the following:

Netflix NFLX, Daily

The wedge breakdown is clear.

There was an attempt to rally, if you can call it that, on Friday. So far, no significant upside action.

The zoom area shows price action still below the lower wedge boundry.

Netflix is different from our other potential implosion, short candidate (which proved correct), Carvana, CVNA.

That difference, Carvana sold a product for which there was an actual need, i.e., transportation.

Summary

It’s been just over a year since the CVNA, ‘No P/E’, report.

Carvana’s a slow-motion train-wreck; down over -98%, as of Friday’s close.

Netflix?

Let’s see what happens next.

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.

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

Gold … Now, Comes Deflation

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