Sentiment Shift … Biotech

Was Friday, The Day?

Is the tide (finally) going out for biotech?

The end of the prior update, shows a lot coming to the surface.

So much, that it can’t be ignored.

Also coming out on Friday, was this report.

Is it all too much, price action has finally reversed? We’ll analyze that potential below.

Biotech SPBIO, Quarterly

First, the big picture.

There have been six consecutive lower quarters … the most of any major index

What’s not labeled above, is an apparent Head & Shoulders pattern forming; the arrow showing the rejection of the upward move could be the top of the Right Shoulder.

The left shoulder is considered to be the eight quarters that span, 6/29/18 – 3/31/20.

If it’s an H&S, and if the support is penetrated, the measured move target is shown.

That’s a lot of ‘ifs’.

Moving on to the weekly, we see confirmation of the right-side trendline. Also shown is the potential trading channel.

Biotech SPBIO, Weekly

Price action could still break out to the upside from the channel line.

For that to happen, there would need to be some kind of huge catalyst.

So far, nothing out of the ordinary other than the typical Ebola outbreak and/or, radiation poisoning 🙂

Downside Reversal Probabilities

So, last Friday was decidedly down. If we’re in a reversal, what’s the next likely thing to happen?

For that answer, we go to the daily chart.

Biotech SPBIO, Daily

The blue lines are a minor support zone.

If we are in a reversal, a lower open at the next session (into the support zone) weights probabilities to the downside.

If that happens, expect price action to attempt to ‘test’ Friday’s wide bar by moving higher … at least temporarily.

If there’s a higher open instead, it does not necessarily negate the reversal, but it does weaken the case.

It may mean there’s more upside testing and/or, the beginnings of a move to much higher levels.

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

Between Sucess … and … Failure

‘Inside Days’ For Biotech

The market will attempt to hypnotize all participants.

That’s what’s happening now.

This, just out from ZeroHedge; buying ‘puts’ at the bottom and selling out or timing-out at the highs.

Typical bear market behavior

Our chosen sector for going short, biotech (SPBIO), is not immune to hypnotic action (not advice, not a recommendation).

Yesterday was an ‘inside day’, staying within the confines of the prior day’s action.

We’re still at The Danger Point®; it can go either way.

In the pre-market (8:55 a.m., EST), biotech along with the overall market is set to open higher.

How much higher, is the key as we’ll see below.

Biotech SPBIO ($SPSIBI), Daily

The daily chart includes our ‘trick’ previously discussed of using LABD volume to show supply/demand forces.

As price action rose to test the top of the range, volume decreased significantly.

Commitment to the upside is weak (at this point).

The zoom version below shows more detail.

From the LABD pre-market action, the best that can be determined, we’re still within the range of Friday’s (9/30/22), bar.

As shown, the level to watch is the SPBIO high of 6,384.50.

A decisive penetration of this high indicates potential retrace to 50%, at least.

In that case, the short in LABD (LABD-22-06), will be exited (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

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Decision Point: Biotech

To Bounce, Or Not

Final stages of the bear market?

That’s what the ‘analyst’ at this link has to say.

If you know your market history, ‘opinions’ like that were pushed out all the way down to the bottom after the crash of 1929.

As for me, I’m going with the 78-year-old money manager that was quoted saying (paraphrasing):

‘It’s the biggest bear market of my life.’

Back to the analyst above, another opinion could be (looking at price action), we’re not in the ‘final stages’ of anything … except maybe the beginning.

Before we leave the topic, IYR real estate closed at 103.84, when the ‘old-timer’ spoke. Yesterday’s close was 81.43, down -22%, from that level and down – 30.3%, from all-time highs … and counting.

The ‘final stages’ of this decline is (potentially) years, if not decades away.

Biotech Decision Point

With about twenty-minutes before the open, biotech SPBIO, is set higher with leveraged inverse (pre-market) LABD, down approximately – 1.6-pts. (-6.3%).

We’re at a decision point for the sector.

Looking at the chart of inverse LABD below, a trend (and potential trading channel) is clear.

This morning’s gap-lower open is set to test that trend.

SPBIO, Leveraged Inverse LABD, Daily

If biotech remains in its downtrend that started at the August 11th, high of 7,399.86, expectations are for some kind of upside LABD, reversal within the first hour of trade.

If not, price action then opens the door for a move above established resistance at SPBIO, between 7,400 and 7,700.

As unbelievable as that would be, it could still happen.

Summary

The first hour of trade will be watched closely.

Price action itself will define if SPBIO, has fished its down move or if we’re just confirming the trend already established.

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

Trading A Silver Collapse: Part 3

No One Expects A Long Term Siege

This time is different.

This is not 1987, or 1998, or 2000, or 2008.

In those cases, once the market reached bottom, the recovery was sharp (’98, ’09) and if not, was steady as in ’87 and ’03 – ’04.

In each case, interest rates were high enough to allow ‘fiddling’ that would in turn, result in the desired (i.e., up) market response.

Ammo Is Spent

This time, we’re in another melt-down and there’s no ammunition left to save the market.

That all got spent in ’08.

Back then, those witnessing firsthand, efforts like TARP, could feel in their gut, ‘there won’t be a (save) next time’.

So, here we are.

Always Fighting The Last Battle

It’s been said, Generals are always fighting the last battle; that is, what happened last time.

In line with that thinking is the (YouTube) idea, once we get a ‘collapse’, it will be time to rush in and scoop up ‘assets’ at fire sale prices.

That idea would have worked quite well in ’08 – ’09, which was last time.

On The Brink

Last time, there was no threat of nuclear war.

There was no infrastructure collapse or crop failures and looming world-wide famine (just to name a few).

There was no ‘elephant’ either.

This article, just out, has California front running the elephant with ‘composting’ signed into law a few days ago.

Silver, The Collapse of Demand

It’s not the metal itself that’s the problem. Having some is always a good idea.

It’s the idea of trusting in these ‘things‘ to be one’s savior.

There are larger forces at work that will likely overshadow owning something you can’t eat.

Once again, this just out: World’s largest produce market (Paris) goes up in flames.

At some point, there will be a collective world-wide realization … it’s the food supply.

When that happens, the expectation is, all ‘assets’ will be heavily sold off, including precious metals.

Silver (SLV), Monthly Close

The monthly chart shows the line to watch; the downtrend that started in late March of this year.

If SLV maintains its current rate of decline, it will be April of next year before we get to the support level shown below.

Pushing (and closing) below well-established multi-year support (orange line), is no easy task.

We would likely need to have some sort of catalyst to help price action get to those levels.

Once below support (‘Target Area’), SLV would then be in Wyckoff spring position.

Summary

As always, anything can happen; precious metals could rally starting at the futures open in a couple hours.

Price action itself, is the final arbiter.

Most ‘investors’ are not prepared for a long-sustained siege-grinding rachet lower, possibly to single digits.

If that happens, then will be the time to assess the potential for a significant long-term rally.

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

No ‘Soft Landing’ or ‘Hard Landing’

There’s Only, ‘Collapse’

The ‘narratives’ are false.

There’s no ‘recovery’, no ‘soft landing’, no ‘hard landing’.

There’s no ‘housing boom’, no ‘inflation’, and maybe most of all, no (sustainable) ‘Electrical Vehicle’ market.

What there is …. is ‘collapse’.

Collapsing food supply, collapsing economy, collapsing real estate, collapsing employment and collapsing (electrical grid) infrastructure.

How do we know that?

The price action (the market) itself, says so.

Wyckoff, The Rest, and Gold

As stated in the last update, unlike other analysis methods, Wyckoff looks at what the market is saying about itself.

The market itself, defines the next likely course of action.

Two days ago, gold was used as the example.

Contrary to the ZeroHedge report linked in the prior update, Wyckoff analysis revealed the most probable direction for gold, was down.

The Gold (GLD) Market

The Fed announcement late Wednesday, resulted in a ‘blip’ higher for gold that stalled-out, the next day.

However, that announcement, may have confirmed a trend change in GLD.

Looking at the chart below, it’s possible that Wednesday identified a more aggressive trendline, lower.

Gold (GLD), Daily

It’s about an hour after the open.

This is how it looks for GLD.

The new trendline and trading channel are clear; trending lower at approximately -60%, annualized.

The next chart is a zoom of the pivot area.

If there ever was going to be a Fed ‘Pivot’, this was it. 🙂

The price increases being touted as ‘inflation’ are clearly the result of supply destruction.

You can’t have 90+ ‘food processing plant fires’ in the past year or so and not have it affect prices at the supermarket.

Same goes for crop failures or lack of harvest world-wide.

Summary

As always, anything can happen. Gold could reverse and mount some kind of rally.

If somehow, there’s a change of demand, it will show up on the tape (the chart) as a change of character.

So far, there is none.

Most likely direction remains to lower levels.

Parting Shot

Just to illustrate the point of ‘collapse’, we’ll leave off with this recent report from Scott Walters.

The real estate example shown is the River Oaks area of Houston … Highly affluent.

There’s no debate.

It’s a collapse, when a house has to drop $20 million, from $26.5-mil to $6.5-mil, and Still Not Sell!

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

‘Tipping Point’ For Gold ?

“Sentiment Is Negative” … So What?

No sooner had the bearish report on silver been released, than we have a bullish report on gold at ZeroHedge; linked here.

We’re going to address the bullish view briefly but succinctly, with the weekly chart of gold (GLD) below … but first.

When ‘Sentiment’ Works

One little trading nugget that took about 25-years to find out (your mileage may vary), was that in a sustained up or downtrend, sentiment is largely, irrelevant.

In the ZeroHedge report linked above, the ‘little guy’ (i.e. sentiment) is bearish or negative. We all know the little guy is nearly always wrong.

Not to worry.

If gold and silver move decidedly lower from here, our ‘little guy’ will think he’s a genius.

He’ll begin (or continue) to post all kinds of philosophical memes on twitter and Facebook; then set himself up for the big whammy farther down the road. 🙂

The pros will get their money no doubt; they’re patient.

Now, on to the weekly chart for gold (GLD).

Gold (GLD), Weekly Close

We’ve already discussed how penetrating support will put gold (GLD) in Wyckoff spring position.

It’s clear we are there now.

As it says in the chart, support penetration was preceded by a very weak bounce.

The difference between Wyckoff analysis and others is that Wyckoff focuses on what the market’s saying about itself.

At this juncture, price action to the upside (the bounce) is weak; suggesting that momentum remains to lower levels.

The following chart is a zoom of that bounce area.

Summary

This update’s several hours before the 2:00 p.m., EST, Fed announcement … likely to be a non-event, anyway.

Nonetheless, if there’s a significant change in price action, we’ll review it at that time.

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

Silver … Cue The Hype

What If Europe Abandons ‘Green Energy?’

The ‘Texas Freeze‘ laid bare the farce that is ‘renewable’ energy.

Will this coming winter do the same for Europe?

Like a limpet on an ocean liner, the ‘silver squeeze’ idea won’t go away.

Here we have yet another report; linked here.

The data in the report’s not in dispute. If that data is to be believed (no reason not to), silver stockpiles are shrinking.

Even so, the major trend-change (down) in silver was identified way back in February of 2021; reports are linked here and here.

The second report stated silver had ‘changed hands’ from strong to weak.

It’s been nearly 20 months since then; silver remains below that February 1st, 2021, level and is down -35.7%, as of Friday’s close.

I like silver as much as the next guy but what we’re discussing here, is strategy.

Silver To Single Digits?

Is that even possible?

Well, was oil going negative possible?

Not until it happened.

The monthly chart of SLV below, has a standard Fibonacci projection shown. Note how at 23.6%, the projection shows price action tapped and reversed down.

Next up is 38.2% at around 13.75, and then 50%, below the 10-area.

Silver SLV, Monthly Chart

Zoom version

And then, a trading channel.

Both silver and gold, are at The Danger Point.

Gold has pushed below support and is currently in Wyckoff spring position.

Silver is below the 20-area, which is established support.

If a rally is in the cards, this is the place to start.

A failure to move decisively higher at this point signals the potential for much lower prices ahead.

Summary

The next update will discuss various tactics that could be used if/when there’s a major downdraft.

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

Biotech (Short), The Details

Relentless Positioning For The Downside

Like a terrier on a mailman’s leg, positioning short biotech via LABD, has been relentless (not advice, not a recommendation).

This update details the current positioning via 3X, Leveraged Inverse Fund, LABD.

This is not investment advice; this site has no obligation to provide the following information.

However, as stated in the About section, one of the purposes here, is to document trade actions and results.

With that in mind, the green arrows show the locations of LABD entries for the short-biotech (SBPBIO) trade identified as LABD-22-05.

Biotech SPBIO, 3X Leveraged Inverse Fund LABD, Daily

The magenta arrow at the far right of the chart, is the ‘break-even’ point. It’s about 1.75 – 2.0 points away from the current price.

Note: This is not ‘Dollar Cost Averaging’.

Few in the industry know that ‘dollar cost averaging’ is based on a scam conducted by the bucket shops in the early 1900s.

It’s comforting to know, that method (the scam), has made its way into at least one SEC certification requirement.

There, I feel much better 🙂

One of, if not the main reason for working this trade with the current method, is the real danger this market could ‘implode’ at any minute.

We’re just one (un)planned event away from being down 20% – 50% overnight.

Biotech SPBIO ($SPSIBI), Weekly Close

The weekly close shows SPBIO to be unique among all the major indices (miners excluded).

Not even the sister index IBB, has the weekly MA cross (black arrow) to the downside.

“You Are Here”

On the chart below, the complete positioning short SPBIO is shown as the magenta rectangle.

Also shown, are measured move targets.

Looking at the potential of this trade, the reason for the dogged persistence becomes clear.

Summary

As always, anything can happen … the trade could fall apart.

That’s true.

However, probabilities for continued market downside are increasing, not decreasing.

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

Three Amigos of Biotech

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

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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

Biotech’s, Jaw-Dropping Volume

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