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By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis
End of Day Update:
The S&P500 started Tuesday with modest gains, but the new Fed chief spooked the market when he hinted at four rate-hikes this year instead of the previously expected three. That was enough to send us into a tailspin that erased Monday’s breakout.
The Fed told us the economy is getting stronger and the market sells off. That’s like someone complaining about making $3 million because their taxes will go up. (If anyone feels that way, send the money my way and I will happily pay the taxes!)
Anyway, the market is fretting that things are too good. When is too good ever a problem? Well there is the inevitable excess that leads to the next economic contraction, aka a recession. But that is still a ways off because there are few claiming our economy is already overheated. In reality we are just starting to warm up following a prolonged period of lethargic growth. The Fed raising rates is simply us returning to historically normal levels and it is most definitely not yet approaching smothering levels.
Most market participants agree with the above assessment and is why we shouldn’t expect Tuesday’s dip to go very far, especially since it follows February’s selloff. That plunge under 2,600 scared off most of the weak holders and they were replaced by confident dip-buyers. Out with the weak and in with the strong means we are standing of fairly stable ground. Conceivably we could slip as far as 2,700, but that is unlikely and would represent a dip buying opportunity, not a justification to sell reactively.
It is not unusual to experience some downside volatility following the recent gains and lingering uncertainly. But market crashes are brutally quick and false bottoms last days, not weeks. The fact the market held up so well the last few weeks tells us most owners still believe in this market and Tuesday’s headlines didn’t change that. These owners will keep holding and their confidence is keeping supply tight. If we were going to plunge further, it would have happened by now. Tuesday’s dip was much-ado-about-nothing and any near-term weakness is a dip-buying opportunity.
As expected, Bitcoin slipped under $10k over the weekend, but the selloff failed to build momentum and we have since recovered above this psychologically significant support level. Runaway selling is taking a break because the weak hands have already been flushed out. Selloffs cannot get started when there is no one left to sell the dip. Things look good over the near-term the path of least resistance is higher. We will most likely break $13k and even push toward $14k over the next few weeks.
But the thing to remember is BTC is still very much in a downtrend. While we can buy this rebound for a quick trade, this is most definitely not a good place to invest in BTC for the long-term. These rallies are to be sold, not held or chased. Lower-lows are still ahead of us and we haven’t seen the worst of this selloff yet. Bitcoin prices peaked at the end of 2013 and it took nearly two-years before the selloff and consolidation ended. Most likely it will be another six-months before BTC finally reaches a bottom. Until then expect lower-highs and lower-lows.
Jani
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By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis
End of Day Update:
The S&P500 started Thursday with healthy gains, unwinding all of Wednesday’s losses and then some. Unfortunately the buying didn’t last and prices slipped back near breakeven by the close. This is the fifth day the 50dma has been a ceiling for stocks.
There were not any economic headlines to speak of and instead investors are still grappling with the ramifications of rising inflation and interest rates. Some people think these will smother a fragile economy. Other feel this is the economy finally returning to more normal levels following a prolonged stretch of lethargic growth.
Count me as a member of the latter group. Even though inflation and interest rates have jumped a substantial amount, we are only approaching what used to be considered low rates during more normal times. Traders fretting the worst are fearing something that hasn’t shown its face yet. So far the economic data does not show any hints the economy is slowing down. These skeptical traders fear what “could” happen, but so far the data doesn’t support their concerns.
Even though the fears that triggered February’s correction appear overblown, the large selloff brought the rally back to earth. A substantial amount of technical damage occurred and we shouldn’t expect prices to zoom back to the highs any time soon. As I was wrote last week, the rebound’s rate of gains was unsustainable and prices would likely stall at the 50dma. And so far that is exactly what happened.
But it is not all bad. Even though we are struggling with 50dma resistance, holding these levels for five days shows support for prices. Prices tumble from overbought and unsustainable levels quickly and so far that hasn’t happened. That tells us the worst of February’s selloff is already behind us and we don’t need to fear another big selloff. That said, the selloff damaged sentiment and technicals enough that it will take time for traders to trust this market again. That means we will trade sideways for a while and consolidate the previous rally’s gains. This is normal and healthy behavior and there is nothing to fear.
The thing to remember about sideways consolidations is they include moves in both directions. At times the market will look like it is breakout out. Other times is seems like it is breaking down. But these are just gyrations inside a trading range. Over the near-term, weakness should be bought and strength sold. Don’t be one of those people the market fools into buying high and selling low. Have the confidence and conviction to trade against these swings.
As expected, Bitcoin’s surge to $12k stalled and pulled back. As I’ve been writing, the time to buy the dip is when everyone is scared and fearing the worst. Not after a rebound spread a sigh of relief through the crowd. Even though prices slipped back under the psychologically significant $10k level, the selling largely stalled and prices are not entering free-fall. Even though I think BTC’s worst days are still ahead of us, we are in the eye of the storm and prices will stabilize over the near-term. If we can hold $10k for another week or two, a follow-on rally up to $14k is not unreasonable. But since lower-lows are still ahead of us, any rallies should be sold, not chased. Previous crashes in BTC resulted in price declines greater than 80% and it took half a year or longer to finally bottom. Since we are only two months into this and only down 50%, we still have a ways to go. In the meantime, enjoy this brief reprieve and for the bravest of the brave, there might be a chance to buy the dip in a week or two.
Jani
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By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis
End of Day Update:
After six days of gains, the S&P500 finally slipped into the red Tuesday. The size of the loss was insignificant when compared to last week’s rebound, but seeing the market bump its head on the 50dma was insightful, even if the pause was expected.
Financial headlines continue to be benign and most traders are focused on the longer-term ramifications of rising interest rates and inflation. Fears over these items sparked February’s sharp selloff, but have since failed to extend the selloff. It seems most traders who fear higher interest rates and inflation already sold and were replaced by new owners willing to hold those risks. While the recent correction rattled investor nerves, it didn’t shatter confidence and most owners are confidently holding for higher prices.
That said, February’s selloff was large enough that we cannot bounce back like nothing happened. Deep and emotional selloffs leave their scars and it takes a while for prices to build back to their previous levels. We recovered a huge chunk last week, but the rate of that rise was unsustainable and pausing at the 50dma is a normal and healthy thing to do.
We put enough time and distance from the dip’s lows to say the early February selloff is over. Market crashes are breathtakingly quick and almost never include six consecutive up-days in the middle of the crash. Without a doubt we can undercut those lows, but it will take a new catalyst to kick off the another leg lower and it will be a new selloff, not an extension of February’s emotional selling.
But just because the selloff is over doesn’t mean we are back in rally mode. We often see volatile trade during consolidations and base building. That means sharp rebounds followed by another round of selling. It wouldn’t be unusual or unexpected to see last week’s rebound stall at the 50dma and retreat back toward 2,600 support. Emotions are elevated and that means traders oscillate between believing everything is great to fearing the end of the world. This wide range of emotions leads to the bounces and dips that form traditional bases and consolidations. In range bound markets, it is best to trade against the market by buying weakness and selling strength. Don’t let the crowd’s emotions trick you into giving away money by buying high and selling low.
This isn’t rocket science, we just need to be pay attention because the market keeps doing the same thing over and over. In January I warned readers the relentless rise in prices was unsustainable. After February’s 10% correction, I told readers the selling went too far and it was actually the safest time to buy in months. And after six consecutive up-days, I warned readers that we would stall at the 50dma. This isn’t hard if you know what to look for. And to answer the question in this post’s headline, neither. This is a range bound market we shouldn’t expect a strong directional move anytime soon.
Bitcoin’s rebound continued over the weekend and got near $12k. Everything looks a lot better after a 100% bounce off of the lows. But that is what makes me nervous. The time to buy is when everyone is predicting a collapse, not when everyone is feeling better.
This rebound took a lot of pressure off of BTC owners, but we will start running into overhead resistance. Many premature dip-buyers jumped in between $12k and $15k and we should expect many of those regretful owners to sell when they can get their money back. Their selling will slow the assent over the near-term.
Over the medium-term, I question where the next round of BTC buyers will come from. This latest selloff burned new investors and scared off prospective investors. On the other end of the spectrum, BTC bulls bought everything they could during this dip and are now fully invested. Where does the new money come from? I cannot answer that question and is why I don’t believe the bottom has been put in yet. Previous BTC selloffs erased more than 80% of the value and took more than six months to complete. If we do the same this time, we won’t bottom until we fall under $4k and it won’t happen until sometime this summer or fall.
Until further notice, BTC is still in a downtrend and that means bounces should be sold.
Jani
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By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis
End of Day Update:
The S&P500 extended last Friday’s rebound and reclaimed the 50dma. This marked the fifth consecutive day of gains and firmly puts last week’s selloff in the rearview mirror.
A week ago the market collapsed on fear of rising inflation and interest rates. This week we got further data showing inflation was heating up, yet this time the market rallied. What gives?
As contradictory as those two responses seem, there is actually solid logic behind the market’s “irrational” behavior. Last week nervous owners abandoned the market and kicked off a dramatic correction. But here’s the thing about sellers, they only get to sell the market once. After that they no longer have a say in what comes next. Nervous owners sold inflation headlines and dumped their stocks at steep discounts. Confident dip-buyers snapped up those discounts. Out with the nervous and in with the confident.
These confident dip-buyers bought last week during the height of the inflation scare, so another round of inflation headlines this week were unlikely to scare them. Turnover in ownership is how headlines get priced in and why they stop mattering. Once all the people who fear inflation are out of the market, there is no one left to sell the next round of inflation headlines. No sellers means no selloff.
When people claim the market is acting irrationally, what they are really saying is they don’t understand what is going on. There is always sound logic behind every move. If we don’t understand it, all that means is we need to dig deeper. (Sign up for Free Email Alerts if you want to understand what the market is doing before everyone else)
Thursdays gains pushed the S&P500 back above the 50dma and recovered half of the selloff. In a normal market, I would be worried about the sustainability of this rebound. Typically the market remains choppy after a dramatic selloff. But this market continues to surprise us with its ability to defy conventional wisdom. January’s nearly straight up rise lasted longer that it should have. Last week’s selloff went further that it should have. And now there is a good chance the current rebound will also surge far higher than expected.
Even though we keep going up, that doesn’t mean this is a good place to buy. The risks have changed dramatically from last Friday’s lows. The best buys occur when the crowd is terrified things will get worse. Last Friday most definitely qualified as a great buying opportunity and that is exactly what I told readers of this blog the night before. But this week we find ourselves in the middle of a market filled with relief. While we are still well under January’s lows, long gone is last week’s doom and gloom. Even though momentum can keep us rising over the next few days, that doesn’t make this a safe or smart place to be buying. If someone missed the rebound, chalk it up as a lesson learned. Remember, it is better to miss the bus than get hit by the bus.
Those with swing-trading profits should start thinking about locking them in. Those with cash should sit on their hands and wait for a better entry point. And long-term investors should stick with their favorite stocks.
Bitcoin finally traded above $10k, making this a 66% bounce off of the $6k lows. Even though we are in the middle of a massive selloff, there are still very profitable trades along the way. Two-weeks ago I warned readers prices would to tumble under $8k, but also said this was a dip-buying opportunity and prices would rebound back to $10k. And that is exactly what happened. There is no magic to this. The same things keep happening over and over again and it is simply a matter of paying attention.
And just like the equity market, the easy gains are already behind us and buying here is a much riskier proposition. We could coast up to $12k over the next few days, but the risk of a sharp selloff is never far away. Without a doubt this is little more than a bounce on our way lower. We the real bottom is still months away and under $4k. But until then, look for more profitable swing-trades. And most importantly don’t forget it is far easier to sell Bitcoin on the way up. Hold too long and these nice profits will evaporate.
Jani
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By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis
End of Day Analysis:
On Tuesday the S&P500 opened with a 0.5% loss. That would have been shocking a few weeks ago, but on the heels of last week’s volatility, it seemed fairly benign in comparison. And as such, most traders didn’t overreact and buying quickly lifted us off those early lows. By the close, we even managed to finish in the green.
There were no market moving headlines, but sentiment is the primary force driving this market and at the moment, fearful selling is taking a break. We reached a near-term capitulation bottom last Friday and have recovered decisively from those oversold levels. While this is obvious to everyone after the fact, last Thursday I told readers, “I think the market look pretty good. Risk is a function of height and this is the least risky point in several months. Traders should be embracing these discounts, not running from them.” (Sign up for Free Email Alerts so you don’t miss my next call.)
Finding a near-term bottom is alleviating some of the anxiety that crept in last week, but without a doubt January’s complacency is long gone. Given the level of damage, we shouldn’t expect this market to rally back to the highs anytime soon. Instead, expect volatility to persist for a while longer as we carve out a long overdue base.
The worst is most likely behind us and it would take a new headline to push us under Friday’s lows. Since rising rates and inflation launched this selloff, those are the headlines we are most vulnerable to. That said, expect any follow-on selling to be less dramatic than last week’s selloff. These things lose strength as they drag on and get priced in. As such, the size of of swings in both directions will decrease over time.
This is a swing-trader’s paradise and that means buying weakness and selling strength. We came a long way from Friday’s lows, making this is a better place to be locking-in profits than adding new money. On the other side, long-term investors should stick with their favorite positions and even add to them. This weakness is a buying opportunity, not the start of something larger.
Bitcoin stabilized above $8k as expected. Dipping under $6k was a capitulation point and these higher prices are bringing a wave of relief for owners. This stability is supportive of prices over the near-term and we should continue creeping higher, even flirting with $10k. But don’t get too excited, this is just another bounce on our way lower. Every bounce is a selling opportunity and this won’t end until we fall under $4k. But it will take a while for us to get there. In the meantime we can profit from these bounces higher.
Jani
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By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis
End of Day Update:
On Thursday the S&P500 plunged, erasing all of Tuesday and Wednesday’s rebound and undercutting Monday’s lows. In the blink of an eye, the market transitioned from one of the most docile in history to one of the most turbulent.
Again economic headlines remain relatively benign and this is more of a sentiment driven move than fundamental. Since the 2009 lows, skeptics have criticized this market’s lethargic growth and negative real interest rates. Now that we are returning to more normal growth and inflation levels, these same people are running scared and claiming the sky is falling.
Even with today’s plunge to fresh lows, we are still at levels that were record highs only a few months ago. As I have been warning readers for a while, our relentless accumulation of gains was unsustainable. The higher we went without a consolidation, the harder we were going to fall. And that is exactly what happened. We went from setting the record for the longest period without a 5% dip, to a full-blown stock market correction in two weeks.
But that is water under the bridge. What everyone really wants to know is what comes next. And to be honest, I think the market look pretty good. Risk is a function of height and this is the least risky point in several months. Traders should be embracing these discounts, not running from them. Unfortunately most people feel better paying premium prices and chasing record highs. Cheap prices scare them and they bailout “before things get worse”. This reactive strategy of buying high and selling low is why people lose money in the market. Few recognized risk was off the chart in January and that this big decline is giving us a far better place to jump in.
Even though the risks are lower, that doesn’t mean we cannot keep slipping over the near-term, but I actually think this selloff is running out of steam. The lack of an economic catalyst means this selloff won’t go very far. The first big down leg came last Friday when employment and wage gains were “too good”. How dumb does that sound? Sure, the Fed will increase interest rates to more historically normal levels, but that is a good thing. The economy is doing well and most definitely not teetering on the edge of a recession. If anything, the recent tax cuts would cause the economy to ramp up. When’s the last time anyone worried growth was too strong? This economic expansion will end like every economic expansion before it, but that point is still a ways off.
This market’s problems are entirely technical. This week’s selloff went too far and did too much damage for us to rebound straight back to the highs. Traders are no longer blissfully complacent and willing to chase prices higher with reckless abandon. But this isn’t a bad thing. Dips and consolidations are a normal and healthy part of every move higher. Unfortunately the market likes symmetry and by going too long without a dip and consolidation, meant the inevitable dip was going to be a lot larger than we are used to. That is why this week has been so painful. The greater the good times, the longer the hangover.
Tuesday and Wednesday’s rebound failed because we are not ready to bounce back to the highs. But just because we cannot jump back to the highs doesn’t mean we need to fear a larger selloff. We have stumbled into a period of extreme volatility, but that means excessively large moves in both directions. Expect this choppiness to continue over the next few weeks, but don’t fear it. The worst is already behind us and these dips are a time to be buying aggressively, not selling fearfully.
Long-term investors should ignore this noise and stick with their favorite positions. Short-term traders should exploit this volatility by buying weakness and selling strength. Buy the dip, sell the rebound, and repeat.
Unlike the equity market, Bitcoin is experiencing a bit of a resurgence, up more than 30% from this week’s lows. Big bounces are part of every selloff and we are in the middle of one of those sharp rebounds. We plunged under $6k, capitulated, and then bounced hard. And most likely this bounce will continue higher, even flirting with $10k. But as much relief as this bounce gives “hodlers”, this is just another dead-cat bounce on our way lower. These bounces are selling opportunities and should not be chased. At best, this collapse won’t end until we slip under $4k, but it will take us a few months to get there. Until then, expect sharp and tradable moves in both directions.
Jani
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