End of Day Analysis Archives - Page 26 of 56

Oct 27

When a setup doesn’t work out

Free After-Hours Analysis:

The S&P 500 slipped a modest 0.3% on Tuesday and it finds itself down another 0.5% in after-hours trade. Not what I was hoping for and it seems like this weakness ants to stick around a little longer.

As I wrote Monday evening, retaking 3,425 Tuesday would have been a great entry point. Remember, we don’t buy dips, we buy bounces. Reclaiming 3,425 support would have done two things. First, it would have demonstrated resilience and proved dip-buyers were back in control. Second, it would have given us a clear entry-point with a sensible nearby stop-loss. Buy the bounce with a nearby stop and the risk/reward is skewed heavily in our favor. If the bounce returns to the upper end of the trading range, we make a few bucks. If it fizzles and retreats, we lose a few pennies. I really like that risk/reward.

Alas, it wasn’t to be. Stocks never reclaimed 3,425 and I was left watching this listless grind from the sidelines. While I didn’t get the bullish trade I was hoping for, by having a clearly defined prerequisite for entering the market, I never bought the dip and I avoided this subsequent weakness.

Going forward, if prices fall even further, no big deal. In fact, additional weakness works out even better for me because the lower prices fall now, the more profit opportunity there is buying the next bounce.

Adjusting this trade for the more aggressive trader on Wednesday: If prices undercut Monday’s lows (3,365ish) and continue falling, short that weakness with a stop just above this level. If prices gap under Monday’s lows at the open but quickly bounce back above, buy that bounce with a stop just under this key level.

As volatile and emotional as this market is getting, expect the next directional move to be swift and decisive. That means jumping in early and hanging regardless of which direction it is headed.

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Oct 26

Should we fear Monday’s tumble?

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

The S&P 500 crashed Monday as investor sentiment soured following record-high Coronavirus infection rates in Europe and the U.S. and the next round of Covid stimulus negotiations are postponed until after the election. At least that’s what the financial media told us.

While both of these headlines are extremely concerning, do they qualify as new and unexpected? Nancy Pelosi’s stimulus deadline came and went nearly a week ago and European infection rates have been spiking since September and the U.S. rates have been trending higher for nearly as long. If a person didn’t see these things coming from a mile away, clearly they were not paying attention. Yet the financial press spins these obvious events as if they caught everyone by surprise. I don’t know about you, but neither of these headlines surprised me. While I might be more cynical than most, I doubt these predictable headlines surprised even optimists among us.

If stocks didn’t tumble today because of a surge in infection rates or the postponement of stimulus negotiations, why did they crash? Simple, stocks move in waves. Always have and always will. Every bit of up is followed by a bit of down. Everyone knows this, yet it is amazing how many people are caught off guard when the next wave comes.

Large institutions already positioned themselves ahead of the election. Bullish or bearish, big money placed their bets weeks ago and that means supply and demand is modest and prices are mostly drifting sideways into the election.

The thing to remember about trading ranges is prices typically rally to the upper bound before stalling falling to the lower end. The S&P 500 challenged 3,500 in early October where it peaked and now it is testing 3,425 support.

If that’s all that’s going on, should people be running around in a panic? No, of course not. But if people didn’t panic and sell, prices wouldn’t fall. Investing 101: Every dip feels real. If it didn’t, no one would sell and prices wouldn’t fall.

As bad as Monday’s selloff felt midday, prices bounced and finished well above the early lows. As is usually the case, how we close is far more important than how we started. The early wave of selling capitulated and prices bounced back near 3,425 support by the end of the day. If stocks reclaim support Tuesday, that’s a buyable bounce with a stop just under this level. Start small, get in early, and keep a nearby stop. If the market trades well tomorrow afternoon, add more. If it doesn’t, no big deal, pull the plug and try again next time.

Previously, I was expecting some weakness after the election. But maybe that weakness came a little early. Until further notice, I will treat this test of support as a buying opportunity, not a reason to abandon ship. If prices tumble under 3,400 Tuesday, all bets are off and I will reevaluate. Until then, this is a great entry point with a well-defined stop.

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Oct 22

How the stock market will react to the election

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

The final presidential debate came and went and stock futures barely noticed. But that isn’t a surprise. As ridiculous as the first debate was, it didn’t move the market in a meaningful way and this slightly less crazy version was even less likely to matter.

The debates are done. As many as 1/3 of voters have already cast in their ballots and if you believe the polls, only 4% of the electorate remain undecided. (If a person hasn’t made up their mind by now, clearly they are not paying attention!) This election is going to turn out how it is going to turn out and tonight’s debate didn’t change anything.

At this point, Trump needs the polls to be way off if he’s going to win reelection. He pulled off the upset before and he can do it again. I just think it is less likely this time because pollsters recalibrated their formulas after 2016’s miss and are most likely are doing a better job counting Trump supporters, both the outspoken and the shy.

While the stock market loves Republicans’ tax cuts and reduced regulations, chances are good that if elected, Democrats will unleash a stimulus bonanza like we’ve never seen before. Whether all that debt that is good for the economy long-term can (and should) be debated, the stock market will love all the free money and will likely rally over the near-term.

If Trump wins, stocks go up. If Biden wins, stocks go up too. Sounds plausible.

So what’s really going to happen? Stocks will most likely tumble Wednesday morning as supporters of the losing side dump stocks in a giant wave of sour-grapes selling. Whether that lasts a few hours, days or weeks has yet to be decided, but no matter what happens, expect stocks to bounce back and any near-term weakness after the election will be another buying opportunity.

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Oct 21

Is this latest run in bitcoin sustainable?

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

It’s been a while since I wrote about bitcoin and it has largely been flying under the radar this summer. Rather than act as a safe haven during the Covid crash, it tumbled alongside everything else. Since then, most pundits gave up on it and it isn’t attracting much coverage in the financial press. Maybe today’s run-up to $13k will change that.

As I’ve been telling my premium subscribers this fall, $10k has been the key level for this cryptocurrency. I’m not a big fan of virtual currencies by any stretch of the imagination, but as long as this held above $10k, it was doing everything it needed to do to earn our respect. It took a few months, but it finally delivered on that promise, surging nearly 30% in a month, most of that happening over the last few days. Not bad.

What’s behind this strength? There are a lot of opinions being thrown around between Paypal integration and a mountain of U.S. stimulus coming our way, but if I had to guess, a lot of nervous Republicans and Democrats are hedging their portfolios in case “the other guy” wins the election.

It doesn’t matter who you talk to, but it seems everyone is convinced the apocalypse is coming if their guy loses. While I have opinions about both candidates, I’m pragmatic enough to know the presidency isn’t nearly as important as most people believe. I’ve traded under both Democrats and Republicans alike and markets go up and down regardless of who sits in the oval office and this election cycle won’t be any different.

By the time December and January roll around, most of the reflexive sour-grapes selling will have passed and the market’s attention will long have since shifted to something else. The same goes for Bitcoin. When the world doesn’t collapse after the election, BTC will lose its appeal and will most likely retreat back to $10k support.

There is nothing wrong with riding this latest wave higher but be sensible and follow this rally with a trailing stop. Remember, we don’t make money until we take profits in our best trades.

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Oct 20

Why the market can rally without a stimulus deal

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

Tuesday turned into a decent day for the S&P 500. While the index only gained a modest 0.5%, more important is Monday’s selling didn’t continue. At least for the moment, the market seems to be finding its footing near 3,425 support.

The big talking point continues to be the next round of Covid stimulus. Nancy Pelosi put a Tuesday deadline in order to pass something before the election. While that now seems unlikely, a few days here or there doesn’t matter that much to the market. More important is a deal gets done and so far all things are pointing in that direction, even if it turns out a little delayed.

That said, I don’t think the market is placing a lot of emphasis on these stimulus negotiations anyway. If it was, we would see far larger swings following these deal/no-deal headlines. While a 1% pop or drop feels like a big deal in the moment, this is more meaningless noise than the catalyst for the next big directional breakout or breakdown.

The market is expecting something around $2T in stimulus. If it doesn’t happen today, then it will come shortly after the election. If it gets delayed into next year, that is most likely because Democrats won the election and Republicans are dragging their feet. But even a multi-month delay isn’t that bad for stocks because a Democrat-led stimulus will almost certainly be larger than anything allowed by Republicans today. The stimulus could be late, but the size will more than make up for it.

No matter what happens, there seems to be more upside than downside as everything turns out less bad than feared. The election will go off without a hitch. Our politicians lack the will to lock the country down again. And more stimulus is coming. All of those things are near-term bullish for stocks.

That said, anything could happen over the near-term and that includes a pullback under 3,425 support. But Monday’s dip to could easily be “close enough” to check that box and the market never looks back. If the index trades well Wednesday, all is forgotten and forgiven. If we get another dip under Monday’s lows, prices will most likely undercut 3,400, even if just momentarily. As soon as the index retakes 3,400, that is our signal to jump back. As always, start small, get in early, keep a nearby stop, and only add to something that is working.

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Oct 19

Why we should have seen this pullback coming

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

Monday started off well enough after the S&P 500 rallied nearly 20 points shortly after the open. Unfortunately, that was as good as it got. By the end of the session, prices had retreated 75-points from those early highs in the biggest single-day decline in nearly a month.

As ugly as Monday looked, it shouldn’t surprise anyone. Stocks were approaching the old highs and some near-term resistance was inevitable. Cognitively everyone knows markets move in waves, yet people are still surprised every time stocks take a near-term step back.

Hopefully, everyone who bought September’s bounce was following this rebound with a trailing stop and were able to lock-in some really nice profits over the last few days. If a person bought September’s rebound using a 3x ETF, they locked-in a pretty easy 20% gain over the last few weeks. Not bad.

The key to buying dips is starting small, getting in early, keeping a nearby stop, and only adding to what is working. Even if we got shaken out in September’s first couple of failed bounces, our losses were small and easily offset by riding this 300-point wave higher.

As always, the key is being willing to act when everyone else is afraid of making a mistake. Fortune favors the bold.

As for what comes next, we could see some near-term weakness, especially if our politicians fail to agree on a Covid stimulus bill this week. But if we’re in cash, the lower we go now, the better. It means we make even more money buying the next bounce. That said, unfortunately, I’m not expecting prices to fall a lot further. The market will most likely remain rangebound leading up to the election and the next big trade won’t happen until November.

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Oct 08

Why you should have profited from this rebound

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

Exactly two weeks ago the stock market was “on the verge of collapse”. Today things look far different. Amazing what a 250-points rebound will do for the market’s mood.

I caught grief on social media for claiming September’s dip was buyable. While the crowd insisted the next leg lower was imminent, I kept buying the bounces. The first bounce didn’t stick. But that’s not a big deal. If we start small, get in early, and get out early, the losses are minor. In fact, if we are good at this and move quickly, we can get out at breakeven, making these free trades. It’s hard to beat that risk/reward.

The second bounce didn’t stick and neither did the third. But all of this was expected and part of the plan. Sometimes the market bounces quickly. Other times it takes a few false starts before it gets its mojo back. This time the fourth bounce was the magic number.

No doubt a lot of optimistic dip-buyers gave up after the second or third failed bounce and they ended up missing the real one. That’s the way this goes sometimes. Just because a trade doesn’t work the first time doesn’t mean we should give up. As long as we focus on sensible entries and exits, we have the ability to test all of these rebounds with relatively low risk.

Long-term success in the market is nothing more than sticking to our trading plan and ignoring all the useless opinions surrounding us. Stick to what we know and we will always come out ahead in the end.

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Oct 07

The key level we need to be watching

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

The S&P 500 reclaimed nearly all of yesterday afternoon’s tumble after traders realized Trump’s threats to suspend stimulus negotiations were more bark than bite. Within hours, Trump backpedaled and promised to sign any bill that put money into ~~voter’s~~ taxpayer’s pockets.

This reversal alleviated investors’ fears and prices quickly returned to recent highs. And we should have seen this coming. Yesterday evening I wrote, “the dip might even turn out so modest and fleeting it could be hard to take advantage of.” Well, there you go. Blink and you missed it.

Tonight we have the vice presidential debate. If there is anything more inconsequential than the vice presidential debate, I can’t think of it. So yeah, expect investors to forget about this nearly as quickly as bored voters flip the channel.

The market continues trading well and has been above 3,300 support for nearly two weeks. If stocks were fragile and vulnerable, we would have crashed by now. Instead, September’s pullback is just that, a pullback. Nothing unusual or alarming about a step-back and cooling off following a 6 month, nearly non-stop run from the March lows. Two-steps forward, one-step back.

Expect the sideways chop to continue until the election. But as long as we get more up than down, things are going well. If the index crashes back under 3,300, we will have to reevaluate, but until then, there is nothing to stress about. (This is our last-line-of-defense stop-loss. That said, a savvy and nimble trader will recognize looming weakness and get out long before the market reaches our last-line-of-defense.)

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Oct 06

Is the market on the verge of crashing?

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis

Tuesday started out well enough. Early sideways trade transitioned into a decent afternoon rally. That is until Trump threw cold water on the market and surprised everyone by announcing all stimulus negotiations are suspended until after the election. That proclamation sent stocks crashing more than 2% from those afternoon highs in a matter of minutes.

If there is a silver lining to this afternoon’s tumble, stocks quickly found support between Monday’s open and Friday’s close and held in this region through the final hour of the day. The index slumped a little further in after-hours trade but not dramatically so. At least to this point, this looks more like concern than panic.

We will learn a lot more about the market’s mood Wednesday. Dramatic corrections like early September and huge crashes like last February get started and they don’t stop going for several days. If prices hold up reasonably well Wednesday afternoon, this latest development is not turning into the next crash.

For a fundamental analysis of the market’s disappointment, this is a delay and not a termination. A stimulus deal will eventually get done, it just won’t happen as quickly as investors were hoping. Delayed gratification leads to dips, not crashes. As long as the market remains above 3,300, stocks are in pretty good shape. And who knows, the dip might even turn out so modest and fleeting it could be hard to take advantage of.

As for how to trade this, the market has been acting well since September’s bottom and smart money was riding this wave higher. This afternoon’s sharp tumble threw a wrench into those plans. Even though stocks didn’t undercut recent lows near 3,320, it still made sense to take some risk off the table and lock-in a portion of our recent profits.

As I often remind readers, it is much better to be out of the market wishing you were in than in the market wishing you were out. There is nothing wrong with taking some risk off the table when we get blindsided by something we don’t fully understand. Our clearest thoughts and analysis comes when the pressure is off and sometimes it only takes selling a small fraction of our position to gain that clarity.

As for Wednesday, wait to see what happens tonight and tomorrow morning. If the market finds its footing, get back in. If we get hit by another round of reflexive selling, get out of the way and wait for the next bounce. My hard stop is near 3,320 and if we fall under that, I’m out no matter what*. (The lone exception is if we gap under that level at the open. I will give the market 15 minutes to find a bottom and bounce before selling.)

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Oct 05

The best time to buy ZM

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

Zoom (ZM) is one of this year’s biggest Covid winners, up over 600% since January 1st. You have to be living under a rock if you haven’t heard of this company either because of their ubiquitous video conferencing app or its meteoric stock.

While ZM has been on a jaw-dropping run this year, more recently, prices have stalled under $500. Is this the end of the line for ZM? Or just another pause on our way higher?

A few weeks ago I told subscribers to be careful as the stock gapped up near $500 following blow-out earnings. While it’s great to own a stock on days like that, gaps are dangerous things because they have a tendency of retreating and filling. And that’s exactly what happened over the next several days.

One of the most obvious things about stocks is before they make a big move, they start with a small move. The most obvious signal ZM was in trouble was undercutting the gap’s intraday lows the next day. That was as clear of a signal to get out as they come.

And the thing to remember is just because we sell a stock doesn’t mean we are giving up on it. When the risk/reward moves against us, it makes sense to lock-in some of those heady profits.

A few days later the stock bottomed after filling in most of the gap during September’s larger equity pullback. But this stock was too hot to stay down long and prices quickly pushed back to $500. If a person still liked the stock, there was plenty of time to buy back in at lower prices and ride this one back to $500.

But as soon as the stock broke through $500 and retreated back under the psychological level, that told us it wasn’t quite ready for the next leg higher and it needed to consolidate recent gains. Take profits again at $500 and wait for the next breakout.

I don’t think this stock’s run is over, but I would be hesitant about buying it under $500. I’d rather wait for it to break above $500 first. As I often tell subscribers, it is better to be a little late than a lot early.

Jumping in at a clearly defined level allows me to set a nearby stop and limit my risk. If the entire market continues slumping, this stock could easily retest $400 support before climbing up to $600. There is no need to ride this down and be tempted into a poorly timed sale near the lows. I perfectly happily give up a few dollars if it allows me to get in at a better-defined level where I can manage my risk.

As I said, I still like this stock but I want to see it break $500 first. Start small, get in early, keep a nearby stop, and only add to what is working.

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Oct 01

How to get ready for what comes next

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

The S&P 500 finished Thursday modestly higher and remained above 3,300 for the fourth consecutive session.

It’s been a good seven days for the index as it reclaimed 180-points from last Thursday’s lows. But these gains leave us near overhead resistance and the rate of buying has slowed down. That’s not a surprise. This remains a volatile period for stocks and every bit of up is typically followed by a bit of down.

Given the headline environment and downward price pressure, trading sideways is actually constructive. It’s only been a few days, but the longer we hold recent gains without retreating, the less likely another major fall becomes.

That said, a big chunk of recent buying came from short-squeezes forcing bears to buy against their will. While short-squeezes trigger some of the most impressive surges, they are not sustainable by themselves because A) most investors don’t short and B) these people are not buying because they want to buy. To keep going higher, we need to recruit an entirely new class of buyers, i.e. those with cash that have been avoiding this market to this point. That is a much harder sell.

If we hold these levels for a few more days, previously nervous owners regain their confidence and those with cash start having more faith in these levels. With the temporary short-squeeze and dip-buying already behind us, we need voluntary buyers to take over and keep pushing prices higher.

As for how to trade this, it’s pretty straight forward. Any breakout must cross 3,400 and any retreat will fall under 3,320. Those are our tripwires. Buy the breakout and short the breakdown. Start small, get in early, keep a nearby stop, and only add to what is working. If we stick to that plan, it doesn’t matter which way this goes next. Be prepared for a head-fake or two along the way but as long as we get in early and get out early, the risks are pretty low.

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Sep 30

How to trade this chop

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

It was an incredibly choppy 24-hours for the S&P 500.

It started with last night’s train-wreck of a debate. Stock futures swung wildly between 1% gains and 1% losses depending on who was saying what, but by the time the market opened this morning, prices returned to mostly unchanged.

So much for all the headline hype, but that’s not a surprise. Last night I told readers to ignore the noise coming from the debate because no matter what happened, it wouldn’t change anyone’s mind. And this morning, the market agreed with me.

That said, things got spicy after the open. Moments after it looked like it could be another ho-hum day, bulls took control and started squeezing the bears for the third time in a week. That one-way panic buying sent the index 50-points higher in just a few hours.

While bulls were congratulating busy themselves over their latest conquest, the thing we cannot forget is there is a huge difference between buying because people have to (shorts getting squeezed) and buying because people want to (compelling value).

Short-squeezes exhaust the supply of desperate bears very quickly. Combine that midday exhaustion with the Fed extending restrictions on big banks because of potential liquidy concerns and the stage was set for an afternoon retreat back to breakeven. Easy come easy go.

But this also isn’t a surprise. Last week I warned readers to expect extreme volatility in both directions for a while. Big moves in one direction are followed by big moves in the other direction.

If a person wants to trade this chop, make sure you get in early and take profits often. Missing entries and exits by a few hours is the difference between nice profits and humbling losses.

Every morning set tripwires in both directions that will trigger automatic purchases or sales. The thing about extreme volatility is it leads to strong intraday moves that are easy to profit from if we have the courage to jump aboard. Leave your bias at the door and be ready to ride this in whatever direction it wants to go.

And if that sounds like too much work or stress, don’t sweat it. There is nothing wrong with waiting for more sane trade to return. Often the best trade is waiting for the next trade.

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Sep 29

Do the debates matter to the market?

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

It was a very mediocre day for the S&P 500 with prices slipping 0.5%. That said, 0.5% isn’t a big deal given the elevated volatility we’ve been living under since the beginning of September. Considering the widespread nervousness, “only” falling 0.5% could even be called a good day. That said, we need to see a few more resilient days like this to feel more comfortable about the floor under our feet. Overbought markets tumble quickly. If we are still at these levels by Friday, we can start to put a little more faith in these prices.

The big bogie between now and Friday is tonight’s presidential debate. How will this affect the market? The simplest answer is, it won’t. There are a couple of reasons why.

Let’s start with the fact this is a very polarized election. Most peoples’ minds are already made up and nothing that happens tonight will change who they vote for. Crash or soar, it won’t really make a difference for Biden or Trump. The people that loved them yesterday will love them tomorrow and those that hated them yesterday will still hate them tomorrow.

Second, the few people that haven’t made up their minds are clearly not paying attention to politics. If they don’t care enough to have an option, they almost certainly won’t care enough to be watching tonight’s debate (and most likely won’t even vote). I wouldn’t pay much attention to this group.

And finally, the market doesn’t really care about these intermediate points. A good debate by one or the other won’t create a lasting impact on the market because the market doesn’t care about debate performances, only who wins in November. As I already stated, very little can happen tonight to change the course of the election and it won’t affect the market in a meaningful way tomorrow.

That said, maybe we get a knee-jerk Wednesday morning if one candidate screws up badly. But expect that early move to fizzle and be forgotten by tomorrow afternoon. Unless someone commits the unforgivable gaffe of all gaffes, ignore the debate. Expect investors to go back to obsessing over their fear of heights a few hours after the open.

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Sep 28

Is the worst finally behind us?

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

On Monday the S&P 500 extended Friday’s bounce and now finds itself 3.2% above Thursday’s close. Not bad for two days of work.

If you assumed there was some huge breakthrough that triggered this buying frenzy, you’d be wrong. The headlines this week are no different than the headlines last week when we were carving out fresh lows. But that’s the way emotional markets work. We didn’t need a reason to crash and we don’t need a reason to bounce.

Even though it feels great to put 150 points of breathing room between us and the recent lows, we should be careful about reading too much into this bounce. If this market can bounce for no reason, then it certainly can fall just as easily for no reason (again).

This remains a volatile market and that means large moves in both directions. As I wrote last week, things will look better once we reclaim and hold 3,320. So far that’s what we’ve done, but we still need to be wary of any dip under 3,300. I don’t expect a big crash, but this will be a choppy market for awhile. Trading this well means getting in early and taking profits early. Wait a few hours too long and those profits will evaporate.

If a person doesn’t feel like dealing with this volatility, there is no need to rush in now. Even if prices rally higher this week, no doubt the next dip will knock us back to these levels, if not even lower. Don’t feel pressured to chase. Just wait for the market to come to you. Often the best trade is waiting for the next trade.

And if a person really wants to short, wait for the next breakdown. No doubt it will be a multi-percent move. Just make sure you are ready to take profits quickly because the next bounce isn’t far away.

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Sep 24

Is it time to give up on the bounce?

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

It was another tumultuous session for the S&P 500. The index opened in the red, but not to be deterred, dip-buyers came rushing in and prices recovered nearly half of Wednesday’s tumble. Unfortunately, the buyers couldn’t sustain that momentum and the index slumped back near breakeven by the close.

Under different circumstances, I would have been encouraged by the market’s early refusal to breakdown. But Wednesday’s dreadful reversal forces me to take a more critical view.

Previously, I was giving the bounce the benefit of doubt because every dip this summer bounced within days. Anyone who’s been doing this for a while knows a trend is far more likely to continue than reverse. I was even willing to accept Monday’s tumble under 3,300 support because the market finished well above the intraday lows. (How a day finishes is always far more important than how it starts.)

And then there was Wednesday. The day started well enough but those first few minutes were as good as it got and it was all downhill from there. Oversold markets bounce decisively, they don’t tumble in oneway selloffs. Meaning, this market isn’t oversold yet.

The morning’s bounce was a valiant effort but ultimately doomed to fail. There are still far too many nervous owners praying for a bounce and the supply of sellers is still too deep.

As I wrote yesterday:

I often say we cannot read too much into a single day’s price action. And that’s still true. But I am no longer giving this market the benefit of doubt. [Wednesday’s] dreadful price-action turned this into a show-me trade. Until we recover Wednesday’s highs, I will remain leery of this base. And if we fall under Monday’s lows, look out below.

Nothing happened on Thursday that changed my mind. This continues to be a show-me trade. Until the index gets back above 3,320, I will continue to treat any bounce with suspicion.

That doesn’t mean stocks are standing on the edge of a cliff and we will find ourselves down 20% percent next week. What we are seeing is a normal and healthy part of the basing process. I was originally looking for a quick bounce because that’s how the market has been acting all summer. But this time it looks like it will take longer to process recent gains.

If this market was a coiled spring and ready to pop, it would have happened by now. That tells me we should expect the choppy trade to continue. That means more fizzled bounces and failed breakdowns.

The best way to trade choppy markets is to always be prepared for the reversal. Get in early and take profits quickly. Anyone waiting for a bigger move in either direction will soon watch a nice profit turn into a big loser a few hours later.

If a person doesn’t have the time or risk tolerance to trade around this chop, there is nothing wrong with sitting this one out. Better trades are coming, we just need to be patient and wait for them. (That said, I would be leery of any slip under 3,200. We could still see another stumble or two before we find the real bottom. Remember, it is always better to be out of the market wishing you were in than in the market wishing you were out.)

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Sep 23

When potential turns rotten

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

Wednesday was a dreadful day for the S&P 500. The index started with a small gain, unfortunately, that was as good as it got. By the close, the market shed 2.4% in the biggest loss since the early September tumble.

Anyone who’s been reading these posts knows I’ve been giving this market the benefit of doubt as it carved out a base near 3,300 support. Even Monday’s tumble under this level wasn’t a big deal because the index spent the rest of the day reclaiming a big chunk of those early losses. As most experienced traders know, it isn’t how the day starts, but how it finishes that matters most. To me, it looked like the market was finding its footing and getting ready for the umpteenth bounce since the March lows. Then today happened…

There is nothing good to say about Wednesday. It was a one-way selloff that never found a bottom. While the optimist might find some solace that it didn’t undercut Monday’s lows, that’s only because the selloff ran out of time. But hey, there’s always tomorrow! Ugh.

I often say we cannot read too much into a single day’s price action. And that’s still true. But I am no longer giving this market the benefit of doubt. Today’s dreadful price-action turned this into a show-me trade. Until we recover Wednesday’s highs, I will remain leery of this base. And if we fall under Monday’s lows, look out below.

As for how I traded this abomination, I came into the day long and was sitting on a profit cushion from this week’s early bounce. That gave me a little breathing room when prices started retreating shortly after the open. As I wrote yesterday:

By getting in early, I have a decent profit cushion to protect my backside. I will continue holding as long as we remain above my entry points. If prices retreat, no big deal. I get out and look for the next trade. If prices crash under Monday’s lows, I might even try a short.

Little did I know I would be putting my contingency plan to work a few hours later. But that’s why we have them. To protect us from bad things when the market goes the “wrong” way. I started peeling off my positions this morning and I was all the way out by early afternoon. Once it was obvious the index wasn’t finding a bottom, I even put on a short.

I’m not a fan of shorting a bull market, but there was nothing good about today and things could get even worse if we fall under Monday’s lows. Today proved there are still a lot of nervous owners left and it could get even worse tomorrow. That said, I’m happy to be wrong. If prices bounce and reclaim Wednesday’s highs, I’ll be ready to buy that bounce. But something tells me that won’t be happening for a while.

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Sep 22

Buyable dip or dead-cat bounce?

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

The S&P 500 notched its first gain following four consecutive losses. There wasn’t anything meaningful in the headlines driving Tuesday’s 1% pop. Instead, this strength was mostly a response to a little too much selling over the last week.

Everyone knows markets move in waves and it shouldn’t surprise anyone when the tide reverses after a string of days in the same direction. Is that all this is, a one day pop between two long stretches of down days? The cynics certainly think so. But I’m not sure the evidence supports that outlook.

First, we are in a long rally that goes back more than 6 months. This period includes countless dips that bounced back even higher. If the first dozen dips couldn’t break this rally, what makes this latest attempt any different?

Second, the market finished at the intraday highs the last two sessions. While Monday closed in the red, if you look under the hood, the price-action was actually quite bullish as institutional investors chased prices higher into the close. That wave of dip buying carried over to today and helped put together the first up-day in a week.

Third, if this market is going to crash, the first thing in needs to do is make a lower low. As long as we remain above Monday’s intraday lows, this should be treated as a buying opportunity. If we violate the lows, all bets are off and we can short until our heart’s content. Until then, this bounce deserves the benefit of doubt.

Up or down, there is enough emotion wound up in the market that the next move will be big. Maybe prices bounce decisively. Maybe they collapse. Either way, as long as we follow a thoughtful trading plan that puts us in the right spot at the right time, this will be a great ride.

As for what I’m doing, I bought Monday’s late strength and I added more on Tuesday. By getting in early, I have a decent profit cushion to protect my backside. I will continue holding as long as we remain above my entry points. If prices retreat, no big deal. I get out and look for the next trade. If prices crash under Monday’s lows, I might even try a short.

When it comes to the market, I don’t care which way it goes. The only thing that maters to me is I’m riding that next wave.

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Sep 17

The rebound attempt is dead; what to do next

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

The S&P 500 hit a rough patch Thursday, retreating nearly 1% and giving back a big chunk of this week’s gains. As bad as it felt, more importantly, the index remains above recent lows and 3,300 support.

At times, it felt like the market was in the middle of a spectacular collapse, especially when prices were down 1.5% and threatening to undercut recent lows. Fortunately, bears couldn’t deliver on those threats. I’m not saying they can’t finish the job tomorrow, but it is worth noting they couldn’t get it done today.

There were not any meaningful headlines driving this selling. Instead, this is simply a natural and periodic shift in sentiment. The market went up for a few months and now it is digesting those gains. Two-steps forward, one-step back. It doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that.

Today’s tumble kills the market’s second rebound attempt in as many weeks, but this isn’t a surprise. The probability of any individual bounce succeeding is relatively small. Sometimes the first bounce sticks. Other times it is the second, third, or fourth try that takes us higher.

If we knew which bounce was the real deal, this would be easy. Unfortunately, we only know what happens after it happens. In this case, the only thing we can conclusively say the first two bounces didn’t work. Will the third, fourth, or fifth attempt be any more successful? Only time will tell.

Up next is bounce number three. Will this one be the real deal? Maybe…maybe not. But statistically speaking, the third bounce tends to be the most successful. Just because the last two didn’t work doesn’t mean we should give up and quit. Unfortunately, that’s what a lot of dip buyers do. They get whipsawed a couple of times, become discouraged, and miss the real bounce.

As long as prices remain above 3,300, the market is grinding its way through the supply nervous sellers and the real bounce is just around the corner. Hold above 3,300 and I will continue giving this market the benefit of doubt. On the other hand, if prices crash under 3,300, all bets are off. But until then, I will keep looking for the next bounce. As I said, often the third time is the charm.

(It appears there was a glitch with my email delivery service and yesterday’s free analysis failed to send. If you missed it, check out: “What it looks like when I’m wrong“.)

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Sep 16

What it looks like when I’m wrong

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis

If stock futures are any indication, Thursday is setting up to be a rough session. As I write this, S&P 500 futures are down more than 1%.

Normally, I don’t put much weight in overnight prices. Most of the time the U.S. leads the world, not the other way around. More often than not, a bad day in Asia will moderate by the time the sun reaches our shores. That said, this time feels different. Over the last three days, the S&P 500 gave back nice gains in disappointing afternoon closes. That tells us big money is not convinced and has been selling the strength, suggesting the market is ripe for a near-term pullback to support.

As I’ve been writing over the last week, I’ve been trading this bounce as if it were the real deal. But the entire time I was always prepared to be wrong. My trading plan has me start small and get in early. This approach leaves me with plenty of margin to be wrong. And in this case, it looks like I am on the verge of being wrong.

A third disappointing afternoon Wednesday convinced me to close a portion of my long position. If this was the real deal, prices should have raced higher, not stalled and retreated. While I’m still net long, my smaller position limits my exposure and I still have a profit cushion by getting in early to blunt any weakness on Thursday.

Trading successfully over the long-term isn’t about always being right, but carefully managing our risks when we are wrong. I got into this trade with a sensible plan if I was wrong and now I’m putting it to work.

While it looks like I will be wrong buying this bounce, it was still the right trade. I still believe in this market, but I don’t know if the first, second, or fifth bounce will be the one that finally takes off. That means I treat all of the bounces as if they are the real bounce. As long as I have a sensible plan for getting in and out, the risks are small and manageable. And more important, buying every dip guarantees I will be in the right place at the right time when this thing finally takes off. Until then, I don’t mind taking a few small and targeted losses along the way.

(While I’m still planning on buying the next bounce, if this turns into another panicked rush for the exits, I’ll be happy to short a break under 3,300 with a nearby stop and a plan to harvest profits quickly.)

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Sep 14

Should we trust this bounce?

By Jani Ziedins | End of Day Analysis

Free After-Hours Analysis:

The S&P 500 attempted its second rebound off of 3,300 support on Monday. Will this one be any more successful than last week’s fizzle?

Critics will jump on the declining volume, but personally, with as much volume as has moved to dark pools and is no longer counted, I don’t find volume to be anywhere nearly as useful as it was 10 or 20 years ago. In fact, it’s gotten to the point where I don’t even pay attention to volume. Light volume rallies pay just as well as heavy volume ones, so who am I to discriminate?

As I wrote in Friday’s free blog post, I was far more impressed with Friday’s resilient price action:

While the market remains 7% under last week’s highs and bears are the most confident they’ve been in months, their inability to extend the selloff on Friday is definitely noteworthy. We undercut the weekly lows and instead of triggering another avalanche of defensive selling, supply dried up and prices bounce back to breakeven. If this market really was fragile and vulnerable, these little cracks spiral into gaping holes, they don’t bounce back within hours.

I followed that up with:

It all comes down to Monday. A strong open is buyable with a stop near 3,310. If that strength fizzles and prices retreat, no big deal, we pull the plug and wait for the next bounce. But most likely, that strength will stick and even accelerate. Wait too long and there is a good chance you will miss the move.

So far so good. The index gapped higher at the open and it held those gains through the close. For the time being, we have no choice but to continue giving this market the benefit of doubt and that means buying this strength. Start small, get in early, keep a nearby stop, and only add to what is working.

Will the market trade well on Tuesday? If it does, keep adding to Monday’s positions. If it retreats under Monday’s open, no big deal, jump out and wait for the next bounce.

Social media is overflowing with opinions about whether this market will surge or crash. Personally, I don’t care what it does as long as it does something. Right now, it is acting like it wants to bounce and that means I’m buying it. If the sentiment reverses tomorrow and the index crashes under last week’s lows, I have no problem switching directions and following its lead.

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