The gauge on the left indicates whether the market is in a bull or bear phase, while the one on the right reflects the current valuation of the stock market. Stock market pricing indicates whether stocks are cheap or expensive in relation to earnings, but it is a poor indicator of market timing. We do not recommend selling stocks when market valuations are high, but we advise caution when adding new positions.
Bull/Bear Market
The ASX Bull-Bear Market indicator remains at 56%, from 66% seven weeks ago. One of four Australian indicators and one of two Chinese indicators signal risk-off. When combined with the US Bull/Bear indicator, which has a 40% weighting, the composite indicator signals a mild bear market.
NAB forward orders maintained their uptrend, rising to +6 in February. The 3-month moving average increased to 2.33; values above zero signal risk-on.
China, however, is slowing. The NBS Manufacturing PMI slipped to 49.0 in February; a further decline would add another risk-off signal.
Stock Pricing
ASX stock pricing eased to 85.01 percent, from 86.04 percent last week, as the market retreated. The August 2025 high was 92.23 percent, with an April low of 67.85 percent.
We use z-scores to measure each indicator’s current position relative to its historical data, with results expressed in standard deviations from the mean. We then calculate an average of the five readings and convert that to a percentile. The higher stock market prices are relative to their historical mean, the greater the risk of a sharp drawdown.
Conclusion
The ASX bull-bear indicator at 56% signals a mild bear market, while stock market pricing remains extreme, suggesting an elevated risk of a drawdown.
Acknowledgments
- NAB: Monthly Business Survey
- ABS: Private Dwelling Approvals
- Trading Economics: China Business Indicators
- OECD: Composite Leading Indicators
- Morningstar: ASX 20 Statistics
- S&P Global Indices: All Ordinaries Statistics
- Market Index: ASX Statistics
- ABS: National Accounts
- ASX: Historical Market Statistics
Colin Twiggs is a former investment banker with almost 40 years of experience in financial markets. He co-founded Incredible Charts and writes the popular Trading Diary and Patient Investor newsletters.
Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.
Focusing on interest rates and financial market liquidity as primary drivers of the economic cycle, he warned of the 2008/2009 and 2020 bear markets well ahead of actual events.
He founded PVT Capital (AFSL No. 546090) in May 2023, which offers investment strategy and advice to wholesale clients.