ColinTwiggs, Author at the patient investor

November 8, 2014

S&P 500 bullish but Europe and China encounter resistance

Retracement of the S&P 500 respected its new support level at 2000, confirming a primary advance with a target of 2150*. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow above the declining trendline indicates buyers are back in control. Reversal below 2000 and the rising trendline is unlikely, but would signal another correction.

S&P 500 Index

* Target calculation: 2000 + ( 2000 – 1850 ) = 2150

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) at 13 indicates low risk typical of a bull market.

S&P 500 VIX

Germany’s DAX found resistance at 9400 and retracement to test support at 9000 is likely. Failure of the former primary support level at 8900/9000 would confirm a primary down-trend. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero would also indicate that sellers dominate.

DAX

* Target calculation: 9000 – ( 10000 – 9000 ) = 8000

The Footsie also encountered resistance, at 6500/6560. Respect of this level would warn of a primary down-trend, but rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow suggests medium-term buying pressure.

FTSE 100

China’s Shanghai Composite Index is testing its 2013 high of 2440. Declining 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of (medium-term) resistance.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2400 + ( 2400 – 2300 ) = 2500

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index also found resistance, at 24000. Reversal below 23000 would confirm a primary down-trend. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero would strengthen the bear signal.

Hang Seng Index

The ASX 200, influenced by both the US and China, is testing resistance at 5550. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow (above zero) indicates medium-term buying pressure. Expect a test of 5650/5660. Reversal below 5380/5400 is less likely, but would warn that sellers have resumed control. I have lowered the target to 6000* because of constant back-filling in recent months.

ASX 200

* Target calculation: 5650 + ( 5650 – 5300 ) = 6000

November 8, 2014

A Growth Pact for America by Glenn Hubbard | Project Syndicate

Glenn Hubbard, former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush, and Dean of Columbia Business School proposes:

….two policies are particularly promising for such a “Pact for America”: federal infrastructure spending and corporate-tax reform. Enactment of these reforms would generate a win for each side – and for both.

But such a bipartisan consensus requires removing both the left and the right’s ideological blinders, at least temporarily. On the left, a preoccupation with Keynesian stimulus reflects a misunderstanding of both the availability of measures shovel-ready projects and their desirability whether they will meaningfully change the expectations of households and businesses. Indeed, to counteract the mindset forged in the recent financial crisis, spending measures will need to be longer-lasting if they are to raise expectations of future growth and thus stimulate current investment and hiring.

The right, for its part, must rethink its obsession with temporary tax cuts for households or businesses. The impact of such cuts on aggregate demand is almost always modest, and they are poorly suited for shifting expectations for recovery and growth in the post-financial-crisis downturn….

November 6, 2014

The Menace of Unreality: Combatting Russian Disinformation in the 21st Century

Hosted in cooperation with the Atlantic Council and the US Department of State, this panel discussion examined the extent of Russia’s disinformation campaign and its impact on Ukraine and Europe. In particular it looked at why this effort has been a success, how it is undermining European democracy and what possible solutions may exist. Speakers included: Geoffrey Pyatt, US Ambassador to Ukraine; Oleksander Scherba, Ambassador at Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine; Michael Weiss, Editor-in-Chief, The Interpreter and Peter Pomerantsev, Journalist and Documentary Producer. LI’s Anne Applebaum served as moderator. #RussiaVsReality

This is Vladimir Putin’s response to the wave of democracy movements that spread through the Arab world and Eastern Europe. Totalitarian states are particularly vulnerable to these movements. Their response is to attack the vector on which the “virus” is borne — mainstream and social media — in order to destroy its effectiveness.

November 6, 2014

Dollar rising, Treasury yields trend lower

The rally in ten-year Treasury Note yields continues. Expect resistance at 2.50% (the descending trendline). Respect would warn of another test of primary support at 2.00%. 13-Week Twiggs Momentum below zero continues to signal a primary down-trend.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 2.30 – ( 2.60 – 2.30 ) = 2.00

A monthly chart of the Dollar Index places the current advance in its long-term context. Expect resistance at 88 to 90, with a possible correction to test support at 84. But the primary trend is up and breakout above 90 would offer a long-term target of 105. Rising 13-week Twiggs Momentum suggests a healthy (primary) up-trend. Failure of support at 84.50 is unlikely.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 79 ) = 89.00

November 6, 2014

Gold breaks key support level

A monthly chart of Gold shows the breach of support at $1200/ounce, offering a long-term target of $1000*. Another 13-week Twiggs Momentum peak below zero strengthens the signal. Retracement that respects the new resistance level at $1200 would confirm. Recovery above 1200 is unlikely.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1200 – ( 1400 – 1200 ) = 1000

Crude Oil

Crude is also falling — in response to the rising Dollar as well as expanding supply. The long-term target for Brent crude is $60*.

Brent Crude

* Target calculation: 90 – ( 120 – 90 ) = 60

…And $50/barrel for Nymex Light Crude. Follow-through below $75 would confirm the down-trend.

Nymex Crude

* Target calculation: 80 – ( 110 – 80 ) = 50

Commodities

Copper is below its 2011 low of $6800/tonne, reflecting weak demand from China. Follow-through below $6600 would confirm a primary down-trend.

Copper

Dow Jones UBS Commodity Index has already broken support at 125, suggesting a test of its 2009 low at 100.

Dow Jones UBS Commodity Index

November 5, 2014

Aussie Dollar plunges

The Australian Dollar broke support at $0.8650, signaling a (primary) decline with a target of $0.80*. A 13-week Twiggs Momentum peak below zero strengthens the bear signal. Recovery above $0.8650 is most unlikely, but would warn of a bear trap.

AUDUSD

* Target calculation: 0.87 – ( 0.94 – 0.87 ) = 0.80

November 4, 2014

ASX rallies while Aussie Dollar finds support

The Australian Dollar is consolidating between (primary) support at $0.8650 and resistance at $0.8900. Respect of support suggests another test of $0.89, while a failed swing (reversal below $0.8850) would warn of a downward breakout. Continuation of the primary down-trend is likely and breach of $0.8650 would signal a decline with a target of $0.80*.

AUDUSD

* Target calculation: 0.87 – ( 0.94 – 0.87 ) = 0.80

The ASX 200 is headed for a test of 5660. Retracement is likely, but respect of support at 5440 would strengthen the bull signal. Rising 21-day Twiggs Money Flow continues to indicate medium-term buying pressure. Reversal below 5440 is unlikely, but would warn of a test of 5250.

ASX 200

The ASX 200 VIX continues to indicate low risk typical of a bull market.

ASX 200

November 4, 2014

Asia: Governor Kuroda bets on QE

Aggressive asset purchases by the Bank of Japan shows Governor Kuroda’s willingness to back his QE policy to the hilt. The Yen has weakened significantly against the Dollar over the last two years and this trend is likely to continue.

USDJPY

The Nikkei 225 surged through 16300, signaling a fresh advance. The long-term target is 18000*. Reversal below 16000 is unlikely, but would warn of another correction. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow above zero indicates medium-term buying pressure.

Nikkei 225

* Target calculation: 16000 + ( 16000 – 14000 ) = 18000

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is testing resistance at 24000. Reversal below 23000 would warn of a primary down-trend. Breach of 21200 would confirm. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero would strengthen the bear signal. Follow-through above 25000 is unlikely, but would signal another primary advance.

Hang Seng Index

China’s Shanghai Composite Index respected support at 2250, strengthening the bull signal. Follow-through above 2450 would confirm a primary up-trend. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow remains in an up-trend, signaling medium-term buying pressure. Reversal below 2250 is unlikely, but would warn of trend weakness.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2250 + ( 2250 – 2000 ) = 2500

India’s Sensex continues in a primary up-trend, testing resistance at 28000. Troughs above zero on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicate buying pressure. Short retracements rather than stronger corrections also suggest buying pressure. Breakout above 28000 would indicate an advance to 29000. The index is becoming over-extended, but may remain so for some time. Reversal below 27000 and the secondary trendline is less likely, but would indicate a correction to the primary trendline around 25000.

Sensex

* Target calculation: 27000 + ( 27000 – 26000 ) = 28000

November 4, 2014

DAX and Footsie weakness

Having signaled a primary down-trend with a break below 8900, Germany’s DAX recovered above 9000 to warn of a potential bear trap. After finding resistance at 9400, reversal below 8900 would confirm the down-trend, while follow-through above 9400 would suggest another test of 10000. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow recovered above zero, but reversal (below) is likely and would indicate long-term selling pressure.

DAX

* Target calculation: 9000 – ( 10000 – 9000 ) = 8000

The Footsie found resistance at 6550. Reversal below 6200 would confirm a primary down-trend, while follow-through above 6550 would indicate another test of 6900. Oscillation of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow largely above zero, however, suggests long-term buying pressure.

FTSE 100

* Target calculation: 6500 – ( 6900 – 6500 ) = 6100

November 4, 2014

Canada: TSX 60 finds resistance

Canada’s TSX 60 rallied to 850 before finding resistance. Reversal below 820 would warn of a primary down-trend. Retreat of 13-week Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the bear signal. Follow-through of the index above 865 is less likely, but would indicate another test of 900.

TSX 60