ColinTwiggs, Author at the patient investor

September 12, 2013

Gold tests key support at $1350/ounce

Spot gold is testing its rising trendline and support at $1350. Breach of support would warn that another test of primary support at $1200 is likely. Respect of the trendline, however, remains as likely and would offer a target of $1500*. Breakout above the standard deviation trend channel suggests that a bottom is forming and, although we may see another test of $1200 before this is over, primary support is likely to hold.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1425 + ( 1425 – 1350 ) = 1500

Dollar Index

The Dollar Index is retreating for another test of primary support at 80.50, lifting gold and commodities. Breach of the long-term rising trendline would suggest that the primary up-trend is weakening, while failure of support would signal a reversal. Decline of 13-week Twiggs Momentum below zero also favors a down-trend; reversal below recent lows at -2% would strengthen the signal.
Dollar Index

Crude Oil

Nymex and Brent crude are retreating on easing of tensions over Syria, but are unlikely to break support at $103/barrel and the rising trendline.

Brent Crude and Nymex Crude

* Target calculation: 108 + ( 108 – 98 ) = 118

Commodities

A rising Shanghai Composite Index is likely to lift commodity prices. Recovery above 130 on Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index would be likely to test 135. Follow-through below the present 129, however, would test primary support at 124/125. A 13-week Twiggs Momentum peak below zero would also indicate continuation of the primary down-trend.

Dow Jones UBS Commodities Index

* Target calculation: 130 + ( 130 – 125 ) = 135

September 12, 2013

US & China lift ASX

The S&P 500 rallied strongly this week despite a weak bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warning of selling pressure. Recovery above 1700 would indicate another advance, while a new August high on Twiggs Money Flow would further strengthen the signal, offering a target of 1850*. Reversal below 1630 is unlikely, but would re-test primary support at 1560.

S&P 500 Index

* Target calculation: 1700 + ( 1700 – 1550 ) = 1850

Dow Jones Industrial Average displayed a stronger bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow, increasing the likelihood of reversal below 14800. But positive sentiment is growing and recovery above 15650 now seems as likely.
S&P 500 Index

China’s Shanghai Composite penetrated resistance at 2200 and the descending trendline, suggesting that the down-trend is ending. Reversal below the rising trendline would warn of another correction to test primary support at 1950, but breach of support is now less likely. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates medium-term buying pressure; a trough above zero would strengthen the signal.

Shanghai Composite Index

The ASX 200 is testing resistance at 5250, buoyed by positive sentiment in China and the US. Breakout would suggest a primary advance, but a lower peak on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow would continue to warn of selling pressure. Reversal below 5150 remains as likely, and would test medium-term support at 4900/5000.

ASX 200 Index

* Target calculation: 5250 + ( 5250 – 4750 ) = 5750

September 11, 2013

Retired general speaks out against across-the-board spending cuts

Retired General Carter Ham, former head of U.S. Africa Command, speaks out against across-the-board spending cuts at the National Association for Business Economics in San Francisco:

“My least-favorite saying on the planet is to ‘do more with less.’ You don’t do more with less, you do less with less,” Gen. Ham said. “You have to figure out what’s most important.”

One solution would be to give federal agencies the flexibility to find savings where they can, rather than mandating how they make the cuts, he said. The government also needs to have frank discussions about how to reduce the military budget and shift priorities to address current and future threats.

~ From Sarah Portlock at WSJ online.

September 9, 2013

Why this is a bad time to win an election | Business Spectator

Prof. Steve Keen writes:

So what could the future hold for Prime Minister Abbott? Here I have a hunch that he’ll end up suffering a similar fate, not to the previous Liberal leader he admires – John Howard – but to ….. Malcolm Fraser.

Fraser, as noted, had the good fortune to take over from Whitlam after the bursting of the debt bubble was largely over, but the bad fortune that the revival in Australia’s bubble was considerably more anaemic than America’s. Abbott could well find himself experiencing a similar double-edged sword of fate. He will take over when the deleveraging that caused the GFC has come to a temporary halt, and demand will be rising in the US….. But this rise could peter out even more quickly than it did for Fraser, leading to anaemic economic performance that will be blamed on the politician rather than the times.

September 9, 2013

Asian markets lift the ASX 200

Dow Jones Japan Index jumped today on Tokyo’s success in its bid for the 2020 Olympics. Follow-through above the descending trendline indicates the correction is over and a test of 81.50 likely. Upward breakout would signal continuation of the primary up-trend. Reversal below 73.50 is unlikely, but would warn of a test of primary support at 69.00.

Dow Jones Japan Index

China’s Shanghai Composite breached resistance at 2100, indicating a test of the descending trendline at 2200. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow suggests medium-term buying pressure. The primary trend remains down, however, and reversal below the rising trendline would warn of another test of primary support at 1950. In the longer-term, breakout above the descending trendline is unlikely, but would suggest that the down-trend has ended.

Shanghai Composite Index

India’s Sensex rallied sharply after finding support at 18000/18500. Follow-through above 19500 would confirm another test of resistance at 20500. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates medium-term buying pressure. Reversal below 18500 is unlikely, but would signal a primary down-trend.

BSE Sensex Index

Rising Asian markets, especially China, are lifting the ASX 200, but weakness on the Dow or S&P 500 could reverse this. Recovery above 5150 and respect of the rising trendline suggest another test of resistance at 5250. Rising 21-day Twiggs Money Flow indicates short/medium-term buying pressure. Breakout above 5250 would signal another primary advance. Respect of resistance remains as likely, however, and reversal below 5000 would warn of another test of primary support at 4650.

ASX 200 Index

* Target calculation: 5250 + ( 5250 – 4650 ) = 5850

September 9, 2013

FTSE & DAX face stubborn resistance

The FTSE 100 followed-through above initial resistance at 6500, indicating another test of 6700/6750. Breakout above 6750 would offer a target of 7500*, but bearish 13-week Twiggs Money Flow continues to warn of selling pressure. Reversal below 6400 would warn of a test of primary support at 6000.

FTSE 100 Index

* Target calculation: 6750 + ( 6750 – 6000 ) = 7500

Germany’s DAX respected support at 8000, indicating another test of stubborn resistance at 8500. Declining momentum suggests the primary up-trend is slowing. Reversal below support at 8000 would confirm, while breakout above 8500 would offer a long-term target of 9000*.

DAX Index

* Target calculation: 8400 + ( 8400 – 7800 ) = 9000

September 9, 2013

Canada: TSX buying pressure

Canada’s TSX Composite is testing resistance at 12900 on the weekly chart. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates medium-term buying pressure. Breakout (above 12900) would signal a primary advance, with a long-term target of 14000*. Respect of resistance is unlikely, but would test support at 12400. The wild card is the Dow Industrial Average: if it signals a reversal, all bets are off.

TSX Composite Index

* Target calculation: 12900 + ( 12900 – 11800 ) = 14000

September 9, 2013

Dow warns of reversal but S&P 500 hesitates

Dow Jones Industrial Average bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of a reversal. Failure of primary support at 14500/14600 would confirm. Recovery above 15000 would defer the test of primary support, but strong selling pressure should not be ignored.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

Friday’s long-legged doji candle on the S&P 500 (daily chart) indicates hesitancy. Follow-through above the descending trendline would suggest that the correction is over, while a fall below the longer-term rising trendline would warn that momentum is slowing and another test of primary support at 1560 is likely. Bearish divergence on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow indicates selling pressure. In the long-term, failure of primary support would offer a target of 1400*.

S&P 500 Index

* Target calculation: 1550 – ( 1700 – 1550 ) = 1400

VIX below 20, however, continues to suggest a bull market.
VIX Index

Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow and consolidation above the preceding peak at 3040/3050 on the Nasdaq 100 also favors continuation of the primary up-trend.

Nasdaq 100 Index

Signals are mixed at present, but a stronger bear signal on the Dow, or an upward spike on the VIX, would tilt probabilities towards a reversal.

September 8, 2013

Vickers calls for doubling of bank capital levels | FT.com

“It is not very sensible to run a market economy on the basis of a banking system that is 33 times leveraged, let alone 40 or 50 times leveraged,” Sir John [Sir John Vickers, Oxford academic who chaired the Independent Commission on Banking] told the Financial Times. He believes the right number is closer to 10 times, equivalent to a 10 per cent ratio.

That is a lot higher than the 3 per cent (33 times leverage) required by Basel III and the 4.1% (CBA) to 4.5% (WBC) of the big four Australian banks.

September 5, 2013

Forex: Euro weakens but Aussie, Yen resilient

The Euro followed through below $1.3150, after breaking support at $1.32, confirming a correction to primary support at $1.2750/1.2800. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the signal.

Euro/USD

Sterling penetrated the descending trendline (weekly chart) against the euro, suggesting the primary down-trend is over. Breakout above €1.19 would complete a double bottom with a target of €1.24*. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Momentum above zero also indicates a primary up-trend. Reversal below €1.16 is unlikely, but would warn the down-trend may continue; failure of primary support at €1.14 would confirm.

Sterling/Euro

* Target calculation: 1.19 + ( 1.19 – 1.14 ) = 1.24

The greenback broke out of its triangular pattern (weekly chart) against the Yen, but too close to the apex to have much significance. Follow-through above ¥101.50 would offer a long-term target of ¥114*. Reversal below ¥96 is unlikely, but would test primary support at ¥94.

USD/JPY

* Target calculation: 104 + ( 104 – 94 ) = 114

Canada’s Loonie is testing primary support at $0.9450 against the greenback. Respect, indicated by recovery above $0.96, would test the descending trendline (weekly chart) and resistance at $0.9750. Failure of support is as likely, however, and would warn of another decline.

Canadian Loonie

The Aussie Dollar penetrated its descending trendline (daily chart) against the greenback, suggesting the primary down-trend is weakening. Breakout above $0.92 would complete a double-bottom reversal with an initial target of $0.95*. Respect of resistance remains likely, however, and would signal another test of primary support at $0.89*.

Aussie Dollar

* Target calculations: 0.92 + ( 0.92 – 0.89 ) = 0.95; 0.89 – ( 0.92 – 0.89 ) = 0.86

The Aussie penetrated its descending trendline (weekly chart) against the Kiwi, suggesting that the primary down-trend is over. Breakout above $1.16 would confirm, while reversal below $1.12 would signal another decline.

Canadian Loonie