India & Singapore

The BSE Sensex found medium-term support at 16000/15800 but reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero warns of further selling pressure. Expect another test of primary support at 15000/15200. Failure would offer a target of 12000*.

BSE Sensex Index

* Target calculation: 15 – ( 18 − 15 ) = 12

With almost half of foreign bank funding sourced from Europe, India is experiencing significant tightening of external finance and hence domestic investment.

Singapore’s Straits Times Index is testing medium-term support at 2750. Failure would test primary support at 2600. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero warns of a strong primary down-trend. Recovery above 2900 is unlikely but would indicate continuation of the primary up-trend.

Straits Times Index

* Target calculation: 2600 – ( 2900 − 2600 ) = 2300

How Europe Can Save the EU: Work Harder, Spend Less

Andy Xie, an independent economist in China, said European countries without a competitive advantage must simply work harder or spend less. Alternatively, if they want to keep living it up, they will have to accept wrenching labor reforms and deregulation.

Xie saw no popular consent for either course of action. Nor did he detect that Europe was tightening its belt as urgently as Asia did after its 1997/98 financial crisis. “While eurozone economies have contracted a bit, people seem to be bent on enjoying life as usual,” Xie wrote in New Century weekly, a Chinese publication. “China cannot save Europe. No one can. Only Europeans can, through increasing work relative to leisure.”

via How Europe Can Save the EU: Work Harder, Spend Less.

Conversations with Great Minds – Paul Krugman – End This Depression Now

Thom Hartmann is joined by Nobel Prize winning economist Dr. Paul Krugman, professor of economics and current affairs at Princeton University and columnist on the New York Times. His new book is titled: End This Depression Now. Europe is in crisis mode. The United States could be headed off a fiscal cliff at the end of the year.

Part 2:

Comment:~ Paul Krugman believes in big government and big unions and dismisses the alternative as “voodoo economics”. The issues are more complicated than this. John Maynard Keynes was right in some areas — austerity does not restore confidence in a shrinking economy — but over-simplistic in others. If governments do run deficits — I believe this is a necessary evil during a financial crisis — increasing government spending on welfare payments and non-productive assets simply carries the country to the next crisis — ballooning public debt. The only way to avoid this is to channel fiscal deficits into productive investment which will enhance GDP growth and help to repay the debt incurred.

Spain's Economy Shows Fresh Strain – WSJ.com

Spain’s economy showed fresh strain as retail sales fell at a record pace in April, showing the government’s austerity program is strangling consumption and suggesting deepening recession. Data Tuesday from the National Statistics Institute, or INE, showed seasonally adjusted retail sales fell 9.8% on the year in April, compared with a 3.8% drop in March. The decline was the sharpest since INE started collecting the data in January 2004. Household spending is dropping as unemployment approaches 25% of the work force.

via Spain’s Economy Shows Fresh Strain – WSJ.com.

Australia: ASX 200 consolidation

Asia consolidated today and the ASX 200 was no exception, rallying off short-term support at 4020. Declining 21-day Twiggs Money Flow continues to warn of medium-term selling pressure. Respect of resistance at 4150 would indicate a test of primary support at 3980/4000.  Failure of support would offer a target of 3600*.

ASX 200 Index

* Target calculation: 4000 – ( 4400 – 4000 ) = 3600

Hong Kong & China

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is consolidating above 18500 on the weekly chart.  Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero warns of selling pressure, strengthening the bear signal from 63-day Twiggs Momentum. Breach of 18500 would test primary support at 17500 — and breach of 17500 would offer a target of 15000*. Recovery above 20000 remains unlikely but would warn of a bear trap.

Hang Seng Index

* Target calculation: 17500 – ( 20000 – 17500 ) = 15000

Shanghai Composite Index is headed for a test of primary support at 2250; breach would offer a target of 2000*. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero indicates continuation of the primary down-trend. Recovery above 2500 is unlikely but would signal a primary advance.

Shanghai Composite Index

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

UK & Europe

Dow Jones Europe Index found medium-term support at 220 but reversal of  13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero warns of strong selling pressure. Breach of primary support at 210 would signal a decline to 160*, close to the 2009 low. Respect of support is less likely but would indicate a rally to 260.

Dow Jones Europe Index

* Target calculation: 210 – ( 260 – 210 ) = 160

The FTSE 100 is consolidating above 5250 on the weekly chart. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow remains above zero but 63-day Twiggs Momentum warns of a primary down-trend. Failure of primary support at 5000/5100 would confirm.

FTSE 100 Index

* Target calculation: 5000 – ( 6000 – 5000 ) = 4000

Canadian bear trap?

Canada’s TSX 60 index recovered above primary support at 650. Follow-through above the April low of 675 would indicate a bear trap, presenting an early buy opportunity for aggressive traders. The more cautious may be inclined to wait for recovery above 730, especially as 63-day Twiggs Momentum (below zero) continues to warn of a primary down-trend.  Reversal below 640 is more likely and would signal a decline to 580*.

TSX 60 Index

* Target calculation: 650 – ( 720 – 650 ) = 580

US: S&P 500 and Nasdaq consolidate

The S&P 500 finished the week having twice respected support at the 50% Fibonacci retracement level of 1292/1296 on the hourly chart. Recovery above resistance at 1330 would indicate the end of the secondary correction.

S&P 500 Index Hourly Chart

21-Day Twiggs Money Flow below zero, however, continues to warn of selling pressure. Reversal below 1290 remains likely and would test primary support at 1150.

S&P 500 Index Daily Chart

On the weekly chart, the Nasdaq 100 continues to test support at 2500. Breach of the rising trendline would warn that the primary up-trend is weakening. The sharp fall on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates selling pressure and reversal below zero would suggest a primary down-trend.

Nasdaq 100 Index

Swiss Prepare Plans in Case of Euro's Demise – WSJ.com

Anita Greil: Switzerland is considering capital controls to fight a sharp rise in the Swiss franc in the event of a euro-zone collapse.

……In the 1970s, Switzerland used such extreme measures to curb excessive demand for its currency. The country prohibited foreign investments in Swiss securities and real estate, and introduced negative interest rates on foreign deposits. Both tools failed to stem the Swiss franc’s rise, which only halted after the central bank introduced a temporary peg to the deutsche mark, Germany’s currency at the time.

via Swiss Prepare Plans in Case of Euro’s Demise – WSJ.com.