Colin Twiggs, Author at the patient investor

May 14, 2012

S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 correction

The S&P 500 broke support at 1340 to confirm the correction. Initial target is 1300. Reversal of 21-day Twiggs Money Flow below zero confirms medium-term selling pressure signaled by an earlier bearish divergence . Recovery above 1360 is most unlikely but would warn of a bear trap.

S&P 500 Index Daily Chart

* Target calculation: 1360 – ( 1420 – 1360 ) = 1300

A similar 21-day Twiggs Money Flow signal on the Nasdaq 100 warns of medium-term selling pressure. Retracement respected resistance at 2630, confirming a correction. Initial target is 2500*.

Nasdaq 100 Index

* Target calculation: 2630 – ( 2760 – 2630 ) = 2500

Colin Twiggs

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.

May 14, 2012

CNBC: Is the US headed for another recession?

Lakshman Achuthan of ECRI sticks to his forecast of a double-dip:

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Colin Twiggs

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.

May 11, 2012

The Real Reasons People Drop Out of the Workforce

“Labor force participation for unskilled men has dropped off the table the last few decades,” [Timothy Taylor, managing editor of the Journal of Economic Perspectives] said. “Wages for that group aren’t high enough to encourage them to work. For a lot of those men, going on disability may be a better option. Working off the books may be going on. The benefits of working at $10 or $11 an hour just isn’t enticing 50-year-old men into the labor force,” he said.

Another factor in play: there were an estimated 2.3 million people in U.S. prisons at the end of 2010, the highest rate of incarceration in the world. That’s quadruple the number imprisoned in 1980. The rate of imprisonment has gone from 100 per 100,000 people in the mid-1970s to 500 per 100,000 today.

via The Real Reasons People Drop Out of the Workforce.

Colin Twiggs

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.

May 11, 2012

Europe's nuclear brinkmanship with Greece is a lethal game – Telegraph Blogs

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: Polls show that 70pc or even 80pc of Greeks still wish to stay in the euro, while at the same voting in large numbers for hard-Left and hard-Right parties committed to tearing up the Memorandum – a course of action that will take them straight out of the euro.

I do not wish to reproach the Greeks for cognitive dissonance. We all do this, and besides, euro membership is more than just a currency for Greece. It is the anchor of identity for an isolated Balkan nation living cheek by jowl with the Ottoman nemesis……..

The chief danger is not for Greece. It is for the rest of the eurozone. If the German political establishment is unwise enough to force Greece out of EMU on the assumption that the country is a special case, it will be disabused of this illusion very quickly.

via Europe’s nuclear brinkmanship with Greece is a lethal game – Telegraph Blogs.

Colin Twiggs

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.

May 11, 2012

Dimon in the Rough: JP Morgan Loses $2B on Failed Trade

JPMorgan Chase & Co lost $2 billion on a failed hedge, an unexpected revelation that hit hard the bank that had been seen as the smartest and safest player through the credit crisis that began to erupt in 2007.

via Dimon in the Rough: JP Morgan Loses $2B on Failed Trade.

Comment: Writing good headlines is an art. Occasionally you find a gem like this. It wins my vote for headline of the week.

Colin Twiggs

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.

May 10, 2012

German Adjustment – NYTimes.com

Paul Krugman: Germany believes that its successful adjustment was the result of its own virtue, but in reality it was successful in large part because of an inflationary boom in the rest of Europe.

And here’s the thing: the Germans are now demanding that the European periphery replicate its achievement (and actually surpass it, because the required adjustment is much bigger) without providing a comparably favorable environment — they’re demanding that Spain and others do what they never did, which is deflate their way to competitiveness.

This is a road to disaster.

via German Adjustment – NYTimes.com.

Colin Twiggs

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.

May 10, 2012

Consumer Credit – Worse Than You Think | The Big Picture

Take out government-owned student loans and there has been virtually no rebound in consumer credit since the Great Recession ended. Restated, the consumer has not been borrowing since the Great Recession has ended. Rather, students took advantage of below-market rates on loans provided by the government starting in 2009…….“Most of the improvement in credit is a function of the explosion student loan debt,” said Neil Dutta, an economist at Bank of America Corp. in New York. “The reason student loan debt is exploding? Because the youth population is having difficulty finding work. Hardly a good reason for credit extension.”

via Consumer Credit – Worse Than You Think | The Big Picture.

Colin Twiggs

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.

May 10, 2012

India & Singapore

India’s Sensex is testing support at 16500 (61.8% Fibonacci retracement). Recovery above 17500 would signal the start of a fresh primary advance. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero, however, warns of strong selling pressure. Failure of support at 16500 would test the band of primary support above 15000.

BSE Sensex Index

The Nifty is similarly testing support at 5000. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero warns that the primary down-trend will continue, but recovery above the descending trendline at 5200 would indicate that the correction is over.

NSE Nifty Index

Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell sharply to test medium-term support at 2900. Failure would indicate a correction to the rising trendline. Respect of support, especially if strengthened by a 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero, would signal the start of a fresh primary advance.

Singapore Straits Times Index

* Target calculation: 2900 + ( 2900 – 2600 ) = 3200

Colin Twiggs

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.

May 9, 2012

Forex: Australia, Canada and South Africa

Weakening commodity prices are dragging the Australian Dollar lower against the greenback. Breach of support at $1.02 indicates another test of primary support at $0.96. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero already warns of a primary down-trend. Failure of primary support at $0.96 would confirm, offering a long-term target of $0.84*.

Australian Dollar/US Dollar

* Target calculation: 0.96 – ( 1.08 – 0.96 ) = 0.84

Canada’s Loonie is strengthening against the Australian Dollar, having penetrated its long-term descending trendline and with 63-day Twiggs Momentum recovering above zero. Breakout above parity would signal the start of a primary up-trend.
Canadian Dollar/Australian Dollar

The Loonie retreated against the greenback, testing support at $0.995 after a false break above $1.01. Failure of support would confirm a bull trap and test primary support at $0.95. Recovery above $1.01 remains as likely, however, and would signal a primary advance; respect of zero by 63-day Twiggs Momentum would strengthen the signal.

Canadian Dollar/US Dollar

* Target calculation: 1.01 + ( 1.01 – 0.96 ) = 1.06

The Aussie found support at R7.90 against the South African Rand. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum remains weak and reversal below zero would indicate a primary down-trend. Failure of support at R7.90 would warn of a correction to R7.50*. Recovery above R8.30, however, would signal a fresh primary advance.

Australian Dollar/South African Rand

* Target calculation: 8.00 – ( 8.50 – 8.00 ) = 7.50

Colin Twiggs

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.

May 9, 2012

Forex: US Dollar/Japanese Yen

The US dollar is testing long-term support at ¥80. Failure would warn of weakness in the primary up-trend but 63-Day Twiggs Momentum holding above zero suggests continuation. Recovery above ¥82 would indicate a fresh primary advance, with a target of ¥90*.

US Dollar/ Japanese Yen

* Target calculation: 85 + ( 85 – 80 ) = 90

Colin Twiggs

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.