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The inverted fish hook on the S&P 500 looks promising, with a strong blue candle reversing most of Friday’s losses. Completion of an inverted fish hook (normally called an inverted scallop but I find the former more descriptive) requires a breakout above 2190/2200. Completion of the pattern would offer a strong bull signal with a target of 2400, calculated from the base of the pattern at 2000*.
* Target calculation: 2200 + ( 2200 – 2000 ) = 2400
Spot Gold found support at $1325/ounce after retracing from resistance at $1350. Short candles suggest weak selling pressure. Respect of support at $1325 would signal another test of the July high at $1375. Follow-through above $1350 would confirm. Breakout above $1375 would offer a target of $1450* but expect strong resistance if the Fed appears intent on raising interest rates. Breach of support at $1300 is unlikely but would warn of a test of primary support at $1200/ounce.
* Target calculation: 1375 + ( 1375 – 1300 ) = 1450
In Australia the All Ordinaries Gold Index ($XGD) is testing support at 4500. Respect is likely and would signal a test of the recent highs around 5600. A weakening Australian Dollar/US Dollar would tend to mitigate the impact of a fed rate hike. Breach of 4500 is unlikely but would warn of trend reversal.
* Target calculation: 5500 + ( 5500 – 4500 ) = 6500
Spot Gold rallied to test resistance at $1350/ounce. Momentum above zero continues to indicate a primary up-trend. Short retracement (short candles and short duration) would signal a test of the July 2016 high at $1375. Breakout above $1375 would offer a target of $1450*. Breach of support at $1300 is unlikely but would warn of a test of primary support at $1200/ounce.
* Target calculation: 1375 + ( 1375 – 1300 ) = 1450
In Australia the All Ordinaries Gold Index ($XGD) found support at 4500. Expect a test of the recent highs around 5500. The Index is likely to follow the spot gold price, provided the Australian Dollar/US Dollar remains fairly stable. Breakout above 5500 would signal a fresh advance, with a target of 6500*. Breach of 4500 is unlikely but would warn of trend reversal.
* Target calculation: 5500 + ( 5500 – 4500 ) = 6500
The Institute for Supply Management updated their Non-Manufacturing Index on September 6th:
In August, the NMI® registered 51.4 percent, a decrease of 4.1 percentage points when compared to July’s reading of 55.5 percent, indicating continued growth in the non-manufacturing sector for the 79th consecutive month. A reading above 50 percent indicates the non-manufacturing sector economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates the non-manufacturing sector is generally contracting……
But there is weakness in Manufacturing, as the ISM reported last week :
Manufacturing contracted in August as the PMI® registered 49.4 percent, a decrease of 3.2 percentage points from the July reading of 52.6 percent, indicating contraction in manufacturing for the first time since February 2016 when the PMI registered 49.5. A reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally contracting…..
A 10-year graph of Manufacturing PMI shows that whipsaws around the 50 level are fairly common and not cause for alarm. A decline below the December 2015 low of 48.0, however, would be cause for concern.
Source: quandl.com
Of greater concern is the declining growth of estimated weekly employee earnings which closely follows GDP. Weekly employee earnings — estimated by multiplying Total Non-farm Payrolls by Average Weekly Hours (Total Private) and Average Hourly Earnings — have held around the 4.0 percent level since early 2014 but are now tracking the decline of GDP. Further falls in Nominal GDP, below 2.43% p.a. in the second quarter, now appear likely.
China’s Shanghai Composite Index steadied and is again testing resistance at 3100. Breakout would signal a primary up-trend. Rising troughs on Twiggs Money Flow indicate buying pressure.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index rallied for another test of resistance at 17000. Breakout above 17000 would suggest a primary up-trend. Follow-through above 17600, completing a broad double-bottom, would confirm. Further consolidation, however, is more likely.
India’s BSE Sensex broke out of its narrow rectangle at 28000, signaling another advance. Expect a test of the 2015 high at 30000. Bearish divergence on Twiggs Money Flow now appears misleading.
Germany’s DAX is holding above its new support level at 10500. Respect, with follow-through above 10800, would confirm the primary up-trend.
* Target calculation: 10500 + ( 10500 – 9500 ) = 11500
France’s CAC-40 Index is consolidating in a narrow band between 4400 and 4500. Upward breakout would suggest a primary up-trend. Follow-through above 4600, completing a broad double bottom, would confirm. Rising Twiggs Money Flow reflects buying pressure.
The Footsie retreated from resistance at 7000 but short candles and strong Twiggs Money Flow, high above zero, suggest long-term buying pressure. Expect strong resistance between 7000 and 7100. Correction to 6500 would establish a more stable base for further advances.
* Target calculation: 6500 + ( 6500 – 5900 ) = 7100
Interest rates retreated this week, with 10-year Treasury yields falling below support at 1.60 percent.
Falling interest rates reduce downward pressure on gold. Spot Gold steadied above support at $1300/ounce. Momentum above zero continues to indicate a primary up-trend. Respect of support at $1300 would confirm. Breach of support is unlikely but would signal trend weakness and a test of primary support at $1200/ounce.
* Target calculation: 1300 + ( 1300 – 1050 ) = 1550
Germany’s DAX respected its new support at 10500. Follow-through above 10800 would confirm the primary up-trend.
* Target calculation: 10500 + ( 10500 – 9500 ) = 11500
Italy’s FTSE MIB (Milano Italia Borsa) Index remains in a primary down-trend. Breakout above 17000 and the descending trendline, however, would suggest that a base is forming. Rising Twiggs Money Flow highlights buying pressure.
The Footsie retreated from resistance at 7000 but short candles and rising Twiggs Money Flow suggest buying pressure. Expect another test of 7000/7100 but resistance is strong. Correction to 6500 would establish a more stable base for further advances.
* Target calculation: 6500 + ( 6500 – 5900 ) = 7100
China’s Shanghai Composite Index retreated below resistance at 3100. Prospects of a primary up-trend have dimmed and further consolidation between 2800 and 3100 is likely.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index is pretty directionless, retreating from resistance at 17000. Breach of 16000 would warn of another test of primary support at 15000. But a broad base between 15000 and 17000 is likely.
India’s BSE Sensex is the most promising, consolidating in a bullish narrow range around 28000. Upward breakout would signal a further advance towards the 2015 high of 30000. Bearish divergence on Twiggs Money Flow warns of long-term selling pressure, however, and downward breakout would warn of a correction to 25000 or 26000.
Interest rates are rising. Upward breakout from an ascending triangle formation on 10-year Treasury yields indicates an up-trend.
A rate hike from the Fed would increase pressure on the Chinese Yuan, leaving the PBOC with a dilemma. Either allow the Yuan to slide, which could panic investors and borrowers into a rout, or sell off more of its $3.2 trillion foreign exchange reserves to slow Dollar appreciation against the Yuan.
Long tails on USDCNY indicate buying at the 6.60 support level. Breakout above 6.70 would warn of another advance (decline for the Yuan).
Rising interest rates increase downward pressure on gold but a falling Yuan would boost demand as a store of value. Spot Gold is above the rising trendline on a weekly chart but expect a test of support at $1300/ounce. Momentum holding above zero continues to indicate a healthy primary up-trend. Respect of support at $1300 would confirm. Breach of support remains unlikely but would signal trend weakness and a test of primary support at $1200.
* Target calculation: 1300 + ( 1300 – 1050 ) = 1550