Category: Countries & Regions

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Putin’s Playbook | NYTimes.com

From Maxim Trudolyubov, opinion page editor of the business newspaper Vedomosti:

…So what is Mr. Putin up to, my American friends and colleagues keep asking. He is, quite simply, bent on preserving and expanding his personal and Russia’s international power. Some of his methods were inherited from the Soviets, some were developed in the absence of domestic political traditions, and some were borrowed from the West. There is no consistent ideology. Nor is there is anything particularly Russian about his beliefs. But the methodology in his playbook is constant and ruthless. It involves techniques that function when all past checks on power — institutional constraints and traditional values — are gone. If it’s true that much of the world is moving in this same ruthless direction, then, yes, Mr. Putin’s methods are indeed political guidelines for the future.

Read more at Putin's Playbook – NYTimes.com.

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Aussie dollar leads ASX lower

The Australian Dollar found short-term support at $0.90 after last week’s fall. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Momentum below zero warns of another decline, but expect support at $0.89/$0.90 and at $0.8650/$0.8700. Breach of the latter would confirm a target of $0.80*.

AUDUSD

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

The ASX 200 is testing a wide band of support between 5420 and 5460. Reversal of 21-day Twiggs Money Flow below zero warns of strong selling pressure. Breach of the rising trendline would suggest a correction to test the primary trendline around 5000. Support levels are indistinct because of frequent back-filling, however, and could establish anywhere between 5300 and 5450.

ASX 200

The ASX 200 VIX is rising, but levels below 20 are typical of a bull market.

ASX 200

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Asian stocks cautious

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is retracing to test support at 24000. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates sustained buying pressure. Respect of 24000 would suggest another primary advance, while failure would warn of a correction. Breakout above 25000 would offer a target of 27000*.

Hang Seng Index

* Long-term target calculation: 24000 + ( 24000 – 21000 ) = 27000

China’s Shanghai Composite Index is consolidating at its 2013 high. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow reflects medium-term buying pressure. Breakout above 2340 would strengthen the primary up-trend, but retracement to test the new support level at 2250 remains as likely.

Shanghai Composite Index

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

India’s Sensex retreated below short-term support at 27000. Bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow continues to warn of long-term selling pressure, but another trough above zero would negate this. Breach of the secondary rising trendline would warn of a correction, while respect would suggest further gains.

Sensex

* Target calculation: 21000 + ( 21000 – 15000 ) = 27000

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index is testing resistance at 16000. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates medium-term buying pressure. Breakout above 16300 would signal another advance. Reversal below 15500 is unlikely, but would warn of a correction.

Nikkei 225

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

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DAX and Footsie show resilience

Germany’s DAX is retracing in a flag pattern after several weeks of healthy advance. Rising 21-day Twiggs Money Flow indicates medium-term buying pressure. Continuation is likely and breach of resistance at 9800 would indicate another test of 10000. Reversal below 9300 is unlikely.

DAX

Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 retreated from its recent high of 3300. Respect of 3200, however, would suggest an advance to 3600*; confirmed if the index breaks above 3300. Respect of the zero line by 13-week Twiggs Money Flow would indicate medium-term buying pressure, while reversal below zero would be bearish.

Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50

Long tails on the Footsie indicate support at 6800. A “no” vote in the Scottish independence referendum may precipitate another test of long-term resistance 6900, while a “yes” outcome would most likely cause a correction. But any losses are likely to be short-lived as any negotiations settle into a long, drawn-out process.

FTSE 100

* Target calculation: 7000 + ( 7000 – 6000 ) = 8000

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Canada: TSX threatens breakout

Canada’s TSX 60 consolidating in a narrow range below resistance at the 2008 high of 900 is a bullish sign. Breakout would offer a medium-term target of 935*. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow oscillating high above zero indicates healthy buying pressure. Reversal below 890 would warn of a test of support at 865/870, but penetration of the rising trendline is unlikely.

TSX 60

* Target calculation: 900 + ( 900 – 865 ) = 935

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Dow finds support

Dow Jones Industrial Average found short-term support at 16950/17000. Follow-through above 17050 would indicate another attempt at 17150. And breakout above 17150 would offer a target of 17500*. Recovery of 21-day Twiggs Money Flow above 20% would indicate buying pressure. Reversal below support at 16950 is unlikely, but would test the rising trendline around 16700.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

* Target calculation: 16500 + ( 16500 – 15500 ) = 17500

The S&P 500 is testing support at 1980/1985. Monday’s long tail suggests short-term buying pressure; strengthened if 21-day Twiggs Money Flow starts to rise. Recovery above 2000 would indicate another rally. Follow-through above 2010 would signal an advance to 2100*. Failure of short-term support at 1980 is unlikely, but would warn of a correction to 1950.

S&P 500

* Target calculation: 2000 + ( 2000 – 1900 ) = 2100

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) readings remain low, typical of a bull market.

VIX Index

The Nasdaq 100 is retracing to test its new support level at 4000. Respect of support is likely and would suggest an advance to 4250*. Failure of support at 4000, however, would warn of a correction to the primary trendline, around 3850. Completion of another 13-week Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero would strengthen the bull signal.

Nasdaq 100

* Target calculation: 4000 + ( 4000 – 3750 ) = 4250

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ASX selling pressure

The ASX 200 is falling sharply despite strong performance in China. Breach of the rising trendline (around 5400) would indicate a correction to test the primary trendline around 5000. The support level is indistinct because of frequent back-filling and could establish anywhere between 5300 and 5450. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero after a bearish divergence warns of strong selling pressure. Respect of support at the secondary trendline is therefore unlikely.

ASX 200

* Target calculation: 5650 + ( 5650 – 5450 ) = 5850

The ASX 200 VIX is rising, but low levels remain typical of a bull market.

ASX 200

Dow Jones Shanghai Index continues to make strong gains since commencing a primary up-trend, but expect further resistance between 310 and 315, at the 2013 high.

DJSH

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Bad Has Never Looked So Good – Russia

Again from Energy Burrito at Oilprice.com:

…the Russian ruble has been gradually depreciating throughout this year amid rising geopolitical tension in Ukraine. It has now dropped 12% versus the US dollar in 2014.

Yet while a falling ruble hurts Russian imports as they become increasingly more expensive to buy, Russia reaps the rewards when it comes to exports. And it is seeing the greatest benefit from its largest export: oil. To the tune of 7 million barrels a day.

Hence, while crude prices in US dollars have dropped 12% in value since the beginning of July, crude oil in rubles has only dropped 3.4%. For Russian coffers, it is good for the ruble to be bad…

Read more at Bad Has Never Looked So Good.

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Bad Has Never Looked So Good

Energy Burrito writes that gasoline prices have fallen nearly 30 cents from their Summer highs:

Why is this good? Because of the one-penny-to-one-billion spending rule. The rule of thumb is that a one-penny change in the price of gasoline leads to a $1 billion increase in household consumption on an annualized basis….gasoline accounts for $2,500 of household spending each year.

Read more at Bad Has Never Looked So Good | Oilprice.com.

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Gold & crude fall

Gold broke support at $1240/ounce to signal a primary down-trend. Declining 13-week Twiggs Momentum, below zero, strengthens the signal. Follow-through below $1200 would confirm. The sell-off is being driven by a rising Dollar.

Spot Gold

Crude oil is also falling, with Brent Crude testing its 18-month low. Nymex breach of $92/barrel would also signal a primary down-trend.

Nymex and Brent Crude

From Nick Cunningham at Oilprice.com:

The glut of supplies and weak demand is causing problems for OPEC, according to the cartel’s monthly report. OPEC lowered its demand projection for 2015 by 200,000 and in August, Saudi Arabia cut production by 400,000 bpd in an effort to stem oversupply.

It is probably no coincidence, but lower oil prices will hurt the Russian economy. As Nick points out:

Russia needs between $110 and $117 per barrel to finance its spending, which means the Kremlin can’t be happy as it watches Brent prices continue to drop. Combined with an already weak economy, Russia could see its $19 billion surplus become a deficit by the end of the year.

Falling oil prices will benefit the global economy in the medium-term. Subduing Russia’s territorial ambitions will be an added bonus.

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