Countries & Regions Archives - Page 226 of 374

February 11, 2013

S&P 500 reverse pennant

The S&P 500 displays a small broadening wedge (reverse pennant) on the daily chart. Respect of support at 1500 on the last down-swing (within the wedge) suggests an upward breakout. Watch for bearish divergence on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow — which would warn of retracement to the rising trendline.

S&P 500 Index

The quarterly chart warns us to expect strong resistance at the 2000/2007 highs of 1550/1575. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above 10% would increase likelihood of an upward breakout — with a target of 1750* — while retreat below zero would suggest a primary reversal.
S&P 500 Index

* Target calculation: 1550 + ( 1550 – 1350 ) = 1750

The Dow is similarly testing long-term resistance, at 14000. Breakout is likely, with 13-week Twiggs Money Flow troughs at zero indicating long-term buying pressure.
S&P 500 Index

I repeat my warning from last week:

These are times for cautious optimism. Central banks are flooding markets with freshly printed money, driving up stock prices, but this could create a bull trap if capital investment, employment and corporate earnings fail to respond.

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.

February 10, 2013

Electric version of Holden Commodore

Barry Park at Drive.com.au takes a ride in a battery-powered version of Holden’s popular family car:

EV Engineering, the Port Melbourne based start-up that has taken nine Commodore family cars, gutted them of their V6 and V8 petrol drivetrains and replaced them with swappable batteries, a recharging cord and a powerful electric motor, is finally ready to trial its technology…..On paper, the EV Engineering Commodore produces 140kW of power and an impressive 400Nm of torque almost as soon as you squeeze the throttle. Engineers wanted to match the regular Commodore’s 8.7-second sprint from rest to 100km/h, but the way the battery-powered car builds speed means it can gather the same speed within 8.5……

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.

February 7, 2013

Japanese Yen: How long will the rally last?

This long-term semi-log chart of the dollar against the yen puts the current rally into perspective. Expect resistance at ¥100. Breakout would signal reversal of the 40-year down-trend, while respect would indicate another test of ¥75.

Euro/USD

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.

February 7, 2013

Sterling double top

Sterling is headed for a test of primary support at $1.53* after completing a double top. Oscillation of 63-day Twiggs Momentum in a similar range to the last year would indicate a ranging market in the longer term — between $1.53 and $1.63.
Pound Sterling/USD

* Target calculation: 1.58 – ( 1.63 – 1.58 ) = 1.53

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.

February 7, 2013

Aussie Dollar: Momentum falling

The Aussie Dollar is again testing support at $1.03 on the weekly chart. Respect would indicate further consolidation — and a test of resistance at $1.06 — while failure would offer a target of parity ($1.00). Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would favor a downward breakout.

Aussie Dollar/USD

* Target calculation: 1.03 – ( 1.06 – 1.03 ) = 1.00

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.

February 7, 2013

Euro finds new support

The Euro is testing its new support level at $1.35 on the weekly chart. Respect would confirm the primary up-trend. Rising 63-day Twiggs Momentum (above zero) strengthens the signal. Reversal below $1.32 and the rising trendline is unlikely but would indicate a bull trap — and test of primary support at $1.20.

Euro/USD

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.

February 6, 2013

Hedge Funds Are Now Buying Stocks While Retail Investors Sell | Business Insider

Matthew Boesler writes:

We have noted how, based on weekly data from BofA Merrill Lynch, it appears that hedge funds have been sellers of stocks for the last several weeks, while on the flip-side of the coin, individual investors have been buying up stocks at a rapid pace over the same timeframe. Now – coincident with the “rough patch” the S&P 500 has run into the market hasn’t really gone down, just sideways – those roles appear to have reversed.

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.

February 5, 2013

CBO Sees Rising U.S. Debt, Economic Rebound in 2014 | WSJ.com

DAMIAN PALETTA at WSJ writes:

Economic growth and recent legislation have cut the federal budget deficit in half in the past four years, but federal debt will still hit historic levels if more isn’t done, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday in the annual update of its budget and economic forecast.

The CBO said it expected economic growth to be sluggish in 2013, in part because of a sharp drop in government spending, but it sees a better economy in 2014 as the recovery takes hold.

via CBO Sees Rising U.S. Debt, Economic Rebound in 2014 – WSJ.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.

February 5, 2013

Nana Rolland: North Korean Pawn in a Chinese Chess Game – WSJ.com

NANA ROLLAND at WSJ writes:

While it steps up its own provocative actions, including recurrent intrusions into Japanese waters and airspace around the disputed islands, China exhorts the U.S. to restrain its “troublemaking” Japanese friends. The implied linkage is clear: As Beijing tries to forestall North Korean brinksmanship, it expects Washington to do the same.

We have seen this gambit before. In 2003, when Beijing feared that Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian might be inching toward independence, it called on Washington to bring him to heel. In return, it agreed to host multiparty negotiations to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear-weapons programs.

Beijing got the better end of that deal…..

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.

February 5, 2013

Chinese Firms Shrug at Rising Debt | WSJ.com

DINNY MCMAHON And COLUM MURPHY at WSJ write:

Analysts at Standard Chartered PLC estimate that Chinese corporate debt was equivalent to 128% of gross domestic product by the end of 2012, up from 101% at the end of 2009. In a 2011 research paper, economists at the Bank for International Settlements found that when a country’s corporate debt exceeds 90%, it becomes a drag on growth.

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.