Countries & Regions Archives - Page 265 of 378

August 28, 2012

Australia: ASX 200 meets resistance

The ASX 200 met resistance at 4400. Short retracement or narrow consolidation would be a bullish sign, suggesting a breakout. Oscillation of 63-day Twiggs Momentum around the zero line, however, would suggest a ranging market, with further tests of primary support at 4000.

ASX 200 Index Weekly

The Daily chart shows the ASX 200 testing the upper border of its trend channel. Bearish divergence on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow warns of medium-term selling pressure; reversal below zero would strengthen the signal. Failure of initial support at 4320 would indicate a swing to the lower trend channel.

ASX 200 Index Daily

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.

August 27, 2012

Asia: India rises but China, Japan bearish

India’s Sensex is retracing to test its new support level at 17500. Respect of support would confirm the primary up-trend and signal an advance to 18500*. Rising 63-day Twiggs Momentum also suggests a primary up-trend.

Sensex Index

* Target calculation: 17.5 + ( 17.5 – 16.5 ) = 18.5

Singapore’s Straits Times Index is consolidating above support at 3000. Reversal below 3000 would signal a test of the lower trend channel, while follow-through above 3100 would indicate a fresh advance. It is unclear whether 63-day Twiggs Momentum will oscillate around zero, indicating a ranging market, or above zero, indicating a healthy up-trend. The next trough should clarify this; respect of zero indicating a primary up-trend.

Singapore Straits Times Index

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index is retracing to test support at 9000 after completing a double-bottom. Respect would confirm a primary advance to 10000. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow peaking below zero, however, warns of selling pressure.

Nikkei 225 Index

* Target calculation: 9100 + ( 9100 – 8200 ) = 10000

China’s Shanghai Composite followed-through below 2100, confirming the primary decline with a target of 1800*. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero indicates selling pressure.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2150 – ( 2500 – 2150 ) = 1800

The Hang Seng drifts fairly aimlessly. Declining 13-week Twiggs Money Flow suggests selling pressure. Breach of 18000 would signal a primary down-trend but we still appear some way from that.

Hang Seng Index

* Target calculation: 20 + ( 20 – 18 ) = 22

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.

August 27, 2012

European buying pressure

The FTSE 100 is retracing to test support at 5700. Rising 21-day Twiggs Money Flow indicates medium-term buying pressure. Respect of 5700 would signal an advance to 6100; expect strong resistance at that level because of the number of previous peaks. Breakout would offer a long-term target of 6750*.

FTSE 100 Index

* Target calculation: 6000 + ( 6000 – 5250 ) = 6750

Madrid General Index is consolidating above 720 after completing a double-bottom reversal. Follow-through above 760 would signal an advance to 900*. Bullish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates long-term buying pressure. Penetration of the descending trendline would strengthen the reversal signal.

Madrid General Index

* Target calculation: 750 + ( 750 – 600 ) = 900

Germany’s DAX shows strong buying pressure, with 13-week Twiggs Money Flow oscillating high above zero. Consolidation or retracement below 7200 is likely, followed by an advance to 7600. Expect strong resistance at 7500/7600 because of the number of previous peaks.

DAX Index

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.

August 27, 2012

Canada: TSX60 buying pressure

The TSX 60 is testing resistance at 700 on the weekly chart. Penetration of the descending trendline suggests that a bottom is forming. Oscillation of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow above zero indicates buying pressure. Follow-through above 700 would test primary resistance at 730. Reversal below 680 is unlikely, but would re-test primary support at 640.

TSX 60 Index

* Target calculation: 730 + ( 730 – 640 ) = 820

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.

August 27, 2012

S&P 500 and Nasdaq bearish divergence

The S&P 500 Index continues to test resistance at 1420. Bearish divergence on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow warns of medium-term selling pressure. Expect a test of the lower trend channel; reversal below 1380 would indicate a correction. Breakout above 1420, however, would signal an advance to the 2007 high at 1560*.

S&P 500 Index

* Target calculation: 1420 + ( 1420 – 1280 ) = 1560

The Nasdaq 100 is similarly testing resistance at 2800 on the weekly chart. Breakout would offer a target of 3150*. The 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero indicates continuation of the primary up-trend, but reversal below zero would warn of a primary down-trend.

Nasdaq 100 Index

* Target calculation: 2800 + ( 2800 – 2450 ) = 3150

Fedex is testing support at $88, neckline of the March/April double top. Failure of support would suggest continuation of the primary down-trend; confirmed if support at $84 is broken.

Fedex

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.

August 22, 2012

BOB JANJUAH: Time For Action, Warning Over – Business Insider

Sam Ro of Business Insider reports on Nomura strategist Bob Janjuah’s August 21 note:

“I now think the correct thing to do – as I also said in April and June – is to prepare for a serious risk-off phase between August and November,” [Janjuah] reiterated. “Over the August to November period I am looking for the S&P500 to trade off down from around 1400…by 20% to 25%…to trade at or below the lows of 2011.”

He argues that the key drivers of this sell-off will be disappointment at next week’s Federal Reserve Jackson Hole speech and realization that the ECB won’t be be able to deliver on their promises.

via BOB JANJUAH: Time For Action, Warning Over – Business Insider.

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.

August 22, 2012

When will the Fed QE?

Is the Fed likely to introduce new asset purchases before or after the November election? Peter Boockvar at The Big Picture writes:

Bottom line, of the 10 voting FOMC members, 8 are doves so it will always be the case that “many” are ready for more QE if need be. The hawks are few and far between. I stick to my belief that more QE is coming on Sept 13th as the Oct meeting is too close to the election and Bernanke won’t act in Dec if Romney wins. This could be his last chance for a while and Ben still seems to believe in the pixie dust of QE.

CNBC reports Nomura’s Bob Janjuah is predicting more quantitative easing from the Federal Reserve in December.

Those hoping for a big bazooka from the Fed or the European Central Bank before December will be disappointed, [Janjuah] said.

My view is that September is too soon: the Fed is likely to hold off until after the election unless the situation gets desperate. And December is too soon afterwards. Early 2013 seems a safer bet.

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.

August 22, 2012

Money Fund Reforms Seen Harming Alternative to Banks

SEC attempts to reform the money market industry are running into opposition from corporate treasurers. Maria Sapan from Securities Technology Monitor writes:

The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed rules that would revamp the $2.6 trillion U.S. money market fund industry, arguing it remains a risk to the financial system. Last month, [Thomas C. Deas, Jr., the treasurer of chemical company FMC Corp and chairman of the National Association of Corporate Treasurers] testified before a House subcommittee that the reforms – such as floating the funds’ net asset value or imposing new capital requirements – would “have a significant negative impact on the ongoing viability of these funds, and also adversely affect the corporate commercial paper market.”

Money market funds are effectively involved in maturity transformation — borrowing short and lending long — which is a function of banks. Maturity transformation is vulnerable to bank runs in times of uncertainty, where depositors demand repayment and borrowers are unable to comply because of liquidity pressures. My view is that if you want to perform the functions of a bank, you need to be registered as a bank, with the same reserve requirements as other banks, and supervised by the Fed. Avoiding these requirements may provide cheaper sources of credit to large corporates, but at the cost of increased risk to the entire economy.

via Money Fund Reforms Seen Harming Alternative to Banks.

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.

August 22, 2012

Fed Minutes Suggest Action Likely – WSJ.com

By JON HILSENRATH And KRISTINA PETERSON

The Federal Reserve sent its strongest signal yet that it is preparing to take new steps to bolster the recovery, saying that measures would be needed fairly soon unless economic growth picks up substantially.

The statement was included in minutes released Wednesday from the Fed’s July 31-Aug. 1 policy meeting. The minutes also indicated that a new round of bond buying, known as quantitative easing, was high on its list of options.

via Fed Minutes Suggest Action Likely – 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.

August 22, 2012

Germany backs Draghi bond plan against Bundesbank – Telegraph

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard,
9:39PM BST 20 Aug 2012

“A currency can only be stable if its future existence is not in doubt,” said Jörg Asmussen, the powerful German member of the ECB’s executive board. He signalled full backing for the bond rescue plan of ECB chief Mario Draghi, brushing aside warnings from the German Bundesbank that large-scale purchases would amount to debt monetisation and a back-door fiscal rescue of insolvent states in breach of EU treaty law.

via Germany backs Draghi bond plan against Bundesbank – Telegraph.

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.