US & Canada Archives - Page 67 of 176

November 20, 2014

ASX under pressure

The S&P 500 continues to test resistance at 2050, the upper bound of the broadening wedge. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow suggests buying pressure. Breakout would offer a target of 2250*. Reversal below 2000 is less likely, but would warn of another correction.

S&P 500

* Target calculation: 2050 + ( 2050 – 1850 ) = 2250

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) indicates low risk typical of a bull market.

S&P 500 VIX

Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 is testing resistance at 3140. Breakout would indicate an advance to 3300. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow oscillating around zero suggests indecision. Respect of 3140 would test primary support at 3000.

Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50

The Shanghai Composite Index retraced to test support at 2440, while declining 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates medium-term selling pressure. Reversal below the rising trendline at 2400 would warn of a correction, while respect would suggest trend strength.

Shanghai Composite

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is weaker. Reversal below 23000 would warn of a test of primary support at 21200/21500. Twiggs Money Flow (13-week) reversal below zero would also be a strong bear signal.

HSI

The ASX 200 is undergoing another correction. Respect of support at 5250/5300 would indicate reasonable trend strength, but declining 21-day Twiggs Money Flow suggests medium-term selling pressure. With both Energy and Metals & Mining sectors under pressure, a test of primary support at 5120/5150 is likely.

ASX 200

The Aussie Dollar is also falling, having reversed below primary support at $0.8650 to signal a decline to $0.80*.

Aussie Dollar

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

November 16, 2014

Monetary Base and deflation

The Monetary Base consists of currency in circulation and commercial bank deposits at the Federal Reserve. Currency in circulation includes notes and coins both in circulation and held in the vaults of commercial banks. Commercial bank deposits at the Fed can be further broken down into required reserves and excess reserves. Excess reserves on deposit have soared — since late 2008 when the Fed started paying interest on reserves — to a level of $2.6 Trillion.

By varying the interest rate payable on excess reserves the Fed can manipulate the amount of currency in circulation. It is no longer reliant solely on Treasury and MBS purchases and sales to increase or decrease the money supply: these are merely one tool in the monetary tool-kit. So announcing that QE (security purchases) have ended does not mean that currency in circulation and the working monetary base (excluding excess reserves) will stop growing or will contract. That would cause deflationary pressure similar to the European experience. Growth, instead, is likely to continue provided that excess reserves are drawn down to compensate for cessation of QE.

US Monetary Base minus Excess Reserves and Currency in Circulation ROC

Deflationary pressures are unlikely to surface provided currency in circulation and the working monetary base continue to grow at above 5% a year. Only if real GDP grew at a faster pace (a problem we would like to have) would we encounter a problem.

Australia has similarly been keeping on the right side of 5% growth since early 2012. Provided this continues we should keep out of trouble.

Australia Monetary Base and Currency in Circulation ROC

November 16, 2014

A quiet week in the markets

US stocks continue their bull-trend
European stocks strengthen
China likewise
ASX retraces to test support

The S&P 500 is testing the upper border of a broadening wedge formation. Retracement that respects support at 2000 would enhance the bull signal and offer a target of 2280*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates buyers are in control. Reversal below 2000 and the rising trendline is unlikely, but would signal another correction.

S&P 500 Index

* Target calculation: 2040 + ( 2040 – 1820 ) = 2280

Dow Jones Industrial Average has already broken above a similar broadening wedge formation, offering a long-term target of 19000*.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

* Target calculation: 17500 + ( 17500 – 16000 ) = 19000

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) continues to reflect low risk typical of a bull market.

S&P 500 VIX

Germany’s DAX is testing resistance at 9400/9500, but 13-week Twiggs Money Flow remains weak. Reversal of TMF below zero would warn of another correction. Reversal below 9000 would confirm a primary down-trend. Follow-through above 9500 is less likely, but would suggest another test of 10000.

DAX

* Target calculation: 9000 – ( 10000 – 9000 ) = 8000

The Footsie proved more robust, breaking resistance, at 6500/6560 to signal a test of 6900. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow is rising strongly, signaling buyers are in control.

FTSE 100

China’s Shanghai Composite Index broke resistance at its 2013 high of 2440, signaling an advance. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow reversal below its rising trendline, however, would warn of (medium-term) selling pressure.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2400 + ( 2400 – 2300 ) = 2500

The ASX 200 retraced to test support at 5440/5450. Respect would signal another test of the August high at 5650/5660. Failure of support would indicate a test of 5250/5300 and a weaker up-trend. Reversal below 5250 remains unlikely, but would warn of another test of primary support. A 21-day Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero would signal long-term buying pressure.

ASX 200

* Target calculation: 5650 + ( 5650 – 5300 ) = 6000

November 13, 2014

Henry Kissinger Looks Back on the Cold War

Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State joins CFR President Richard Haass to discuss the Cold War. Kissinger reflects on the events, personalities, and thinking that characterized the United States and Soviet Union’s leadership.

November 12, 2014

Will the stock market collapse when QE is withdrawn?

This chart in Westpac’s Northern Exposure chart summary implies that US stocks rely on Fed balance sheet expansion (QE) for support.

Fed Securities Held Outright v. S&P 500

The curve shows an almost perfect fit. There are just two things wrong with it. First, the scales on the left and right sides of the chart are not proportionate: the scale on the left compares a 9 times increase to a 3 times increase on the right. Second, while the Fed has expanded its balance sheet to more than $4 Trillion, a large percentage of that money has washed straight back to the Fed — deposited by banks as excess reserves.

Fed Total Assets and Excess Reserves

The impact on the working monetary base (monetary base adjusted for excess reserves) is far smaller: a rise of 66% (or $544 billion) over the past 7 years.

Fed Total Assets minus Excess Reserves compared to Working Monetary Base

A chart since 1985 shows nominal GDP (GDP before adjustment for inflation) normally expanded between 5% and 7.5% a year outside of recessions. But NGDP has not recovered above 5% after 2008. This may be partly attributable to lower inflation, but the Fed would clearly want to see NGDP above 5% — roughly 3% real growth and 2% inflation.

Working Monetary Base Growth compared to NGDP

We can also see that growth of below 5% in the working monetary base is often precursor to a recession, 1995/1996 being one exception. The second is when the Fed took their foot off the gas pedal too early, after QE1 in 2010, but were able to resume in time to head off a major contraction. They have been far more circumspect the second time and are likely to maintain monetary base growth North of 5%. Too sharp a slow-down would be cause for concern.

When we calculate the ratio of total US stock market capitalisation to the working monetary base [blue line] it is apparent that market response to the increase in monetary base is far more cautious than it was in 1998/1999.

Working Monetary Base Growth compared to NGDP

With Forward Price to Earnings Ratios for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq close to their long-term average (Westpac Northern Exposure, Page 118), I consider the likelihood of the QE taper precipitating a major market collapse to be remote.

November 10, 2014

Dow, Nasdaq advance

Broadening wedges are not patterns on which I place a great deal of reliance, but you can depend on them to generate false signals — in both directions. Dow Jones Industrial Average broke resistance at 17300 and has now penetrated the upper border of the broadening wedge. Follow-through above 17600 would confirm a primary advance with a target of 19000*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates long-term buying pressure. Reversal below 17000 is unlikely, but would warn of another test of primary support and the rising trendline at 16000.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

* Target calculation: 17500 + ( 17500 – 16000 ) = 19000

The Nasdaq 100 offers a target of 4500*, having broken resistance at 4100. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow drifting sideways reflects a lack of enthusiasm, but recovery above 35% would flag renewed buying pressure. Reversal below 4000 is unlikely.

Nasdaq 100

* Target calculation: 4100 + ( 4100 – 3700 ) = 4500

November 9, 2014

In Praise of Global Imbalances by Sanjeev Sanyal – Project Syndicate

Sanjeev Sanyal, Deutsche Bank’s Global Strategist, writes:

….according to International Monetary Fund data, the current overall global investment rate, at 24.5% of world GDP, is near the top of its long-term range. The issue is not a lack of overall investment, but the fact that a disproportionate share of it comes from China. China’s share of world investment has soared from 4.3% in 1995 to an estimated 25.8% this year. By contrast, the United States’ share, which peaked at 36% in 1985, has fallen to less than 18%. The decline in Japan’s share has been more dramatic, from a peak of 22% in 1993 to just 5.7% in 2013…

November 8, 2014

S&P 500 bullish but Europe and China encounter resistance

Retracement of the S&P 500 respected its new support level at 2000, confirming a primary advance with a target of 2150*. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow above the declining trendline indicates buyers are back in control. Reversal below 2000 and the rising trendline is unlikely, but would signal another correction.

S&P 500 Index

* Target calculation: 2000 + ( 2000 – 1850 ) = 2150

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) at 13 indicates low risk typical of a bull market.

S&P 500 VIX

Germany’s DAX found resistance at 9400 and retracement to test support at 9000 is likely. Failure of the former primary support level at 8900/9000 would confirm a primary down-trend. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero would also indicate that sellers dominate.

DAX

* Target calculation: 9000 – ( 10000 – 9000 ) = 8000

The Footsie also encountered resistance, at 6500/6560. Respect of this level would warn of a primary down-trend, but rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow suggests medium-term buying pressure.

FTSE 100

China’s Shanghai Composite Index is testing its 2013 high of 2440. Declining 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of (medium-term) resistance.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2400 + ( 2400 – 2300 ) = 2500

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index also found resistance, at 24000. Reversal below 23000 would confirm a primary down-trend. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero would strengthen the bear signal.

Hang Seng Index

The ASX 200, influenced by both the US and China, is testing resistance at 5550. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow (above zero) indicates medium-term buying pressure. Expect a test of 5650/5660. Reversal below 5380/5400 is less likely, but would warn that sellers have resumed control. I have lowered the target to 6000* because of constant back-filling in recent months.

ASX 200

* Target calculation: 5650 + ( 5650 – 5300 ) = 6000

November 8, 2014

A Growth Pact for America by Glenn Hubbard | Project Syndicate

Glenn Hubbard, former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush, and Dean of Columbia Business School proposes:

….two policies are particularly promising for such a “Pact for America”: federal infrastructure spending and corporate-tax reform. Enactment of these reforms would generate a win for each side – and for both.

But such a bipartisan consensus requires removing both the left and the right’s ideological blinders, at least temporarily. On the left, a preoccupation with Keynesian stimulus reflects a misunderstanding of both the availability of measures shovel-ready projects and their desirability whether they will meaningfully change the expectations of households and businesses. Indeed, to counteract the mindset forged in the recent financial crisis, spending measures will need to be longer-lasting if they are to raise expectations of future growth and thus stimulate current investment and hiring.

The right, for its part, must rethink its obsession with temporary tax cuts for households or businesses. The impact of such cuts on aggregate demand is almost always modest, and they are poorly suited for shifting expectations for recovery and growth in the post-financial-crisis downturn….

November 4, 2014

Canada: TSX 60 finds resistance

Canada’s TSX 60 rallied to 850 before finding resistance. Reversal below 820 would warn of a primary down-trend. Retreat of 13-week Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the bear signal. Follow-through of the index above 865 is less likely, but would indicate another test of 900.

TSX 60