S&P 500 advance

The S&P 500 found support at 1850, signaling an advance to 1950*. Repeated troughs high above zero on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicate strong long-term buying pressure

S&P 500

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) below 15 continues to reflect low market risk typical of a bull market.

VIX Index

The Nasdaq 100 respected support at 3600, but bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of medium-term selling pressure. Failure of support would warn of another correction. Follow-through above 3700, however, would offer a target of 3800*.

Nasdaq 100

* Target calculation: 3600 + ( 3600 – 3400 ) = 3800

Bellwether Transport stock Fedex found support at $130 on the monthly chart. Breakout above $145 would offer a target of $170*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates buying pressure. A bullish sign for the broader economy. Reversal below $130 is unlikely, but would warn of a decline to $120.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

* Target calculation: 145 + ( 145 – 120 ) = 170

In the Real World the Trade Deficit Is More Important Than the Budget Deficit | CEPR

Dean Baker writes:

….the trade deficit is a direct measure of the amount of demand that is going overseas rather than being spent here. This represents income generated in the United States that is not creating demand in the United States. By definition, this lost demand must be made up by other borrowing, either by the public sector (i.e. budget deficits) or the private sector. Currently the trade deficit is running at an annual rate of around $480 billion (@ 3.0 percent of GDP), which means that the sum of net borrowing in the public and private sector must be equal to $480 billion.

Read more at In the Real World the Trade Deficit Is More Important Than the Budget Deficit | Beat the Press.

Never argue with the tape

I daily read predictions of the imminent collapse of stock prices. But ask yourself one question: Is this a bull market or a bear market?

S&P 500

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is below 15.

VIX Index

A prudent speculator never argues with the tape. Markets are never wrong, opinions often are.

~ Jesse Livermore

S&P 500: Great follow-through

Sellers evaporated as the S&P 500 followed-through above 1860, closing at 1875 on normal volume. Expect an advance to 1950*. The long-term trend is bullish, with repeated 21-day Twiggs Money Flow troughs above the zero line.

S&P 500

* Target calculation: 1850 + ( 1850 – 1750 ) = 1950

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) retreated below 15, typical of a bull market.

VIX Index

As China looks on, Putin poses risky dilemma for the West | Reuters

David Rohde at Reuters quotes James Jeffrey, a retired career U.S. diplomat:

Jeffrey said the days and months ahead will be vital. If Putin faces few long-term consequences for seizing Crimea, it will set a precedent for China and other regional powers who may be considering establishing 19th century-style spheres of influence of their own.

“The Chinese,” Jeffrey said, “are in the same position.”

Read more at As China looks on, Putin poses risky dilemma for the West | Reuters.

E-mini jumps on Putin order

E-mini jumps on Putin order for troops to return to bases (Reuters).

E-mini

Breakout above 1850 is a bullish sign. S&P 500 follow-through above 1860 would signal an advance to 1950.

Canada: TSX 60 tests 2011 high

Canada’s TSX 60 encountered strong selling at the 2011 high of 820. Follow-through below 814 would test medium-term support at 800. Reversal of 21-day Twiggs Money Flow below zero indicates medium-term selling pressure. Breach of the rising trendline is unlikely, but would warn of another test of primary support at 770. Breakout above 820 is less likely, but would signal an advance to 840*.

TSX 60

* Target calculation: 805 + ( 805 – 770 ) = 840

S&P 500 persistent selling

The S&P 500 broke out above 1850, but the tall shadow/wick reflects persistent selling. The E-mini (Mar 2014) is currently sitting just above 1840. Index breakout below this level would warn of another correction. Follow-through above 1860 is now unlikely, but would signal an advance to 1950*. The long-term trend remains bullish, with repeated 21-day Twiggs Money Flow troughs above the zero line.

S&P 500

* Target calculation: 1850 + ( 1850 – 1750 ) = 1950

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is likely to rise because of developments in the Ukraine, but below 20 reflects a bull market.

VIX Index

Nasdaq 100 reversal below 3600 would warn of a test of primary support at 3400. Decline of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below its recent low would strengthen the signal. Breakout above 3700 seems less likely, but would offer a target of 3800*.

Nasdaq 100

* Target calculation: 3600 + ( 3600 – 3400 ) = 3800

Dollar and treasury yields weaken

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes is testing support between 2.60 and 2.65 percent. Breach would continue the correction to primary support at 2.50 percent. Bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Momentum warns of weakness. Breach of 2.50 would offer a target of 2.00 percent, while recovery above 2.75 would indicate an advance to 3.50 percent* — confirmed if there is a breakout above 3.00 percent.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 3.00 + ( 3.00 – 2.50 ) = 3.50

Lower yields would suggest dollar weakness. A monthly chart shows the Dollar Index ranging between 80.00 and 81.50 over the past four months. Breach of the rising trendline indicates trend weakness and a break of support at 80.00 would test primary support at 79.00. Breach of primary support, and/or a 13-week Twiggs Momentum peak below zero, would signal a primary down-trend.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 81.5 + ( 81.5 – 79 ) = 84 or 79 – ( 84 – 79 ) = 74

S&P 500 at 1850

The S&P 500 continues to encounter stout resistance at 1850. The narrow range, however, reflects buyers commitment. Follow-through above 1860 would signal an advance to 1950*. Reversal below 1825 is less likely, but would warn of another correction. The long-term trend remains bullish, with repeated 21-day Twiggs Money Flow troughs above the zero line.

S&P 500

* Target calculation: 1850 + ( 1850 – 1750 ) = 1950

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) below 20 continues to indicate low risk typical of a bull market.