Pound Sterling is headed for another test of support at €1.225/€1.230 on the weekly chart against the euro. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero warns of a primary down-trend. Breach of support and the rising trendline would confirm the signal. Respect of support is unlikely, but would test €1.260 in the medium-term.
South African Rand weakens on mining unrest
Continued clashes between rival mining unions fueled further weakening of the South African Rand against the greenback.
Rising 63-day Twiggs Momentum reflects a strong primary up-trend. Breakout above R9.00 would offer a medium-term target of R9.50. In the long-term, the next major resistance level is the 2008 high of R11.00.
Euro and Aussie Dollar long tails
The Euro reversed direction in response to the weakening dollar, breaking resistance at $1.28 to indicate another test of $1.31/$1.32. Respect of the new support level would confirm.
The Aussie Dollar likewise displays evidence of buying pressure, with long tails below resistance at $1.04. Breakout would offer a target of $1.06*. Reversal of of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero, however, would warn of a primary down-trend.
* Target calculation: 1.04 + ( 1.04 – 1.02 ) = 1.06
Gold strengthens as dollar retreats
Long tails on the last two days of the spot gold daily chart indicate strong support at $1700 per ounce. Breakout above $1740 would indicate another test of $1800. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum well above zero suggests a healthy up-trend. A weakening dollar would strengthen the signal.
* Target calculation: 1800 + ( 1800 – 1700 ) = 1900
The Dollar Index (weekly chart) retreated below resistance at 81. Follow-through below 80 would test primary support at 78.50, while failure of primary support would complete a head-and-shoulders reversal with a target of 74*. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum holding below zero already suggests a primary down-trend. Breakout above 81.50 is unlikely but would indicate an advance to 84.
* Target calculation: 79 – ( 84 – 79 ) = 74
The DJ-UBS Commodity Index (weekly chart) respected support at 140. The 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero suggests a primary up-trend. A weakening dollar would strengthen the signal, while breakout above 152 would confirm. Breach of 140 is unlikely but would test primary support at 126.
Nymex WTI Light Crude and ICE Brent Crude are both trending downward. The 63-day Twiggs Momentum peak at zero warns of a primary down-trend. Breach of primary support would confirm: WTI at $78 per barrel and Brent Crude at $90.
Euro and Aussie Dollar meet resistance
The Euro respected resistance at $1.28 and another test of medium-term support at $1.265 is likely. Breach of support would indicate a correction to $1.23.
The Aussie Dollar likewise respected resistance, at $1.04. Follow-through below $1.03 would test primary support at $1.02/$1.015. Recovery above $1.04 is unlikely but would test $1.06*. Reversal of of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would suggest a primary down-trend.
* Target calculation: 1.04 + ( 1.04 – 1.02 ) = 1.06
The Gold-Euro-Dollar conundrum Part II
Last week we discussed conflicting signals from the euro and US dollar. The Dollar Index and the euro are normally plotted inversely to each other. I have reversed this on the chart below. As expected, with the euro the largest component (57.6 percent) of the dollar index weighted basket of currencies, there is a strong correlation. Divergences between the two seldom last as traders “arbitrage” the differences.
The rising Dollar Index is testing resistance at 81.50. Respect of resistance would threaten a head-and-shoulders reversal — with a target of 74* — following a breakout below primary support at 78.50. Falling 63-day Twiggs Momentum, below zero, already suggests a primary down-trend. But recovery above 81.50/82.00 would negate this, indicating another primary advance.
* Target calculation: 79 – ( 84 – 79 ) = 74
Spot gold (daily chart) is testing short-term support at $1700 per ounce. Respect of support would reinforce the earlier trendline break, suggesting another test of $1800. But a stronger dollar and failure of support at $1675 would indicate a more severe correction.
* Target calculation: 1800 + ( 1800 – 1700 ) = 1900
The DJ-UBS Commodity Index (weekly chart) continues to test support at 140. A 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero would indicate a primary up-trend. Recovery above 152 would confirm. A stronger dollar and breach of 140, however, would test primary support at 126.
Nymex WTI Light Crude and ICE Brent Crude are both headed for a test of primary support: WTI at $76/$78 per barrel and Brent Crude at $90. The 63-day Twiggs Momentum peak below zero warns of a primary down-trend.
The Gold-Euro-Dollar conundrum
The Euro broke support at $1.28 against the greenback (weekly chart). Respect of the descending trendline warns of a down-swing to test primary support at $1.20. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the signal. But the Dollar Index and Gold suggest the opposite. Recovery above $1.28 would indicate a bear trap.
The Dollar Index is inversely rising to test resistance at 81/81.50. Breakout would indicate another test of 84.00 but 63-Day Twiggs Momentum below zero warns of a primary down-trend. Rising gold also suggests dollar weakness. Reversal below support at 78.50 would complete a head-and-shoulders reversal with a target of 74*.
* Target calculation: 79 – ( 84 – 79 ) = 74
Spot gold (daily chart) broke resistance at $1725 per ounce, signaling an advance to $1900*. The 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero indicates a primary up-trend. Breakout above $1800 would confirm. The conundrum is the euro is weakening and dollar index strengthening but gold is rising rather than weakening as expected.
* Target calculation: 1800 + ( 1800 – 1700 ) = 1900
The DJ-UBS Commodity Index (weekly chart) found support at 140. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum is testing zero. Respect would indicate a primary up-trend. Recovery above $1.52 would confirm. Breach of $140, however, and 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero, resulting from a strengthening dollar and/or global down-turn, would test primary support at 126.
Nymex WTI Light Crude is headed for a test of primary support at $76/$78 per barrel. Declining 63-day Twiggs Momentum, below zero, warns of a primary down-trend. Brent Crude is also weakening, headed for test of primary support at $90.
Dollar Index
The Dollar Index is testing resistance at 81/81.50. Breakout would indicate another test of 84.00. But 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero warns of a primary down-trend. Breach of support at 78.50 would complete a head-and-shoulders reversal with a target of 74*.
* Target calculation: 79 – ( 84 – 79 ) = 74
Forex: Euro, Pound Sterling, Australian Dollar and Canadian Loonie
The Euro is testing support at $1.28. Breakout would respect the primary down-trend, warning of another test of primary support at the 2010 low at $1.19/1.20. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the signal. Recovery above $1.32 is less likely but would indicate an advance to $1.35/$1.36*.
Pound Sterling rallied off support at €1.225 against the Euro. Breakout above €1.26 would indicate an advance to €1.29. A 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero — and respect of the rising trendline — would both indicate a healthy up-trend. Breach of support at €1.225, however, would signal a primary down-trend.
* Target calculation: 1.26 + ( 1.26 – 1.23 ) = 1.29
Canada’s Loonie is testing support at parity against the greenback. Respect would indicate an advance to $1.06*. Breach of resistance at $1.03 would strengthen the signal and a 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero would confirm. Failure of support, however, would warn of another test of primary support at $0.96.
* Target calculation: 1.03 + ( 1.03 – 1.00 ) = 1.06
The Aussie Dollar broke resistance at $1.04 after the RBA announced that it would not cut interest rates, leaving them on hold until December. Expect an advance to $1.06*. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum oscillating above zero suggests a primary up-trend.
* Target calculation: 1.04 + ( 1.04 – 1.02 ) = 1.06
Gold and dollar test support
The Dollar Index (daily chart) broke medium-term resistance at 80 before retracing to test the new support level. Penetration of the descending trendline indicates the correction has ended. A long tail on Wednesday indicates (short-term) buying pressure; respect of support would signal an advance to 81. But the primary trend is downward — reflected 63-day Twiggs Momentum oscillating below zero — and breach of support at 79 would signal a decline to 75*.
* Target calculation: 78 – ( 81 – 78 ) = 75
Still on the daily chart, spot gold found short-term support at 1700, penetrating the descending trendline. A stronger dollar would suggest further gold weakness but the $DXY primary trend remains down. Expect another test of $1700 but respect would signal a rally to $1800 per ounce*. A 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero would signal a primary up-trend, while breakout above $1800 would confirm.
* Target calculation: 1650 + ( 1650 – 1500 ) = 1800
The DJ-UBS Commodity Index (weekly chart) reflects an easing inflation outlook, breach of medium-term support at 145 signaling a correction. A 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero would suggest a primary up-trend, while a fall below zero would mean further weakness.
Brent Crude (weekly chart) is testing support at $108 per barrel. Breakout would indicate a decline to $100. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the bear signal.
* Target calculation: 108 – ( 117 – 108 ) = 99
Nymex WTI Light Crude is falling faster, headed for a test of primary support at $76/$78 per barrel. A 63-day Twiggs Momentum peak below zero warns of a primary down-trend.