The Dollar Index found short-term support at 96.50/97 but the primary trend is down. Breach of support is likely and would signal another decline. The medium-term target is the 2016 low at 92/93.
Spot Gold encountered resistance at $1300/ounce and is retracing to test support at $1250. Fundamentals, like a weaker Dollar and rising political uncertainty, still favor a continued up-trend. Respect of support at $1250 would confirm.
The Dollar Index continues its downward slide. Breach of support at 97 indicates another decline. The medium-term target is the 2016 low at 92/93.
Spot Gold is advancing strongly, having broken resistance at $1260. The immediate target is $1300.
Iron ore is falling.
And the broader DJ-UBS Commodity Index is testing support at 82. Breach would signal a decline to test the 2015 low at 74.
But the Aussie Dollar rallied Friday, the large engulfing candle suggesting another test of resistance at 75 US cents.
Miners finished strongly, with the ASX 300 Metals & Mining index reflecting short-term buying pressure. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow recovered above zero.
The ASX 200 is testing resistance at 5800. A 21-day Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero indicates medium-term buying pressure. Breakout above 5800 is likely and would suggest another test of 5950/6000.
Banks also rallied, with the ASX 300 Banks index headed for a test of 8500. Expect strong resistance.
Perhaps this UBS report had something to do with it.
I believe that the latest rally is a secondary reaction and that the ASX is headed for a down-turn, with miners and banks leading the way. But it’s no use arguing with the (ticker) tape.
A prudent speculator never argues with the tape. Markets are never wrong, opinions often are.
~ Jesse Livermore
If you want to know why RIO is higher today than when iron ore was at $92 then check this out from UBS:
Hitting the Wall or Just a Wobble?
Australian equities performed poorly in May (falling 3%) despite global markets posting solid gains (rising 2%). The market weakness in May was overwhelmingly driven by the heavyweight banks sector. On balance we believe “hard landing” fears are overdone though we concede that the consumer outlook is lacklustre.
Staying Overweight Resources and Neutral Banks
We continue to overweight the resource sector on the basis of relative valuation, and benign (iron ore) to moderately constructive commodity expectations (copper, oil, mineral sands). With the bank sector off 10% (total return), we think the sector is once again looking “fair” in an absolute sense (12.8x and 5.9% yield) and notionally cheap in a relative sense. A constrained growth outlook and near-term capital uncertainty keep us neutral.
Other Favoured Themes
From a thematic standpoint two of our key themes remain 1) public infrastructure exposure (we continue to hold Boral and Lend Lease Group) and 2) domestic energy suppliers continue to be well supported by investors (we continue to hold AGL Energy, Origin Energy). We continue to overweight US$/US economy plays.
What can I say? That’s some crazy shit.
Iron ore broke support at $60, signaling another decline. The medium-term target is $50*.
* Target: 60 – ( 70 – 60 ) = 50
Resources stocks lost momentum, with the ASX 300 Metals & Mining index respecting resistance at 3000. Twiggs Money Flow seemed to be recovering after a strong bearish divergence but has again slipped below zero, warning of selling pressure. Expect another test of primary support at 2700.
The big banks face selling pressure, with Twiggs Money Flow falling sharply. The primary down-trend on the ASX 300 Banks Index, having broken support at 8500, offers a medium-term target of 8000*.
* Target: 8500 – ( 9000 – 8500 ) = 8000
The ASX 200 respected resistance at 5800. Breach of 5700 is likely and would confirm another test of primary support at 5600*. Breach of 5600 would signal a primary down-trend, offering a target of 5200*.
* Target medium-term: 5600 – ( 6000 – 5600 ) = 5200
The Dollar Index continues its downward spiral. Narrow consolidation at 97 is a bearish sign. Breach of support is likely and would indicate another decline. The primary down-trend has a medium-term target of the 2016 low at 92/93.
Spot Gold broke resistance at $1260, signaling another advance, with a target of $1300. Reversal below $1250 is unlikely but would warn of trend weakness.
From Stanley Reed at The Age:
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries extended oil production cuts through March 2018, Khalid A. al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, said in Vienna overnight. The move follows a decision this month by Saudi Arabia and Russia to do so.
The earlier announcement helped lift prices from a low of $US46. But on Thursday, prices shed more than 4 per cent with more than a billion barrels traded….
“Opec is being caught in a pincer movement of technology and policy that will, over time, erode oil use,” said Bill Farren-Price, chief executive of Petroleum Policy Intelligence, an advisory firm for hedge funds and other investors. “This meeting is more about forestalling an oil price collapse than driving prices higher.”
Read more at: OPEC agrees to extend output cuts through March 2018
The Aussie Dollar met resistance at the former support level of 75 US cents, with a tall shadow on Tuesday’s shooting star candlestick pattern. Respect of resistance is likely and would warn of another test of support at 73.50. Breach of support would offer a target of 72, putting pressure on ASX stocks as international investors retreat.
The Aussie tends to take its direction from commodities. At present iron ore displays a weak rally that coincides with the rally on AUDUSD. Reversal through support at 60 is likely, and would warn of a decline to 50.
Broad commodity indexes like the DJ-UBS Commodity Index are consolidating in a rectangle, between 82 and 90 on the chart below. Commodities have been trending lower since 2011, as shown yesterday. Breakout above 90 is unlikely but would signal a primary up-trend. Breach of support is more likely and would indicate a decline to test support at the January 2016 low, between 72 and 74.
Growth in total monthly hours worked has slowed to 1.3% for the 12 months to April 2017. In fact, growth has been pretty lean over the last 5 years, except for the period January 2015 to February 2016.
High commodity prices in 2004 to 2008 and 2010 to 2011 coincide with periods of strong employment and GDP growth, as indicated on the chart above.
The current down-trend in commodity prices, depicted on the DJ-UBS Commodity Index above, and low growth in hours worked both point to anemic employment (and GDP) growth ahead.
China’s PBOC eased up on its crackdown on wealth management products (WMPs) and related bank lending. The resulting fall-off in new credit and a spike in interbank lending rates threatened to precipitate a sharp contraction.
Copper rallied off long-term support at 5400. The reaction is secondary and breach of 5400 remains likely, signaling a primary down-trend.
Iron ore is consolidating in a narrow bearish pattern above support at 60. Breach seems likely and would signal another decline, with a target of 50*.
* Target: 60 – ( 70 – 60 ) = 50
Shanghai’s Composite Index rallied to test its new resistance level at 3100, after breach signaled a primary down-trend. Respect would confirm the decline, with a medium-term target of 2800*, but government intervention may bolster support. Recovery above 3100 would mean all bets are off for the present.
* Target medium-term: May 2016 low of 2800
