NST Archives - the patient investor

July 19, 2018September 23, 2019

Time to sell Gold stocks

Stocks: Evolution Mining, Northern Star Resources, Regis Resources, St Barbara
Symbols: EVN, NST, RRL, SBM
Exchange: ASX
Date: July 19, 2018

The Dollar price of gold has broken support at $1240/ounce, signaling a primary down-trend.

Spot Gold in USD

The Dollar Index continues to test resistance, consolidating in a narrow band below 95, a bullish sign. Chinese selling of the Dollar, to support the Yuan, has not materialized in sufficient magnitude to reverse Dollar strength. Breakout above 95 would spur selling of gold.

Dollar Index

The Australian Dollar has not weakened sufficiently to protect local gold miners. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (XGD) is heading for a test of support at 4900/4950. Given the circumstances, support is unlikely to hold.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

Bearish divergence on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow warns of selling pressure across all four gold stocks in the Australian Growth portfolio.

Evolution (EVN) is the weakest, having broken primary support at $3.10.

Evolution (EVN)

Northern Star (NST) broke medium-term support at $7.00 but is still in an up-trend. LT bearish divergence on Money Flow warns of selling pressure.

Northern Star (NST)

Regis Resources (RRL) respected medium-term support at $4.90 but Money Flow peaks below zero warn of strong selling pressure.

Regis Resources (RRL)

St Barbara (SBM) respected its rising trendline but Money Flow also warns of selling pressure.

St Barbara (SBM)

Conclusion

I don’t like the idea of holding gold stocks long-term when the USD price of gold is in a primary down-trend. Now is a good time to lock in profits from the last 6 months.

SELL (July 19, 2018)

Disclosure

Staff of The Patient Investor may directly or indirectly own shares in the above companies.

July 20, 2014

To sell or not to sell?

Recent acquisition Northern Star Resources [NST] in the ASX 200 portfolio is a great example of the conundrum faced by long-term investors when a new stock leaps out of the starting blocks. Profit-taking is evident from the tall shadows/wicks early in the week and in the decline of 21-day Twiggs Money Flow. Medium-term selling pressure suggests the stock is likely to retrace and give back some of the gains of the last two weeks. The temptation must be great to sell the stock and lock in profits of close to 30 percent.

It is important, however, to stick to the plan. We are investing for a longer time frame in anticipation of much larger gains. There is no guarantee that any individual stock, including NST, will deliver. But I can guarantee you that they will not deliver long-term gains if you sell within the first few weeks.

Investors in S&P 500 stock Micron Technology [MU] faced a similar conundrum in July 2013. The stock had put in a good run from $9.00 before encountering profit-taking as it approached $15.00. 21-Day Twiggs Money Flow retreated below zero and the stock fell back to $12.50. Many investors would have taken this as a sign to get out.

With hindsight, the decision to stay the course looks easy: support held at $12.50 and MU is now trading at $33.00. But I am sure that there were many investors who forgot their original plan and took profits at $12.50.

….They just aren’t bragging about it.

Disregarding the big swing and trying to jump in and out was fatal to me. Nobody can catch all the fluctuations. In a bull market the game is to buy and hold until you believe the bull market is near its end.
~ Jesse Livermore

That’s all for today. Take care.

July 18, 2014

To sell or not to sell?

….They just aren’t bragging about it.