A Voodoo (Grand)Daddy He's A One Of A Kind

April 28, 2015

Mish's Daily

By Mish Schneider


Everybody scream!!! Okay, now that we got that out of the way, we can exorcise all those demons that keep us expecting the market to either break down or up out of the trading range and in recent history, the trading range within the trading range.

That’s not to say that there aren’t individual stocks that are on their own trajectory. But, looking strictly at the macro picture, the Market Tone fluctuates daily from short-term negative to positive, intermediate term-slightly positive to more positive and long-term, lower and higher degrees of only positive.

How many ways can I use figurative language and metaphors to tell the story of the Market 2015? To review-sheep, goats, rams, Shepherds, pastures, wolves, airplanes and cruising altitudes, episodes of Mr. Ed, The Simpsons, Monk to the cast of my Modern Family, everything brings me back to this-TRADING RANGE abounds, until we get something more than a one day move to confirm that the trading range has broken either way.

Tuesday, our Granddaddy Russell 2000s took us from seemingly entering the abyss by breaking down under the 50 Daily Moving Average early on, to returning back above it. And, he had help from sibling KRE-the Regional Banks Sector ETF. That stayed green all day even before IWM followed in kind.

So what did the rest of the family do? In the spirit of dancing the dosey-doe and taking turns as leaders or laggards, they scattered away from one another a bit, but ultimately kept the family in check as a whole.

Retail (XRT) faltered a bit sitting on the 50 DMA after a weak consumer confidence number. Semiconductors (SMH) held the bullish phase. Biotechnology (IBB) entered an unconfirmed warning phase (needs a second day to confirm that change) and Transportation (IYT), although well below the 50 DMA, had a decent bounce off of the 200 DMA and cleared the fast moving average.

As we came into this week watching to see if any of those groups could catch fire and if the Russell 2000s might take out 2015 highs, at this point, we remain breathlessly watching.

Finally, the cruising altitude of the Dow at 18,000 hit turbulence, but happily, we did not have to assume the crash position. (Unless you were long Twitter, which illustrates the Agony and the Ecstasy of Social Media as the earnings announcement to their Investor Relations page was posted prematurely and subsequently tweeted.)

S&P 500 (SPY) Held the 50 DMA perfectly and closed on the intraday highs. 212.17 is the pivot to clear and Tuesday’s low the point to hold

Russell 2000 (IWM) Returned over 125.12 keeping hope alive

Dow (DIA) Chart and range intact for now.

Nasdaq (QQQ) We escaped the fate of an island top. Like over 110.68

XLF (Financials) Closed right over the 50 DMA giving us a confirmed phase change back to bullish. Fins have been a reason why the market is not currently trading much higher.

KRE (Regional Banks) Inside day over the 50 DMA. Long term still very friendly here, even when it gives us pause

SMH (Semiconductors) Confirmed phase change to bullish

IYT (Transportation) 160 the point to clear 156 the point to hold

IBB (Biotechnology) Unconfirmed warning phase but right into March low support

XRT (Retail) Unconfirmed warning phase but right into April low support

ITB (US Home Construction) A possible reversal candle if confirms-good risk too if it does

GLD (Gold Trust) Watch the metals to see if this bounce is real. I have been thinking that gld and slv are basing.

GDX (Gold Miners) Finally got the close over 20.00 and then some.

USO (US Oil Fund) Consolidating just over the 100 DMA. Needs to hold 18.25 and clear 20.29

OIH (Oil Services) Consolidating and worth watching

XLE (Energy) Consolidating and worth watching

TBT (Ultrashort Lehman 20+ Year Treasuries) The Interest Rates should remain choppy with a good possibility of a rate rise, but with no real commitment on that as yet

UUP (Dollar Bull) Oversold and probably worth looking at for a bounce off of the February breakout levels

EEM (Emerging Markets) Closed on another new 2015 high

EWY (South Korea) Consolidating after last week’s gap higher

BAL (Cotton) Futures look good and even better over 68.00

SGG (Sugar) Futures held above the 50 DMA and for the first time since 2010 look like its bottoming

PHO (Water) Worth watching if closes over 25.55 for a long term swing long

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