Slope of Hope Blog Posts

Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.

New Three Year Highs (by Springheel Jack)

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There were many new three year highs on equities yesterday, and even the recently lagging transports index caught up to make one too. With the new high on the Dow yesterday that gives us another Dow Theory Buy Signal. It would be hard not to regard this as very bullish, and I won't be trying to put a bearish interpretation on it. Here's yesterday's impressive move on the Transports index on the daily chart:

Something that does look somewhat bearish though is the reversal yesterday on NQ at the upper trendline of the rising channel I posted. I suspect that NQ will soon break that resistance trendline but until it does there is the possibility of a significant reversal here:

I'll start taking that channel more seriously on NQ if ES breaks down from the short term support trendline. That trendline is the support trendline for what could either be a rising channel or a rising wedge. If it's a rising channel then the next ES target is in the mid-1360s, but possible wedge resistance in the 1348 area will need to be broken first. The rising support trendline is in the 1338 area:

On the bigger ES picture, the neckline on the big continuation IHS broke yesterday. There's some negative divergence on the 60min RSI but if ES can hold above the IHS neckline for a day or two then it should become effective support. A return to test 1319 already looks much less likely:

Everyone's looking at the Fed meeting today wondering whether the Fed will offer some support to the stricken US dollar. If it doesn't then a continuation down looks very likely. EURUSD has now broken up from the resistance turned support upper wedge trendline that it has been hugging recently and the next obvious target is the 2009 high at 151.44:

There has been much speculation in recent days about whether equities can continue rising without a pullback on oil. Looking at the oil futures daily chart that pullback on oil may well be building now, as oil has reversed at a rising resistance trendline, and has then double-topped with sharp negative divergence on RSI. Unless oil can break through to new highs with confidence, the obvious next target is the gap support (and possible H&S neckline) in the 96 area:

The big wild card today is the Fed meeting and press conference. I'm doubtful that the Fed will pay much more than lip service to a stronger US dollar, but lip service might be good for a short-term bounce on USD so I'll be watching it carefully. Meantime the short term picture looks fairly bullish and I'm be watching resistance on NQ to see whether NQ can break that and the Feb high at 2404 with conviction.

There's been a lot of talk about how the US Dollar is indispensable as a reserve currency, and that foreign holders of US treasuries will therefore continue to build holdings indefinitely regardless of a disintegrating USD and the obvious fiscal incontinence of the US government. It was Charles De Gaulle though who famously remarked that the graveyards are full of indispensable men, and while the reserve currency graveyard is somewhat smaller, the same is doubtless true of reserve currencies as well. If nothing is done to support the US Dollar here then a rebalancing away from USD towards a basket of reserve currencies wouldn't actually have a big impact on anyone other than the US. It will be interesting to see whether the Fed takes any steps to support USD here, though their track record for forward thinking over the last fifteen years would suggest that they won't.

Super Shalom Suspense

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Well, the big day is coming – – Wednesday, April 27th, the one-two punch of the Fed announcement and the first-ever Press Conference. Hold on to your seats!

I will be relieved when the entire spectacle is over. When the day is through, I think one of two possible outcomes is going to be before us:

(1) The oh-so-obvious IHS pattern on the SPY will be in full swing, and we'll be on our way to (groan….) 143 or so, or;

(2) The bulls will get disappointed by something Shalom says (or doesn't say) with respect to QE2/QE3, and the pattern will fail. This is the outcome I'd like, but I'm sure as hell not putting any big positions out there based on it. No matter what, expect some stomach-churning swings both after the announcement and while his lips are moving.

The IHS patterns over the past year have all played out for the bulls. I don't have any reason to believe this one will be any different, but we shall see.

Incidentally, click-activity went up today, and I really appreciate it. Thank you.

0426-easy

SPY Update (by Leaf_West)

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SPY_April26, 2011_Daily

We are right at the upper trend line on the ascending triangle, right at position "D" and right at the 1.0 time goal projection on the Fibonacci Time Grid.  I think my short term projections over the past week have been spot on.

The $64 million question is what is going to happen after the Fed meeting/press conference.  I still believe that there are just too many bullish charts to expect price to roll-over.

SPY_April26, 2011_Daily_02

The chart above draws in some targets for the move higher … the MOB target drawn via the eSignal software points a target right around the 61.8% triangle pattern projected target ($140.50ish).  The 100% Triangle Pattern points to $144.00ish or about 7% from current prices.

The projected/optimum time target according to the MOB target is May13th, which I believe is the next option expiry date …. conspiracy theorists can begin their discussions!!

Note that the daily DMI has crossed over and has confirmed the new trend higher.  Optimally we would get an "E" wave push lower tomorrow either in front of the Fed announcement or shortly after.  The market may not want to wait for that however … if that is the case, that is a great indication as to the strength of this move.

Don't fight it … get long and enjoy the screaming chimps as shorties are forced to cover here on the bust higher.  $135.05 – $135.15 should force the last of the shorts to cover and set-up an intermediate top in that 1st or 2nd week of May.  That may be it for a top until late summer/early fall.