Recent Posts from Chart Trader and System Trader:
Three Big Negatives Overshadow the Uptrends in SPY and QQQ
SPY and QQQ remain in long-term uptrends, but three big negatives are hanging over the stock market right now. Two negatives are tied to important cyclical groups and the third is reminiscent of summer 2022. This report will analyze the recent breakdown in housing, continued weakness in semiconductors and the big breakout in the 10-yr Treasury Yield.
Fintech Leadership Provides Good Hunting Ground for Bullish Setups
Chartists looking for stock setups can start with strong industry groups. The Fintech (FINX) is in a strong uptrend and leading, but looking extended short-term. While there is no setup currently, we can learn from past setups and apply these lessons to stocks within the group.
Drop in Yields Triggers Gap-Surge in Home Builders (Free)
The 10-yr Treasury Yield plunged as Treasury bonds surged on the heels of a new nomination for Treasury secretary. These moves lifted small-caps, banks and homebuilders. Banks have been leading for some time and small-caps started their move last week. Homebuilders held out for interest rates and got their catalyst on Monday. Today’s report will analyze
Four Prerequisites to Improve Your Odds – A Live Example (Free)
Even though trading based on chart analysis involves some discretionary decisions, chartists can improve the odds of success by systematizing their process. This report will show four prerequisite filters based on a top-down approach. We will start with the broader market, look at the sector, and then apply two qualifying filters to the stock. First, I would make sure
A Tale of Two Semiconductor ETFs – Why is SOXX Weaker than SMH? (Free)
The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) is lagging the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) as it broke the 200-day SMA and confirmed a bearish pattern. SMH is holding up because its top component remains strong. Nevertheless SMH is at a moment of truth ahead of a big earnings report from Nvidia.
Finding and Trading Oversold Conditions within Long-term Uptrends (Free)
There is only one way to trade in a long-term uptrend: long. Forget about picking tops and breaks below short-term moving averages. Leaning bearish within a long-term uptrend is not a profitable strategy. Instead, we should lean bullish and use oversold conditions to our advantage. In a long-term uptrend, I am only interested in
Two Indicators to Start your Process and Improve Your Edge
There are no magic bullets, but we can improve our trading edge by starting our selection process with two proven concepts: trend and momentum. These are perhaps the two most powerful forces in the market. The idea is relatively simple: stay on the right side of the trend and focus on the leaders. This is basically dual-momentum. Starting our process with these two steps
Cybersecurity ETF Comes to Life with New Trending Phase (Free)
The Cybersecurity ETF (CIBR) is resuming the lead as it surged to new highs this past week. It is important to note that CIBR began its leadership role a lot earlier because it hit a new high in late August. Today’s report will analyze the recent breakout and suggest some possibilities in the future.
Market Timing for a Rules-Based Strategy
Any strategy that trades stocks needs some sort of market timing mechanism to identify bull and bear markets. Typically, stock strategies are fully invested during bull markets because risk is acceptable. Strategies move to cash
It all Started with a Big Bang! (Free)
Extended trends often start with big bangs and major breakouts. Chartists can identify “big bang” moves by showing price change in ATR terms. We can use the price charts to identify big breakouts. Today’s example will show
This Housing-Related Stock Just Printed a 5 for the Trend Composite
The Home Construction ETF (ITB) is leading the market as it surged to a new closing high this week. While this high is certainly bullish and points to upside leadership, the real signal triggered back in early July as the Trend Composite turned bullish with an outsized move. Let’s review this signal and then look at a recent signal in
TLT Turns the Corner and Starts to Lead
The 20+ Yr Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) is turning the corner as a long-term trend indicator turns bullish and price extends on a breakout. TLT is also starting to outperform the S&P 500 EW ETF (RSP), for the first time in a long time.
This Breadth Indicator Points to More Downside – And a Potential Opportunity
QQQ is leading the market lower and weighing on tech stocks. The long-term trend is up and oversold breadth could present an opportunity. Short-term breadth has yet to become oversold and this means we may have further downside first.
Nvidia Breaks the 50-day SMA – Is this a Threat or an Opportunity?
After a big run this year, Nvidia (NVDA) fell over 15% from its high and broke its 50-day SMA. On the face of it, a break below this “key” moving average seems like a short-term bearish signal. Such a view, however
Small-caps Break Out and Lead – Now What?
Small-caps took the lead over the last two weeks with the S&P SmallCap 600 SPDR (IJR) surging over 10% in five days and hitting a new high. IJR also broke out of a long consolidation and this breakout is bullish. There are now three possibilities going forward
Using Nasdaq 100 Specific Breadth to Measure Risk Appetite
The Nasdaq 100 is a major driver in the stock market and Nasdaq 100 breadth indicators should be part of our broad market analysis routine. 84 Nasdaq 100 stocks (16.8%) are also in the S&P 500 and their weighting
Finding Emerging Leaders within Key Groups
The broader market is fairly mixed with one clear leader: technology. I am also seeing mixed performance within the technology sector and within specific groups. Semiconductors are strong overall, but groups like cybersecurity
Alibaba Returns to the Scene of the Crime
Chinese stocks wet on a tear from mid April to mid May with the China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) gaining some 40% and breaking its 200-day SMA. FXI then fell back over the last few weeks. This surge and pullback created a potential opportunity because some stocks
Visualizing the Holdings for a Dual Momentum Rotation Strategy
As the name suggests, Dual Momentum Rotation Strategies focus on stocks that are in absolute and relative uptrends. This is a two-step process. First, filter out stocks that are in long-term downtrends and only focus on stocks in uptrend. Second, rank
Differentiating between Short-term Distractions and Setups with True Potential
Traders can improve their odds by ignoring distraction signals and focusing on setups with real potential. In general, short timeframes are better suited for mean-reversion, while long timeframes
Bitcoin Sets Up with Classic Continuation Signal – Part 1
There is a certain ebb and flow in uptrends. Often we see some sort of stair step higher with big advances and smaller corrections along the way. In Dow Theory terms, the primary trend is up and declines within a primary uptrend are
Six Leaders, but One Is Getting Real Frothy
After sharp declines into mid April, stocks rebounded over the last three weeks and the S&P 500 SPDR (SPY) came within 1% of its March high. This March high acts
Is this a Dead-Cat Bounce or a Bounce with Legs?
Stocks fell sharply into late April and then rebounded over the last two weeks. SPY fell 5.34% from March 28th to April 19th and then rebounded with a 3.26% gain the last two weeks. Does this bounce have legs? Chartists can separate
Using Outsized Moves to Identify Trend Reversals – Checking in on ITB and SOXX
Trends often start with outsized moves. But how do we measure and identify such moves? Chartists can measure moves in Average True Range (ATR) terms using the ATR Trailing Stop SAR indicator (ATR-SAR). ATR is a volatility indicator developed by Welles Wilder.