Market Commentary: Averages Close Down After Trading Sideways All Afternoon

Written by Gary

Closing Market Commentary For 12-15-2014

Crude oil has fallen to new lows while the averages has traded in a sideways fashion since the noon hour. Volume has remained low to moderate and investors seem to be in a holding pattern waiting for the train wreck I guess.

By 4 pm the averages were down, but nothing special from the sideways trading seen since noon.

I am still hoping for a Santa Claus rally, but if it doesn’t happen by Wednesday afternoon, it isn’t going to happen. Oil has slipped to new lows (short SCO), but didn’t particularly effect the averages, maybe investors are waiting for the ‘Golden’ message from Ms. Yellen.

Those indicators that point in both direction are still active, but oil is keeping a damper on the bull at this point.

Our medium term indicators are leaning towards sell portfolio of non-performers at the close and the short-term market direction meter is very, very bearish moving from fractionally bullish this morning. We remain mostly conservatively bullish, neutral in other words. Right now now I am getting very concerned any downtrend could get very aggressive in the short-term and any volatility may also promote sudden reversals. The SP500 MACD has turned down, but remains above zero at +1.44. I would advise caution in taking any position during this uncertain period and I hope you have returned your ‘dogs’ to the pound.

Having some cash on hand now is not a bad strategy as market changes are happening everyday. As of now, I do not see any leading indicators that are warnings of a ‘long-term’ reversal in the near-term. There may be one later in 2015, but any market fluctuations we see now are more of a internal market rectification than a bear market.

Investing.com members’ sentiments are 63 % Bearish.

Investors Intelligence sets the breath at 51.8 % bullish with the status at Bear Correction. (Chart Here ) I expect a market reversal at or before ~25.0 should the markets start to descend.

StockChart.com Overbought / Oversold Index ($NYMO) is at -63.25. (Chart Here) But anything below -30 / -40 is a concern of going deeper. Oversold conditions on the NYSE McClellan Oscillator usually bounce back at anything over -50 and reverse after reaching +40 oversold.

This $NYA200R chart below is the percentage of stocks above the 200 DMA and is always a good statistic to follow. It can depict a trend of declining equities which is always troubling, especially when it drops below 60% – 55%. Dropping below 40%-35% signals serious continuing weakness and falling averages.

StockChart.com NYSE % of stocks above 200 DMA Index ($NYA200R) is at 45.44 %. (Chart Here) The next support is ~37.00, ~25.00 and ~15.00 below that. December, 2011 was the last time we saw numbers in the 20’s.

Many indicators are showing markets leveling off or rounding indicating market softness that could lead to lower values and investor’s should watch carefully. The SP500 MACD, $BPNYA, $BPSPX, $TNX and the $NYA all show rounding off the tops which in the past has lead to a downturn.

StockChart.com NYSE Bullish Percent Index ($BPNYA) is at 54.92. (Chart Here) Next stop down is ~57, then ~44, below that is where we will most likely see the markets crash.

StockChart.com S&P 500 Bullish Percent Index ($BPSPX) is at 71.40. (Chart Here) In support zone and rising. ~62, ~57, ~45 at which the markets are in a full-blown correction.

StockChart.com 10 Year Treasury Note Yield Index ($TNX) is at 21.16. (Chart Here) Flattening Yield Curve Signaling Slowing Economic Growth?

StockChart.com Consumer Discretionary ETF (XLY) is at 69.67. (Chart Here)

Chris Ciovacco says, “As long as the consumer discretionary ETF (NYSEARCA:XLY) holds above [66.88], all things being equal, it is a good sign for stocks and the U.S. economy.” This chart clearly shows that dropping below 65.00 / 62.75 (and staying there) should be of a great concern to bullish investors.

StockChart.com NYSE Composite (Liquidity) Index ($NYA) is at 10,424. (Chart Here) Markets move inverse to institutional selling. We are above the resistance (10,301) but is this a test of the next resistance (triple top) at ~11,109, watch to see if these numbers decline back down. Next stop down is 10600, 9750, then 9250, and 8500.

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The DOW at 4:00 is at 17181 down 100 or-0.58%. (Historical High 17,991.19)

The SP500 is at 1990 down 13 or -0.63%. (Historical High 2,079.47)

SPY is at 199.92 down 1.38 or -0.69%.

The $RUT is at 1140 down 12 or -1.05%.

NASDAQ is at 4605 down 48 or -1.04%. (Historical High 5132.52)

NASDAQ 100 is at 4157 down 42 or -1.00%.

How the Popular ‘VIX’ Gauge Works

$VIX ‘Fear Index’ is at 20.18 down 0.90 or -4.22%. Neutral Movement

(Follow Real Time Market Averages at end of this article)

The longer trend is up, the past months trend is Net Neutral, the past 5 sessions have been negative and the current bias is sideways.

Gundlach: Rates not going anywhere; oil headed lower

A believer in the shale boom, Goldman cuts oil price forecasts –

WTI oil is trading between 58.98 (resistance) and 55.42 (support) today. The session bias is negative and is currently trading up at 55.62. (Chart Here)

Brent Crude is trading between 63.46 (resistance) and 60.40 (support) today. The session bias is negative and is currently trading down at 60.63. (Chart Here)

The general consensus is that gold prices will actually fall in the next twelve months (Sept to Aug. 2015). Goldman Sachs estimates that gold will fall to $1,050 an ounce, a drop of nearly 19%.

Gold fell from 1224.73 earlier to 1139.36 and is currently trading up at 1192.40. The current intra-session trend is negative. (Chart Here)

Can Dr. Copper Heal Thyself

Dr. Copper is at 2.869 falling from 2.947 earlier. (Chart Here)

The Consequences Of A Strengthening U.S. Dollar

The US dollar is trading between 88.87 (highest since 2009) and 88.42 and is currently trading up at 88.71, the bias is currently neutral. (Chart Here) Resistance made in Aug., 2013 (~85.00) has been broken and now is support. This support has gotten much stronger since August, 2014 and isn’t likely to fall easily. The next resistance/support ??? is at ~88.72 set in June, 2010.

The markets are still susceptible to climbing on ‘Bernankellen’ vapor, use caution!

“Investors should remember that excitement and expenses are their enemies. And if they insist on trying to time their participation inequities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful.” – Warren Buffett

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Real Time Market Numbers

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Written by Gary