Wednesday, August 5, 2015

The Morning Call--The Dow has serious technical problems; the S&P not so much.

The Morning Call

8/5/15

The Market
         
    Technical

The indices (DJIA 17550, S&P 2093) fell again yesterday.  The Dow is [a] below its 100 and 200 day moving averages, both of which now represent resistance, [b] below the lower boundary of its short term uptrend for the third day, thereby re-setting to a trading range {17385-18295}, [c] in an intermediate term trading range {15842-18295} and [d] in a long term uptrend {5369-19175}.

The S&P closed below its 100 day moving average and the lower boundary of its short term uptrend; if it remains there through the close on Thursday, the 100 day moving average will revert to resistance and the short term uptrend will re-set to a trading range.  It remains, for the moment, in uptrends across all timeframes (2095-3074, 1878-2644, 797-2145). 

Volume rose; breadth was mixed.  The VIX was up, but is still below its 100 day moving average and remains within a short term trading range, an intermediate term downtrend and a long term trading range.

The long Treasury fell.  It closed back below the upper boundary of its short term downtrend, voiding Monday’s break.   However, it remained above its 100 day moving average which will revert from resistance to support at the close today.  It continues within a very short term uptrend.

GLD was up, remaining below its 100 day moving average and in downtrends across all timeframes.

Oil was up, but still finished below its 100 day moving average and within short and intermediate term downtrends. The dollar also rose, remaining above its 100 day moving average and within short and intermediate term trading ranges. 

Bottom line: the Averages technically deteriorated further yesterday.  The S&P is in a lot better shape than the Dow; and being more reflective of the Market in general, leaves open the possibility that a bounce could occur that would negate all the damage and re-sync the Dow with the S&P to the upside.  That said, with the Dow having already re-set both its short and intermediate term trends, which is going to take a lot of work.  Patience.

    Fundamental

       Headlines

            Yesterday’s US economic data was sparse but mildly positive: month to date retail chain store sales were up versus the prior week and June factory orders were slightly better than anticipated.

            Also in the news, the Atlanta Fed chief, considered a moderate, indicated that he would vote for a rate hike in September.
           
            The international news was a bit more interesting:

(1)   the Chinese government imposed additional restrictions on short sellers,

How banning short selling has worked in the past (short):

(2)   July UK construction spending declined,

(3)   Japanese real wages fell the most in six years.

Abenomics fails again (medium):

            ***overnight, July Chinese services PMI rose while June EU retail sales declined.

Bottom line: evidence of failing central government top down policy just keeps on coming.  Obama’s new energy policy which will lay off thousands of coal miners and force the US taxpayer to finance a 0.001% (Charles Krauthammer’s estimate) reduction in global air pollution; the Fed is clueless; China struggles to control its stock market; Japan’s extra super-duper QEInfinity is crushing the Japanese workingman; the Troika is forcing Greece into serfdom. 

It has been and remains a huge credit to the strength of US industry and labor to have been able to overcome such onerous government interference in the global economy.  That said, there is only so much that can be done.  The recent downgrade in our US economic growth rate forecast is a reflection of just how difficult the ruling class has made the business environment.  But as Herb Stein said, when a trend can’t continue, it won’t.

I continue to believe that the key investment strategy today is to take advantage of the current high prices to sell any stock that has been a disappointment or no longer fits your investment criteria and to trim the holding of any stock that has doubled or more in price.

            A thought on second quarter earnings (short):
           

                Another money manager turns negative (medium):


   
Economics

   This Week’s Data

            Month to date retail chain store sales rose nicely from the prior week.

            June factory orders were up 1.8% versus expectations of up 1.7%.

            Weekly mortgage applications rose 4.7% and purchase applications were up 3.0%.

            The July ADP private payroll report showed an increase of 185,000 jobs versus estimates of rise of 210,000.

            The June US trade deficit was $43.8 billion versus forecasts of $43.0 billion.

   Other

            Here is a really interesting thought on investment spending (short):

Politics

  Domestic

One man’s crusade to raise the minimum wage (medium):

Student loans are making higher education more expensive (medium):

Another planned parenthood video (15 minutes):

  International War Against Radical Islam

            Russia is prepared to send troops to Syria (short):





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