Tag Archive for 'Bear market'

Investment Risk and the Stock Market

One of our members has, very sensibly, enquired as to the ’safety’ of our ‘Stop-Loss’ protection system.  Our answer includes the following comments:

One of the reasons why we restrict ourselves to the FTSE 350 stocks and currently, in this volatile market period, eschew Small Cap and AIM stocks is that it is very rare for any such large and liquid shares to suffer the sort of calamitous collapse of up to 50% overnight. That, of course, doesn’t mean that it is impossible but it is very unlikely.

It is possible for a gapped open to exceed our stop-loss price and it happens perhaps 1% to 2% of the time. As we use, and recommend, the tight money management rule of 1.5% of capital the resulting loss of, say, 2% or even 3% is far from calamitous and is recoverable.

Having said that, one should bear in mind that investing/trading on the stock market is a ‘risk’ business. The unforeseen, the exceptional, the ‘one off’ event is an ever present, if relatively low, risk. If one is not prepared to accept that risk then one should not be investing into shares of any nature or size.

Some of us suffered badly in the 1987 stock market crash when share prices tumbled by some 25% over two days (and the stock brokers took their phones off the hook so none of us could trade!!) but it is a different world now but I, for one, would not say that it could never happen again!

Controlling the risk, watching and managing each holding and minimising losses is the secret to making money on the stock market.

The Hindenburg Omen – What is it, What does it mean?

In a nutshell The Hindenburg Omen is a piece of technical analysis that is said to predict a forthcoming stock market crash.

Last week we were advised that The Hindenburg Omen had appeared on the NYSE so it is now, as we have been saying for some weeks now, a case of buyers (of shares) beware, there is a hidden reef ahead which could cause your ship to sink.

The Hindenburg Omen is a combination of technical signals appearing on the NYSE. The signals include a trigger which is the proportion of stocks reaching new one-year highs and lows both exceed 2.2% of the NYSE listed stocks. Further the number of rising stocks must not be more than twice the number making new lows and the Omen must be repeated within 36 days.

The main point being that there is considerable historical validity to the occurrence of the Omen so it is well worth paying attention to it when it appears.

In fact the Omen is not much different from our own ‘Momentum Indicator’ (although it does not have such a headline catching title). Our Momentum Indicator (‘MI’) is also based on NYSE stock data and charts the differences between the numbers of advancing and declining stocks.

It is our MI that has been one of the indicators that has been at the basis of our assertion that if the stock market trends do not change soon they are due for a significant correction (crash) in September or October. And we now have the Hindenburg Omen that has come in to support that analysis.

As you can see from our chart of the FTSE there is no sign of any significant rise in the MI that might support a new stock market rally.

Nothing is written in stone so a crash may not happen but when there are several, historically valid, signals that suggest that a crash may be on its way, it is best to pay attention and be prepared.

Alan Saunders

Chief Technical Analyst

FTSE FORECAST

The latest forecast of where the FTSE is headed is now available and the future is not looking very bright.

The FTSE – Where Next?

This no-nonsense weekly guide based on experienced and well researched technical analysis  will give you the extra confidence of knowing what is happening to the FTSE and why.

Are share prices likely to continue to increase? How far is the FTSE likely to rise? Is the stock market really about to crash? When will it be a good time to buy or to sell-short? Might it be sensible to cash some of your funds or shares now?

These, and many other questions can be answered by – ‘The FTSE-Where Next?’

It will give you an insight into what is happening now on the Stock Market and what is likely to happen next.

With ‘The FTSE – Where Next?’ you will be able to make better investment decisions as well as developing a confidence and certainty from knowing what’s going on and what is about to happen.

The FTSE – Up or Down? Is it going to Crash?

Despite the doom and gloom in the press and all of the dire warnings of Armageddon to come (although there is no denying that is a possibility) all that has happened to the FTSE so far is that it has retraced back to its important support area of 5100/5000. Nothing new in that as it has been there 3 times in the last 3 months and, on each of those occasions, it has found support and rallied.

But this time it could be different, for the following (technical) reasons:

1. This time the FTSE has fallen below the level of its 30wk. moving average – a negative signal indicating a lack of support and

2. This is the 4th occasion that is has sought support at the 5100/5000 area – and historical records show that the 4th occasion at the same level usually results in a break of that level; (not only that but, after a 4th occasion, the following action can be fast and steep).

So, there is the possibility that the FTSE is going to plummet down to the 4747 level and, possibly, then a lot further (down to 3500) but, for the moment, we must wait to see if support is forthcoming because if it is – on this 4th occasion – then the FTSE could rally back up to the 5400 area.This scenario does not make for easy trading; ‘shorts’ look to be the order of the day but would be stopped out if a rally does ensue. ‘Longs’ are perhaps even more dangerous just now as a price rally may be very short lived as there is a real danger of a price collapse.

Of the other markets, the S&P 500 has tumbled back down to its important support level at 1100 and it is displaying signals of weakness so the danger is that it could, soon, take a nose dive down to the 940 level area if support is not forthcoming this week. Much the same dismal picture applies to the DJIA where increasing weakness is suggesting the index might collapse by over 1000 points, down to mthe 8860 area. The Nasdaq 100 is currently resting and testing for support at the level of its 30wk. moving average. If it breaks below this it is likely to slip all the way down to the 1629 level area.

Individual market commentary and illustrative charts are available at http://www.sharehunter.com/news/market-review/

Is the FTSE about to Crash?

We are just not happy with the signals that we see coming from our analysis of the FTSE indices at the moment and we think it best to hold back from making any further new trades until the picture is clearer.

There is no point in investing just for the sake of wanting to be seen to be active; it would mean opening new trades in the hope of a price recovery setting in rather than, as we like to work, with the almost certainty of it happening!

The FTSE does have good potential support at the 5100 level so it may be that it will start to show more upside potential soon. On the other hand we are seeing an increasing potential for a collapse through that level.

Of our 7 separate trend indicators only 1 is showing as positive just now for the FTSE with 4 being actively negative and 2 showing as neutral. The picture this creates for us is suggesting that the dominant trend could be in course of change (from Up to Down); it is still too early to be confirmed that this is the case and there are still the positive aspects of the potential support for the FTSE at 5100 and the fact that the other major market indices, UK and US, are in slightly better shape and not (yet, at any rate) indicating quite so much negativity.

However, if the FTSE does break below 5100 then it has potential to fall to the 3500 area – and fast!

The Stock Market – to Rally or Crash?

Every one of the major market indices that we report on every week is currently testing the level of its 30wk moving average (‘MA’). Why is this worthy of comment? It is because it is a common result of a test of the MA that the index (or share price for an individual stock) changes direction.

So for an index that has been falling and is now testing the level of its MA it is quite possible for it to now change direction and to rally. And that is exactly what might now happen for all of the major indices – but with the possible exception of the FTSE 100. We need the price action this week to confirm the direction change but the FTSE 250, the FTSE SmCap, the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrials and the Nasdaq 100 are all fallen to, and are now testing, the current level of their MAs and starting to bounce back.

The exception is the FTSE 100 which has already fallen through its MA. It has found temporary support at the important 5108 level and has managed to rally slightly – but only up to the level of its MA. In other words, if the usual result of a test of the MA level – a change in direction – occurs then the FTSE is due to fall again, not rally.

In this regard it is the FTSE that is out step with the rest of the major indices. It was only a couple of weeks ago when the FTSE led the rest of the world by falling sharply when all the other indices were reflecting an upward tendency that we suggested that it was unlikely that the FTSE was leading the way! We will not then make the same claim now as we could be a  wrong again. However, it has to be observed that with 5 other major indices suggesting that a rally may now be due the bias favours a rally for the FTSE 100 up from the 5108 support level.

The alternative scenario is that, if the FTSE is, again, showing the world’s markets the way to go then all are due for some steep falls and the FTSE itself will be due a damaging fall and, perhaps, to move into a longer term ‘bear’ trend. But, for the moment, this is the more distant scenario.

Individual market commentary and illustrative charts are available at http://www.sharehunter.com/news/market-review/

Stock Markets Review


The current technical analysis of the-

  • FTSE 100, the FTSE 250
  • FTSE SmCap
  • S & P 500
  • DJIA
  • NASDAQ 100

ANALYSIS FOR THE PERIOD  – 6th September 2010 to 12th September 2010

The Overall Market Rating (OMR) , below, represents the percentage of stocks in each index in Stages 1 and 2 (a potential or an actual Uptrend);

An OMR below 50 indicates a ‘bear’ market and above 50 is an indication of a ‘bull’ market. (The figures in brackets show the OMR for the previous week) -

hisIn: Stage1 Stage2 Stage3 Stage4 Overall Mkt Rating
FTSE 100
22% 20% 33% 25% 43 (43)
S&P 500
25% 15% 26% 34  % 40(40)

The Overall Market Rating for the both FTSE 350 and the S&P 500 have swung away from being definitive indications of Uptrend to below the 50 rating and, as such, they now indicate a Downtrend and the possible start of a longer and steep down turn.

Identifying the Trend -diagram

Stage 1 - Accumulation/Stock Basing                           Stage 3 – Distribution/Topping out

Stage 2 – Uptrend/Rising Prices                                     Stage 4 – Downtrend/Declining Prices

Below, we provide two charts for each of the five market indices analysed. The shorter term (3+ year) chart allows easier recognition of some of the more recent features that we may comment on and then a longer term (8+ year) chart which shows the important highs and lows of previous years. We have provided longer term charts this week (up to 13 years) as it helps to illustrate the comaprative performance and absence of long term growth in the markets. Please click on each chart to enlarge.


FTSE 100
-   In a  ‘Stage 3′ Distribution/Topping Trend  – (selling or buying but great care needed) -

With an increase of some 226 points the index benefitted from some good  support last week and it now remains to be seen if this will lead to further rises in the coming weeks or if the support was but temporary.  The key support area remains as 5010 to 5350. If the index can stay above 5350 then the rally will continue and the trend should change back to an Uptrend but, if it falls below 5010 then (considerably) lower prices will follow. The bias of our analysis still suggests that the index is likely to return to the 4750 level area but, after the confirmation of support over the past few weeks the possibilty of a rise to the 6000 level is showing itself.

Chart (3+ year) -

Chart (8+-year) -

FTSE 250 – In a ‘Stage 3′  Distribution trend ( buying or selling but great care needed) -

This index has managed, so far, to stay above the support level at 9610 and last week it showed an impressive bounce up from that level. Importantly, it is staying above the level of its 30wk moving average which, itself, is continuming to slope upwards. This index is continuing to hold its own and, so far, has not succumbed to a swing towards a Downtrend but it is very important that the index stays above the level of its moving average. Should it weaken and fall below it then that could be the start of an eventual slide down to the important support level at 8888. But, in continuing to stay above it the index is showing that a rise to the 10,500 level is more than likely.

Chart(3+ year) -

Chart(8+ year) -

FTSE SmCapIn a  ‘Stage 3′ Distribution trend  (buying or selling  but only very selectively and care is needed) –

The index is still travelling sideways between the  support level at 2700 and the resistance level at 2910 as it has been for almost a year now.  If the 2700 support level should fail then this index is very likely to next visit the 2425 level to look for support there and could fall all the way down to the 2300 area. This index does not look strong; it is currently straddling (and testing)  its 30wk moving average (currently at the 2815 level). To rise above it will show sttrength and potential for further rises; to fall back below it will show weakness and potyential for a fall. Great care is needed as individual stocks may be difficult to trade at a reasonable price if a slide does get going. Even without a slide, this index is suggesting that little is likely to be gained from trading smaller cap stocks at the present time.

Chart(3+ year) -

Chart(8+ year) -

S&P 500 -In a ‘Stage 3′ Distribution?Topping Trend – (buying or selling but great care needed) –

It is a significant warning that the index is now, for the third time inrecent months, testing the strength of the resistance created by the important 1111-1122 area. If it can get above that area then it could resume an Uptrend but to stay below the 1111 level, especially after a third test of it, would be a signal of significant weakness and the propensity for a steep fall. It also continues to remain below the level of its 30wk moving average (which is now at the 1115 level) which signals weakness so the bias is still, at the moment, to the downside.

Chart(3+ year) -

Chart(8+ year) -

DOW JONES INDIn a ‘Stage 3′ Distribution trend – (buying or selling but care needed) -

Five weeks ago this index succeeded in breaking out above the resistance of the 10370 level after 12 weeks of trying but it then failed to find support to sustain the rally and it fell back below it;last week it mounted another attack at the resistance created by this level. It’s problem is that this index is still below the level of its 30 wk moving average as this indicates an underlying weakness.  There is potential for the index to rise above the 10370 level but to sustain that break, should it occur, it has to break above its moving average as well. Otherwise there is  potential for a bigger fall.

Chart (3+ year) -

Chart(8+ year) -

NASDAQ 100 - In a ‘Stage 3′  Distribution trend  ( buying or selling but great care needed) -

The rally up from the support of the 1740 level has taken the index up to meet the level of its 30wk moving average (currently at the 1877 level) to a test of the resistance there. Should it manage to break above it then higher prices would follow as the index should then rise towards the 2040 level but, should this attempt fail, then the price is likely to fall back sharply to the 1740 level.

Chart (3+ year) -

Chart (8+ year) -

If you have any questions or would like more information or would like to discuss market trends then do please email us at

sharehunter@btinternet.com

06/09/2010