Stocks took it on the chin with broad-based selling pressure on Tuesday. The Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ) and Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) led the way and broke short-term support levels. This means IWM and QQQ have joined SPY and DIA with downtrends. The Home Construction iShares (ITB) led the consumer... READ MORE
The Utilities SPDR (XLU) is battling the rising 200-day moving average for the third time in five months. Since surging above 38 in mid September, the ETF pulled back with a falling wedge. Buyers stepped in near the 200-day as the ETF moved above the wedge trend line early Tuesday.... READ MORE
Stocks opened weak, bounced and then closed weak. Small-caps led the way lower with the Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) falling just over 1%. All sectors were down with the Consumer Discretionary SPDR (XLY), Finance SPDR (XLF), Basic Materials SPDR (XLB) and Healthcare SPDR (XLV) falling over 1%. Relative weakness in... READ MORE
AMT Consolidates after Gap-Breakout. ATML Fall on Expanding Volume. Plus COV, HD, HON and JBLU **This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** This commentary and charts-of-interest are designed to stimulate thinking. This analysis is... READ MORE
The volatility premium rose sharply as the VIX surged 50% and hit a three month high. The chart below shows the VIX rising from the 13 area to 19.41 in less than three weeks. While the VIX exceeded its August high, the S&P 500 has yet to... READ MORE
It remains a tale of two markets. The Dow Industrials SPDR and the S&P 500 ETF are weak and in short-term downtrends. The Russell 2000 ETF and Nasdaq 100 ETF are holding up and remain in consolidation patterns since September 18th. QQQ and IWM bounced off short-term support... READ MORE
The Russell 2000 ($RUT) and the Nasdaq ($COMPQ) are leading the relative performance game and this is positive for the stock market. The Russell 2000 represents small-caps and the Nasdaq represents the technology sector. Together, these two represent risk appetite because their stocks have higher betas, which translates into higher... READ MORE
The Networking iShares (IGN) declined sharply in late September, but managed to hold above its prior low and keep the rising channel in place. With a big surge on Friday, the Elder Impulse bar turned green to signal an upturn in momentum. Also notice that the StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR)... READ MORE
The Dow Industrials SPDR and the S&P 500 ETF pulled back over the last two weeks, but the Nasdaq 100 ETF and Russell 2000 ETF held strong and hit new highs earlier this week. Relative strength in QQQ and IWM is more important than relative weakness in SPY... READ MORE
Stocks moved lower with broad-based selling pressure on Thursday. Stocks just don't seem to know what they want. It seems as if the shutdown, continuing resolution and debt ceiling are snowballing into a grand bargain of sorts, which would be positive for the markets, long-term at least. The... READ MORE
The PerfChart below shows the performance for John Murphy's key industry groups over the past month. Eight of the nine are up, but the Banking Index ($BKX) is up the least and seriously underperforming. The Gold & Silver Index ($XAU) is down sharply. Click this image for a... READ MORE
Stocks edged lower on Wednesday, but the losses were fairly muted. The Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) fell .41% and the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) declined just .09% on the day. The sectors were mixed with small gains and losses. The Regional Bank SPDR (KRE) showed relative weakness with... READ MORE
DF Breaks Triangle Support to Continue Downtrend. FFIV Bounces off Breakout Zone. Plus INFY, PFE, XRAY Video is at top. Individual charts are below. Click here for iPad/iPhone Version **This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or... READ MORE
Chuy's Holdings (CHUY) is showing some promise with a bounce off support and bullish MACD cross. Notice that broken resistance turned into support in the 34 area and held from June to September. With the move above 37 this week, MACD moved above its signal line and momentum... READ MORE
Theshut down was not enough to derail the first trading day of the month phenomenon. There has been a bullish bias on the first trading day of the month for years now. Managers accumulate funds during the month and then deploy them at the beginning of the next month. With... READ MORE
The Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) surged to a new high with two long white candlesticks. Notice how the ETF opened weak on Monday and then moved higher and exceeded the September high. Also notice how StochRSI held support at .50 and moved back above .80 today. Chartists can now mark... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** There is a lot of uncertainty in the market place right now and this means every little news bite could trigger a price swing. There will eventually... READ MORE
ATML Tests Support with Bullish Candlestick. Broken Resistance Turns Support for CREE. Plus FLIR, LULU, VMC Video is at top. Individual charts are below. **This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** Click here for... READ MORE
The image below comes from today's sector Market Carpet. Notice that four of the top five performers in the S&P 500 come from the healthcare sector (ISRG, STJ, REGN and THC). All sectors were down on Monday, but Healthcare was the best performing sector because it... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** Stock futures are trading sharply lower as the first government shut down in 17 years looms on the horizon. This little shutdown charade is not the only... READ MORE
Looking for the relative movers and shakers in the market? Look no further than the StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) on the StockCharts home page. These tables can be found mid way down the home page. Today we can see Nasdaq OMX (NDAQ), Regions Financial (RF) and Microsoft (MSFT) showing relative... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** There is no change in the indicator table. All indicators remain in bull mode as the market remains strong. The Nasdaq AD Line and AD Volume Line... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** The major index ETFs managed to eek out another gain with the Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ) leading the way (+.78%). Yahoo! (YHOO), Ebay (EBAY) and Bed Bath... READ MORE
The PerfChart below shows six inter-market related ETFs. Notice that stocks are up with the Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) leading the way (blue). Bonds are also up for the month and this is strange because stocks and bonds are usually negatively correlated. On the other side, notice that gold, oil... READ MORE
The PerfChart below shows six inter-market related ETFs. Notice that stocks are up with the Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) leading the way (blue). Bonds are also up for the month and this is strange because stocks and bonds are usually negatively correlated. On the other side, notice that gold, oil... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** Stocks edged lower with relatively mild selling pressure. The S&P 500 ETF (SPY) fell .26% and the Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ) lost .34% on the... READ MORE
AA gets a Throwback to Broken Resistance. ATVI Underperforms in September. Plus IMMR, SCHL, SLW, SYMC Video is at top. Individual charts are below. **This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** Click here for... READ MORE
Autozone (AZO) surged off support and broke above the upper Bollinger Band with big volume on Wednesday. I found this stock because it made the predefined scans list (intraday). This move affirms support and opens the door for a continuation of the bigger uptrend. Click this image for a live... READ MORE
Stocks were mixed on Tuesday with the Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) gaining ground, the Dow SPDR (DIA) loosing ground and the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) closing flat. Relative weakness in finance, technology and healthcare weighed on the market. Homebuilders offered a bright spot as the Home Construction iShares... READ MORE
Netflix opened at a new on Monday, but selling pressure quickly took hold and drove prices below 203 by the close. This intraday reversal forged a bearish engulfing pattern just above first support. Follow through below last week's low would argue for a deeper correction towards the 260-270... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** Stocks were mostly lower on Monday with the finance sector weighing on the broader market. The Finance SPDR (XLF) fell 1.42% and the Regional Bank SPDR... READ MORE
$ARUN Shows Relative Weakness with Support Break. $CLF Forms Trio of Bearish Candlestick Patterns. Plus $DE, $GLW, $NFLX Video is at top. Individual charts are below. **This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** Click... READ MORE
JP Morgan (JPM) broke short term support with a sharp decline on Monday. With a lower high taking shape, the stock is forming a larger head-and-shoulders reversal over the last few months. Also notice that JPM shows relative weakness and the Accumulation Distribution Line already broke the summer low. Click... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** The on-off-on taper talk is back on again. That didn't take long. The markets prepared for a Fed taper from April to August and the... READ MORE
After bottoming in late June and advancing some 15%, the Metals & Mining SPDR (XME) hit resistance in the 39 area with a pop-and-drop this week. The chart below shows XME surging above 39 on the FOMC statement day and then giving most of it back with a decline below... READ MORE
The Treasury market was thrown for a loop this week as the Fed unexpectedly decided not the taper. The chart below shows the 2-Year Treasury Yield ($UST2Y) bearing the brunt of this "adjustment". Notice how the yield advanced as tapering talk took hold from April to August. After... READ MORE
The indicator summary got another upgrade this week as SPY momentum improved. All indicators are in bull mode and the majority have been bullish since early December, which is one long run for bullish technicals. The NYSE AD Line is the lone laggard because it has yet to clear its... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** After big moves on Wednesdays, the markets took a breather on Thursday and traded relatively flat. Stocks were flat, treasuries pulled back a little, gold stalled, the... READ MORE
The Regional Bank SPDR (KRE) perked up with a bounce above 36 on Tuesday, but gave it back with a sharp decline on Wednesday-Thursday. Broken support and the late August gap ultimately held as resistance. The flag break signals a continuation lower. Also notice that KRE shows relative weakness as... READ MORE
**This chart analysis is for educational purposes only, and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell or sell-short said securities** It is amazing what a mere 10-15 billion Dollars can do. The Fed has been buying $85 billion worth of bonds for months now. With mere thoughts... READ MORE