Stock index minor trend weakened by Tuesday losses

Short and Intermediate-term trends remain positive

Market Snapshot for session ending 3-20-12:

 

Last

Day Change

%Change

S&P 500 Index

1405.52

-4.23

-.30%

Dow Jones Industrials

13170.19

-68.93

-.52%

NASDAQ Composite

3074.15

-4.17

-.14%

Value Line Arithmetic Index

3067.82

-22.91

-.74%

Minor Cycle (Short-term trend lasting days to a few weeks) Positive

Intermediate Cycle (Medium trend lasting weeks to several months) Positive

Major Cycle (Long-term trend lasting several months to years) Positive / Neutral

Market Overview – What We Know:

  • Major indexes succumbed to profit taking Tuesday with largest losses registered by Dow 30 and Value Line index.
  • Short and Intermediate-term trends remain positive and “Overbought” with overheated readings now evident in Daily MAAD Ratio at 2.32.
  • NYSE trading volume shrank a marginal 1.5% Tuesday with average share price fading 40 cents to $58.40. Highest recent valuation was last Thursday’s $61.48.
  • Based on price, both Minor and Intermediate Cycles remain “Overbought.”
  • Short-term Momentum has confirmed none of recent strength in any of major indexes to best bids for move. Nor has Intermediate Cycle Momentum. 
  • Cumulative Volume in S&P 500 and S&P Emini futures contract both rallied to new short to intermediate-term highs Tuesday, but has yet to overcome 2011 highs.
  • Daily Most Actives (MAAD) rallied to new short to intermediate high Tuesday along with CPFL.

Market Overview – What We Think:

  • Monday’s failure by Dow 30 to make new short to intermediate high with other indexes brought follow on weakness Tuesday and could be precursor to further weakness on Minor Cycle which looks vulnerable.
  • Nonetheless, resumption of short to intermediate term strength in major indexes over past several sessions merely re-asserted intermediate-term uptrend begun after October 2011 lows.
  • Failure of Momentum on both short and intermediate cycles could be sign recent bout of strength is abating. Fact that market is “Overbought” is helpful even though measurements are not definitive since “Overbought” readings can stay that way. It is reversals of those conditions that count, not the extreme conditions themselves.
  • And while Cumulative Volume (CV) in S&P, Dow 30, and NASDAQ has improved via recent strength, failure in all to overcome major indicator resistance at 2011 highs underscores lack of participation since October, despite price gains.

 

ndex

Daily / Weekly / Monthly Stops

Weekly

Monthly

   3/19  3/20  3/21  3/22  3/23  3/23  3/31

S&P 500 Index

SELL1357.79

SELL1360.14

SELL1365.66

SELL1371.22

SELL1377.87

SELL1299.77

SELL1189.77

Dow Jones Industrials

SELL12863.34

SELL12876.89

SELL12929.20

SELL12977.92

SELL13033.64

SELL12494.26

SELL11271.99

NASDAQ Composite

SELL2950.94

SELL2958.93

SELL2971.50

SELL2985.32

SELL2999.78

SELL2766.84

SELL2517.37

Value Line Index

SELL2962.87

SELL2968.54

SELL2980.64

SELL2992.47

SELL3008.95

SELL2845.49

SELL2612.10

Note: Stop levels, a function of the extant trend, are based on the trailing moving average price channels for the Highs or the Lows of an index. Whether or not a specific index is suggesting a “Buy” or Sell” is determined by whether or not index prices are above or below the current channel Stop levels. Stop levels should only be used as an entry or exit guide and in conjunction with other market entry and exit strategies.

Click charts to enlarge

Next page: Indicator review

We are also updating the daily chart of both the Call/Put Dollar Value Flow Line (CPFL) and Most Actives Advance/Decline Line (MAAD) indicators every day and providing the most recent raw data so you can begin to plot the indicators on your own (see below). The weekly equity index indicator summary provides longer-term commentary based on these indicators.

The definitions of the indicators along with links to the original stories provide helpful background. Also, Robert describes these indicators in a recent I-Trade show presentation available online.

Click charts to enlarge


MAAD Daily data for past 30 days*

CPFL data for past 30 Days

Date

NYSE Adv

NYSE Dec

Date

OEX Call $Volume

OEX Put $Volume

2-7-12

10

9

2-7-12

51427

27147

2-8-12

15

5

2-8-12

40749

15883

2-9-12

8

11

2-9-12

25312

17956

2-10-12

3

17

2-10-12

38202

39263

2-13-12

16

2

2-13-12

45728

13705

2-14-12

5

14

2-14-12

53835

24968

2-15-12

4

15

2-15-12

25980

29720

2-16-12

19

1

2-16-12

55112

23062

2-17-12

10

9

2-17-12

42379

15373

2-21-12

10

10

2-21-12

18235

19137

2-22-12

2

18

2-22-12

16936

31595

2-23-12

14

6

2-23-12

16814

16610

2-24-12

13

6

2-24-12

21904

19290

2-27-12

15

5

2-27-12

28625

15156

2-28-12

15

4

2-28-12

13795

11355

2-29-12

3

17

2-29-12

32060

41398

3-1-12

14

5

3-1-12

25260

18375

3-2-12

9

11

3-2-12

10440

10093

3-5-12

4

16

3-5-12

22635

13196

3-6-12

1

19

3-6-12

28730

63236

3-7-12

18

2

3-7-12

16176

18992

3-8-12

15

5

3-8-12

32228

22865

3-9-12

14

5

3-9-12

45736

16176

3-12-12

8

12

3-12-12

31314

41969

3-13-12

18

2

3-13-12

116950

23343

3-14-12

11

9

3-14-12

56008

27023

3-15-12

18

2

3-15-12

46339

20392

3-16-12

10

10

3-16-12

102486

32711

3-19-12

15

5

3-19-12

38465

19655

3-20-12

12

8

3-20-12

26976

10919

*Note: Unchanged issues are not counted.


Page 2 of 2
About the Author
Robert McCurtain

Robert McCurtain

Robert McCurtain is a technical analyst/market timer, private investor and financial markets consultant based in New York City. He can be reached at traderbob@nyc.rr.com.

If you would like to read more about how the CPFL is constructed, read a Futures article on the concept. This link will take you to the MAAD article. A two-part series about system development with the MAAD also is available. 

Comments
comments powered by Disqus