What’s the Downside Risk for QQQ?

KEY

TAKEAWAYS

  • A bearish momentum divergence and declining Bullish Percent Index suggests rough waters ahead for the QQQ.
  • The 50-day moving average and Chandelier Exit system can serve as trailing stops to lock in gains from the recent uptrend.
  • If stops are broken, we can use Fibonacci Retracements to identify potential downside targets for the Nasdaq 100.

The Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ) is beginning to show further signs of deterioration, from bearish momentum divergences between price and RSI to weakening breadth using the Bullish Percent Index. How can we determine whether a pullback could turn into something more disastrous for stocks? Let’s look at how the 50-day moving average, Chandelier exits, and Fibonacci retracements can help anticipate downside risk for the QQQ.

To kick things off, we need to acknowledge how the QQQ has a place of distinction on the growing list of charts showing bearish momentum divergences.

This classic sign of a bull market top is when price continues to trend higher while the RSI (or some other momentum indicator) begins to slope downwards. Think of this pattern as a train running out of steam as it reaches the top of a hill. This weakened momentum usually occurs at the end of a bullish phase, when buyers are exhausted and there just isn’t enough momentum left to push the markets much higher.

But it’s not just about weakening momentum. Breadth conditions, which remain fairly constructive for the broader equity space, have really deteriorated in the past ten weeks.

Here, we’re showing the Bullish Percent Index for the Nasdaq 100. This is a market breadth indicator based on point & figure charts, and basically measures how many stocks in a specific index are currently showing a bullish point & figure signal.

Note how, in late December, this indicator was around 90%, meaning nine out of every ten Nasdaq 100 members were in a bullish point & figure phase. This week, we saw the indicator finished just below 50%. This shows that about 40% of the Nasdaq 100 members generated a sell signal on their point & figure charts in 2024.

What’s very interesting about that particular development is that point & figure charts usually have to show quite a bit of price weakness to generate a sell signal. So names like TSLA, AAPL, and others are breaking down, which suggests that further upside for the QQQ would be limited until this breadth indicator improves.


Are you prepared for further downside for the QQQ and leading growth names? The first item in my Market Top Checklist has already been triggered. Join me for my upcoming FREE webcast on Tuesday, March 19th, where I’ll share the other six items on the checklist and reflect on what signals we’ll be watching for in the coming weeks. Sign up HERE for this free event!


So what if the Nasdaq 100 does continue lower? At what point can we confirm that a corrective phase has truly begun? I like to keep things simple, so, in terms of an initial trigger for a tactical pullback, I always start with the 50-day moving average.

The 50-day moving average currently sits about $6 below Friday’s close, and also lines up pretty well with the February swing low around $425. So as long this level would hold, the short-term trend actually remains in good shape. A break below that 50-day moving average would tell me there is a much higher likelihood of further price deterioration.

But the 50-day moving average, while a simple and straightforward situation, is perhaps not the most effective way to gauge a new downtrend phase. Alexander Elder popularized the Chandelier Exit system in his books, and it represents a more nuanced version of a trailing stop because it is based on Average True Range (ATR).

Look back at the price peak in July 2023, and notice how the price remained above the Chandelier Exit through that price high. Soon after, the price violated the trailing stop to the downside, suggesting the uptrend phase was over and a corrective move had begun. Since the October 2023 low, the QQQ has consistently remained above the Chandelier Exit on pullbacks, as the price achieved higher highs and higher lows into March. After Friday’s drop, the Nasdaq 100 remains just above this effective trailing stop indicator.

So what if the Chandelier Exit is violated next week, and the QQQ begins to drop to a new swing low? What’s next for the Nasdaq 100?

Fibonacci Retracements can be so helpful in identifying assessing downside risk, because they measure how far the price may pull back in relationship to the most recent uptrend. Using the October 2023 low and the March 2024 high, that would give an initial downside target around $408. Further support could be at the 50% level ($395) and the 61.8% level ($382).

Note how well these levels line up with previous swing lows, especially the 61.8% retracement level. That last support level lines up with the swing low in December 2023, as well as the price peak in July 2023. I refer to that sort of level as a “pivot point” because it has served as both support and resistance, and these are often important levels to monitor.

A number of the mega-cap growth stocks, such as TSLA and AAPL, have broken down in recent weeks. But the latest patterns of bearish momentum divergences and declining breadth conditions tell us that there may be further downside in store for the Nasdaq 100. By keeping a watchful eye on trailing stops and potential support levels, we can perhaps navigate choppy market waters using the power of technical analysis.

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!


David Keller, CMT

Chief Market Strategist

StockCharts.com


Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

David Keller

About the author:
David Keller, CMT is Chief Market Strategist at StockCharts.com, where he helps investors minimize behavioral biases through technical analysis. He is a frequent host on StockCharts TV, and he relates mindfulness techniques to investor decision making in his blog, The Mindful Investor.

David is also President and Chief Strategist at Sierra Alpha Research LLC, a boutique investment research firm focused on managing risk through market awareness. He combines the strengths of technical analysis, behavioral finance, and data visualization to identify investment opportunities and enrich relationships between advisors and clients.
Learn More

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#Whats #Downside #Risk #QQQ

The Top Five Charts of 2023

KEY

TAKEAWAYS

  • 2023 was dominated by mega cap growth stocks, but the fourth quarter saw a potential change as other sectors experienced renewed vigor.
  • Three breadth indicators provided great clarity to the up and down cycles over the course of the year, as extreme readings tended to coincide with major turning points.
  • Interest rates remain top of mind as a pullback in the Ten Year Treasury Yield certainly seemed to provide support to the recent rally for stocks.

The end of the year provides a natural opportunity to look back and reflect on what we learned over the last 12 months as investors. I very much enjoyed thinking about how to tell the story of this market in just five charts, and to be completely honest, the videos below include way more than that!

But as much we love to make things more complicated for ourselves, mindful investors know that simple is often the best approach. So, by boiling down this year into five major themes and using these charts as a starting point to a deeper analysis of each, I found it to be a rewarding and at times eye-opening experience.

You can access the full playlist of the Top Five Charts on our YouTube channel, and you are welcome to ChartList I used during the videos, which you can find right HERE!

Without further ado, here are the five charts I selected, along with descriptions and video links. I hope you can use these as inspiration for your own year-end process and performance review!

Chart #1: S&P 500

As Ralph Acampora told me years ago, “Always start with a simple chart of the S&P 500.” And it’s been a fascinating year to do so, with each quarter providing a unique experience for investors, including plenty of ups and downs.

Looking back, I’m struck by what a sideways market we experienced really through the end of May. The S&P started with a strong January, but subsequent months basically brought retests of previous highs and previous lows, and no real indication of bullishness or bearishness on the larger timeframe.

June’s breakout provided a perfect example of the bearish momentum divergence, as negative momentum into the July high indicated an exhaustion of buyers. I also find myself focusing in on the October low, which caused me to be quite bearish at the time. That was definitely one of my key lessons learned in 2023, especially the importance of recognizing a clear change of character in November.

Chart #2: Ten Year Treasury Yield

Back in January 2023, I was asked during an interview to identify the most important chart to watch in 2023. I answered this chart, the Ten Year Treasury Yield ($TNX), along with the value vs. growth ratio. My thesis was that many investors had not experienced a rising rate environment (including me!), so this could mean some painful lessons as value outperformed growth as interest rates pushed higher.

As the chart clearly shows, the Ten Year Yield going from around 4% to 5%, completing a long journey from almost zero rates not long ago, did not provide the tailwind for value stocks that I expected. What a beautiful testament to the benefits of including macroeconomic analysis as part of a holistic investment approach, but also the importance of focusing on the evidence of price itself. If the charts say growth is outperforming, I’m going to want to stick with growth until proven otherwise.

Chart #3: Market Breadth

Breadth analysis is an essential component to my analytical process, as it addresses the issues related to our growth-oriented benchmarks being dominated by a small number of mega-cap stocks.

This chart includes three different breadth indicators: the S&P 500 Bullish Percent Index, the Percent of Stocks Above the 50-day Moving Average, and the McClellan Oscillator. With the first two indicators at 80% and 90%, respectively, this suggests a potential exhaustion point to the current upswing, similar to what we observed in July 2023, November 2022, and August 2022.

Chart #4: Leadership Themes

I have been thinking of 2023 as the year of mega-cap growth, but this fourth chart that it actually wasn’t about growth over value, but rather large over small. Reviewing the nine Morningstar style boxes, it’s clear that, while growth did indeed outperform value, it was overall more of large vs. small story.

Large-cap growth has outperformed large-cap value by almost 900 basis points (nine percent), but has outperformed mid-cap and small-cap style boxes by around 1300 basis points. Our benchmarks have been powering higher, propelled by the strength of large-cap growth, and one of the most important questions for 2024 will be whether this stretch of domination will continue.

Chart #5: Bitcoin

Higher highs and higher lows make an uptrend. And while Bitcoin ($BTCUSD) did not show that general pattern in the middle of 2023, it started the year strong and certainly ended the year in a position of strength.

Bitcoin has nearly tripled in value since December 2022, starting with a significant rally into an April high. But from March through October, Bitcoin basically was rangebound between 25,000 and 31,000. I remember laying out a game plan, which involved following the price momentum fueling any exit from that range. Sure enough, in October, we witnessed an upside breakout inspired by renewed optimism for a potential announcement confirming new spot Bitcoin ETFs. While that news has not yet arrived, the bullish uptrend shows that investors remain eager for this huge potential catalyst.

During my years in the Fidelity Chart Room, I was often reminded that charts can tell the best stories about market history. And as each new year concludes, the charts can provide a fantastic report card for your performance, a history textbook filled with practical lessons for years to come, and a reminder of the value of technical analysis in helping us identify opportunities and manage risk.

I hope these discussions inspire you to have a thorough review session as we wrap 2023, and an honest assessment of how you can improve your investing toolkit in 2024.

Happy holidays, thank you for making StockCharts a part of your process, and I’ll look forward to more great charts and conversations in the new year!

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!


David Keller, CMT

Chief Market Strategist

StockCharts.com


Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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#Top #Charts

3 Key Relationships to Help Assess Market Direction

If you are finding yourself fluctuating between bullishness and bearishness, then congratulations! Hopefully, that also means you are waiting for certain signals to help you commit to one way or another.

Here are the signals we are waiting for before overly committing to a bias:

  1. As we wrote over the weekend, how the junk bonds (high yield high debt bonds) do independently, and how they perform against the long bonds (TLT).
  2. How the retail and transportation sectors do (along with small caps) as they represent the “inside” of the US economy.
  3. How DBA (ags) and DBC (commodity index) do relative to the strong dollar and higher yields.

The first chart shows you a sell signal mean reversion as far as the ratio between long bonds and junk bonds signaled. However, junk still outperforms long bonds — at this point, that says risk on, but a cautious risk on, with junk gapping lower and taking out summer lows (but holding March lows at 72.61).

Retail (XRT) had a solid reversal bottom last week. Now, it must clear last Friday’s highs and hold June lows… plus, XRT outperforms SPY right now.

Transportation (IYT) is now underperforming SPY. Although consolidating after breaking under the 200-DMA (green), it looks vulnerable. Could that change? A move over 235 would be a good start.

Looking at DBA, that whole commodities sector is outperforming the SPY. Makes you wonder what would happen if the dollar and/or yields soften.

Trading slightly below the July 6-month calendar range high, we anticipate DBA can continue higher, especially if price retakes the 50-DMA (blue line). DBC fell right onto support at its 50-DMA. Momentum also fell into support. Furthermore, DBA also outperforms SPY. This certainly makes the case for higher commodities and inflation as a trend again, especially if long bonds and the dollar soften.


This is for educational purposes only. Trading comes with risk.

For more detailed trading information about our blended models, tools and trader education courses, contact Rob Quinn, our Chief Strategy Consultant, to learn more.

If you find it difficult to execute the MarketGauge strategies or would like to explore how we can do it for you, please email Ben Scheibe at [email protected].

“I grew my money tree and so can you!” – Mish Schneider

Get your copy of Plant Your Money Tree: A Guide to Growing Your Wealth and a special bonus here.

Follow Mish on Twitter @marketminute for stock picks and more. Follow Mish on Instagram (mishschneider) for daily morning videos. To see updated media clips, click here.


Watch Mish and Nicole Petallides discuss how pros and cons working in tandem, plus why commodities are still a thing, in this video from Schwab.

Mish talks TSLA in this video from Business First AM.

See Mish argue investors could jump into mega-tech over value and explain why she is keeping an eye on WTI prices on BNN Bloomberg’s Opening Bell.

Even as markets crumble, there are yet market opportunities to be found, as Mish discusses on Business First AM here.

Mish explains how she’s preparing for the next move in Equities and Commodities in this video with Benzinga’s team.

Mish talks about the head-and-shoulders top pattern for the S&P 500 in The Final Bar.

Mish covers sectors from the Economic Family, oil, and risk in this Yahoo! Finance video.

Mish shares why the most important ETFs to watch are Retailers (XRT) and Small Caps (IWM) in this appearance on the Thursday, September 20 edition of StockCharts TV’s The Final Bar with David Keller, and also explains MarketGauge’s latest plugin on the StockCharts ACP platform. Mish’s interview begins at 19:53.

Mish covers 7 stocks that are ripe for the picking on the Wednesday, September 20 edition of StockCharts TV’s Your Daily Five, and she gives you actionable levels to watch.

Take a look at this analysis of StockCharts.com’s Charting Forward from Jayanthi Gopalkrishnan, which breaks down Mish’s conversation with three other charting experts about the state of the market in Q3 and beyond.

Mish was interviewed by Kitco News for the article “Oil Prices Hit Nearly One-Year High as it Marches Towards $100”, available to read here.

Mish covers short term trading in DAX, OIL, NASDAQ, GOLD, and GAS in this second part of her appearance on CMC Markets.

Mish talks Coinbase in this video from Business First AM!

Mish looks at some sectors from the economic family, oil, and risk in this appearance on Yahoo Finance!

Mish covers oil, gold, gas and the dollar in this CMC Markets video.

In this appearance on Business First AM, Mish explains why she’s recommending TEVA, an Israeli pharmaceutical company outperforming the market-action plan.

As the stock market tries to shake off a slow summer, Mish joins Investing with IBD to explain how she avoids analysis paralysis using the six market phases and the economic modern family. This edition of the podcast takes a look at the warnings, the pockets of strength, and how to see the bigger picture.

Mish was the special guest in this edition of Traders Edge, hosted by Jim Iuorio and Bobby Iaccino!

In this Q3 edition of StockCharts TV’s Charting Forward 2023, Mish joins a panel run by David Keller and featuring Julius de Kempenaer (RRG Research & StockCharts.com) and Tom Bowley (EarningsBeats). In this unstructured conversation, the group shares notes and charts to highlight what they see as important considerations in today’s market environment.


Coming Up:

October 4: Jim Puplava, Financial Sense

October 5: Yahoo! Finance & Making Money with Charles Payne, Fox Business

October 12: Dale Pinkert, F.A.C.E.

October 26: Schwab and Yahoo! Finance at the NYSE

October 27: Live in-studio with Charles Payne, Fox Business

October 29-31: The Money Show

Weekly: Business First AM, CMC Markets


  • S&P 500 (SPY): There are multiple timeframe support levels around 420-415.
  • Russell 2000 (IWM): 170 huge.
  • Dow (DIA): 334 pivotal.
  • Nasdaq (QQQ): 330 possible if can’t get back above 365.
  • Regional Banks (KRE): 39.80 the July calendar range low.
  • Semiconductors (SMH): 133 the 200-DMA with 147 pivotal resistance.
  • Transportation (IYT): 237 resistance, 225 support.
  • Biotechnology (IBB): 120-125 range.
  • Retail (XRT): 57 key support; if can climb over 63, get bullish.

Mish Schneider

MarketGauge.com

Director of Trading Research and Education

Mish Schneider

About the author:
Mish Schneider serves as Director of Trading Education at MarketGauge.com. For nearly 20 years, MarketGauge.com has provided financial information and education to thousands of individuals, as well as to large financial institutions and publications such as Barron’s, Fidelity, ILX Systems, Thomson Reuters and Bank of America. In 2017, MarketWatch, owned by Dow Jones, named Mish one of the top 50 financial people to follow on Twitter. In 2018, Mish was the winner of the Top Stock Pick of the year for RealVision.

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Momentum is Back, Breadth Rallies; It’s Truth Time for OPEC and Crude Oil

The week of June 5 should be momentous as the bears who have been left behind consider whether to fully capitulate.

The stock market is back in rally mode as seasonal tendencies for a summer rally, especially in the third year of the presidential cycle, assert their influence. Especially comforting is the recovery in the market’s breadth, as measured by the NYSE Advance Decline line (see below). The US economy is showing signs of slowing, as the rate of rise in inflation is flattening.

Of course, things could change instantly, especially if, as I discuss below, OPEC does something dramatic at its June 3–4 meeting. Moreover, it’s all about whether the Fed leaves rates unchanged in June in order to see if the current flattening out of inflationary pressures is a prelude to an actual decline and what that does to bond yields.  

I’ll have more on bonds below. First, a few words about the oil market.

OPEC’s Credibility is on the Line

Last week, I suggested that shorting a dull market is not a good idea. I was referring to the nearly complete lack of bulls in the oil market and suggested the energy sector was ripe for a bounce.

As I went to press on this post, rumors were circulating that OPEC was considering a 1 million barrel per day production cut, to be announced at the conclusion of its June 3–4 meeting. This cut, if it happens, will be in addition to production cuts previously announced, which are starting to make their way through the system and could reduce global oil supply meaningfully.

Crude oil ($WTIC) rallied on June 2, 2023, on the OPEC rumors and signs that oil production is already being reduced. For example, the US Rig count fell for the fifth consecutive week. Meanwhile, Canada’s oil sands giant Suncor announced 1500 job cuts. There are also rumors that job cuts are coming in the fracking sector in the US, as the number of active crews finishing wells is also shrinking. 

Here’s the bottom line:

  • The US oil industry is dialing back production, and OPEC seems to be on a similar course.
  • If OPEC flakes out, they risk losing their ability to influence the price of oil, at least for the foreseeable future.

Watch the market’s response to OPEC’s announcement. If WTIC’s price rises above $75 decisively, then current market relationships, especially bond yields, stock prices, and what the Fed does at its upcoming FOMC meeting (June 13–14), will likely be affected.

I’ve recently recommended several energy sector picks. You can look at them with a free trial of my service. In addition, I’ve posted a Special Report on the oil market, which you can access here.

Bond Yields Test Resistance

The latest monthly payroll numbers were well above expectations, but the bond market is focusing on other signs that the economy is slowing. As I noted last week, bond yields are likely to fall once the economy shows signs of slowing and the Fed admits that it must at least stop raising rates. Here are some signs that perhaps we’re not too far from that point:

  • Dallas Fed Survey crashes, falling for the 13th consecutive month; one respondent noted: “There is nothing encouraging on the horizon.” Other notable quotes: “orders canceled,” “order volume has stalled recently,” and “seeing a massive slowdown.”
  • Dallas Fed services survey fell for the 12th straight month. Comments worth noting: “Businesses are preparing for a recession by looking for ways to cut back, which in some ways, works to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
  • Chicago PMI Collapses—new orders, prices paid, production, inventories, and employment fell.
  • China manufacturing PMI fell below 50, signaling contraction.
  • U.S. PMI and ISM surveys fell again.
  • China’s economy is showing signs of slowing.

Beige Book Confirms Slowing U.S. Growth

Confirming the negative news above, the Fed’s most recent Beige Book offered the following:

  • Prices are rising but are doing so more slowly.
  • New York and Philadelphia registered slowing economic activity.
  • Boston, Cleveland, Richmond, Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City reported flat activity.
  • San Francisco, Dallas, and Minneapolis reported slight growth.

The bottom line is that inflation seems to be rising at a slower pace and that the US economy is slowing, as eight of eleven Fed districts reported slowing or flat economic activity. The three that reported growth described it as slight to moderate.

Bond Yields Test Resistance. Mortgages Follow. Homebuilders Perk Up.

The most predictable relationship in the stock market currently is the one that connects bond yields, mortgage rates, and homebuilder stocks. When bond yields fall, mortgage rates follow. Increases in home sales register and homebuilder stocks rally.

The crucial point on the 10-Year US Treasury Yield ($TNX) is 3.85%. If yields remain below this level, the environment should remain stable.

Moreover, if I’m right and the economy continues to slow, bond yields will roll over, and mortgage rates will drop as demand for new homes again picks up.

As things stood last week, the S&P 500 Homebuilding Subindustry Index ($SPHB) seems to have made a short-term bottom as traders begin to factor in the scenario above. 

If $TNX remains below 3.7%, it’s a sign that bond traders are less worried about inflation. This should be bullish for homebuilder stocks.

For an in-depth comprehensive outlook on the homebuilder sector, click here.

NYAD Rallies; SPX Joins NDX’s Breakout; Liquidity is Stable; VIX Hits New Low.

It was quite the week for the market’s technical picture.

The New York Stock Exchange Advance Decline line ($NYAD) rallied back above its 50-day moving average, signaling stocks are back in an uptrend.

The Nasdaq 100 Index ($NDX) extended its recent breakout, closing the week well above 14,500. The current move is unsustainable, so some pullback and consolidation are likely over the next few days to weeks. On the other hand, it could take some time for a consolidation or pullback to develop, as both accumulation distribution line and On Balance Volume (OBV) are in solid uptrends, signaling lots of upward momentum.

The S&P 500 index ($SPX) finally broke out above the 4100–4200 trading range, decisively confirming the trend in $NDX. OBV continues to improve, while the Accumulation Distribution line remained in an upward trend.

VIX Breaks to New Lows

The Cboe Volatility Index ($VIX) broke to a new low as call option buyers overwhelmed the market. This is probably a little too much bullishness all at once, so we’ll see how long it lasts.

When the VIX rises, stocks tend to fall, as rising put volume is a sign that market makers are selling stock index futures to hedge their put sales to the public. A fall in VIX is bullish, as it means less put option buying, and it eventually leads to call buying, which causes market makers to hedge by buying stock index futures. This raises the odds of higher stock prices.

Liquidity is Still Limited

The market’s liquidity may have bottomed out, but it’s not particularly bullish. The Eurodollar Index ($XED) failed to rally above 94.50, a bearish development. For now, it’s good enough to keep the rally from imploding. A move below 94 would be very bearish.

A move above 95 will be a bullish development. Usually, a stable or rising XED is very bullish for stocks.


To get the latest up-to-date information on options trading, check out Options Trading for Dummies, now in its 4th Edition—Get Your Copy Now! Now also available in Audible audiobook format!

#1 New Release on Options Trading!

Good news! I’ve made my NYAD-Complexity – Chaos chart (featured on my YD5 videos) and a few other favorites public. You can find them here.

Joe Duarte

In The Money Options


Joe Duarte is a former money manager, an active trader, and a widely recognized independent stock market analyst since 1987. He is author of eight investment books, including the best-selling Trading Options for Dummies, rated a TOP Options Book for 2018 by Benzinga.com and now in its third edition, plus The Everything Investing in Your 20s and 30s Book and six other trading books.

The Everything Investing in Your 20s and 30s Book is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It has also been recommended as a Washington Post Color of Money Book of the Month.

To receive Joe’s exclusive stock, option and ETF recommendations, in your mailbox every week visit https://joeduarteinthemoneyoptions.com/secure/order_email.asp.

Joe Duarte

About the author:
Joe Duarte is a former money manager, an active trader and a widely recognized independent stock market analyst going back to 1987. His books include the best selling Trading Options for Dummies, a TOP Options Book for 2018, 2019, and 2020 by Benzinga.com, Trading Review.Net 2020 and Market Timing for Dummies. His latest best-selling book, The Everything Investing Guide in your 20’s & 30’s, is a Washington Post Color of Money Book of the Month. To receive Joe’s exclusive stock, option and ETF recommendations in your mailbox every week, visit the Joe Duarte In The Money Options website.
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#Momentum #Breadth #Rallies #Truth #Time #OPEC #Crude #Oil

Hershey Stock Pulls Back: Now’s Your Second Chance

Hershey’s stock has pulled back. If you missed a previous opportunity to own the stock, this may be your second chance. Explore a few simple technical analysis tools that can help determine if the stock presents a buying opportunity.

Are you bummed out that you missed a stock trading opportunity? Upward-trending stocks don’t always go up. They’re known to pull back, and sometimes the price action at the pullback could give you a second chance.

As an example, Hershey Foods Corp. (HSY) rallied from January 2023 to May 2023. The StockCharts Technical Ranking (SCTR) for HSY has, for the most part, been above 70 for a few months. It’s important to note that, since the SCTR crossed above 70 in April, it has managed to stay above the 70 level even after the stock price pulled back. The stock is also performing well relative to the S&P 500 index ($SPX).

CHART 1: DAILY CHART OF HERSHEY STOCK. The stock price is bouncing off its 50-day moving average. If the support level holds, the stock could reach a high of around $276.Chart source: StockCharts.com (click on chart for live version). For illustrative purposes only.

Hershey’s stock has had an interesting ride, reaching a high of $275.81 on May 1. Consumer demand for chocolates and other sweet and salty snacks has increased, as indicated in the company’s recent earnings calls. Plus, the company pays dividends to its shareholders. Check out the Symbol Summary tool in the StockCharts charting platform for dividend info.

Zeroing In: Daily Price Action in HSY Stock

Since reaching its May high, the stock has traded sideways in a narrow range for a couple of weeks until it sold off, bringing its price close to its 50-day moving average (MA).

  • If the support of this moving average holds, the stock could bounce back and revisit its highs.
  • If the SCTR stays above 70 and the stock’s relative performance against the S&P 500 continues to be strong, there’s a chance HSY could move higher. So, if you missed out on the earlier rally, this could be another opportunity.

The downside: The stock could move lower to its 100-day MA. If the SCTR and relative strength drop, any reversal of the downward trend would be void for a while. Things can always change.

A Weekly Perspective of HSY Stock

The weekly chart of HSY shows that the upward trend is still in play. It helps to look at the last two occasions when the SCTR experienced sharp dips below the 70 level. In both those instances—November 2022 and January 2023—the stock fell to its 50-week MA and rebounded. But the price is quite a ways from the 50-week MA, so, in this case, it would be helpful to add a shorter period MA to the chart. In the chart below, you see a 25-week, which was added because price hugged it pretty closely during the rally from 2020.

CHART 2: WEEKLY CHART OF HERSHEY STOCK. The weekly chart shows the long-term upward trend is still moving higher.Chart source: StockCharts.com (click on chart for live version). For illustrative purposes only.

  • The SCTR is above the 70 level, which is a positive indication for the stock price to move higher. If price stays at or above the 25-week MA and the SCTR remains above 70, there’s a pretty good chance the stock will continue to rally.
  • The 50-, 100-, and 200-week moving averages are trending lower.
  • The 50-period moving average overlay on the relative performance, with respect to the $SPX, is trending upward, which is another positive indication for an upward trend.

How to Trade HSY Stock

  • Going back to the daily chart, if the stock stays above its 50-day MA, look for an up day with higher-than-average volume. If there’s a follow-through of at least one more price bar, it could present a buying opportunity.
  • The upside target on the daily chart could be its high of just below $276.
  • As long as the SCTR and relative strength against the S&P 500 index stay where they are or go higher, your long trade can remain in play. Consumer demand for Hershey’s products is critical, so it’s important to follow the company’s earnings calls. In an inflationary environment, consumers may decide not to forgo the chocolates and candy. Any signs of slowdown could result in a selloff in the stock.

If you open a long position in HSY, you may not need to place too tight of a stop loss. There are a few months before Hershey’s next earnings call. It depends on your risk tolerance level. If the stock trends higher, set trailing stops, and if you have a significant position size, take profits incrementally if conditions warrant such a strategy.

Other Stocks From the Scan

Here are some other stocks that showed up on the large-cap SCTR scan.

  • Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS)
  • Noble Corp. (NE)
  • O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY)
  • Palo Alto Networks Inc. (PANW)
  • Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR)
  • Twilio Inc. (TWLO) 
  • VeriSign, Inc. (VRSN)

Looking Back at AMZN

On May 16, Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) was the featured SCTR scan candidate. Let’s look at how that stock is performing.

CHART 3: DAILY CHART OF AMZN. If you had opened a long trade when price broke above $113.84, you’re probably still holding your positions. A break below the dashed green horizontal line could alter the picture.Chart source: StockCharts.com (click on chart for live version). For illustrative purposes only.

AMZN broke above the $113.84 level (dashed horizontal green line). Since then, it has pulled back and bounced off the green dashed line. If you had opened a long position slightly above $113.84, you’re probably holding on to that stock. The SCTR is well above the 70 level, and the stock’s performance against the benchmark S&P 500 is rising.

A change in any of the above criteria could be a reason to take at least some positions off the table.


SCTR Crossing Scan

[country is US] and [sma(20,volume) > 100000] and [[SCTR.large x 76] or [SCTR.large x 78] or [SCTR.large x80]] 

Credit goes to Greg Schnell, CMT, MFTA.



Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

Jayanthi Gopalakrishnan

About the author:
Jayanthi Gopalakrishnan is Director of Site Content at StockCharts.com. She spends her time coming up with content strategies, delivering content to educate traders and investors, and finding ways to make technical analysis fun. Jayanthi was Managing Editor at T3 Custom, a content marketing agency for financial brands. Prior to that, she was Managing Editor of Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities magazine for 15+ years.
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