U.S. Stock Market Foreshadows Another Rally – True Story!

Today our trading partner Chris Vermeulen paints a clear picture of this market with price, volume, momentum, cycles and sentiment. Will he start shorting the bounces? Let's find out......

Over the past couple week’s investors and traders have been growing increasingly bearish for the US stock market. While I too also feel this rally is getting long in the teeth there is no reason to exit long positions and start shorting.

My followers know I do not pick tops and I do not pick bottoms. This I explained in great detail in my previous report. There are more cons to that tactic and on several different levels (timing, volatility, emotions, lack of experience, addiction) than there are pro’s.

Keeping things simple, short and to the point here is my thinking for today and this week on the broad market. Remember my analysis is 100% technical based using price, volume, cycles, volatility, momentum and sentiment. I try not to let any emotions, gut feel, or bias flow into my projections. I say “TRY” because I am only human and at times when the market and emotions are flying high they still take control of me but that is few and far between.

So let’s get to the charts shall we!

SP500 Index Trading Daily Chart – SPY Exchange Traded Fund

The SP500 index continues to hold up within its rising trend channel and the recent pullback is bullish. Remember the trend is your friend and it can continue for very long periods of times ranging from days, weeks, and even months…

The US Stock Market MUSCLE Indexes

The charts below show and explain my thinking… But in short we need these two indexes to be strong if we want to see another major leg higher in the SPY, or to at least test the recent highs.

Today the market opened slightly higher and push up in the first 30 minutes with strong volume. Overall the market looks as though it needs a day pause/pullback before taking another run higher.

Small cap stocks are the ULTIMATE Risk On play and generate ridiculous gains in very short periods of time. I focus on these with my trading partner exclusively at ActiveTradingPartners.com where we have been making a killing on trades like NUGT up 21% in 1 day and IOC up 11% in 2 day.

Bullish Index Price, Volume & Candles

The SP500 has been very predictable the past couple weeks for both intraday trading during key reversal times in the market when price has pullback to a support zone, and also for swing trading. Last week we myself and followers bought SSO ETF when the market pulled back and we exited the next day for a 3.5% profit.

Yesterday was a perfect intraday example with the SP500 bottoming out at my 11:30am morning reversal time zone with price trading at support. Price then rallied into the close posting a 12 point gain on the SP500 futures for a simple momentum play pocketing $600.

US Stock Market Mid-Week Conclusion:

In short, I still like stocks as the place to be and will not get bearish until proven wrong. Once price reverses and the technical clearly paint a bearish picture with price, volume, momentum, cycles and sentiment will I start shorting the bounces.

This week is a pivotal one for the stock market so expect increased volatility and possibly lower lows still until the counter trend flushes the weak position out before moving higher.

If you like my simple, clean and profitable market analysis just click here to join my NEWSLETTER

Chris Vermeulen


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What's Behind the "Big Trade"

In today's free trading video John Carter will show you how you can grow any size account using options.

Here's just a few topics John will be covering.....

*    The difference between trading for income vs. growth

*   Our recent $223,234.00 trading day

*    John's favorite time frames to trade

*     How to trade momentum stocks

*    The one indicator we can’t trade without

                         And much more.....

Simply fill out your name and email address and click on the submit button, and it will take you right to the video.


Just click here to watch "What's Behind the Big Trade"

Seven Keys in Timing Stock Market Tops – Part II

Timing stock market tops and bottoms is risky business and we all know the more the more risk we take the more potential gain would could also made. Correctly timing a top or bottom for any investment is flat out exciting not to mention financially rewarding. But this high risk trading tactic does come with some major issues which you must FULLY understand so that you can protect your capital and self confidence.

On May 13th I wrote a special report on how to spot market tops just before they happen and how to do it with a very high probability of success. I also explain the major pit falls to be aware of so you stay on the right side of the market.

I recommend you read this special report right now.... "How to Spot and Time Stock Market Tops"

That special report truly showed you what was going to happen a few weeks before it did. Much like how this report shows you what is likely to happen in June.

Looking at the market with my YOU ARE HERE type of using cycles, volume, price patterns and momentum to forecast what is likely to unfold in the coming weeks. Depending on the time frame used for my analysis I can figure out with a high probability where price will be in a few minutes, hours or days also. Mall Market Directory – You Are Here

Stock market tops are tough to trade and time. That is because there are so many things happening in the media and emotions running wild that it’s tough to get a grasp on what you should really be focusing on to keep a level head trade around it.

Market tops are typically not an event but rather a progression that takes much longer than most individuals expect. I still find myself jumping the gun at times and I know this and have been through this process hundreds of times in various investments. The human brain is a powerful tool but emotions can force you to override your rules/strategy still.

Stop Fighting! – Bulls & Bears are BOTH Correct at this Stage

It does not matter where you go to get your stock market news and reports… Everyone is arguing their bullish or bearish case more than EVERY. There is a reason for this and it’s because the SP500, DJIA, RUT and NASDAQ appear to be entering a cycle top. What does this mean? It means the uptrend is almost over from a technical analyst point of view, and those who are have been bearish for a long time feel the market topping out more now than ever in their gut that this is the top.

Keeping it simple removing news, economic data, emotions and biases we are left with one thing which is technical analysis. This is based on price alone and that is important to remember because the only thing that pays you money for an investment is when price moves in your favor. Believe it or not price only has blips on the charts here and there which is based off news, economic data etc… In the big picture stock prices tend to lead economic data by several months and in some cases years.

So the big question is this… If price action is the only thing that pays you when trading why bother worrying about all the other opinions, news out there. That stuff only adds to the confusion and in most cases gets you on the wrong side of the market.

Timing the Market Top Conclusion:

In short, from a technical point of view the SP500 remains in an uptrend. But according to technical analysis the upside momentum is starting to slow. If we get a few more down days then the trend will flip and be down but it has not yet happened.

When the trend does reverse down you must remember that 80% of the time price will bounce back up to test near the recent highs before truly rolling over and collapsing. Think of it like a zombie movie. Just when you think you killed one it comes back to life for one last scare before its dead.

Just to touch on stock market bottoms so you do not get confused. Stock market bottoms are little different than tops so they are traded differently. I will cover them when the time comes.

Trading the market is not easy during this type of condition, which is why members and myself got long SSO on the 23rd and two days later sold out for a 3.5% gain. I am now looking to reload this week for another bounce/rally play but only time will tell if we get another setup.

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Are you trading with "Only 7 In Your Clip"

Ever watch those cop shows where they run low on bullets? In the middle of a firefight, one of them is down to a clip of slugs. It happens in war movies as well. What is the advice given? Pick your shots and skip the rest. This simply means don’t shoot aimlessly but have your eye firmly on what is probably a sure shot.

Over trading in trading is the problem many people have. Wanting to stack up the wins or recover from some losses is something we have all done or at least want to do. I am sure that many who have their rules down tight still have the urge but don’t follow through.

Obviously, constantly being in the market is a risk. Trade after trade, you never know which is going to be the winner as wins/losses are a random distribution. Having a few trades go in your direction is a good thing but they more you play, the more you may pay. I am not talking commissions only as paying the losses can add up to some hefty account percentage. Taking loss after loss? Unless the dynamics of the market have changed during your losing streak, expect more.

The simple thing to do ( I say simple, not easy ) is trade less and only trade the golden ones. What does that mean? Only take the trades that adhere 100% to your current setup definition.

Think of it this way. I am giving you 7 bullets in a clip. You only have 7 shots to define your week as successful or not. When those 7 slugs are gone, you are out of the action. How are you going to fire these shots to make them count?

If your plan calls for tests of support/resistance plus selling the high/low break of the reversal candle when exceeding 2 pips/ticks/points, do exactly that. Nothing marginal. No guesswork. Either the setup is there precisely as your plan states or it is not.

|Many people go into the heavy psychological reasons behind over trading. The “whys and what” may be great for an academic but solving it is much easier than laying out on a psychologists couch talking about your past. Just don’t do it. Have a rule of 7 bullets in the clip for the week. Walk away when you are empty. Many of you will fight the internal battle…sometimes even physical discomfort but look, we are all adults here. You DO have the power to choose WHAT you DO.

Let’s sum up the exercise. For the next few weeks, limit yourself to 7 trades per week. Pick the shots that fit your criteria exactly, without a shred of difference. This builds a solid habit of following rules and being in control of yourself. Without those, trading will not be something you will succeed at. That is not being dramatic, that is truth.

What some people need is accountability. When you are a member of the Premier Trader University trading program, there are trading coaches there that can assist you with staying true to a plan. With systems that plot out exactly where to enter and exit (even trail your stop), the only true battle you will face is with yourself trying to out think the market.

In the end, you want to be accountable to yourself. That takes time and this exercise can help you do just that.

Posted courtesy of our trading partners at NetPicks.com


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Precious Metals & Miners Start Bottoming Process

Precious metals and their related mining stocks continue to under perform the broad market. This year’s heavy volume breakdown below key support has many investors and trader’s spooked creating to a steady stream of selling pressure for gold and silver bullion and mining stocks.

While the technical charts are telling me prices are trying to bottom we must be willing to wait for price to provide low risk entry points before getting involved. Precious metals are like any other investment in respect to trading and investing in them. There are times when you should be long, times to be in cash and times to be short (benefit from falling prices). Right now and for the last twelve months when looking at precious metals cash has been king.

Since 2011 when gold and silver started to correct the best position has been to move to cash or to sell/write options until the next trend resumes. This is something I have been doing with my trading partner who focuses solely on Options Trading who closed three winning positions last week for big gains.

In 2008 we had a similar breakdown in price washing the market clean of investors who were long precious metals. If you compare the last two breakdowns they look very similar. If price holds true then we will see higher prices unfold at the end of 2013.

The key here is for the price to move and hold above the major resistance line. A breakout would trigger a rally in gold to $2600 – $3500 per ounce. With that being said gold and silver may be starting a bear market. Depending what the price does when the major resistance zone is touched, my outlook may change from bullish to bearish. Remember, no one can predict the market with 100% accuracy and each day, week and month that passes changes the outlook going forward.

The chart below is on I drew up on May 3rd. I was going to get a fresh chart and put my analysis on it but to be honest my price forecast/analysis has been spot on thus far and there is no need to update.

Gold Daily Technical Chart Showing Bottoming Process:

Major technical damage has been done to the chart of gold. Gold is trying to put in a bottom but still needs more time. I feel gold will make a new low in the coming month then bottom as drawn on the chart below.

Silver Daily Technical Chart Showing Bottoming Process:

Silver is in a similar as gold. The major difference between gold and silver is that silver dropped 10% early one morning this month which had very light volume. The fact that silver hit my $20 per ounce level and it was on light volume has me thinking silver has now bottomed.

But, silver may flounder at these prices or near the recent lows until its big sister (gold) puts in a bottom.



Gold Mining Stocks Monthly Investing Zone Chart:

Gold mining stocks broke down a couple months ago and continue to sell off on strong volume. If precious metals continue to move lower then mining stocks will continue their journey lower.

This updated chart which I originally drew in February warning of a breakdown below the green support trend lines would signal a collapse in stock prices, which is exactly what has/is taking place. While I do not try to pick bottoms (catch falling knives) I do like to watch for them so I am prepared for new positions when the time and chart turn bullish or provide a low risk probing entry point.

While we focus more on analysis, forecasts and ETF trading another one of my trading partners who focuses on Trading Stocks and 3x Leveraged ETF’s has been cleaning up with gold miners.

Gold, Silver and Mining Stocks Conclusion:

Precious metals continue to be trending down and while they look to be trying to bottom it is important to remember that some of the biggest percent moves take place in the last 10% of a trend. So we may be close to a bottom on the time scale but there could be sharply lower prices yet.

The time will come when another major signal forms and when it does we will be getting involved. The exciting this is that it could be just around the corner. So if you want to keep current and take advantage of the next major moves in the market be sure to join our newsletters.

From COT trading partner Chris Vermeulen


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Weekly Energy Markets Recap with Mike Seery

We've asked Michael Seery of INO.com to give our Crude Oil Trader readers a weekly recap of the futures market. He has been Senior Analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets.....

Energy futures had a volatile trading week as usual with crude oil basically finishing unchanged this Friday afternoon at 94.10 still trading below its 20 and 100 day moving average with very little chart structure with giant swings to the upside and to the downside with a possible double top around $97 and if you’re looking to get short this market my recommendation would be to put a stop above 97.35 in case the market does rally settling last Friday at 96.30 basically unchanged for the trading week.

Heating oil futures for the June contract are trading below their 20 and 100 day moving average after hitting a 4 week high last Monday down for the 4th consecutive day as we enter the summer when demand for heating oil generally lightens so I’m still not bullish this commodity but I’m still advising traders to basically sit on the sidelines in crude oil and in heating oil.

And look at unleaded gas which is still trading below their 20 and 100 day moving average settling last Friday at 2.90 with major support 2.70 down 800 points for the week currently trading at 2.84 and I do believe that a bottom has occurred in unleaded gas prices as we enter the demand season in the next couple of months.

The commodity markets have been extremely volatile in recent weeks with the U.S dollar hitting contract highs a couple of days back, however crude oil and its products have held up very well despite all the negative news with record inventories here in the United States they continue to hang near recent highs and I just wonder how long that is going to continue especially in heating oil & crude oil.

Trend: Sideways – Chart structure improving


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The Headline Data that Financial Media Ignored on Wednesday

Wednesday was a wild trading session where we saw the largest intraday selloff in the S&P 500 E-Mini futures that we have seen in some time. Intraday price action was driven largely by statements made by Chairman Bernanke and the release of the Federal Reserve Meeting Minutes which saw some monster intraday moves and a large spike in the Volatility Index (VIX).

While the world is focused on when the Federal Reserve is going to taper their Quantitative Easing program and the impact those actions will have on financial markets, I wanted to look at another divergence in the economic data which is supported by market action.

Instead of trying to determine how or when the Federal Reserve will taper or end their monetary experiment, I wanted to juxtapose statements that were made today with the actual facts. Readers can draw their own conclusions.

Recently, we have been told that the housing market is in the early stages of recovery. Unfortunately due to low interest rates housing has turned back into a speculative market. Consequently, a lot of so called fast money is flowing into housing which in many cases is either being purchased for rentals or by foreign investors as a speculative investment.

At present the housing market is not being driven by capital formation at the household level and data indicates that construction jobs are under pressure and affordability is reversing.

This first chart illustrates what has recently transpired in the 10 Year Treasury Yield.....Click here to read J.W. Jones' entire article and view his charts for "The Headline Data that Financial Media Ignored on Wednesday"


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Gold Stocks: Its Time To Be BRAVE!

By David Banister, Chief Strategist the Market Trend Forecast.........

I used to half joke with some of my investing friends that the best time to buy stocks is during or right after a crash. Think 1987, 2000-2002, 2008-09, and now perhaps Gold Miners?? Well, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, lets examine evidence of a “Crash”: I like to use crowd behavioral, empirical, and technical evidence in combination.

1. In a recent money managers poll, virtually nobody was bullish on Gold or Gold stocks, and over 80% of those polled were bullish on the SP 500 and US stocks.

2. The percentage of Dumb Money traders (non-reportable traders) in the futures markets with short positions on Gold is at all time highs, they tend to be very long at the highs and very short at the lows.

3. The insider buying ratio of Gold Mining stocks to sellers is running over 10 to 1, the highest since October 2008 when Gold bottomed out at $685 per ounce from $1030 highs. Quoting Ted Dixon, CEO of Ink Research, “such a high level of buying interest among officers and directors within their own businesses in the resource sector has correctly foreshadowed a recovery in share prices in the past: That high point of nearly five years ago came about six weeks before the Venture market bottomed on Dec. 5, 2008…While the excitement that surrounded mining stocks as recently as two years ago has waned, experienced value investors recognize that such periods of investor neglect often give rise to the best deals” Source: Theglobeandmail.com

4. The ratio of the HUI Gold Bugs Index to the SP 500 is at multi year lows and in near crash mode on the charts. The RSI Index (Relative strength) on the weekly charts is at 10 year lows at -13.71, which is off the charts low!!

5. Most trading message boards I view at Stocktwits and others are universally bearish on Gold and Gold stocks.

6. Gold is in a wave B or Wave 5 down re-testing the 1322 lows which we have discussed here for weeks as very likely if 1470 was not taken out on the upside… this is a normal sentiment pattern and re-test.

7. Gold has been in a 21 Fibonacci month correction pattern off a 34 Fibonacci month rally from 686-1923. In August of 2011 I penned articles from 1805 right up to 1900 warning of a massive wave 3 top forming. Everyone was bullish, now it’s the complete opposite.

8. Currency debasement continues around the world with negative real interest rates. This is bullish for Gold once this correction has run its course.

9. Hulbert Digest Gold Sentiment index is at an all time low (gold newsletters at -35 sentiment readings!!)

10. Gold -Silver put to call ratios are at all time highs

I could go on and on with headlines and such, but you get the idea. This is the same type of sentiment I wrote about on the stock market on Feb 25th 2009, here is that article... and nobody on the planet was bullish.

Below is a chart showing the Bullish % index for Gold Miners, as you can see the last time we were at 0% was late 2008 when Gold had bottomed out and insiders were also buying like crazy like now:



The GLD ETF chart also shows a likely re-test or slightly lower of the 1322 futures lows of April, when Insider buying hit 10 year record levels:



Obviously Gold could end up going a lot lower than we think, and the Gold Mining stocks could sink further yet. But for those with a 3-6 month horizon, we expect the 21-24 month Gold correction to complete by no later than October 2013. During the next several months the opportunities to buy some miners on the cheap will potentially make some investors a lot of money in the coming few years.


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How Russia Is Creating the Contrarian Play of the Decade....Tuesdays can't miss webinar

Years from now analysts will look back at the end of 2013 as the beginning of a historic bull market. They’ll see that the harbinger of this run up was in plain view for anyone who bothered to look.

I’m talking about uranium, and the harbinger I’m referring to is the historic Megatons to Megawatts agreement between the U.S. and Russia. This agreement expires in December 2013. Its ending concludes an era of cheap nuclear fuel for America and opens the door for Russia to sell its uranium on the world market to the highest bidder.

This is creating a profit opportunity of such magnitude that Casey Research has called together a world class faculty of energy experts for an urgent discussion:

·   Spencer Abraham, former U.S. secretary of energy

·    Herb Dhaliwal, former Canadian minister of natural resources

·   Lady Barbara Judge, chairman emeritus of the UK Atomic Energy Authority

·   Amir Adnani, CEO, president and director of Uranium Energy Corp.

These experts, along with legendary natural resource speculator Rick Rule, will sit down with Casey Research's chief energy investment strategist Marin Katusa to discuss the nuclear power industry and offer their insights into what's shaping up to be the kind of speculative opportunity contrarians live for.

The event is free and premieres online Tuesday, May 21 at 2 p.m. – click here to save your seat.

See you there!




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National Oilwell Varco Announces Doubling of Dividend NOV

National Oilwell Varco (NYSE: NOV) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved an increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend to $0.26 per share of common stock from $0.13 per share of common stock, payable on June 28, 2013 to each stockholder of record on June 14, 2013. The Company has increased its quarterly cash dividend every year since the Company started paying cash dividends.

Pete Miller, Chairman and CEO of National Oilwell Varco, remarked, "This dividend increase reflects the Company's strong financial condition and our confidence in our business going forward. We are pleased that our continued execution and strong cash flow enable us to provide a significantly higher dividend directly to our stockholders. Our business model continues to generate strong operating cash flow that enables us to invest in and execute strategic internal growth and pursue acquisition opportunities to further strengthen our existing businesses."

National Oilwell Varco is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of equipment and components used in oil and gas drilling and production operations, the provision of oilfield services, and supply chain integration services to the upstream oil and gas industry.

Here's a free trend analysis for National Oilwell Varco NOV


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Update.....Is it finally time to go long coffee? Mike Seery weighs in!

Late last week one of our trading partners Jim Robinson gave us his take on the sideways trading in coffee right now. Mike Seery jumps in to give us his take with a recap on how coffee traded last week and where he sees it headed. Is it time to go long coffee?

Coffee futures finished down 295 points and had a disappointing week finishing lower by about 800 points still in a real seesaw chart pattern finishing around 137.00 a pound creating a false breakout to the upside last week with a false breakout to the downside a couple weeks ago so were still unable to breakout of this 8 week consolidation.

We are entering the volatile season in coffee as frost season is right around the corner which could propel prices higher if there are any weather problems but this trend is sideways and I’m still recommending traders to avoid this market until a trend develops and I do believe that the three year downturn in prices is nearing an end in my opinion.

One strategy if you’re looking to get involved in coffee and avoid some of the volatility which could be coming is to look at bull call option spreads and that is an option play which limits your risk to what the premium cost and I would go out to the month of September which gives you around 3 months to hold that position before expiration.

Trend: Sideways – Chart structure - excellent


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Weekly Energy Recap with Mike Seery

The energy futures bucked the trend this week despite the fact that the dollar continues to surge higher but is not putting any pressure on energy prices as July crude oil is still trading above its 20 and 100 day moving average finishing up around $.90 this Friday afternoon at 96.40 a barrel climbing higher for the 3rd consecutive day following the S&P 500 to the upside.

I’ve been advising traders to sit on the sideline in this market because there is no chart structure and I guess the trend might be to the upside but at this point I don’t believe there’s a solid trend to sink your teeth in with major resistance at 98 – 100 which could be tested next week. This market is showing incredible strength in my opinion due to the fact that gold is falling out of bed with many other commodities but even with record supplies here in the United States prices still continue to hang near the top and of the trading range.

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Heating oil futures for the June contract are trading above their 20 day moving average but below their 100 day moving average trading right at 4 week highs up around 300 points the trading week looking to breakout to the upside with major resistance at 2.95 as crude oil is propping up all of the products.

Unleaded gasoline for the June contract is trading above its 20 day moving average but still below its 100 day moving average hitting a 5 week high today as I’ve stated many previous blogs I believe a triple bottom may have occurred in unleaded gas prices and I think were headed higher as demand season for gas starts Memorial Day weekend.

The chart structure in heating oil and in unleaded gasoline is much better than it is in crude oil so focus on the products at this time especially unleaded gas to the upside as prices here in Chicago are flirting around 4.75 a gallon because the fact that we have extremely high taxes and a special summer blend so there is a chance that we could see prices head higher at the pump the summer.

Trend: Higher – Chart structure excellant

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Is it finally time to go long coffee?

If you have been following us you know we have been adding to our long coffee position using ticker "JO". Are you on board or do you see coffee going lower. Coffee bears have gained back some momentum the last couple of days. Today we've asked our friend Jim Robinson at INO.com to provide his expert analysis of the coffee trade to our readers. Each week he'll be be analyzing a different chart for us using our Trade Triangles and his experience.....

Coffee could be turning bullish, so this week let's take a look at the Coffee Chart. With Futures we use the weekly MarketClub Trade Triangle for trend, and the daily MarketClub Trade Triangle for timing.

*    Coffee put in a weekly green Trade Triangle on what looks to be the breakout to the upside of the base.

*   Coffee put in a daily red Trade Triangle on what looks to be a test of the base.

*   If Coffee trades higher and puts in a green daily Trade Triangle odds would be with bulls.

The MACD made a bullish momentum divergence at the lows and is currently on a buy signal, which supports the bullish case for Coffee as of right now. If Coffee were to continue lower from here and puts in a red weekly MarketClub Trade Triangle, then odds would not be with the bullish case for Coffee any more.

So even though it looks to be a big bullish opportunity for Coffee, we'll just have to sit back and let the market tell us what to do next. So this looks to be a great Chart to Watch right now, as exciting things could be happening on the upside in Coffee soon.




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How to Spot & Time Stock Market Tops

Since the middle of April everyone and including their grandmother seems to have been building a short position in the equities market and we know picking tops or bottoms fighting the major underlying trend is risky business but most individuals cannot resist.

The rush one gets trying to pick a major top or bottom is flat out exciting and that is what makes it so darn addicting and irresistible. If you have ever nailed a market top or bottom then you know just how much money can be made. That one big win naturally draws you back to keep doing it much like how a casino works. The chemicals released in the brain during these extremely exciting times are strong enough that even the most focused traders fall victim to breaking rules and trying these type of bets/trades.

So if are going to try to pick a top you better be sure the charts and odds are leaning in your favor as much as possible before starting to build a position.

Below are a few charts with my analysis and thoughts overlaid showing you some of the things I look at when thinking about a counter trend trade like picking a top within a bull market.

Utility Stocks vs SP500 Index Daily Performance Chart:

The SPY and XLU performance chart below clearly shows how the majority of traders move out of the slow moving defensive stocks (utilities – XLU) and starts to put their money into more risky stocks. This helps boost the broad market. I see the same thing in bonds and gold this month which is a sign that a market top is nearing.

That being said when a market tops it is generally a process which takes time. Most traders think tops area one day event but most of the times it takes weeks to unfold as the upward momentum slows and the big smart money players slowly hand off their long positions to the greedy emotion drove traders.

Look at the chart below and notice the first red box during September and October. As you can see it took nearly 6 weeks for that top to form before actually falling off. That same thing could easily happen again this time, though I do feel it will be more violent this time around.



SPY ETF Trading Chart Shows Instability and Resistance:

Using simple trend line analysis we see the equities market is trading at resistance and sideways or lower prices are more likely in the next week or two.



Stocks Trading Above 150 Day Moving Average Chart:

This chart because it’s based on a very long term moving average (150sma) is a slow mover and does not work well for timing traded. But with that said it does clearly warn you when stocks are getting a little overpriced and sellers could start at any time.

General rule is not to invest money on the long side when this chart is above the 75% level. Rather wait for a pullback below it.



Stocks Trading Above 20 Day Moving Average Chart:

This chart is based on the 20 day moving average which moves quickly. Because it reacts quicker to recent price action it can be a great help in timing an entry point for a market top or bottom. It does not pin point the day/top it does give you a one or two week window of when price should start to correct.



How to Spot and Time Stock Market Tops Conclusion:

As we all know or will soon find out, trading is one of the toughest businesses or and one of the most expensive hobbies that one will try to master. Hence the 95-99% failure rate of individuals who try to understand how the market functions, position management, how to control their own emotions and to create/follow a winning strategy.

With over 8000 public traded stocks, exchange traded funds, options, bonds, commodities, futures, forex, currencies etc… to pick from its easy to get overwhelmed and just start doing more or less random trades without a proven, documented rule based strategy. This type of trading results in frustration, loss of money and the eventual closure of a trading account. During this process most individuals will also lose friends, family and in many cased self-confidence.

So the next time you think about betting against the trend to pick a top or a bottom you better make darn sure you have waited well beyond the first day you feel like the market is topping out. Stocks trading over the 150 and 20 day moving averages should be in the upper reversal zones and money should be flowing out of bonds and other safe haven/defensive stocks to fuel the last rally/surge higher in the broad market.

Also I would like to note that I do follow the index futures and volume very closely on both the intraday and daily charts. This is where the big money does a lot of trading. Knowing when futures contracts are being sold or bought with heavy volume is very important data in helping time tops and bottoms more accurately. And the more experience you have in trading also plays a large part in your success in trading tops and bottoms.

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America’s Addiction to Foreign Uranium

America’s Addiction to Foreign Uranium

Posted courtesy of our trading partners at Casey Research.........

What most Americans don't realize is that dependence on foreign oil isn't the main obstacle to US energy autonomy. If you think America's energy supply issues begin and end with the Middle East, think again. One of the most critical sources of foreign energy is due to dry up this year, and the results could mean spiking electricity prices across the country.


In 2011, the US used 4,128 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. Nuclear power provided 790.2 billion kWh, or 19% of the total electrical output in the US. Few people know that one in five US households is powered by nuclear energy, and that the price of that nuclear power has been artificially stabilized. Unfortunately for us, the vast majority of the fuel used for powering our homes must be imported.
In the chart below, you see where most of our uranium comes from:

The overwhelming majority of that Russian uranium comes from a 20-year-old agreement called "Megatons to Megawatts" that allows weapons-grade, highly enriched uranium (HEU) to be converted to reactor-grade, low enriched uranium (LEU).

By December 2012, "Megatons to Megawatts" had produced 13,603 metric tons of LEU for US consumption and provided the fuel for nearly half of the US electricity generated from nuclear power.
In December 2013, that agreement expires, and Russia will be free to put its uranium out on the open market and demand higher prices. With 17 nuclear reactors in China and 20 in India – not to mention Japan, France, Germany, and others all vying for nuclear fuel – competitive bids are poised to drive prices higher, and early investors stand to make spectacular gains.

If this information is news to you, you are not alone. While the mainstream media focus on the US's "Middle Eastern energy dependence," the real story remains unnoticed. That's why Casey Research invited the field's top experts – including former US Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and Chairman Emeritus of the UK Atomic Energy Authority Lady Barbara Judge – for a frank discussion of what we think is America's greatest energy challenge.

Join us on Tuesday, May 21 at 2 p.m. EDT for the premiere of The Myth of American Energy Independence: Is Nuclear the Ultimate Contrarian Investment? to learn how the end of "Megatons to "Megawatts" will affect the US energy sector and how you can position yourself for outsized profits. Attendance is free – click here to register.



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Will Crude Oil Futures Stop the Fed’s QE Program?

From guest blogger J.W. Jones at Options Trading Signals.......

The sell side analysts and economists are reminding retail investors that risk assets in the United States have been on quite a tear to the upside recently. A correction now lasts a matter of days, if not hours before the bulls push equity prices even higher.

The Federal Reserve is winning the reflation war using cheap money and massive levels of liquidity to help drive risk assets higher and interest rates artificially lower. Unfortunately for domestic investors searching for yield, they find that they are forced to incur higher levels of risk in order to satisfy their growth and income needs. There are significant risks associated with higher than average fixed income returns and the cost will be felt should we see any correction in the future.

However, the Federal Reserve has a history that is littered with dismal results. The purchasing power of the U.S. Dollar has been reduced by more than 90% since the Fed’s inception in late December of 1913. Since that time, the Federal Reserve has stolen more “real” wealth from the American people than any other institution in the history of mankind.

The Federal Reserve has two primary functions. One function is to maintain price stability or in other words to moderate inflation. Clearly over the past 100 years their inflation track record has been horrific. However, the Fed’s recent track record regarding the value of the U.S. Dollar Index has been dismal the past 15 years as shown below.

 

As can be seen clearly above in the Dollar Index Futures monthly chart, at present levels the Dollar’s overall value has diminished well over 31% since late 2001. I would also draw readers’ attention to the selloff that occurred from late 2005 until the early part of 2008. The selloff during that period of time is important to reinforce my next consideration.

Recently the flow of liquidity has primarily been seen in record low interest rates and a surging U.S. equity market. Nearly every day the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&P 500 Indexes make a new all-time high. The question that I would like to posit for readers is how long will it be before the so-called smart money starts looking at the attractiveness of commodities relative to equities?

If the Federal Reserve continues to print money at this pace, what will ultimately stop them dead in their tracks? The short answer is energy prices. The easiest way to stop the Fed’s printing press is to see a massive spike in energy prices. While we often hear that history does not repeat but it often rhymes, consider the price action in oil futures during the same 2006 – 2008 selloff in the U.S. Dollar Index.  

 

It is readily apparent that once oil futures were able to push above the $78 / barrel highs in mid-2006, prices exploded while the U.S. Dollar came under strong selling pressure. The timing could not be more impeccable for the explosive nature in the move higher in oil.

Furthermore, if we move forward to present day price action in oil futures we have a large triangle pattern on the long-term charts. The pattern offers the inflation versus deflation argument that so many economists and strategists are plagued by presently in their analysis.

My suggestion is that watching the price of oil futures is likely going to tell us the intermediate expectation by the market of what lies ahead in the inflation versus deflation debate. The movement of oil futures prices in the intermediate term is likely to be based on which direction the triangle pattern ultimately breaks.

What is obvious about this pattern is that a move that could hurdle $100 / barrel will open up a strong move toward $112 – $120 / barrel. If we were to see a move higher in oil futures that could push above the $120 / barrel price level set back in early 2011 a fierce rally in oil futures could play out.

A strong rally in oil futures will ultimately put the final nail in the coffin for U.S. equity markets and the U.S. economy. Gasoline prices would obviously rocket higher and the U.S. economy would quickly be brought to its knees. The Federal Reserve would be forced to either print more money and run the risk of higher oil prices, or do nothing and run the risk that the equity selloff could intensify.

I want to be clear that I am not calling for a rally in oil futures. Price action could go either way depending on market conditions, but the real question is regardless of which way price breaks in the future, how does it help equity markets? Those evil oil speculators run down by politicians seeking air time on television and radio could be the final straw for Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve.

Whether the future is full of inflation, deflation, or stagflation I am confident that energy prices will play a critical role in price discovery for not just oil and oil distillates, but for the overall domestic economy.

If the Fed does not show constraint at the appropriate time, oil and other commodity prices are likely to remind Chairman Bernanke that the Federal Reserve’s future track record is likely to be as dire as its historical performance.

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Correction near but Bull Market has LONG waves to Go!

Are you using Elliot Wave theory in your trading? Today David Banister of Market Trend Forecast is laying out the Elliot formations in detail. Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to make sure you are looking at this market through his eyes. Can any of us call the pull back exactly and reliably? No, of course not. But we should all be taking this into consideration.

The SP 500 has been on a tear as we all know especially since the SP 500 bottomed at 1343 several months ago. My work centers around forecasting using Elliott Wave Theory along with other technical indicators. This helps with projecting the short, intermediate, and longer term paths in the stock market and also precious metals. This larger picture Bull Cycle started in March of 2009 interestingly after an exact 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of the entire move from 1974 to 2000 lows to highs. At 666, we had completed a major cycle bottom with about 9 years of movement to retrace 26 years of overall bull cycle. That was a major set of 3 waves (Corrective patterns in Elliott Wave Theory) from the 2000 highs to 2002-3 lows, then 2007 highs to 2009 lows. Once that completed its work, we were free to have a huge new bull market cycle off extreme sentiment and generational lows.

It’s important to understand where we were at in March of 2009 just as much as it is today with the market at all time highs. Is this the time to bail out of stocks or do we have a lot more upside yet to go? Our short answer is there is quite a bit more upside left in the indexes, but there are multiple patterns that must take place along the way. We will try to lay those out for you here as best we can.

Elliott Wave theory in general calls for 5 full wave cycles in a Bull pattern, with 1, 3, and 5 bullish and 2 and 4 corrective. We are currently in what is often the most bullish of all the patterns, a 3rd of a 3rd of a 3rd. In English, we are in Primary wave 3 of this bull cycle which will be 5 total primary waves. We are in Major wave 3 of that Primary 3, and in the Intermediate wave 3 of Major wave 3. That is why the market continues its relentless climb. This primary wave 3 still has lots of work to do because Major wave 3 still has a 4th wave down and a 5th wave up to finish, then we need a major 4, then a major 5.

That will complete primary wave 3. This will then be followed by a Primary wave 4 cycle correction that probably lasts several months, and then a Primary wave 5 cycle to finish this part of the bull market from March 2009 generational lows… and all of that work is going to take time. Once that entire process from March 2009 has completed, then we should see a much deeper and uglier correction pattern, but we think that is at least 12 months or more away.

What everyone wants to know then is where are we at right now and what are some likely areas for pivot highs and lows ahead? We should complete this 3rd of a 3rd of a 3rd here shortly and have a wave 4 correction working off what will likely be almost 300 points of upside from SP 500 1343. We could see as much as 90-120 points of correction in the major index once this wave completes. Loosely we see 1528-1534 as a possible top and if not then maybe another 30 or so points above that maximum into early June. This should then trigger that 90-120 point correction, and then be followed by yet another run to highs.

We could go on but then we will lose our readers here for sure, and as it is… this is all projections and postulations, so it’s best to keep the forecast to the next many weeks or few months. Below is a chart we have put together showing the structure of Major wave 3 of Primary 3 since the 1343 lows. Once that Major wave 3 tops out (see the blue 3) then we will have Major 4, then Major 5 to complete Primary wave 3 since the 1074 SP 500 lows. Whew!



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Top 3 Trading Indicators for Profitable & Simple Trading

Many investors and traders make the same mistakes assuming that one needs a complex trading system to consistently profit from the stock market. On the contrary, some of the top performing strategies are the ones with the least amount of moving parts and are simple. Because their simplicity they can be easily and consistently followed.

The methodologies we use for timing the market, picking stocks and option trades are very simple because we focus mainly on price, volume and momentum. These three indicators are the key to success. When these are used together you are able time your entries and exits during key turning points, clearly define risk and reward levels while maintaining a clear unbiased state of mind which allows one to trade almost emotionless.

As my Trading System Mastery coach taught me, if you do not have a detailed trading plan which a five year old could trade, then you do not have a solid strategy and will have unnecessary losses and emotional stress.

So here are a couple tips to keep things simple and emotionless: 





Our recent trade in Infoblox Inc. (BLOX):

This stock was flashing several signals (price, volume and momentum) that a bounce or rally was likely going to happen within a few weeks. This is a good example of a swing trade based purely on our main indicators.



Our Broad Market Outlook: Current stock market prices are starting to warn us that a market correction is near. You can read more about this in detail in our last report “Stocks Preparing for a Pullback, Buy Bas News, Sell the Good”.

We all know the market works with the saying.....

“If the market doesn’t shake you out, it will wait you out”.

How does this work? Simple really, during down trends and just before a market bottom we tend to see capitulation spikes in selling. These scare the last of the long positions out of the market and suck in the greedy shorts after the move has already been made.

During an uptrend which is what we are in now the market makes spike highs designed to scare out the shorts and get greedy long traders to buy more. Once again after the move has already been made and likely near the market top.

If you are the type of trader who always tries to pick tops and bottoms against the current trend then you may like to know this little tip… The largest percent moves typically happen during the last 75% of the trend. What does this mean? It means when you take your position against the trend trying to pick the dead top or bottom you are most likely going to get be caught on the wrong side of the market in a big way.

Most traders I know based on recent emails have been short the market for 1-3 weeks and many keep emailing me that they are adding more shorts each day because they feel the market is going to top. So me being a contrarian by nature in terms of what the masses are doing, if everyone is still holding on to their shorts we likely have not seen the top just yet. Another 1-2% jump from here should be enough to shake them out though.

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The Energy Shortage Most Investors Don't Know About

There’s an energy crisis brewing that’s off virtually everyone’s radar. It will be so severe, so disruptive that it will cause a shocking rise in the cost of power around the world.

And at the same time create a contrarian investing opportunity for the history books.

Russia is at the forefront of this budding crisis, which will begin in earnest when the Megatons to Megawatts agreement with the U.S. ends.

That happens in just a few short months, giving you very little time to position yourself......Read the entire Casey Research report and article.



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Trading Commodities with any Size Account

So many traders shy away from trading commodities because their account balances are just to small to buy and sell oil contracts. They think the only option they have is to buy and hold the most popular ETF's like GLD, SLV or USO. But that couldn't be further from the truth. The guys at Trading Concepts have developed a system that can earn you a regular pay check trading commodities....and equities and currencies as well, no matter what size account you have.

And when we think about why you didn't enroll the last time this course was offered, the only reasons I can come up with is you're either not interested in learning how to make monthly income trading options [with any size account] or, you simply couldn't afford it.

When our trading partner Doc Severson closed OptionsMD, he received a number of inquiries from people who said they would have loved to have been a part of the mentoring program, but couldn't afford the investment.

With college tuitions, saving for retirement, increasing job loss, mounting debt, and many other concerns, Doc's always taken pride in being a part of the solution.

So in a last minute effort to help those who are struggling with getting results, but are committed to change their financial situation with options, Doc has reopened OptionsMD until midnight tonight with one big change.

You still get all the mentoring, bonuses, and the one year performance guarantee. But, now you can get all of this with a new payment plan and a much lower monthly investment.

Only open until midnight tonight..... Click to enroll today

See you in the markets,
Ray C. Parrish
The Crude Oil Trader

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