Chris Vermeulen: Crude Oil and Gold Thoughts....What is Next?

The past few weeks have been fast moving with fearful investors clearly in control. As we all know fear is the most powerful force in the financial market and when the hedge funds and the masses get spooked they all dart in one direction like a school of fish. Watching the charts and volume levels it’s clear that money was/is flowing out of stocks and into precious metals as the risk off safe play. 

To make a long story short, I feel as though Euro-Land is going through something similar to what we (the USA) went through in late 2008 and first quarter of 2009. Keeping my analysis simple and to the point it’s very likely that Euro-Land will resolve their financial issues and their stock markets will bottom in the next month or so… If their market bottoms, so will the US market, which will be perfect timing as the market is currently oversold, sentiment is now turning bearish and we have had a sizable pullback in line with normal bull market corrections.

My thinking looking forward 2-6 weeks is that stocks rally, financials rocket higher, bond prices fall, gold falls and oil rises as it will be a risk off trading environment again. Of course all this would happen after Euro-Land resolves some of their key financial issues. I’m being very optimistic here but we could be nearing a major low that could kick start another massive 1 year rally.

Stepping away from that longer term outlook let’s take a peek at the shorter term trends for oil, gold and stocks.

Crude Oil 60 Minute Chart (1 month view)
The recent price action for crude oil remains bearish/neutral in my opinion. We saw a drift higher into resistance with declining volume then a sharp pullback on heavy volume. This tells me oil remains in a down trend. It may be forming a base which would act as a launch pad in the coming weeks for higher prices but only time will tell and I will update as price unfolds.

Gold 4 Hour Chart (One Month View)
Gold has been performing very well for our entry point but the recent price action is starting to look toppy. Gold and many commodities regularly form this pattern of three wave pushes to new highs just before a sizable correction takes place. I am bullish on gold long term and for a few more weeks, but I do feel as though there will be a multi month correction in the price of gold (Read More) soon so be sure to tighten your protective stops as price moves higher.

SPY ETF Weekly Chart (Two Year View)
The stock market has been hit hard and a lot of damage has also been done to the charts on a technical stand point. The amount of damage and fear that has happening generally takes some time to stabilize and heal before another move takes place. Until Euro-Land resolves some of their major issues the US market will be held hostage and under pressure. So I anticipate several weeks of volatility and wild daily price swings similar to what we saw in July of 2010. This type of trading environment can work very well for options traders (Read More).

Weekly Trading Conclusion:
In short, the market price action is favoring very short term traders (day traders). We are seeing complete price swings which can normally be swing traded happen in just hours… Until we get another extreme setup or stabilization (less big headline news) in the market we will be more of a spectator than a trader to preserve capital.

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Oil N Gold: Mondays Crude Oil Daily Technical Outlook

Intraday bias in crude oil remains on the downside for a test on 75.71 support. Break there will confirm resumption of whole fall from 114.83 and should target 70 psychological level next. On the upside, though, break of 89.00 resistance will dampen this bearish view and bring stronger rebound towards 100.62 resistance instead.

In the bigger picture, medium term rebound from 33.2 is treated as the second leg of consolidation pattern from 147.24 and should have finished at 114.83 already. Current decline should now target next key cluster support at 64.23 (61.8% retracement of 33.2 to 114.83 at 64.38). Sustained break will pave the way to retest 33.2 low. On the upside, break of 89.61 resistance is needed to be the first signal of bottoming or we'll stay bearish.

Posted courtesy of Oil N Gold.Com

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Weekend Video Update: European Sovereign Debt Problems Spill Over into Global Equity Markets

Once again, the problems with sovereign debt in Europe  spilled over into the global equity markets,  and in particular the bank stocks. Europe is “the tail that wags the dog”, and in this case,  it’s the world.

Weekend Video Update Here.

For the 4th straight week, US equities closed lower and under heavy selling pressure.  Gold on the other hand soared to new highs, on fears that the sovereign debt crisis is escalating and getting totally out of hand. (It’s already out of hand).

With world equities coming under pressure crude oil was not immune to the potential of less demand for this commodity. With that in mind crude oil slipped 3.6% for the week.

So there you have it, the trends continue,  and these trends are likely to continue in the near future.

Now,  let’s go to the weekly charts and see what happened last week in the major markets according to our Trade Triangle technology.

S&P500: change for the week: – 4.68%
Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends: = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends: = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short-Term Trends: = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score: = – 100

Silver: change for the week: + 9.76%
Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends: = Positive
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends: = Positive
Daily Trade Triangles for Short-Term Trends: = Positive
Combined Strength of Trend Score: = + 100

Gold: change for the week: + 6.02%
Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends: = Positive
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends: = Positive
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends: = Positive
Combined Strength of Trend Score: = + 100

Crude Oil: change for the week: – 3.65%
Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends: = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends: = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends: = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score: = – 90

Dollar Index: change for the week: – .77%
Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends: = Positive
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends: = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends: = Positive
Combined Strength of Trend Score: = + 55

CRB Index: change for the week: + 2.97%
Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends: = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends: = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends: = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score: = – 100

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What Are Hedge Fund Managers Buying Amid Falling Prices.....Ensco and Schlumberger

Hedge funds bought $1.6 billion of shares in two oil-services companies in the second quarter as analysts said a drilling boom in the U.S. may spread overseas, helping reverse a slump in the companies’ stock prices.
Ensco Plc (ESV) and Schlumberger Ltd. (SLB) received the most new investment by hedge funds of all energy companies, beating producers such as Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO), according to calculations by Bloomberg from regulatory filings this week. MHR Fund Management LLC, Vinik Asset Management LP and SAC Capital Advisors LP topped the list of buyers.

Oil companies have to boost drilling in expanding areas of the world such as in Asia and off the coasts of Brazil and West Africa to meet growing energy demand. Drilling for crude and natural gas in North America increased at five times the pace of the rest of the world in the past year.

“International has yet to really inflect, but we’re beginning to see some progress on that front,” said Bill Herbert, an analyst at Simmons & Co. in Houston, who has an “overweight” rating on Schlumberger and Ensco. “You’re going to see meaningful growth on international, deepwater and exploration-related activity.”
New York based MHR acquired $325 million of Ensco stock based on June 30 prices, and Vinik of Boston added $137 million of Schlumberger shares, the filings at the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington show.

MHR Managing Principal Hal Goldstein didn’t respond to a phone message seeking comment. An executive at Vinik who asked not to be named said the firm never comments to the media......Read the entire article.

Oil N Gold: Crude Oil Weekly Technical Outlook

Crude oil's recovery should have completed at 89.00 after failing mentioned 89.61 support turned resistance as expected. Initial bias remains mildly on the downside for retesting 75.71 support first. Break there will confirm resumption of whole fall from 114.83 and should target 70 psychological level next. On the upside, though, break of 89.00 resistance will dampen this bearish view and bring stronger rebound towards 100.62 resistance instead.

In the bigger picture, medium term rebound from 33.2 is treated as the second leg of consolidation pattern from 147.24 and should have finished at 114.83 already. Current decline should now target next key cluster support at 64.23 (61.8% retracement of 33.2 to 114.83 at 64.38). Sustained break will pave the way to retest 33.2 low. On the upside, break of 89.61 resistance is needed to be the first signal of bottoming or we'll stay bearish.

In the long term picture, crude oil is in a long term consolidation pattern from 147.27, with first wave completed at 33.2, second wave might be finished. Upon confirmation of medium term reversal, the third wave of the pattern should have started for a retest on 33.2 low.

Posted courtesy of Oil N Gold.Com

Adam Hewison: The Trend is Your Friend – How True Those Words are Today!

We have been on the right side of the markets for quite some time now.  It is in times like these when technical analysis really shines.  It doesn’t matter if you have a strong upward trend in gold or a downward spiraling trend in stocks, technical analysis works.

We feel we have a target rich area for trading opportunities right now.  Some of the best money can be made during periods just like this.  A key to being successful in markets that are having large moves is to be disciplined and follow MarketClub’s Trade Triangles.

So let’s go to the 6 major markets we track every day and see how we can create and maintain your wealth in 2011. 

S&P 500

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends                = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends    = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends                     = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score                                    = – 100

Today’s action in the S&P 500 is a further reinforcement of the downward trend that has been in place for quite some time.  As we said in yesterday’s comments, you must remember that the major trend is down for the equity markets and strong rallies represent shorting opportunities.  Looking at the weekly charts, a close at current levels would be extremely negative.  The lowest close we have seen on the S&P500 this year is 1119.46.  This is another level to watch carefully.  We see this market going lower.

SILVER

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends                = Positive
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends    = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends                     = Positive
Combined Strength of Trend Score                                    = + 75

Consider these words of wisdom… Do not buy silver because you think it is cheap in comparison to gold.  The market continues to be in a broad trading range without a clear-cut trend at this time. Intermediate term traders should be on the sidelines and out of silver.  A Chart Analysis Score of + 75 indicates a two-way market and a trading range.  Let us be patient and wait for our Trade Triangles to kick in and give us a solid signal.

GOLD

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends                = Positive
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends    = Positive
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends                     = Positive
Combined Strength of Trend Score                                    = + 100

The gold market moved to new highs today taking out the previous high of $1814.41. This last surge in gold was caused by a panicky situation in Europe, especially with the European banks.  Uncertainty over bank stocks pushed many of the European banks and the US banks to the downside today.  Long Term, intermediate and short term traders should hang on for the ride and protect profits with money management stops.

CRUDE OIL 

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends                = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends    = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends                     = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score                                    = – 100

$88.32 was a 50% Fibonacci retracement area, and this level was hit yesterday.  It was enough to stop this market on the upside.  As you know, we have been bearish on crude oil from the weekly Trade Triangle on August 1st at $94.02 a barrel.  Long Term, intermediate and short term traders should hang on for the ride and protect profits with money management stops.  The longer term trend for crude oil is down based on our Trade Triangle technology.

DOLLAR INDEX

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends                = Positive
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends    = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends                     = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score                                    = – 60

Our comments today remain pretty much the same as they were yesterday, as there has been very little directional change in this market.  The 73.50 level continues to act as support for the dollar index. This market has remained in a fairly well defined trading range for the last several months. With a Chart Analysis Score of -60 we would want to approach this market using our Donchian Trading Channels as well as our Williams %R indicator.  The index remains below its 200 day moving average, while our longer-term Trade Triangle remains positive.

REUTERS/JEFFERIES CRB COMMODITY INDEX

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends                = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends    = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends                     = Negative
Combined Strength of Trend Score                                    = – 100

The Reuters/Jefferies CRB commodity index has turned back from the Fibonacci retracement level of 50% at 332.95.   This level was hit yesterday.  While our bias is towards inflation, the index is currently indicating that we are in more of a deflationary scenario.  We want to remain patient and let our Trade Triangles signal when this market has made a trend change to the upside.  Long Term, intermediate and short term traders should hang on for the ride and protect profits with money management stops.

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As always, we rely on our market proven Trade Triangle technology for catching the big moves.

Who is Producing How Much Crude Oil?

So what is the pecking order for oil production in 2011? Here is a chart produced by our friends at ConocoPhillips.

Is Crude Oil Faltering at Key Resistance Area?

So here we are… We’re in the middle of the month, it’s the middle of the week, and the markets are stuck in the middle. Stocks rallied early today, but they look like they are failing now.

Gold rallied again to test the $1,800 an ounce level. It has now fallen back and looks to be on the defensive. Crude oil has also rallied and is now faltering from a key resistance area. Once again bank stocks look to be on the defensive. I’ll also share a chart pattern in the bank stocks with you that does not look good.

Crude oil has once again moved back inside the Donchian trading channel and has two very important Fibonacci retracement levels to contend with. I am looking at $88.32 (50% retracement) which was hit today and $91.28 (61.8% retracement). For the moment these two levels should stop any serious sustained rally. The longer term trend for this commodity is down based on our monthly Trade Triangle technology.

Monthly Trade Triangles for Long Term Trends = Negative
Weekly Trade Triangles for Intermediate Term Trends = Negative
Daily Trade Triangles for Short Term Trends = Positive
Combined Strength of Trend Score = – 75

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David Banister: Bears Yelling Fire in Empty Theater

The lows at 1101 were a convergence of Fibonacci weeks, months, sentiment bottoms and VIX extremes along with major insider buying all at the same time.

We rallied up in 5 waves from 666 to 1370 Bin Laden highs.  At that level we had re-traced 78.6% of the entire 2007 highs to 2009 lows, a common turning point.  Since then, we have had a 3 wave decline, also common for correcting a 5 wave move to the upside.  The decline halted at 1101, an exact 38% fibonacci retracement of the 666 lows to 1370 highs.  This is what I call a “fibonacci intersection”. The same thing happened in July 2010 at 1010 on the SP 500, where a huge bottom formed.

The rally since 1101 was a 5 wave rally, this is an early BULL SIGN.

A correction of this 103 point 5 wave rally would be normal, but the lighter the correction the more Bullish.  So far the correction is only 23% of the 104 point rally with a gap fill at 1180.

 
Let’s review: 13 Fibonacci month’s from the July 2010 bottom to August 2011 bottoms 7 Times in history we had the SP 500 double in a short period of time, and in every case it retraced 27-40% of the price movement from lows to highs. We just retraced 40% of our SP 500 double, historically very high retracement.

At 1101 we had 38% fibonacci ABC correction of the Bull leg from 666 to 1370.

In 1974-77 we had the SAME pattern, which I outlined for everyone last week.

13 Fibonacci weeks correction from the Bin Laden 1370 highs to 1101 lows. 1370 was a 78% fib of the 07 highs and 09 lows. 1101 is a 38% fib of the 666 lows and 1370 highs. Thats what I call a Fibonacci intersection. The same thing happened in July 2010 at 1010 lows.

Insiders with massive buying, corporate buybacks announced.

VIX at extreme levels.

Fear gauges at extreme levels.

5 wave impulsive rally from 1101 to 1204 ensued… now a pullback is due. Same thing happened last summer 1010 to 1130, pullback to1040 in 3 waves, then another 5 waves up.

What am I telling everyone?

Stop yelling fire in an empty theater….

This is options expiration week, trading this week is notoriously difficult…

The Bear case is crowded, the Bull case is not.

I’m leaning bullish as long as I keep seeing this type of confirming price action.

I’m watching 1165 on SP 500 as a pivot low worst case, but as long as we see price action above that I like the set up for a while yet on the long side.

So you say "But Dave, the textbook for Elliott Waves doesn’t agree with you".… good, that’s why I use other indicators!

Consider subscribing to David Banisters 24/7 email access so that you will be consistently informed and also get Gold and Silver forecasts on a regular basis. Subscribe now with a 33% discount coupon ahead of our rate increase Market Trend Forecast.Com for details.

Dave Blais: History Suggests Gold is Topping Out Soon

Today The Crude Oil Trader would to introduce Dave Blais. David recently left a six-figure salary to trade the markets full time since his real passion is gold and silver stocks. We have great respect for Dave’s insights, and the fact he backs up his insights and philosophies with his own money. Here's what Dave is thinking this week........

Gold has been on an upward tear lately – no surprise given the uncertainty over how the western world will deal with its debt. What could be a surprise for investors (but mostly traders) is that history suggests the odds are high that gold will top for the year sometime in the next three weeks.

A feature of the current gold strength is it is happening in the heart of summer, a time when gold is usually weak. Though rare, this "out of season" strength in gold has happened before. When it does, something interesting occurs, gold makes a top that will not be bettered for the rest of the year, in August or early September.

In the last 30 years, gold has had only two summers with the type of outsized gains gold is making this summer (a rise of about 20 percent or more). In both cases, gold topped out for the year on either side of Labour Day.

In 1982, gold had a surprisingly strong summer – rising more than 50 percent – and gold topped for the year in early September. The news then driving the gold price was the threat of a Mexican debt default … sound familiar?

In 1990, gold had another unusually strong run in the summer and was up almost 20 percent, which is closer in magnitude of the current rise (up about 22 percent when gold briefly topped $1800). That summer run in 1990 topped out in late August, and gold did not exceed that top during the rest of that year.

In 1990, gold had another unusually strong run in the summer and was up almost 20 percent, which is closer in magnitude of the current rise (up about 22 percent when gold briefly topped $1800). That summer run in 1990 topped out in late August, and gold did not exceed that top during the rest of that year.

There are other factors hinting gold will need to take a breather soon.


Of note, the gold mining shares are not confirming this rise in gold. Take the bellwether gold mining stock Newmont Mining for example. As of this writing, Newmont is still wellbelow the high of $65.50 it made last year, even as gold is hitting new record highs day after day. This is a potential warning called "divergence" that should not be ignored.

Overall, Canaccord Genuity research shows that the senior and intermediate gold stocks in their coverage universe are discounting a gold price of $1,409 per ounce.

Then there is the curious chart for gold that is making what looks like a “blow-off” top.

The current chart formation for gold is eerily similar to that of silver’s chart when it went into a terminal rise earlier this year. That steep rise in silver quickly gave way to a punishing decline that knocked some 30 percent off the silver price in a matter of days. In turn, the stocks of silver miners were pounded.



These types of blow-off tops are usually not sustainable – and they don’t tend to end well because of what causes them. The rapid rise we are seeing now appears to be fuelled in part by a “short squeeze."

Fundamentals like the debt crises in Europe or the recent downgrade of US debt can explain some of the factors behind the rise, but the news is not the sole cause of this fast, wild part of the current rise.

Wrong-footed traders who made a mistake by going short (betting on a decline in price) in a big way– are being forced to buy back gold to close (or “cover”) their short positions that have gone horribly wrong as gold relentlessly rises. Their urgent buying of gold to close their short positions (and cut their losses) causes the gold price to rise further, causing more shorts to cover in panic, creating a feedback loop, and a price spike, that may quickly exhaust itself.

That a short squeeze has been evident in the gold market lately, in particular, after gold recently broke above $1680, has been noted by some market watchers who monitor the trading of gold future contracts. Ed Steer, who publishes Ed Steer’s Gold and Silver Daily for Casey Research, commented in his August 13 bulletin: “the open interest numbers were indicating for the reporting week, the rally in gold was pretty much all caused by short covering.”

Short squeezes tend to end abruptly when the short covering finally exhausts itself.

If gold does turn tail soon, how far could it fall? A good target for a drop is the area that has held anytime gold has declined during the last two and a half years, its 150 day moving average. Currently gold’s 150 day moving average stands just below $1500/ounce.

History is a guide, not a bible.  But there are some recent and longer term charts that suggest the gold price could top out in the next few weeks. And of course, long time gold followers know it's just at times like these, when excitement is running high, and everybody thinks they know what to expect that gold turns tail, and breaks the hearts, and wallets,  of the unwary.