Issue #580
Aug 12, 2018
The Oasis

Newsletter


The newsletter with chart analysis for stocks and stock indexes

Stock Indexes Analysis/Evaluation


New Signs of a Correction Starting!

DOW Friday closing price - 25313
SPX Friday closing price - 2833
NASDAQ Friday closing price - 7738

The DOW and the SPX generated negative reversal weeks, having made multi-month highs and then closing in the red. The NASDAQ managed to stay green but finds itself 84 points from the week's high and with the rally momentum now stunted. All indexes closed near on the lows of the week, suggesting further downside below last week's lows (DOW at 25222, SPX at 2825 and NAZ at 7801) will be seen this week.

The bulls were committed to make a bull statement this week given the proximity to the all-time highs in the SPX at 2873 with a high this past week at 2863 and the NASDAQ at 7933 with a high this past week at 7923. Nonetheless, they failed to make a new high and with no economic reports of consequence due out for the next 3 weeks, regaining the momentum to the upside is likely impossible now after Friday's weakness and red weekly closes in the DOW and SPX that now show successful retests on the weekly closing chart of level of decent resistance, such as a previous high of consequence in the DOW and the all-time high in the SPX). Nonetheless, confirmation is always required and given that the selling on Friday was partly fundamental (increased Tariffs and geopolitical tension in Turkey) and those could be negated this week, there is still no assurance that the rally is over.

None of the indexes generated any sell signals given that the DOW bulls were able to close the index above the previous multi-month weekly closing high at 25309, meaning no failure signal was given. The SPX bears did not break any support levels and the NASDAQ actually made a new all-time weekly closing high, having closed 13 points above the previous one at 7825. As such, last week's action was more of a warning than a bear statement. By the same token and with no economic help scheduled this coming week, the probabilities have shifted back to the bears.

The key this coming week will be the DOW as on a daily closing basis the 25306 level has become pivotal support, the same as 25309 is on the weekly chart. With the index closing on Friday at 25313, any red close below that level on any day of this week would generate a failure sign, which would drag the other indexes down as well. The again, the SPX and the NASDAQ now both show a successful retest of the previous all-time daily closing highs at 7932 and at 2872 and if the SPX closes below 2801 and/or the NAZ below the previous all-time high daily close at 7781, then sell signals will be generated across the board.

To the upside and on an intraweek basis, the DOW now shows minor to perhaps decent resistance at 25587, a bit stronger at 258687 and then decent at 25800 (on a daily closing basis at 25709). The SPX shows minor to decent resistance at 2848, decent at 2862 and then major at the all-time high at 2872. The NASDAQ now shows minor to perhaps decent resistance at 7867, stronger at 7923 and now major at the all-time high at 7933.

To the downside and on an intraweek basis, the DOW shows minor but short-term pivotal support at 25120, minor at 24983 and then minor but likely indicative support at 24667, which is further strengthened by the 200-day MA, currently at that level. The SPX shows minor to perhaps decent as well as short-term pivotal support at 2795. Below that level, there is minor support at 2770 and then nothing until decent at 2694. The NASDAQ shows very minor support at 7766 and at 7741 and then again at 7696 and then decent as well as pivotal at 7604.

The NASDAQ gapped up on Monday between 7859 and 7868 and then on Friday gapped down between 7881 and 7866, meaning there is a potential island formation having been created. If the index continues lower without the gap getting closed, the idea of the island gap will increase and if the support at 7604 is broken before the gap is closed, it will be a sell signal of great consequence, suggesting a big correction is on the horizon.

There are few economic reports of consequence this week. The biggest report is Retail Sales on Wednesday, followed by Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization on Wednesday as well. Philadelphia Fed on Thursday and Leading Indicators and Michigan Sentiment on Friday. None of these reports are likely to be catalytic in any way.

Morgan Stanley a couple of weeks ago stated that a big correction, likely bigger than the one in February, is coming and they re-iterated that call last week. It should be stated that in 2015 a very similar formation occurred in which the SPX made a high at 2134 and corrected down to 1867 (12.4% drop) and then rallied back up to 2116 and then dropped down to 1810 (a 14.4% drop) before starting to recover. The index made a high in February at 2872 and dropped to 2556 (a 12% drop) and has now gotten back up to 2863. If the same thing occurs as in 2015, a drop down to around 2455 would be seen on this occasion.

The bulls will be on the defensive this week and if there is no change in the Tariffs and if the Turkey economic situation does not improve (unlikely), the bears are likely to be successful given that there are no events scheduled for the near future that could work as a positive catalyst for the market. Probabilities favor the bears.

Stock Analysis/Evaluation
CHART Outlooks

The probabilities are now starting to favor the bears after the weakness seen last week. Nonetheless, this coming week is confirmation week, meaning that the traders will be waiting to see what happens this week before making any decisions. As such, it is likely that some attempt will be made, especially at the beginning of the week, to negate the weakness seen last week.

Overall though, there are a lot more fundamental reasons at this time for the market heading lower than up, meaning that short positions are the only ones that should be considered this week, hopefully on some minor rallies.

MT Friday Closing Price - 30.29

MT is a stock that had been in a downtrend for almost 10 years from a high at 314.31 to a low made in February 2016 at 8.79. Since that low was made the stock got into a mid-term rally that took the stock back up to 37.50, a high seen in January of this year. Nonetheless, since then the stock has been on a short-term downside that saw the stock drop down to 28.24 7 weeks ago. The downtrend has been book-perfect as the January high has now been tested twice successfully, the last retest being seen the previous week with a high at 32.92, followed by a red week this past week.

During the mid-term uptrend, MT broke above the 200-week MA, currently at 25.03, for the first time in 9 years and though it was tested once successfully before 37.50 high was made, it is now a strong magnet to be tested again given the downtrend that is now in place and the probabilities of the indexes going lower.

The only problem that I see right now is obtaining the desired entry point that would allow the trade to offer a 4-1 risk/reward ratio. As it is, the probabilities of the resistance at 32.92 being broken are extremely low and the probabilities of the stock heading down to the 200-week MA are extremely high, meaning that this is a high probability trade.

MT did gap down on Friday between 31.35 and 30.51 but ended up closing in the upper half of the day's trading range, suggesting a decent possibility of going above Friday high at 30.51 on Monday. Above 30.51 there is no resistance until 31.15 is reached and getting up to that level would allow a short position to be put on with a stop loss at 33.02 and an objective of 25.00 that would offer a 3.3-1 risk/reward ratio. As such, that will be the plan.

Sales of MT above 31.10 and using a stop loss at 33.02 and having a downside objective of 25.00 will offer a risk/reward ratio of 3.3-1.

My probability rating on the trade is a 4.5 (on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest).

I will also be looking to add shorts on TXN if the stock gets back up near the 112.00 level with a stop loss at 114.35.

Updates
Updates on Held Stocks
Closed Trades, Open Positions and Stop Loss Changes

ARNA continued lower this past week, the 5th week of red weekly closes in a row, and though some buying interest was found at the lows of the week (34.90), which generated a short-covering rally up to 39.35 (11.4%), the stock still closed in the lower half of the week's trading range, suggesting a higher probability of going below last week's low than above last week's high this week. The 200-day MA, currently at 38.35, was broken a week ago Friday and the bulls were unable to negate that break, given that 5 closes in a row below the line occurred last week. The weekly closing chart going back 4 years shows weekly close support at 36.50, at 34.95, at 34.20, at 33.88 and at 31.51, suggesting that the correction is not yet over as one of those levels is likely to be seen on a weekly closing basis. Evidently, a close below 31.51 would change the outlook for the stock and therefore not likely to occur, but all the other levels of support are not only viable but likely to have at least one of them reached. Last week's high at 39.35 is now decent resistance, especially considering that a break of that level would also likely mean negation of the 200-day MA break. Probabilities do favor the bears this week but buying interest is occurring below 35.00, meaning that some backing and filling is the most likely scenario. Chart does suggest that a drop down to the 34.00 level is likely to occur but that it could be the bottom of the correction.

AXP made a new all-time high 3 weeks ago at 104.24 and last week the stock got above the previous week's high at 103.11, meaning that if the stock goes below last week's low at 100.40 that a successful required/needed retest of the high will have occurred and a valid chart reason for a correction to start. The stock did close in the lower half of the week's trading range, suggesting further downside below last week's low at 100.40 will occur this week. Minor intraweek support is found at 99.97, at 99.27 and stronger at 98.67. The stock is showing a possible Head & Shoulders formation with the left shoulder at 103.07, the Head at 104.24, and the right shoulder at 103.32. The neckline is at 97.80 which also coincides with the 200-day MA, currently at that same price. If the neckline and MA are broken, the downside objective of the H&S formation is 92.20. Resistance is now found at 103.32 that if broken would suggest a new all-time high will be made. Probabilities favor the bears.

CCJ generated an uneventful but negative week, having gone above the previous week's high but seeing no follow through thereafter and then closing in the red and on the lows of the week, suggesting further downside below last week's low at 10.74 will be seen this week. Intraweek support is found at 10.45 and short-term pivotal at 10.31. If 10.31 gets broken, the chart suggests that a fall down to 9.00 will occur. The chart remains leaning to the bull side but it may be difficult for the bulls to generate a rally if the index market is heading lower. Important and short-term pivotal resistance is found at last week's high at 11.29. If broken, the bulls will gain an important edge. Probabilities slightly favor the bears this week.

CLF generated a negative reversal week, having gone above the previous week's high and then below last week's low and closing in the lower half of the week's trading range, suggesting further downside below last week's low at 9.94 will be seen this week. The bullish flag formation remains in place but did suffer some deterioration and if the stock does go below last week's low by more than a couple of points, the flag will be negated. General support is found at 9.70 (the bottom of the $10 demilitarized zone) that if broken would open the door for a drop down to the next intraweek support level at 8.28. On a daily closing basis though, support will be found at the previous 17-month daily closing high at 8.95. The stock did generate a green daily close on Friday and on the highs of the day, suggesting further upside above Friday's high at 10.42 will be seen on Monday. Nonetheless, the bulls have to get the stock above 11.00 in order for the short-term negative outlook to go away. Probabilities favor the bears this week but it could be a pivotal week if the stock gets below 9.70.

ENG reported earnings and they were worse than expected and the stock broke the supports that had been built since the previous earnings report 3 months ago. The gap that had been created on May 23rd between .95 and 1.02 was closed, suggesting that this report was more negative than the previous one was positive. Nonetheless and even though the stock closed near the lows of the week and further downside below .90 is likely to be seen this week, the stock did generate a positive reversal day on Friday, having made the low of the week that day and then closing on the highs of the day and in the green, suggesting that perhaps the worst is over. The previous daily closing high at .99 that had stood up for 7 months between November and May was not broken given that the stock closed on Friday at 1.01 and it is suggestive that the worst may be over. The $1.00 level has proven to be important support over the past 5 years, not only psychologically but from previous low weekly closes (3 of them). Intraweek support should be found at .88 and resistance on a daily closing basis found at 1.11. Probabilities favor the stock trading in that range this week. If there are any surprises they will likely be to the upside.

FCEL made a new 60-week intraweek and weekly closing low but some buying begun to be seen as the stock neared the 1.07 level, given that the bulls managed to rally to close in the upper half of the week's trading range, suggesting a higher probability of going above last week's highs at 1.25 than below last week's low at 1.07. Nonetheless, at these levels the interest in the stock is low on either side and the probabilities favor the stock getting into a trading range between 1.00 and 1.30 for the next few weeks. Probabilities favor a trading range scenario.

FSLR generated a negative reversal week, having gone above the previous week's high and then closing in the red and near the week's lows, suggesting further downside below last week's low at 52.42 will be seen this week. The chart suggests the stock is in a $5.50 trading range between 55.70 and 50.25 with the low side of the trading range likely to be the next seen. A rally above 55.70 will be a breakout and a drop below the $50 demilitarized zone will suggest new weakness is being seen. Probabilities favor the bears this week.

IBM generated an uneventful inside week but the stock had generated a small breakout the previous week above the 14-week weekly closing high at 146.35 and that breakout was negated this week with a close not only below that level but also below the most recent low weekly close at 145.15. The stock closed on the lows of the week, suggesting further downside below last week's low at 143.88 will be seen this week. Intraweek support is found at 142.33, minor to decent at the $140 demilitarized zone and longer term pivotal at 137.45. Resistance is found at 147.92, at 149.27 and at 150.54. Though there is support at 142.33, the chart suggests that a drop down to 140.00 will occur and if the indexes get into a strong correction and the stock breaks 137.45, a drop down to at least $132 is likely to be seen. The probabilities favor the bears this week.

MSFT made a new all-time weekly closing high on Friday but the bulls failed to break the previous intraweek high at 111.15 that was made 4 weeks ago. The stock closed "very slightly" in the upper half of the week's trading range, suggesting an equal chance of going above last week's high at 110.16 than below last week's low at 107.56. It likely will depend entirely on what the indexes are doing and given the probabilities favor the bears there, the same thing is likely to happen to the stock. The red daily close on Friday does suggest that Thursday's close at 109.60 was a successful retest of the all-time high daily close at 111.15 and does give the bears a small edge for this coming week. Minor support is found at 106.14 and pivotal at 104.76. Resistance is now found at 110.15, meaning that lowering the stop loss to 110.35 can be considered. It is interesting to note that the 200-day MA, currently at 93.54, has not been seen and much less broken since July 2016. The 100-day MA, currently at 99.00 has been seen but not broken on 5 occasions during the same period of time, suggesting that if a top to this rally has been found that a drop down to the 100-day MA is a highly viable outlook for the downside and if the indexes get into a strong correction, that the 200-day MA would then become the target. Probabilities very slightly favor the bears this week.

TWNK reported earnings and they were substantially worse than expected and the stock made a new 9-month intraweek low, erasing all the gains that had been made since November of last year. The stock closed just 6 points from the all-time low weekly close at 11.67 (closed at 11.73), meaning that if a green weekly close is seen last week that a double bottom will be generated. As it is, several companies lowered their ratings on the stock but all had a $12 objective or higher, meaning that the possibilities for further downside on a weekly closing basis are low. On an intraweek basis though, further downside is likely to be seen below last week's low at 11.40. The all-time intraweek low is 11.00 so there is a decent possibility that level will be targeted this week. If that level holds and a green weekly close occurs next Friday, a rally up to at least 12.59 and perhaps as high as 13.33 is likely to be seen (all based on weekly closes). Nonetheless and until the next earnings report, the probabilities favor the stock trading in a small trading range between $11 and $13, meaning that consideration should be given to liquidating positions on any rally above 13.00.

TXN generated a negative reversal week, a new 5-week low, a possible sell signal on the weekly closing chart (having closed $.16 cents below the previous low weekly close at 110.25) and a close on the lows of the week, suggesting further downside below last week's low at 109.35 will be seen this week. The bears have 2 obstacles yet to overcome with decent and likely pivotal intraweek support at 107.45 and the 200-day MA, currently at 106.85. Nonetheless, if those support levels are broken, there is open air below until the $100 level is reached. The stock made the all-time high at 120.75 in January and that high has now been tested successfully on 3 occasions with highs at 118.48, 116.49 and last week's high at 116.16. As such and of all the short positions put on recently, it is the most likely to head lower. The 200-day MA has not been broken to the downside since February 2016 but has been seen twice since then with lows made in July 2017 and in April 2018. It is highly likely that the stock will drop down to that level on this occasion due to the all-time high having been successfully tested on so many occasions. The 200-day MA is now an important indicator not only for the stock but probably as well to the index market. Probabilities favor the bears this week.


1) FCEL - Averaged long at 2.2275 (4 mentions). No stop loss at present. Stock closed on Friday at .098 (new price 1.18).

2) ENG - Averaged long at 1.764 (5 mentions). No stop loss at present. Stock closed on Friday at 1.01.

3) ARNA - Averaged long at 3.725 (4 mentions). No stop loss at present. Stock closed on Friday at 3.67 (new price (36.70).

4) CLF - Averaged long at 7.918 (6 mentions). Stop loss now at 8.01. Stock closed on Friday at 10.32.

5) TWNK - Averaged long at 13.50 (2 mentions). No stop loss at present. Stock closed on Friday at 11.73.

7) SN - Liquidated at 3.48. Purchased at 3.77. Averaged long at 4.14. Loss on the trade of $198 per 100 shares (3 mentions) plus commissions.

8) FSLR - Purchased at 61.03. No stop loss at present. Stock closed on Friday at 52.79.

9) CCJ - Purchased at 10.58. Stop loss at 10.25. Stock closed on Friday at 10.77.

10) CLB - Liquidated at 112.27. Profit on the trade of $348 per 100 shares (2 mentions) minus commissions.

11) CALM - Liquidated at 45.85. Shorted at 45.65. Loss on the trade of $20 per 100 shares plus commissions.

12) IBM - Shorted at 147.33. Stop loss at 150.64. Stock closed on Friday at 144.48.

13) MSFT - Shorted at 108.35 and at 109.52. Averaged short at 108.935. Stop loss at 111.35. Stock closed on Friday at 109.00

14) TXN - Shorted at 116.20. Stop loss at 117.35. Stock closed on Friday at 110.09.

15) AXP - Shorted at 102.62 and 103.24. Averaged short at 102.93 (2 mentions). Stop loss at 114.35. Stock closed on Friday at 101.58.

16) ARNA - Purchased at 37.47. No stop loss at present. Stock closed on Friday at 37.41.


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Disclaimer

The opinions and commentaries by Mr. De Vito are not a recommendation to buy or sell, but rather a charting guideline, based on his own knowledge and experience, regarding the stocks he is following or that are brought to him by others. Mr. De Vito does not presently offer a track record of his trading experiences. No inference of success and/or failure should be assumed. The information enclosed above, regarding his background, length of trading, and experience, is correct but is not meant to suggest, state, or infer any future success in trading, based on his opinions.

The information herewith included should only be used by investors who are aware of the risk inherent in securities trading. Mr. De Vito accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss arising from any use of the information and/or comments he supplies.




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