Tuesday, September 15, 2015

The Morning Call--All quiet on the western front

The Morning Call

9/15/15

The Market
         
    Technical

The indices (DJIA 16370, S&P 1953) drifted lower in another quiet day.  The Dow ended [a] below its 100 and 200 day moving averages, both of which represent resistance, [b] in a short term downtrend {16981-17900}, [c] in an intermediate term trading range {15842-18295}and [d] in a long term uptrend {5369-19175}.

The S&P finished [a] below its 100 and 200 day moving averages, both of which represent resistance, [b] below the upper boundary of a very short term downtrend, [c] in a short term downtrend {2016-2084}, [d] within an intermediate term uptrend {1909-2682} and [e] a long term uptrend {797-2145}. 

In addition, it closed below the lower boundary of a very short term uptrend [series of higher lows].  If it finishes there today, that uptrend will be negated.

Volume was down; breadth negative. The VIX (24.5) rose 4.5%, ending [a] above its 100 day moving average, now support, [b] within a short term uptrend, [c] within an intermediate term trading range {it remains well above the upper boundary of its former intermediate term downtrend} and [d] a long term trading range.  As long as remains roughly above the 20 level, uncertainty is at elevated levels.
               
            Overhead supply (short):


The long Treasury was up slightly, remaining above its 100 day moving average, leaving it as support and finished within short and intermediate term trading ranges. 

GLD (106) rose fractionally, closing in downtrends across all timeframes and below its 100 day moving average.  It can still build a bottom were it to fail to successfully challenge its July/August lows (104).  But that is yet to be seen. 

Oil dropped 1.5%, staying below its 100 day moving average and within a short term trading range and intermediate and long term downtrends.

The dollar was up, but closed below its 100 day moving average, which is now resistance, and within short and intermediate term trading ranges. 

Bottom line: the Averages traded below the trend line connecting a series of higher lows which could be voided today if they remain there.  However, (1) yesterday’s close was still a higher low than the previous low and (2) barring a major news event, I think most of the trading ahead of this week’s FOMC meeting will be noise. 

In addition, the indices remain safely above the lower boundaries of their intermediate term trends.   As long as they are, the Market is in a simple correction in a bull market.

The long Treasury’s pin action continues to suggest a Fed rate hike and a stronger economy.  As you know, I don’t think that this scenario will occur. 

    Fundamental
   
        Headlines

            No US stats reported yesterday.  However, we did get mixed data from overseas: August Chinese factory output was below expectations, while EU industrial production came in above estimates.  So nothing attention getting.

            ***overnight, August UK inflation was 0%, the Japanese central bank did not ease further (which is not what an official said last week), German investor confidence drips 50% and Chinese stocks took another big hit.

            Update on Chinese economy (short):

            Citi makes global recession in 2016 its base case (medium):

            The bulk of yesterday’s news flow focused on Thursday’s statement from this week’s FOMC meeting.  I continue to believe that what the Fed does is irrelevant to the economy.  However, given investor obsession with this upcoming decision, the Fed may have reached the point that no matter what it does, it could be viewed negatively:  at the close last night, the bond market priced a rate hike at about 28%; so if the Fed does raise rates, that could be a disappointment to the QEInfinity crowd.  On the other hand, failure to hike rates could be interpreted as showing the Fed’s lack of confidence in the economy which would bolster the recession/deflation case.  Meanwhile, the uncertainty is at such a level, that investors will likely stand pat until the announcement.

            Jeff Gundlach on the Fed (medium):

Bottom line:  for me, the Fed decision on Thursday has all the drama of an election in a one party state.  Because whatever it does, the outcome is going to be the same---an undetectable impact on the economy and a further cementing of the idea that the Fed is lost, confused and is clueless about what it should do because its QEInfinity policy is so historically unprecedented that it has no idea what will happen next to the one sector that QE has affected; and that is asset pricing and allocation.  That, of course, has relevance to my bottom line which is that stocks are overvalued. 

That said, I continue to believe that the technicals have the upper hand in determining Market direction over the short term.

This is a time to do nothing.

            The latest from Doug Kass (medium):

   
Economics

   This Week’s Data

            August retail sales were reported at +0.2% versus expectations of +0.3%; however, July sales were revised from +0.6% to +0.7%.  Ex autos and gas, the September number was +0.3% versus estimates of +0.4%, but July was revised from +0.4% to +0.7%.

            The September NY Fed manufacturing index came in at -14.67 versus forecasts of -.5.

   Other

Politics

  Domestic

  International War Against Radical Islam







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