SPY Is Testing the 50 Day Moving Average Again

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In a recent post in July called Testing 50 Day Moving Average, I briefly discussed a not uncommon instance of price action where the S&P 500 had consolidated at the 50 day moving average and had touched it several times in a row or in a cluster without much directional price movement.  Since that post we saw a similar thing happen in August and we are seeing it happen again now.

Refer back to that post to get the idea of what to expect.  Basically they often resolve with a sizable gap.  And we are indicated to gap down this morning to near the bottom of the recent short term range.  I would expect a move to new corrective lows based on this type of price action.  But as occurred in August, it could be an exhaustion type of move for the correction if the uptrend is to persist.

Also just to rehash the price logic situation a bit here, unless SPY is below 162.95 by Thursday of this week, then the price logic would still suggest an upwards trend.  That doesn't mean a high can't have been made and support won't be broken, but it does give us an indication that the market psychology did not tip the scales to downward coming off the recent high.  And it could very well be an indication that the uptrend will continue as we reach the seasonally strong portion of the annual stock cycle from November to April.

So if prices move to new highs, I would suggest having a breakout buy strategy in the works with stops already thought out.

Testing the 50 Day Moving Average

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Three out of the last four sessions have seen the S&P 500 move up to the 50 day moving average and then pullback to close near the middle of the range.  I believe this is typical evidence of program trading kicking in around the 50 day moving average.

In my experience I believe 1 of 2 scenarios is likely to result.

1) The rally attempt fails here near the 50 day average.  Thus far we have been seeing a basically declining volume rally off the June lows, and there is evidence that there is some initial selling as price pushes into this average.

2) Very soon we see a gap up and a big up day probably with a pick up in the volume.  If the rally is to continue, then once the weak program trading selling pressure is exhausted after several tests of the average, price will often blast through the average and often occurs with a gap.

In these situations I would either switch to a shorter time frame to take trading signals, or await a breakout to the upside of the 6/18/13 high in order to go long.

If prices do manage to make new all time highs, then I think it is possible that the market experiences a further sustained rally.  Markets at new all time highs can often moved in sustained trends as there is no overhead resistance attracting sellers.  The NYSE short interest ratio is at about 4.0 and has risen as prices have risen the last couple years.  From comparison to the 2000 and 2007 bull market highs, that is NOT the pattern we would expect at a bull market high.  The last major highs have been preceded by periods of falling short interest.  In any case, the prior highs topped with a ratio around 4.0, but after coming off of higher levels.  As stocks make new highs, significant short interest can create some forced buying to help sustain the rally.

On a short term basis I personally am looking for an hourly time frame sell signal to develop on this test of the 50 day MA in order to possibly establish short positions for a move to new corrective lows.

AAPL Close To Trendline and 50 Day MA Break

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This is a daily chart of AAPL.  There are several points of note here.  It is in a probable set-up for a break of its up trendline, which would likely lead to break of the recent base breakout at $620.  I have noted before that a failure of that breakout to hold is potentially longer term bearish.

First, look at the daily MACD.  It is showing bearish divergence between the spring highs and the current high.  The weekly chart also shows a sharp bearish divergence between those points.  Also, there is bearish divergence within the end of the recent leg up between August and Sept.  So there is a multiple time frame bearish divergence indicating waning momentum on a large scale.  I have already noted the volume divergence in a recent video.  The volume divergence is also present on multiple time frames.

Secondly, look at the pink uptrend line.  It has already been touched 4 times for support.  If it is broken that could signal a correction of the major uptrend for the last year.

Third, look at the 50 day moving average.  I have noted this type of occurrence before, but I will review it again as I believe it is an advanced chart reading concept.  At key moving averages like the 50 and 200 day MA's I believe program trading often leads to support and near immediate reversals when price touches them.  In a stable uptrend price will typically not come back down below the low of the moving average test area.  Also, the rebound off the moving average will often be strong with a gap up and increased volume.  However, as a trend is beginning to weaken, price may test the moving average and lead to an apparent reversal as program trading comes into the stock.  However, the rebound is often relatively weak compared to prior rebounds, and volume is often lower.  Then, if price fails to hold the 50 day average or the low of the recent test of the average, it can create a "breakaway" type point where the program trading support is gone and price falls rapidly.

So that is possible here as AAPL recently tested the 50 day MA and reversed off it creating a reversal candlestick.  However, the initial rebound has been relatively weak.  And price has now come back down to the 50 day MA and is threatening to close below it and below the low of the recent reversal bar.  Combined with the uptrend line in the same area, I think a close below the 10/2/12 low could lead to a breakaway move to the downside taking AAPL down probably to the recent base low around $520-530.

If that occurs, then it is obvious that the broad market is likely to experience a substantial correction as well.  So keep AAPL on your radar on Monday.