On Wednesday markets diverged at the opening bell.  SPY opened flat, DIA opened 0.06% lower, and QQQ opened 0.08% higher. From there, SPY and DIA rallied in a slow and steady manner all day.  Meanwhile, QQQ sold off at the open, chopping sideways until noon and then began a slow, steady rally the rest of the day. All three modestly pulled back at the end of the session. This action printed a white-bodied, Bull Harami with small wicks on both ends in the SPY.  At the same time, DIA gave us a Bull Engulfing candle that bounced up off its T-line (8ema).  It should also be noted that DIA ended within 15 cents of another all-time high close.  For its part, QQQ printed a Doji that retested its T-line and closed just a few pennies below that average.  This all happened on below-average volume in the DIA and well-below-average volume in the SPY and QQQ.

On the day, all 10 sectors were in the green with Utilities (+2.01%) and Healthcare (+1.93%) way out in front leading the market higher.  On the other side, Consumer Defensive (+0.03%) and Technology (+0.16%) lagged behind the other sectors.  At the same time, SPY gained 0.42%, DIA gained 0.73%, and QQQ gained 0.01%. VXX fell 0.97% to close at 53.33 and T2122 spiked back up into the top end of the overbought territory to end the day at 95.22.  At the same time, 10-Year bond yields fell again to 4.014% while Oil (WTI) was flat (-0.07%) to close at $70.53 per barrel.   So, the Bulls partially bounced back from Tuesday’s down day in the SPY and DIA were in control all day Tuesday.  QQQ was the laggard as Technology dragged on the market, but was held up by outlier NVDA (+3.13%) that traded 3.5 times more dollar-volume than any other QQQ ticker.

The major economic news scheduled for Wednesday included September Export Price Index, which came in lower than expected at -0.7% (compared to a forecast of -0.4% but not down as much as August’s -0.9%).  At the same time, the September Import Index was a tick lower than predicted at -0.4% (versus a -0.3% forecast and down more than August’s -0.2% reading).  Then, after the close, API Weekly Crude Stocks showed an unexpected drawdown of 1.580 million barrels (compared to a forecasted 3.200-million-barrel inventory build and far below the prior week’s 10.900-million-barrel drawdown).

In Fed news, on Wednesday, after the close, the Cleveland Fed issued a report saying that rent inflation will continue to put pressure on consumers for some time.  The report said, “Our baseline forecast implies that (CPI) rent inflation will remain above its pre-pandemic norm of about 3.5% until mid-2026.”  The report went on to cite a “notably wider” gap between new lease inflation and existing lease rollover increases.  The report said, “Our estimated rent gap in September 2024 is just under 5.5%, suggesting that there remains a substantial amount of potential rent inflation to be passed through to continuing tenants.” (Prior to the pandemic, that gap stood at 1%.) 

After the close, CCI, DFS, EFX, SNV, STLD, and UNB all reported beats on both revenue and earnings. At the same time, AA missed on revenue while beating on earnings.  However, CSX, KMI, LBRT, and PPG missed on both the top and bottom lines.

In stock news, on Wednesday, AMZN announced its first color version of its Kindle e-reader after years of development.  AMZN priced the device at $280, which is in the $149 – $330 range of similar devices from other manufacturers.  At the same time, CZZ Chairman Ometto was quoted in a published interview saying that the company was not looking to sell its stake in VALE in the short-term.  (This contradicts a Bloomberg report from late last month, which said the company was interested in selling its VALE stake.)  Later, AMZN announced it signed three agreements with private companies for building small modular nuclear reactors to power the AMZN datacenters. (Under the deals, AMZN has the right to buy up to eight 80 MW reactors, which would be enough to power 770k homes.)  At the same time, BTAFF announced a new line of synthetic nicotine pouches as a smoking alternative under the existing Velo product line. Later, GM announced it will contribute $625 million to a joint-venture with LAC with a goal of developing lithium mines in Thacker Pass, NV.  (The goal is to reduce reliance on Chinese lithium sources.)  GM will have 38% ownership of the venture. 

Elsewhere, EADSY (Airbus) announced it will cut 2,500 jobs in its Defense and Space division after months of losses. (Negotiations with unions and countries throughout Europe are underway to determine which jobs will be cut and from what locations.) Later, BB told an investor conference that it was exploring options for its Cyclance unit. (Cyclance uses machine learning to preempt cybersecurity breaches.)  At the same time, the Wall Street Journal reported that CMCSA-owned NBC Universal will add regional sports broadcasts to tie Peacock streaming service in early 2025.  Later, AMX announced it plans to push the rollout of 5G service across Mexico and Latin America in 2025 as the main goal of its $7 billion capital expenditure forecast for the next year.  After the close, LCID announced it now anticipates reporting a bigger-than-expected loss for Q3 when the report is released November 11.  LCID simultaneously announced a 262 million pubic offering of new shares.  In addition, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund said it would purchase 374.7 million shares, giving it 59% ownership of LCID.

In stock legal and governmental news, on Wednesday, the FDA placed a trial for NVAX’s experimental COVID-19 and influenza combination vaccine on hold.  (The hold was due to a report of nerve damage in a patient in an earlier, mid-stage trial.)  NVAX closed down 19.44% on the news. At the same time, the Dept. of Energy issued a conditional commitment for a loan of $670.6 million to ASPN for a plant to produce thermal barriers used in electric vehicle batteries. Later, the NHTSA announced that STLA is recalling 54k hybrid crossover SUVs due to a brake pedal that can disengage and stop working. (Just under half those vehicles were sold in North America.) At the same time, the FTC adopted its final rule requiring businesses to make it as easy to cancel subscriptions and memberships as it was to sign up.

Meanwhile, the US Dept. of Transportation tentatively awarded five new daily round-trip flights from Washington Reagan National to AAL, ALK, DAL, UAL, and LUV. The slots are subject to a two-week public comment period and one-week response period prior to the decision becoming final. After hours, Reuters reported that RTX has agreed to pay $959 million to resolve federal charges of defrauding the US Dept. of Defense and bribing a Qatrar official. The company entered into two deferred prosecution agreements (one in Boston and one in Brooklyn) to avoid criminal charges.  At the same time, Reuters reported that the US Customs and Border Protection agency has halted the import of some DJI drones from China.  (Reportedly, the halt came in response to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.)  Later, the US Supreme Court declined to put a hold on EPA rules targeting carbon pollution from coal-fired and gas-fired power plants.  (The suit seeking to block the EPA rules had been brought by WV and 25, mostly GOP, states.)  The suit can continue in lower courts, but the enforcement can proceed at least until that case is decided.

In Middle East news, on Wednesday, Israel defied calls for a cease-fire and pressure to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and Lebanon by re-intensifying its bombing attacks on Beirut.  In the process, the IDF took out a municipal building and aid distribution center killing the entirety of one suburb’s administration (Mayor, three key deputies, and several underlings) which had been meeting to plan the deliveries of a shipment of food aid. (That strike alone killed 16 people and wounded another 60.)  This was part of more than 130 IDF attacks on Beirut and southern Lebanon on the day.  For its part, the Israel said Hezbollah had fired 90 rockets at northern Israel, but there had been no casualties or significant damage.  Meanwhile, and most importantly to markets, CNN reported that multiple sources now tell it that the Israeli response to Iran’s recent 180 missile barrage is ready. (It’s worth noting Iran’s missile attack on Israel did no real damage and caused no casualties.)  CNN also says that US officials expect Israel to launch that retaliatory strike (to Iran’s own retaliation for Israeli bombings in Iran) prior to the US election.  (This makes sense when you realize what Israeli PM Netanyahu prefers from the US election.)

Overnight, Asian markets were mixed with six exchanges in the green and six in the red.  Shanghai (-1.05%), Hong Kong (-1.02%), and India (-0.89%) paced the losses while New Zealand (+1.01%), Singapore (+0.96%), and Australia (+0.86%) led the gainers.  However, in Europe, we see green across the board at midday.  The CAC (+1.19%), DAX (+0.80%), and FTSE (+0.42%) lead the region higher in early afternoon trade.  In the US, as of 7:30 a.m., Futures are pointing toward a move higher to start the day.  The laggard DIA implies a +0.14% open, SPY is implying a +0.41% open, and QQQ implies a +0.80% open at this hour.  At the same time, 10-Year bond yields are up to 4.036% and Oil (WTI) is up a quarter percent to $70.57 per barrel in early trading.

The major economic news scheduled for Thursday includes Weekly Initial Jobless Claims, Weekly Continuing Jobless Claims, September Core Retail Sales, Philly Fed Mfg. Index, Philly Fed Mfg. Employment, September Retail Control, and September Retail Sales (all at 8:30 a.m.), September Industrial Production (9:15 a.m.), August Business Inventories and August Retail Inventories (bot hat 10 a.m.), Weekly EIA Crude Oil Inventories (11 a.m.), and the Fed Balance Sheet (4:30 p.m.).  The major earnings reports scheduled for before the open include BX, CMC, ELV, HBAN, INFY, KEY, MTB, MAN, MMC, SNA, TSM, TRV, TFC, WBS, and WIT.  Then, after the close, CCK, ISRG, NFLX, WDFC, and WAL report.

In economic news later this week, on Friday, Preliminary September Building Permits and Preliminary September Housing Starts are reported.  We also hear from Fed Governor Waller.

In terms of earnings reports later this week, on Friday, ALLY, AXP, ALV, CMA, FITB, PG, RF, and SLB report.

So far this morning, BX, CBSH, HBAN, INFY, KEY, MTB, MAN, TSM, TVBI, TRV, and TFC all reported beats on both revenue and earnings.  (BX crushed on revenue growth by more than 44%.  In addition, the worlds largest chipmaker, TSM, crushed with 36% revenue growth and 11.5% earnings growth.  Regional bank TCBI reported a whopping 67% beat on earnings.)  Meanwhile, MMC, NOK, and SNA missed on revenue while beating on earnings.  On the other side, ELV beat on revenue but missed on earnings.  However, CMC missed on both the top and bottom lines.

In late-breaking news, TSM crushed in its Q3 report and raised guidance.  Since they are the world’s largest, and most cutting-edge chipmaker, this is reassuring markets that the tech market demand has not been hurt.  (That dour outlook on chips and by extension tech came from Tuesday’s terrible ASML report.)  It is worth noting that TSM’s largest customers are NVDA, AMD, AAPL (phone, tablet, and computer), INTC, and QCOM.

With that background, it looks like the Bulls are in charge again ahead of morning data. SPY and QQQ both gapped higher while DIA opened flat to start the premarket. From there, all three have printed white-body candles so far in the early session, with DIA the smallest of those bodies. SPY is now trading within pennies of another all-time high. All three remain above their T-line (8ema). So, the short-term trend remains bullish. The mid-term and longer-term trends are also strongly Bullish in all three. With regard to extension, none of the major index ETFs are too far extended from its T-line (8ema). However, the T2122 indicator is back in (the top of) its overbought territory. So, markets have room to run either direction, but the Bears have more slack to work with again today. With regard to those 10 big dog tickers, all 10 are in the green this morning. The biggest dog, NVDA (+3.03%) is back to leading that pack in terms of both price move and dollar-volume traded. (It is also worth noting that NVDA has traded 5.5 times as mush stock as the next-closest big dog, TSLA (+0.25%), on the strength of the TSM earnings.

As always, be deliberate and disciplined…but don’t be stubborn. If you have a loss, admit you were wrong and take that loss before it gets out of hand. And when the price does move in your direction, always move your stops in your favor and take a little profit off the table. You have to keep the “Legend of the Man in the Green Bathrobe” in mind. In a winning situation, it is NOT HOUSE MONEY you’re betting, it’s YOUR MONEY! There is no reason to keep raising your bet (risk) size just because you’ve had a win. Finally, remember that trading is not a hobby, it’s a job. The gains are real and so is the risk. So, treat it that way. Do the work and follow the process. Stick to your trading rules, trade with the trend, and take those profits when you have them. Do the work!

See you in the trading room.

Ed

🎯 Mike Probst: Rick, Got CTL off the scanner today. Already up 30%. Love it.

🎯 Dick Carp: the scanner paid for the year with HES-thank you

🎯 Arnoldo Bolanos: LTA scanner really works $$, thanks Ed.

🎯 Bob S: LTA is incredible…. I use it … would not trade without it

🎯 Malcolm .: Posted in room 2, @Rick… I used the LTA Scanner to go through hundreds of stocks this weekend and picked out three to trade:  PYPL, TGT, and ZS.   Quality patterns and with my trading, up 24%, 7% and 12%…. this program is gold.

🎯 Friday 6/21/19  (10:09 am) Aaron B: Today, my account is at +190% since January. Thanks, RWO HRC Flash Malcolm Thomas Steve Ed Bob S Bob C Mike P and everyone that contributes every day. I love our job.

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