On Thursday, the major indices gapped lower in a divergent manner. (The DIA gapped down 0.10%, SPY gapped down about 0.25%, and QQQ gapped down two-thirds of a percent.)  After those gaps, we saw a sideways roller-coaster ride in a tight horizontal channel until 2:30 pm.  However, at that point the bulls stepped in to drive a stronger wave for 45 minutes was met by an even sharper selloff in the last 10 minutes of the day. This action left us with indecisive, Spinning Top type candles.  (It also sets up potential Morning Star signals in the 3 indices if we get the right candle Friday.  However, every Morning Star Setup is also a Bearish Doji Continuation Pattern setup.)  With all this said, the indices are also very extended below their T-lines (8ema) at this point.  

On the day, nine of the ten sectors are in the red with Comm. Services (+0.01%) barely hanging on to the green while Consumer Cyclical (-2.24%) was by far the largest losing sector.  Meanwhile, the SPY was down 0.86%, DIS was down 0.42%, and QQQ was down 1.23%.  The VXX was flat at 18.87 and T2122 has dropped extremely deep into the oversold territory to 1.79. 10-year bond yields have spiked to 3.704% and Oil (WTI) was up three-quarters of a percent to $83.60/barrel.  So, the good news is that the major post-Fed volatility has dissipated.  However, the bad news is that there is still major indecision and some volatility within the strong bearish trend.

In Economic news, Q2 Current Account came in much better than expected (-$251.1 billion vs. -$260.6 billion forecast and -$282.5 billion in Q1).  This 11.1% decrease in the deficit happened due to a sharp INCREASE in exports.  Weekly Initial Jobless Claims also came in slightly better than expected (213k vs. 218k forecast, but a bit higher than last week’s 208k).  Meanwhile, overseas, South Korea reported its first monthly PPI fall in two years.  In terms of bond yields, most of them are sitting at the highest level since 2008.  The 2-year is at 4.118% yield.  However, the most concerning fact about bond yields is the complete inversions, which is usually an indicator of a pending recession.  (2-year > 5-year > 10-year > 30-year.)  Finally, in counter-inflationary news, Bloomberg reports that copper has fallen by one-third since March.

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After the close, in earning news, COST reported beats on both the revenue and earnings lines.  At the same time, FDX and AIR both reported misses on revenue while beating on earnings.  None of those companies changed forward guidance.  However, FDX had already reduced the reported quarter’s guidance and had removed all forward estimates in a preannouncement last week.  The company also said it was struggling with light shipping volumes in Europe and Asia.

In other stock news, speaking of FDX, the company announced they are raising Express, Ground, and Home Delivery by an average of 6.9%.  The company will increase FedEx Freight rates by between 6.9% and 7.9%.  They also announced a plan to cut costs which they expect to deliver $2.25 billion in cost savings during fiscal 2023. Elsewhere, the Wall Street Journal reported after the close that HUM and CVS are both in the running to acquire senior primary care provider CANO.  (CANO was up 60% between 3:15 pm and 3:30 pm Thursday as the news leaked.  The stock closed up 32% on the day.)  Finally, after the close, the SEC announced that BA and its former CEO (Muilenburg) have consented to pay $200 million and $1 million respectively to settle charges of issuing materially misleading statements in 2018 and 2019, following the company’s multiple 737Max crashes.

In miscellaneous news, the Yen soared Thursday as Japanese monetary authorities continued their intervention to prop up their currency.  The Yen climbed 1.2% against the US Dollar on the day.  With that said, the Dollar gained against the Euro and Loonie.  Elsewhere, Reuters reports that Senate Republicans threatened large banks (JPM, BAC, C, WFC, USB, PNC, etc.) that they will face unspecified retaliation unless they abandon and avoid all liberal stances on social, environmental, and/or cultural issues (so-called ESG issues).  Meanwhile, the Senate Democrats “requested” (again, an implied and unspecified threat) that the banks remain neutral on employee unionization, limit and strictly manage bank risks, and warned them over profiteering and practices that prey on customers (such as WFC has repeatedly been found guilty). Finally, in one last quasi-political tidbit, it was widely reported last night that Senator Manchin does not have even the Senate votes to pass his Energy bill aimed at removing environmental restrictions, fast-tracking project permitting, and approving pipelines.  It’s uncertain which, if any, of the oil and coal companies (Manchin’s benefactors) may have been relying on this bill or which are most impacted if it does fail to pass.

Overnight, Asian markets were red across the board.  Australia (-1.87%), South Korea (-1.81%), and India (-1.72%) led the region lower.  In Europe, stocks are sharply lower as Putin’s farce referendums begin in the areas Russia still holds (but even refugees from those areas held in Russia are not permitted to vote), the UK announced a raft of corporate tax cuts, and eurozone PMI fell again.  (The British pound also fell 1.8% to a fresh 37-year low versus the dollar.)  The FTSE (-2.14%), DAX (-2.43%), and CAC (-2.33%) are leading the region lower in early afternoon trade.  However, even the best exchange in the region is down 1.70% (Switzerland).  As of 7:30 am, US Futures are pointing toward a significant gap lower to start the day.  The DIA implies a -1.19% open, the SPY is implying a -1.30% open, and the QQQ implies a -1.42% open at this hour.  10-year bond yields are surging again to 3.771% and Oil (WTI) is down more than 3% to $80.85/barrel in early trading.

The major economic news events scheduled for Friday are limited to Mfg. PMI and Service PMI (both at 9:45 am) and Fed Chair Powell speaks again at 2 pm.  There are no major earnings reports scheduled for Friday. 

As we come into the last day of the week, markets are staring at more than a 4% loss so far by the SPY. GS also sharply reduced their year-end target for the S&P500 from 4300 to 3600 (citing rising interest rates and, as a result, increasing recession risk. Overseas, the Europeans are scrambling to cap wholesale energy prices, subsidize companies and households for energy costs, and add better/additional volatility circuit-breakers to energy markets. The point is, the picture is pretty bleak and there isn’t a lot of good news to bolster bulls.

With this backdrop, the strong bear trend remains in place across all 3 major indices. However, especially after today’s significant gap down, we are again very extended from the T-line (8ema) and are deeply oversold in terms of the T2122 indicator. The DIA will be testing the June lows if we open as we sit now and there is no significant potential support in the other indices before we reach that test as well. So, expect volatility and even though everything looks very bearish, do not forget we are extended. Markets moving in zig-zags and there will be a zag coming at some point soon. Finally, remember that it’s Friday and there is a weekend news cycle ahead. Consider whether you should take profits, move stops, hedge, or adjust position sizes ahead of the two days when we can’t react to news.

Keep in mind that trading is our job. It’s not a hobby. So, treat it that way. Do the work and follow the process. Stick with your trading rules, trade with the trend, and take those profits when you have them. Demonstrate patience and wait for confirmation. Don’t be stubborn. If you have a loss, just admit you were wrong, respect your stop, and take the loss before it grows. When price does move in your direction, always move your stops in your favor (remember the “Legend of the man in the green bathrobe“…it is NOT HOUSE MONEY, it’s all OUR MONEY!). Lastly, remember that you get rich slowly and steadily in Trading…not by striking it rich on one or two trades. So, give up that lottery ticket mentality.

See you in the trading room.

Ed

Swing Trade Ideas for your consideration and watchlist: No Trade Ideas today. You can find Rick’s review of tickers on his YouTube Channel here. Trade your plan, take profits along the way, and smart. Also, remember to check for impending earnings reports. Finally, remember that any tickers we mention and talk about in the trading room are not recommendations to buy or sell.

🎯 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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Disclosure: We do not act on all trades we mention, and not all mentions acted on the day of the mention. All trades we mention are for your consideration only.

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