Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Dollar Index









click charts to enlarge


The charts above are of the dollar index. One is a daily and the other a weekly chart. With the dollar getting so much attention these first days back after the US Labor Day holiday we thought it would be a good time to present the picture of what this beleaguered currency looks like

The daily chart displays a downward sloping trading channel which has seen the low end reached with today’s lower market.

The weekly also displays the channel line being touched and also we have included the Fibonacci retracement levels where it can be seen that the Dollar Index has breached the important .618 level of support but has yet to close below it.

It may be a good idea to exercise some patience prior to initiating short positions at this price level until further development. It is always a good idea, we believe, to avoid selling support or buying resistance.

jmajer@mfglobal.com
312 261-7380
800 321-5810


Jeff Majer
Diego Pilar
CB&S Division
MF Global Inc.

Futures and options trading contain substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Gold and Crude

Click charts to enlarge



The above charts are daily charts of December Gold and October Crude Oil. Both are trading considerably higher on the day as we are preparing this blog at 10:30 AM Chicago time (CDT); Tuesday Sept. 8. There has been a breakout in the gold as illustrated here which occurred during last week’s trading. Using what we believe to be a standard measuring technique using the base of the triangle added to the point of breakout the potential price objective comes to approximately $1105.

The Crude Oil chart shows that it is attempting to break over a near term down trend line but with a significant Fibonacci resistance at approximately 7195.

Many are asking what has gotten in to these markets today. We have seen a few factors that are providing influence. First is that the US Dollar is trading sharply lower. This typically has been supportive to commodities such as precious metals and crude oil.

We have heard that The UN is now talking about a new global currency. Also the G20 communique stated that monetary and fiscal stimulus would continue and this may help maintain at least the perception of a less risky environment therefore reducing the safe haven status of the US Dollar.

Goldman Sachs forecasts $85.00 per barrel crude oil and also, we understand that that a popular oil ETF is due to liquidate its crude assets which may be reallocating investment capital into gold. There has also been some chatter of Chinese interest in accumulating gold as an inflationary hedge.

We believe this will make for interesting price action particularly over the next few days. We are not suggesting here to either buy or sell either commodity but certainly noting that there could well be opportunities for trading ideas being presented.

As always this is something we discuss more in depth with our clients but we encourage any questions, comments or better still, any answers directed to us at:

jmajer@mfglobal.com

312 261-7380

800 321-5810

Jeff Majer

Diego Pilar

CB&S Division

MF Global Inc.





Futures and options trading contain substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Sugar - Powdered!!

click chart to enlarge

In this week’s edition of our Trade Focus which was prepared on Thursday during the course of the business and trading day, we had this to say about the sugar market:

Sugar (Oct.) – Sugar may be poised for a correction of some consequence if not having placed its top. Tomorrow’s close will be important as to whether it signals a weekly reversal. For now we believe that the more aggressive well margined trader can initiate short positions at a price level of 2350 or above with suggested stop protection of intraday penetration of 2490. The retrenchment resistance levels based on the monthly data are approx.: 1889 (hit); 2402m (hit); 2915. The next series above is approx.: 2663; 3414; 4166.

Unfortunately only our email mail list of clients and subscribers were able to receive this prior to trading today (Friday Sept. 4). There would have been a chance for those who agreed with the idea and plan to have initiated the short entry in the October Sugar prior to its more than 250 collapse (at today’s lows) and 150 lower daily close. Every point in the Sugar market is worth $11.20. If a short entry was initiated at 2350 and the close was 2160 that would be 190 points x 11.20 which equals $2,128 per contract.

We do not like to sound like we deserve a pat on the back or leave a wrong impression of any sort by bringing this instance to attention. As they say, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then.

What this may illustrate, though, is that if you wait to see the Trade Focus on the website which often is a full day after our sneak preview via email there may be something that would spark an interest and cause an action that could be missed by waiting.

Now let’s figure some other possibilities using the Fibonacci retracement levels of support. If a position was short from a price of today’s 2160 close basis the October contract and the first fib level of ~1976 was attained, the increase in value would be $2,060.80 (2160 – 1976 = 184 x 11.20). At the next fib retracement level of support, the .500 at the price of ~1817, it would be $3,841.60. Finally at the preferred .618 golden ratio at ~1658 it would be $5,622.40 per contract.

Of course a trader may initiate a short entry at today’s 2160 close of the October sugar and see the suggested stop protection elected at 2490 which would mean $3,696 could be suffered as a loss. This suggested stop protection, however, was originally based on a short entry from 2350 as in the Trade Focus and likely would not be chosen with an entry from the lower entry point of 2160 used in this example. A better risk to reward is typically much more preferred.


If you don’t want to miss something like this and believe it would be of benefit for you to receive the weekly Trade Focus the day it’s written we’ll be happy to add you to the email list. All you need to do is ask.

jmajer@mfglobal.com

312 261-5810
800 321-5810






Futures and options trading contain substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Dow Jones Correction






Click charts to enlarge

The charts above are daily and weekly bar charts of the cash Dow Jones Industrials with 50 day moving average and fib retracement overlays on the daily and 50 week moving average on the weekly.


We believe that particularly the daily chart illustrates at least a hint of the beginning of a corrective phase. How much of a correction of course is the $64,000 question. But we saw last Friday a new high for this move with a lower close. That is a reversal even though it wasn’t a sweeping reversal event. And there has been some follow through to the downside too which helps add to the correction theory.

The pattern constructed since the day of the high we feel also fits the theory. There has been a one wave down, a pause and another more accelerated down move made. Today’s action has been another pause in the action with a tight range from slightly higher on the day to slightly lower. Tomorrow may be helpful in providing additional clues.

There are also the monthly unemployment figures due Friday morning. With employment such a large factor in the sustainability of economic recovery, the report will most likely be heavily weighted.

Where do we go from here? We see there has been a trend line broken and that the first set of Fibonacci retracements has been penetrated. There is a possibility that a Head and Shoulders top formation could be in the making but we will have to wait and see. Currently the 50 day moving average is approx. 8953 and the next series of noted retracement levels of support are approx.: 9041; 8859; 8677.

The weekly chart displays what could be construed as a Head and Shoulders neckline. It would appear to converge with the uptrend line displayed at approximately 8760. The 50 week moving average as shown on the chart is approximately 8557.

If the market is indeed correcting, the retracement values given along with the moving averages or a return to the neckline all mentioned above, could be price levels the market is seeking.


It may be early in the game but as we all know, it’s the early bird that gets the worm. It may not be unreasonable to expect any or some of these levels to be reached if in fact the market is in corrective mode.

And then again let’s not forget that there is a segment of the trading population that believes that what is about to unfold is more than just a mere correction.

We believe we can help assemble strategies for this and other market opportunities. Let us know if we can be of assistance to you.

jmajer@mfglobal.com

312 261-7380
800 321-5810





Futures and options trading contain substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Daily S&P 500


The chart is a daily cash S&P 500. We believe it shows that near term price levels of importance to the bulls have begun to be breached. It appears the next key level is the August 17 low 97851 basis the cash. Underneath that there will be the .500 Fibonacci at approx. 95440 and the .618 at approx. 93436.

There are some soothsayers saying that the end of the “BEAR MARKET RALLY” is upon us. We always urge market participants to be prepared for anything. We reiterate that to everyone now. Be prepared ahead of time for not just what can go wrong (stop protection for example) but also a plan and strategy to take advantage of the next opportunity whichever direction it may take.



Futures and options trading contain substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors.