The Dow Jones Industrial Average(DJI) closed at $19,989, down -6.3% today and fell below the $20,000 level for the first time since 2016 meaning that stocks have now given back all of the gains made in the past 4 years. The market is now down -32% from the all-time high of $29,568 made on February 12th meaning that it has taken a little over a month to wipe out four years of gains. This is a massive move and the steepest, fastest decline in market history.
Traders sold price down below the lower line of the broadening wedge, but ended up closing price above the wedge line indicating that this lower line is acting as a technical price support level as expected in previous charts highlighting this wedge pattern. The lower wick of the candle today shows that traders also sold price below $19,000 during the trading day, but ultimately enough buyers stepped in to keep price above the lower wedge line, indicated by today’s candle body being above the wedge line. There is also added support at the lower red line which stems from an historic level of interest by traders back in 2015 which was pointed out in the previous price chart shared.
The hold above these technical levels comes as the US government announced a $1.2 trillion stimulus package which includes company bailouts as well as financial support to US citizens via a $1,000 check in April and a $1,000 check in May. In my previous chart, I expected both a test of the lower wedge line and bounce due to technical traders buying this level, as well as fundamental traders buying stimulus news.
Now that we have witnessed both the technical levels being reached and the fundamental stimulus news, I’m expecting more selling as the stimulus package appears to be too small, and arriving too late, in the face of an outbreak that is still growing exponentially. Until more extreme measures are taken to control the outbreak, thus limiting the long-term affect to the economy, traders will remain fearful due to the ongoing hit to company revenue and earnings as case counts rise. The current stimulus package is enough to float markets for two months, but nothing is being done from a health perspective in order to ensure that the virus is slowed, let alone stopped, within two months. We may see a bounce tomorrow and Friday as this technical level and stimulus provide some short-term hope to traders, but the bounce will likely not last as the underlying issue is not being dealt with in a forceful enough manner. As case counts continue to rise, so will traders fear of the governments ability to contain the outbreak with just money. As I mentioned before, if the only tool the government has to fight a crisis is money, then every problem has to look like a money problem. This coronavirus is most certainly not a money problem, it is a public health problem that needs a cure or extreme containment countermeasures to combat.
The most important level to watch this week is the lower wedge line as a close below this level would be bearish/negative from a technical point of view and indicate that it is no longer a support level. Traders may also flip back to being fearful that the government’s stimulus is not enough to prevent further hits to the economy.
Overall view remains neutral with the expectation of a short-term bounce due to technical support levels being reached and fundamental support via massive Federal Reserve and government bailouts. View will switch back to bearish if lower support levels are breached which is expected as US coronavirus case counts rise.
Traders sold price down below the lower line of the broadening wedge, but ended up closing price above the wedge line indicating that this lower line is acting as a technical price support level as expected in previous charts highlighting this wedge pattern. The lower wick of the candle today shows that traders also sold price below $19,000 during the trading day, but ultimately enough buyers stepped in to keep price above the lower wedge line, indicated by today’s candle body being above the wedge line. There is also added support at the lower red line which stems from an historic level of interest by traders back in 2015 which was pointed out in the previous price chart shared.
The hold above these technical levels comes as the US government announced a $1.2 trillion stimulus package which includes company bailouts as well as financial support to US citizens via a $1,000 check in April and a $1,000 check in May. In my previous chart, I expected both a test of the lower wedge line and bounce due to technical traders buying this level, as well as fundamental traders buying stimulus news.
Now that we have witnessed both the technical levels being reached and the fundamental stimulus news, I’m expecting more selling as the stimulus package appears to be too small, and arriving too late, in the face of an outbreak that is still growing exponentially. Until more extreme measures are taken to control the outbreak, thus limiting the long-term affect to the economy, traders will remain fearful due to the ongoing hit to company revenue and earnings as case counts rise. The current stimulus package is enough to float markets for two months, but nothing is being done from a health perspective in order to ensure that the virus is slowed, let alone stopped, within two months. We may see a bounce tomorrow and Friday as this technical level and stimulus provide some short-term hope to traders, but the bounce will likely not last as the underlying issue is not being dealt with in a forceful enough manner. As case counts continue to rise, so will traders fear of the governments ability to contain the outbreak with just money. As I mentioned before, if the only tool the government has to fight a crisis is money, then every problem has to look like a money problem. This coronavirus is most certainly not a money problem, it is a public health problem that needs a cure or extreme containment countermeasures to combat.
The most important level to watch this week is the lower wedge line as a close below this level would be bearish/negative from a technical point of view and indicate that it is no longer a support level. Traders may also flip back to being fearful that the government’s stimulus is not enough to prevent further hits to the economy.
Overall view remains neutral with the expectation of a short-term bounce due to technical support levels being reached and fundamental support via massive Federal Reserve and government bailouts. View will switch back to bearish if lower support levels are breached which is expected as US coronavirus case counts rise.