tradersmentality

S&P Failed Breakout of Trading Range

SP:SPX   S&P 500 Index
In a previous post I talked about this being a risky time to buy for a long term investment in the S&P, Emini, SPY, or MES. Despite what the media may want you to believe - this market is no longer in a strong bull trend. If it was, prices would break out strongly above previous highs. But what is happening instead? Prices go mostly sideways to down, signalling bull profit taking.

This is because the strong bulls bought lower; they know what is happening. They do not want to buy high because the risk is too large and the probability is too low. This is also where strong bears start looking to sell and will scale in higher if they need to. They understand the probability is in their favor. What happens when both strong bulls and strong bears sell? Well, there is only one direction for the market to go..

The bulls who bought the all time high (last weeks close) are currently trapped. The bulls who bought the breakout on July 12th are also trapped on the daily chart. This is very similar to the Jan 22, and Sep 17 bull closes. Look and see what happened next. Sharp selloffs as the bulls exit in a panic. It took months for prices to get back to a level where they could get out at break even, and they had to sit through a long enduring pullback in order to avoid a loss. Furthermore they risked money to essentially break even, which is extremely dangerous. This is what is known as the "thank you god price." Where those bulls are thankful just to get out without a significant loss.

If this week closes as a bear bar, it will be a bear setup for a wedge reversal and failed bull breakout of a trading range. If it fails, and there is another new all time high, the bears will likely try for a second entry in the coming weeks. In either case, the bulls only have a 40% chance of a strong bull rally and measured move up based on the trading range. The bears have a 60% chance of two legs sideways to down and a test of the middle of the current trading range, or the bottom of the trading range around 2400.

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