Gold ETF Trader

Gold And Silver Stuck In A Holding Pattern

2012-02-19T19:05:00.001-07:00

From the staff at The Technical Trader......

The SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) are both trading slightly lower this morning. These two precious metals will usually trade inverse to the U.S. Dollar, therefore, traders should follow the dollar closely. Short term traders can watch for intra-day support on the GLD around the $167.00, and $166.00 levels. The SLV will have intra-day support around the $32.25, and $31.80 levels.

Some other ways to trade the gold and silver markets are to use the Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS),Sprott Physical Silver Trust ETV (PSLV), and the iShares Gold Trust ETF (IAU). All of these trading vehicles trade in a very similar fashion.

Chinese Internet Stocks Are The Weak Link Today
This morning, all of the leading Chinese internet stocks are declining lower. Baidu Inc (BIDU) is considered the leading Chinese ADR in the market. Today, BIDU stock is trading lower by $2.83 a share. Short term traders should watch for intra day support around the $137.00, and $135.00 levels. The daily chart is holding up fine for BIDU at the moment.

Some other leading Chinese internet stocks that are declining lower this morning include Netease.com Inc (NTES), Sina Corp (SINA), and Sohu Corp (SOHU). All of these stocks have different daily charts, however, these stocks will often follow BIDU closely intra day.

Get FREE weekly Trade Alerts and Analysis – Click Here

Did the SP 500 Just Peak at 1356?

2012-02-16T20:38:00.002-07:00

This is somewhat of a things that make you go hmmmmmm exercise, but lets examine this 1356 number for a second here. The SP 500 hit 1356 today and put on the brakes and reversed down to 1341 in a possible terminal top move.

1356 actually has fibonacci relationships. If we take the last major rally which was from the Summer 2010 lows:

1010-1370 (May 2011 highs)

360 points

.786 of 360 is 283 points

Take 283, add it to the 1074 October lows…. you got 1356/57

That would mean this last rally so far is .786 of the 2010-11 rally.

Also, 1356/57 is right in my 1352-1376 pivot ranges for a Major 3 top as well

Evidence is mounting for a good sized correction here is my point.

Possible count, though many will argue not valid:

Wave 1- 666 to 1221- 555 points

Wave 2- 1221-1010- 211 points, .38% of 1

Wave 3- 1010-1370 360 points, .61% of 1

Wave 4- 1370-1074- 296 points… 38% of 1-3 (A bit more than 38%)

Wave 5- 1074-1356 .786 of 3

Only rule violation here is Wave 4 would have delved into wave 1, which is a no-no for most E wavers. However, I would argue that 4 often does delve into the wave 1 arena and legitimately, but that is a topic for another article.

Nonetheless… pay attention to the fibonacci relationships… if anything they may be warning of 1356 as an interim high and top with correction starting. This would either be a 4th wave down with the 5th and final wave up left… or we topped at 1356. A drop below 1337 will confirm a correction at minimum to 1310 and then 1295 ranges.

Just food for thought…...we have been lightening our positions and raising stops at my ATP trading service. If you’d like to have regular updates on the SP 500, Gold and Silver so you can benefit from major pivots ahead of the crowd, check us out at Market Trend Forecast for a coupon offer.

Get David Banisters Free Weekly Index & Commodity Forecast

Two Short Term Scenarios for the S&P 500 Index

2012-02-15T06:54:00.002-07:00

For the first time since the last week of December of 2011, the S&P 500 Index closed lower on the weekly chart. Recently I have been discussing the overbought nature of stocks based on a variety of indicators. However, the real question that should be asked is whether last week was just a short term event or if we see sustained selling in coming weeks.

The issues occurring in Greece spooked the markets somewhat on Friday as Eurozone fears continue to permeate in the mindset of traders. The U.S. Dollar Index is the real driver regarding risk in the near and intermediate term future. If the Dollar is strong, market participants will likely reduce risk. However a weakening Dollar will be a risk-on type of trading event which could lead to an extended rally in equities, precious metals, and oil.

Friday marked an important day for the U.S. Dollar Index futures as for the first time in several weeks the Dollar held higher prices into a daily close. The U.S. Dollar appears to have carved out a daily swing low on the daily chart from Friday. Furthermore, the potential for a weekly swing low at the end of this week remains quite possible. The chart below illustrates how the 100 period simple moving average has offered short term support for the past few weeks.

U.S. Dollar Index Futures Daily Chart

I would also point out that the MACD is starting to converge which is a bullish signal and the full stochastics are also demonstrating a cross on the daily time frame. As long as the 100 period moving average holds price, a rally is likely in the U.S. Dollar Index in coming weeks.

Should that rally play out, it will likely push risk assets lower. My primary target for the S&P 500 would be around the 1,300 – 1,310 price range if the selloff transpires. It is important to note that headlines coming out of Europe could derail this analysis in short order.

Assuming that a selloff in the S&P 500 occurs it will present a difficult trading environment for market participants. Market participants are going to be in a tough position around the 1,300 price level. A rally from 1,300 could serve to test the 2011 highs. In contrast, a confirmed breakdown of the 1,300 price level could initiate a more significant selloff towards the 1,250 area.

Should price move towards the 1,300 price level the bulls and bears will be battling it out for intermediate control of price action. This is my preferred scenario for the short term time frame, but I would only give it about a 60% chance of success at this point in time. We simply need more time to see how price action behaves the first few session of the forthcoming week.

S&P 500 Index Bearish Scenario

The alternate scenario which has about a 40% chance of success would be a sharp rally higher which likely would be produced by news coming out of Greece and/or the Eurozone that pushes the Euro higher. Right now risk is high due to the sensitivity of price to headline risk. With that said, the bullish alternative scenario is shown below.

S&P 500 Index Bullish Scenario

At this point we just do not have enough price information to give us clarity regarding the most probable outcome. The price action in the Euro is going to drive price action for the S&P 500 and other risk assets in weeks ahead.

Anything is possible in the short term, but I have to give a slight edge to the bears simply based on the price action Friday and the fact that almost every indicator I follow is screaming that the equities market is severely overbought. The price action this week should be telling. Headline risk is excruciatingly high, trade safely in the coming week!

By: Chris Vermeulen – Get Chris' FREE Weekly ETF Reports & Analysis
Co-Author: JW Jones – Get J.W.s FREE Weekly Options Reports & Analysis

Was Friday’s Price Action in Gold Signaling a Top in the S&P 500?

2012-02-06T23:02:00.002-07:00

Friday morning traders and market participants awaited the key January employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The reaction to the supposedly wonderful report was a surge in the S&P 500 E-Mini futures contracts as well as several other key equity index futures.

The overall tenor among the financial punditry was predictable as wildly bullish predictions permeated the morning session on CNBC and in the financial blogosphere. However, after the report had been out for several hours notable independent voices such as Lee Adler of the Wall Street Examiner came out with information that suggested the numbers were an apparition of manipulated statistics.

I am not going to spend a great deal of time discussing the report, but the reaction to the news was decisively bullish on Friday. The question I want to know is whether Friday was a blow off top? In the recent past the S&P 500 has seen several key inflection points and intermediate-term tops form on non-farm payroll monthly announcements.

I follow a variety of indicators to help me decipher more accurately when the market is getting overbought or oversold. For nearly two weeks the market has been extremely overbought, but now we are reaching truly astonishing levels. The following charts represent just a few signals that the market is due for a pullback and a top is likely approaching.

Percentage of NYSE Stocks Trading Above Their 50 Period Moving Average

The chart above clearly illustrates that as of Friday’s closing bell (02/03) over 89% of stocks were trading above their 50 period moving averages. Consequently that reading is one of the highest levels that we have seen in the past 3 years. In addition, over 73% of stocks that trade on the NYSE are currently priced above their longer term 200 period moving averages. Another extremely overbought signal.

S&P 500 Bullish Percent Index Weekly Chart

The S&P 500 Bullish Percent Index is another great tool for measuring the overall position of the S&P 500. It is without question that the longer term time frame is reaching the highest level of overbought conditions in the past 3 years.

McClellan Oscillator Divergence with S&P 500 Price Action

The two charts shown above present an interesting situation regarding the divergence in the McClellan Oscillator and the price action in the S&P 500. The most recent example of this type of divergence occurred in October of 2011 and prices immediately reversed to the upside after several months of selling pressure. In fact, this correlation between reversals in the S&P 500 and divergences in the McClellan Oscillator works relatively well historically.

Clearly there are bullish voices arguing for the 2011 S&P 500 Index high of 1,370.58 to be taken out to the upside in the near future. Additionally, several market technicians in the blogospere have been pointing to the key resistance range between 1,350 and 1,370 on the S&P 500 as a likely price target. Obviously if those price levels are met strong resistance is likely to present itself. However, as a contrarian trader I have found that the more obvious price levels are the more likely it is that they either will not be tested or they will not offer significant resistance.

It is obvious that Chairman Bernanke and the Federal Reserve have embarked on a massive fiat currency printing campaign which has helped buoy risk assets to the upside. Through a combination of reducing interest rates on safety haven investments like Treasury’s and CD’s, the Federal Reserve has forced conservative investors and those living on a fixed income into riskier assets in search of yield.

This process helps elevate stock prices and creates the desired outcome for the Federal Reserve which involves the perception by average individuals that they are wealthier. The Fed calls this the “wealth effect” and they seem poised to insure that U.S. financial markets continue to ride upon a see of cheap money and liquidity.

Ultimately the Federal Reserve’s most recent announcements have served to help flatten the short end of the yield curve further while providing a launching pad for equities and precious metals. However, issues persisting in Europe could have an adverse impact on the short to intermediate term price action of the U.S. Dollar.

Right now everywhere I look I hear market prognosticators commenting on how hated the U.S. Dollar is and how Chairman Bernanke will not allow the Dollar to appreciate markedly in order to protect U.S. exports and financial markets. I think that the Dollar has the potential to rally in the short to intermediate term. Right now the U.S. Dollar Index appears to be trying to form a bottom.

U.S. Dollar Index Daily Chart

Obviously there is good reason to believe that the U.S. Dollar Index could reverse to the upside here. Whether it would have the strength to take out recent highs is unclear, but a correction to the upside not only seems unexpected by most market participants, but it seems plausible based on the weekend news coming out of Greece.

Monday morning the Greek government is set to determine if they will agree to the demands of the Troika in exchange for the next tranche of bailout funds. If the Greek government and the Troika do not come to an agreement, the Euro could sell-off violently.

Additionally there are already concerns about the next LTRO offering from the European Central Bank. The measure is to help provide European banks with additional liquidity, but there are growing concerns that the size and scope of the LTRO could have a dramatic impact on the Euro’s valuation against other currencies. Time will tell, but there are certainly catalysts which could help drive the U.S. Dollar higher.

Another potential indicator that the Dollar could see higher prices in coming days was the largely unnoticed bearish price action on Friday of precious metals. Both gold and silver have been on a tear higher over the past several weeks. Both precious metals have surged since the Federal Reserve announced that interest rates would remain near zero on the short end of the curve through 2014.

However, on Friday gold and silver were both under extreme selling pressure. The move did not get much attention by the financial media. The price action in gold and silver on Friday could be another indication that the U.S. Dollar is set to rally. The daily chart of gold is shown below.

Gold Futures Daily Chart

Obviously the reversal on Friday in gold futures was sharp. The move represented nearly a 2% decline for the session on the price of gold. However, as long term readers know I am a gold bull. I just do not see how gold and silver do not rally in the intermediate to longer term based on the insane levels of fiat currency printing going on at all of the major central banks around the world. The macro case for gold is very strong, but the short term time frame could reveal a brief pullback.

At this point, I suspect a pullback will present a good buying opportunity for those that are patient. However, I think it is critical to point out that this move in gold on Friday could be a signal that the U.S. Dollar is going to find some short to intermediate term strength. If the Dollar does start to push higher, it will likely put downward pressure on risk assets like equities and oil.

While Friday’s price action may not mark a top, nearly every indicator that I follow is screaming that stocks are overbought across all time frames. Pair that with the Greece uncertainty and LTRO considerations and suddenly the Dollar starts to look a bit more attractive. Ultimately I am not going to try to pick a top, but the evidence suggests that it might not be too many days/weeks away.

By: Chris Vermeulen – Get Chris' Free Weekly ETF Reports & Analysis
Co-Author: JW Jones – Get J.W.' Free Weekly Options Reports & Analysis

The Fed, the S&P 500, & Why Gold Is Shining Bright

2012-01-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

Well here we are, caught between resistance in the S&P 500 around the 1,330 area and support around the 1,300 price level. My last two articles have discussed why I was expecting a top in the coming days and weeks ahead, but prices just continued to work higher.

One of the things that I pride myself in as a person who trades and writes about financial markets in public is that I am always honest. If I blow a call I fess up and admit it. When I have made mistakes in the past, I always try to learn something new from them and I discuss losing trades publicly with readers and members of my service.

This time is different. I honestly do not know if I am going to be right or wrong. The price action in the S&P 500 Thursday was certainly bearish short term, but a back test of 1,300 or possibly even 1,280 could give rise to a Phoenix. Granted, the Phoenix is nothing more than Ben Bernanke’s pet, but that is a topic for a different time.

I have scanned through my list of indicators which discuss sentiment based on momentum, put/call ratio, the advance/decline line, Bullish Percent Indicators, and several ratio based indicators and they are all SCREAMING that a top is near. The interesting thing about the previous statement is that it would have been true a week ago and mostly true two weeks ago, yet prices have continued to climb.

The daily chart of the S&P 500 Index demonstrates the recent price action that has continued to climb the “Wall of Worry” for several weeks:

S&P 500 Daily Chart

The culmination of the massive run higher for the S&P 500 was the dovish comments coming from Ben Bernanke during Wednesday’s press release and press conference.

The U.S. & European Central Banks are seemingly in a perpetual race to debase their underlying fiat currencies. The race will not end well. In fact, this type of situation smells like a Ponzi scheme where Ben Bernanke and Mario Draghi (ECB President) are the wizards behind the curtains. Their loose monetary policies and forced reflation are synthetic drugs that juice risk assets higher and ultimately Mr. Market will have his vengeance in due time.

At this point, it seems like Ben Bernanke will do anything to juice equity prices higher. I think his hope is that they will be able to artificially keep the game going until the recovery is on a more sound footing. However, when the entire recovery is predicated on cheap money and liquidity and is not supported by organic economic growth it just prolongs the inevitable disaster.

As an example, the daily chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average is shown below. I would point out that that Dow came within 35 points (0.27%) from testing the 2011 highs. Furthermore, the Thursday high for the Dow was only 1,356 points (10.55%) from reaching the all-time 2007 October high.

Dow Jones Industrial Average Daily Chart

I have argued for quite some time that the economy and the stock market are two different things. If Bernanke and his cronies succeed in reflating the financial markets and the Dow reaches its October 2007 high in the near term, more retail investors will regard equity markets as being rigged.

Who could blame them for viewing financial markets as a giant rigged casino that stands to win while they continue to lose their hard earned capital? We all recognize that the current economy is nowhere near as strong as it was in 2007. But alas, the regular retail investor does not recognize that the stock market and the economy do not portray the same meaning.

One specific underlying catalyst that has gone largely unnoticed by most of the financial media during this sharp run higher in stocks is the total lack of volume associated with the march higher. The NYSE volume over the past 2 months has been putrid when compared to historical norms.

As a trader, I am forced to take risk through a variety of trade structures. However, the idea that a crash could be coming seems hard pressed as long as Big Bad Ben is at the wheel.

If the Russell 2000 drops 10%, I am convinced that Ben will be out making announcements that the Fed stands ready to intervene with all of the supposed tools they have at their disposal. Let’s be honest here, they really have one tool comprised of 3 separate functions which are all a mechanism to increase liquidity in the overall system. To express this liquidity, the following chart from the Federal Reserve shows the M2 money supply levels:

Current M2 Money Supply

The 3 functions are the printing of currency, the monetization of U.S. Treasury debt (QE, QE2, QE2.5, Operation Twist), and exceptionally low interest rates (ZIRP) near 0 for an “extended period of time (2014).” Since monetary easing is all that the Federal Reserve has done since the financial crisis began, it begs to reason that the Federal Reserve has no other solutions or tools available. If they did, they seemingly would have used them by now.

The first bubble they created due to loose monetary policy was the massive bubble in oil in 2008. Fast forward to the present, and they are currently supporting another bubble in U.S. Treasury obligations. The bubble that they will create in the future when the game finally ends will be in precious metals. The precious metals bubble will be building while the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury attempt to keep the Treasury Bond bubble from bursting.

At this point in time, if we continue down this path stocks will not protect investors adequately from inflation should the Treasury bubble burst. I would argue that the central planning and monetary policy we have seen the past few years continues in the United States and Europe that gold, silver, and other precious metals are likely to begin their own bubble of potentially epic proportions.

As the weekly chart of gold futures illustrates below, gold has recently pulled back sharply and has broken out. I will likely be looking for any pullbacks in gold as buying opportunities as long as support holds.

Gold Weekly Chart

In closing, for longer term investors the stock market might have some serious short term juice as cheap money and artificially low interest rates should juice returns. However, eventually equities will start to underperform. At that point, gold will be in the final stages of its bubble and the term parabolic could likely be applied.

If central banks around the world continue to print money there are only a few places to hide. Precious metals and other commodities like oil will vastly outperform stocks in the long run if the Dollar continues to slide. The real question we should be asking is who will win the race to debase, Draghi or Bernanke?

By: Chris Vermeulen – Click here to get Chris' Free Weekly ETF Reports & Analysis
Co-Author: JW Jones – Click here to get J.W's Free Weekly Options Reports & Analysis

Get their Free weekly low risk stock picks!

Gold Has Started to Break Out of it's Down Trend, Can it Hold up into Friday’s Close?

2012-01-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

The stock markets had a very solid session. Most charts shot higher after Apple beat estimates Tuesday night surging over 10%. This set the tone for stocks Wednesday. Also the FOMC said they would keep interest rates low until mid 2014 and projected a 2% inflation rate which took the market by surprise. Looking at the 10 minute intraday charts of gold, silver, oil, and the SP500 you would think it was the 4rth of July with everything shooting higher.

My gut feeling before the FOMC meeting was that there would be no QE3 announced. This I figured would trigger the dollar to rise which in turn would put pressure on stocks and commodities. But the low interest rates until mid 2014 was the wild card trumping that scenario.

Trading around FOMC meetings always brings a heightened level of uncertainty to traders and investors. The news is unpredictable making that much more of beast to try and out smart. I personally do not trade on any news because of the added risk involved.

Let’s take a quick look at gold and silver...

The Weekly Gold Chart:

Gold has started to break out of its down trend and if it can hold up into Friday’s close then it will be a very positive sign for the shiny metal. It is still mid week and a lot can happen, so let’s see how it holds up and go from there.

The Weekly Silver Chart:

Silver has some work to do before it’s back in an uptrend on the weekly chart. I would not be surprised to see it catch up with gold and run toward the $35 resistance level in the next couple days.

Mid-Week Trend Conclusion:

In short, gold is on the move and in the next few weeks I figure we will be getting involved. Silver I think will unfold a little different from a chart pattern point of view, but I do feel there will be a buying opportunity soon also.

Looking more broad based we are seeing the stock market continue to make new highs with solid volume behind it while Crude oil continues to tread water.

Get my free weekly reports and videos here at The Gold and Oil Guy

Chris Vermeulen

Are Gold Bulls Ready to Throw in the Towel?

2012-01-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

April gold closed lower due to profit taking on Tuesday as it consolidates some of the rally off December's low. The low range close sets the stage for a steady to lower opening on Wednesday. Stochastics and the RSI are overbought but remain neutral to bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term.

If April extends the rally off December's low, the 50% retracement level of the September-December decline crossing at 1725.80 is the next upside target. Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at 1625.60 would confirm that a short term top has been posted.

First resistance is Monday's high crossing at 1684.50. Second resistance is the 50% retracement level of the September-December decline crossing at 1725.80. First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at 1655.60. Second support is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1625.60.

We believe that gold is at the top of a trading cycle similar to what happened last year in September and November. We are reluctant to chase gold at these current levels. That factor along with our negative monthly Trade Triangle, continue to act as an inhibitor for this market on the upside.

With a Chart Analysis Score of +70, this market is in an emerging trend. Long term term traders should be in short positions in gold with appropriate money management stops. Intermediate term traders should be on the sidelines.

Get our free weekly low risk stock picks.

Anthony Neglia on Why He is Shorting Gold

2012-01-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Anthony Neglia, president of Tower Trading, reveals why he is shorting gold ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting and into options expiration.

Get Our Stock Research & Trading Alerts

Gold Starts The Week on a Positive Note

2012-01-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

April gold closed higher on Monday and above the 38% retracement level of the September-December decline crossing at 1678.70 as it extends the rally off December's low. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Tuesday. Stochastics and the RSI are overbought but remain neutral to bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term.

If April extends the rally off December's low, the 50% retracement level of the September-December decline crossing at 1725.80 is the next upside target. Closes below the 20 day moving average crossing at 1622.90 would confirm that a short term top has been posted.

First resistance is today's high crossing at 1684.50. Second resistance is the 50% retracement level of the September-December decline crossing at 1725.80. First support is the 10 day moving average crossing at 1649.80. Second support is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1622.90.

Check out our gold trend forecast for the 1st Quarter of 2012

ONG: Gold Weekly Technical Outlook For Sunday January 22nd

2012-01-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

Gold's upside momentum as a bit unconvincing as it spent last week struggling around 1650 level. Nonetheless, with 1605.7 support intact, the near term bullish outlook remains unchanged. That is , fall from 1804.4 should have completed at 1523.9 already. Whole fall from 1923.7 might be finished too. Further rise is expected to 1767.1 resistance. Break will affirm this case and target 18044 and above. However, break of 1605.7 will dampen this bullish view and flip bias back to the downside for another low below 1523.9 instead.

In the bigger picture, price actions form 1923.7 high are viewed as a medium term consolidation pattern only. Current development is slightly favoring the case that such consolidation is finished with three waves down to 1523.9. Sustained trading above 55 days EMA will affirm this case. Further break of 1804.4 will indicate that the long term up trend is resuming for another high above 1923.7. In case of another fall, we'd continue to expect strong support from 1478.3/1577.4 support zone to contain downside to finish the consolidation and bring up trend resumption eventually. However, sustained break of 1478.3 indicates that deeper correction is to be seen through 38.2% retracement of 681 to 1923.7 at 1449.

In the long term picture, with 1478.3 support intact, there is no change in the long term bullish outlook in gold. While some more medium term consolidation cannot be ruled out, we'd anticipate an eventual break of 2000 psychological level in the long run

Comex Gold Continuous Contract 4 Hour, Daily, Weekly and Monthly Charts

Gold Trend Forecast for the 1st Quarter of 2012

Gold Trend Forecast for the 1st Quarter of 2012

2012-01-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

Over the past five months gold has fallen sharply and is no longer headline news which it once dominated back in 2011 when it was making new highs every day. The shiny metal has been under pressure because traders and investors started to pull some money off the table to lock in gains.

Gold prices had surged so fast most advanced traders knew that final high volume surge was not sustainable. But the main reason gold topped out in my opinion was because the US Dollar index had put in a bottom and started to build a base. As we all know a rising dollar typically means lower stocks and commodity prices.

I have posted some charts below covering gold in detail using multiple time frames. The weekly which is long term, daily which is the intermediate trend and the 4 hour chart which shows gold momentum and intraday action. At the very bottom I talk about the US Dollar and what is happening with that.

Gold Weekly Long Term Trend Analysis

The weekly chart is not the most exciting time frame to follow as you will grow old watching it. That being said it is crucial for understanding the long term trend, price and volume analysis.

Below you can see that gold’s recent pullback has been a 3 wave correction, which is a normal pullback for any investment. But taking into account the rally from 2008 – 2011 I feel this pullback will have one more low put in before bottoming out. This would make for a 5 wave correction much like what happened in 2008.

Daily Chart of Gold Showing the Intermediate Trend

The daily chart allows us to see gold intra week price action and use the 150 moving average which is my preferred daily moving average. As you can see we are getting a similar pullback as 2008 with gold now trading under the 150 MA.

I would like to see gold make another lower low in the next 2-3 months. If that happens I feel it complete the correction and trigger a strong multi month or multiyear rally in gold.

4 Hour Intraday Chart of Gold

The 4 hour chart of gold allows us to see all the intraday price action which would normally not be seen with a daily chart. It also gives us enough data to build our analysis upon.

My preferred setup for gold which I feel if happens will trigger major buying in the yellow metal. If/when we get a rally in gold would also likely mean some more economic uncertainty has entered the market either from within the USA, Europe or China…

Weekly Dollar Index Long Term Analysis

The dollar has the potential to rally to the 87 – 88 level before putting in a major top. For this to happen we will need to see the Euro crumble (both currency and countries divide) in my opinion.

If you look at the weekly chart of gold and this chart of the dollar index you will notice that gold topped when the dollar bottomed. Over the past couple year’s gold and the dollar have had an inverse relationship to each other.

With all kinds of crap about to hit the fan overseas I think it’s very possible gold will rally with the dollar. Reason being there is way more people overseas who want to unload their euro’s and with all the negative talk and doubt with the US Dollar individuals will naturally want to buy more gold.

Weekend Trend Trading Conclusion:

In short, I expect a bumpy ride for both stocks and commodities in the first quarter of 2012. With any luck gold will pull back into my price zone shaking the majority of short term traders out just before it bottoms. And we will be positioning ourselves for a strong rally buying into their panic selling.

To just touch base on the general stock market quickly. I have a very bearish outlook for stocks. If the dollar continues to rise it is very likely the stock market will fall into a bear market. So I am VERY cautious with stocks at this time.

If you would like to receive my Weekly reports, updates and trading education videos each week join my free newsletter here at The Gold and Oil Guy

Chris Vermeulen

Gold Pops Over Upper Donchian Levels

2012-01-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

On Thursday the gold market popped over the upper levels of its Donchian Channel. We suspect that the top of the Donchian Channel acts as resistance for gold. Only the monthly Trade Triangle is still red. With a Chart Analysis Score of +60, this market is in an trading range. With our monthly Trade Triangle in a negative position we are no longer quite as bullish on this metal. Long term term traders should be in short positions in silver with appropriate money management Intermediate term traders should be on the sidelines.

Check out our Free Weekly Low Risk Stock Picks

Why China Might Stop Buying Gold

2012-01-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

Jon Nadler, senior analyst at Kitco.com, breaks down China's recent inflation and gold import data to reveal why demand might slow.

Check Out Today's 50 Top Trending Stocks

Gold Becoming Overbought But Remain Neutral to Bullish

2012-01-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

Gold closed higher on Tuesday extending the rally off December's low. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Wednesday. Stochastics and the RSI are becoming overbought but remain neutral to bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term.

Closes above the reaction high crossing at 1643.70 are needed to confirm that a low has been posted. If February renews the decline off November's high, July's low crossing at 1482.60 is the next downside target.

First resistance is today's high crossing at 1641.40. Second resistance is the reaction high crossing at 1643.70. First support is December's low crossing at 1523.90. Second support is July's low crossing at 1482.60.

Could Crude Oil Prices Intensify a Pending SP 500 Sell Off?

Could Crude Oil Prices Intensify a Pending SP 500 Sell Off?

2012-01-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

Last week we received reports that the unemployment rate in the United States was improving markedly. In addition, sentiment numbers were released that confirmed my previous speculation that market participants were becoming more and more bullish as prices in the S&P 500 edged higher. The exact numbers that came in demonstrated that bullish sentiment had not reached current lofty levels since February 11, 2011. The table below illustrates the most recent sentiment survey:

Chart Courtesy of the American Association of Individual Investors

Clearly investors are growing considerably more bullish at the present time. The bullishness being exhibited by market participants is rather interesting considering the notable headwinds that exist in the European sovereign debt markets, the geopolitical risk seen in light sweet crude oil futures, and the potential for a recession to play out in Europe.

To further illustrate the complacency in the S&P 500, the daily chart of the Volatility Index is shown below:

The VIX has been falling for several weeks and is on the verge of making new lows this week. If prices work down into the 16 – 18 price range a low risk entry to get long volatility may present itself. For option traders, when the VIX is at present levels or lower there are potentially significant risks associated with increases in volatility.

My expectations have not changed considerably since my article was posted last week. However, I continue to believe that the bulls will push prices higher yet in what I believe could be the mother of all bull traps. Let me explain. As shown above, we have strong bullish sentiment among market participants paired with general complacency regarding risk assets.

As I pointed out last week, my expectation if for the S&P 500 to top somewhere between 1,292 and 1,325. A lot of capital is sitting on the sidelines presently and if prices continue to work higher I suspect that a move above the 1,292 price level will trigger a lot of long entries back into stocks or other risk assets.

We could see prices extend higher while the “smart” money sells into the rally. Retail investors and traders will point to the inverse head and shoulders pattern on the daily chart of the S&P 500 and the breakout above the key 1,292 price level. The pervasive fear of missing a strong move higher will help fuel long entries from retail investors.

At the same time retail investors begin buying, a lot of committed shorts will be stopped out if prices push significantly above the 1,292 area or higher toward the more the obvious 1,300 price level. Thus, there will be few shorts to help support prices should a failed breakout transpire. A perfect storm could essentially be born from the lack of shorts to hold prices higher paired with the trapping of late coming bulls.

The daily chart of the S&P 500 Index below illustrates what I expect to take place in the next few weeks:

I want to reiterate to readers that it is not totally out of the question that the 1,292 price level could hold as resistance or that we could roll over early this coming week. Additionally a breakout over 1,330 will certainly lead to a test of the 2011 highs around the 1,370 area.

If the S&P 500 pushes above the 1,370 area we could witness a strong bull market play out. Ask yourself this question, what reasons could produce such a rally and what are the probabilities of that outcome transpiring in the next few weeks?

Obviously earnings season is going to be upon us shortly and if earnings come in below expectations a potential sell off could intensify. Furthermore, economic data in Europe continues to weaken and slower growth appears to be manifesting within the core Eurozone countries like Germany and France. If most of Europe plunges into a recession, deficits will widen beyond economic forecasts and the strain in the sovereign debt market of the Eurozone will increase dramatically.

One key element that many analysts are not even discussing is the potential for higher oil prices to present additional economic headwinds for developed western economies.

Clearly the situation in the Middle East is unstable, specifically what we are seeing taking place in the Strait of Hormuz involving Iran. If a “black swan” event occurs such as a military conflict between the United States and Iran or Israel and Iran the prices of oil will surge.

In a recent research piece put out by SocGen, nearly every scenario that is referenced involves significantly higher oil prices. According to the report, the Eurozone is considering the banning of imported Iranian oil which could cause Brent crude oil prices to surge to a range of $120 – $150 / barrel according to SocGen.

The other scenario involves the complete shut down of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. If this shutdown were to persist for several days the expectation at SocGen for Brent crude oil prices is in the $150 – $200 / barrel price range.

Clearly if either of these two scenarios play out in real time, the impact that higher oil prices will have on European and U.S. economies could be catastrophic.

The daily chart of light sweet crude oil futures is shown below:

I want readers to note that I am not suggesting that oil prices are going to rise or fall, just outlining the report from SocGen about where they expect oil prices to go should either of the two scenarios presented above play out. If oil prices were to work to the $125 / barrel level and remain there for a period of time, I would anticipate a very sharp decline in the S&P 500.

Currently there are a lot of headwinds for bulls, some of which could persist for quite some time. I intend to remain objective and focus on collecting time premium as a primary profit engine for my Options Trading service.

Once I see a confirmed move in either direction I will get involved. For now, I intend to let others do the heavy lifting until a low risk, high probability trade setup presents itself. Risk is increasingly high.

Get these weekly reports and trade ideas free here at my Option Signals Website

JW Jones

ONG: Gold Weekly Technical Outlook For Monday Jan. 9th

2012-01-09T07:23:00.000-07:00

Gold rebounded further to as high as 1632.3 last week but lost some momentum ahead of 1643.7 resistance. Initial bias is neutral this week and some sideway trading would be seen. Focus remains on 1643.7. Break there will indicate fall from 1804.4 should be finished with bullish convergence condition in 4 hours MACD. Also, this will be the first signal of completion of whole consolidation from 1923.7. In such cases, stronger rebound should be seen to 1804.4 resistance first. On the downside though, below 1563.2 minor support will flip bias back to the downside for another low below 1523.9 instead.

In the bigger picture, price actions form 1923.7 high is viewed as a medium term consolidation pattern only with fall from 1804.4 as the third leg. At this point, deeper decline could still be seen. But we'd expect strong support from 1478.3/1577.4 support zone to contain downside to finish the consolidation and bring up trend resumption eventually. However, sustained break of 1478.3 indicates that deeper correction is to be seen through 38.2% retracement of 681 to 1923.7 at 1449.

In the long term picture, with 1478.3 support intact, there is no change in the long term bullish outlook in gold. While some more medium term consolidation cannot be ruled out, we'd anticipate an eventual break of 2000 psychological level in the long run

Comex Gold Continuous Contract 4 Hour, Daily, Weekly and Monthly Charts

Anthony Neglia Selling Into Golds Rally

2012-01-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

Anthony Neglia, president of Tower Trading, says that gold prices still have more to prove and that he would be selling into strength.

Five Best Trade Ideas for the Next Two Weeks

First Gold and Silver Trading Commentary For 2012

2012-01-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

February gold closed higher due to short covering on Tuesday as it consolidated some of the decline off September's high. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening on Wednesday. Stochastics and the RSI are oversold and are turning neutral to bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 1632.60 are needed to confirm that a low has been posted. If February extends the decline off November's high, July's low crossing at 1482.60 is the next downside target. First resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 1632.60. Second resistance is the reaction high crossing at 1643.70. First support is last Thursday's low crossing at 1523.90. Second support is July's low crossing at 1482.60.

March silver closed higher due to short covering on Tuesday as it consolidated some of the decline off October's high. The high range close set the stage for a steady to higher opening on Wednesday. Stochastics and the RSI are turning bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are possible near term. Closes above the 20 day moving average crossing at 29.913 are needed to confirm that a short-term low has been posted. If March extends the decline off October's high, the 75% retracement level of the 2010-2011 rally crossing at 25.527 is the next downside target. First resistance is the 20 day moving average crossing at 29.913. Second resistance is the reaction high crossing at 33.300. First support is last Thursday's low crossing at 26.145. Second support is the 75% retracement level of the 2010-2011 rally crossing at 25.527.

Five Best Trade Ideas for the Next Two Weeks

Five Best Trade Ideas for the Next Two Weeks

2011-12-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

The last week of the year volume tends to be light due to the fact that big money traders are busy enjoying the holidays and waiting for their yearend bonuses.

I was not planning on doing much this week because of the low volume but after reviewing some charts and risk levels on my top 5 trading vehicles I could not help but share my findings with everyone last Friday.

You can see what I talked about on Friday here > Holiday Short Squeeze & Crude Oil Trade Idea

This Wednesday turned out to be an exciting session with all 5 of my trade ideas moving in our favour right on queue.

Charts of the 5 investments moving in the directions we anticipated …
- Dollar bounced off support

- Stocks are topping and selling off today

- Oil looks to have topped and is selling off

- Gold and Silver are moving lower

- VIX (Volatility Index) just bounced

Many of my readers took full advantage of my recent analysis and trade ideas which is great to hear. All the different ways individuals used to make money from Friday’s analysis is mind blowin......

The most common trade is the oil one with most traders adding more to Tuesday when the price reached its key resistance level on the chart. Also many traders took partial profits Wednesday locking in 3% or more in two days using the SCO ETF.

It’s amazing how many people like to trade the vix using ETFs. The best trade from followers thus far was an 8% gain in TVIX which was bought 4 days ago anticipating the pop in volatility which I had been talking about last week. Keep in mind ETFs for trading the vix are not very good in general. I stay away from them, but TVIX is the best I found so far.

Currently stocks are oversold falling sharply from the pre-market highs. Meaning stocks have fallen too far too fast and a bounce is likely to take place Thursday.

Also we saw some panic selling hit the market today with 14 sellers to 1 buyer. That level tells me that the market needs some time to recover and build up strength for another selloff later this week or next. We will see this pause unfold when the SP500 drifts higher for a session or two with light buying volume. This will confirm sellers are in control and give us another short setup.

In my Wednesday morning video I explained how/where to set stops when using leveraged ETFs because I know 90% of traders using them do not have a clue as to how to do this and they get shaken out of their trades just before a top or bottom.

I hope this helps you understand things more...... Over time you will pickup on a lot of new trading tips, tools and techniques with this free newsletter so just give it time and keep trades small until you are comfortable with my analysis.

Just click here to get My FREE Weekly Newsletter Here

Chris Vermeulen

Market Looks Poised to Reverse Hard to Downside Within Days

2011-12-28T21:11:00.002-07:00

The market has been in the process of a near 13 Fibonacci week corrective rally since the October 4th 2011 lows at 1074 on the SP 500. So far the highs reached on the initial rally of 218 points were in October at 1292. That has remained the high water mark as we have consolidated over the last many weeks. I expect the market to complete this counter trend ABC bounce during the Dec 27th-29th window, followed by a good sized correction into Mid-January ahead of the earning season.

The patterns that I am seeing are based on crowd behavioral “Elliott Wave” analysis that I perform at my TMTF and ATP services, and this analysis now favors a 70% probability of a bearish decline beginning very shortly to the 1150’s area on the SP 500 index. To wit, Investment Advisors in recent surveys have over 45% Bulls and only 30% bears with typical tops forming around 47-48% Bulls in surveys. In addition, the rally has been on light volume and recent action seems to be forming a rising “bearish wedge” pattern at the same time.

Reversals in the market often come when few expect it whether they come near bottoms or tops. My most recent forecasts called a bullish turn after Thanksgiving Day when most were bearish in the 1160’s on the SP 500 index. We then rallied 109 points to a 1267 high, which we are retesting now. As we recently pulled back into the low 1200’s, I again said to watch for a major market turn on Dec 20th. We then immediately rallied so far into the 1270 area from the 1203 lows.

Below is a chart I sent to my subscribers on Dec 24th, having projected a continuing rally into the 27th-29th window of trade. If you’d like to benefit from our market turn calls and crowd behavioral based pattern analysis on the SP 500 and Gold and Silver, check us out at Market Trend Forecast to sign up for our free forecast or get 33% holiday discount on our premium gold and silver forcecast.

David A Banister

Get Market Trend Forecast Big Picture Index & Commodity Forecasts Here

Phil Streible: Europe's Troubles to Boost Gold in 2012

2011-12-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

Phil Streible, senior commodities broker at R.J. O'Brien, says gold trading will be thin this week before climbing to $2000 in 2012.

Here is a preview of our MarketClub Trade Triangle Chart Analysis and Smart Scan technology

Gold and Silver on the Verge of a Big Move

2011-12-21T21:43:00.002-07:00

The past few months have been tough for those holding precious metals stocks, PM futures contracts or physical bullion. With silver is trading down 41%, precious metals stocks down 30% and gold 15%. It has people scratching their head.

The question everyone keeps asking is when can I buy gold and silver?

Unfortunately that is not a simple answer. With what is unfolding across the pond and the bullish outlook for the US Dollar index the next move is a coin toss. That being said, I do feel a large move brewing in the market place so I am preparing for fireworks in the first quarter of 2012.

If you step back and look at the weekly trend charts of the dollar index and the SP500 index you will see the strength in the dollar along with a possible stop in equities forming. What these charts are telling is that in the next 3 months we should know if stocks and commodities are going to start another multi month rally or roll over and start a bear market sell off.

With the holiday season nearing, hedge fund managers sitting on the sidelines just waiting for their yearend performance bonuses, I cannot see any large selloff start until January. Selloffs in the market require strong volume and the second half of December is not a time of heavy trading volume. This leaves us with a light volume holiday season, major issues overseas and no big money players willing to cause waves.

So let’s take a quick look at the charts as to where the line in the sand it for the dollar index, gold and silver.

Dollar Index Daily Chart

This week we have seen a strong shift of money out of risk off assets (Bonds) and into risk off (Stocks). This shift is happening before the dollar has broken down indicating the dollar may be topping and could be an early warning of higher stocks prices going into year end. Also note that light volume market conditions also favour higher prices.

Gold Price Daily Chart

Gold could still head lower but at this point it is holding a key support level. If we see the dollar breakdown below its green support trendline then I expect gold to have a firm bounce to the $1675 – $1700.

Silver Price Daily Chart

Silver continues to hold a key support level. If the dollar breaks down the silver should bounce to the $31.50 – $32 area. But if the dollar continues to rally then silver and gold may drop sharply.

Mid-Week Trend Conclusion:

In short, I think the best thing to do is enjoy the holiday season with family and friends. Trading right now is not that great and with the market giving mixed signals. I am keeping my eyes on the market in case it flashes a low risk setup and I will keep you informed if we get one.

Be aware that Monday is a holiday and once January arrives the market could go crazy again. If you want all my swing trades that I personally do be sure to join my alert service The Gold & Oil Guy.Com

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!

Cheers,
Chris Vermeulen

ONG: Gold Daily Technical Outlook For Wednesday Dec. 21st

2011-12-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Gold's recovery from 1562.5 extends further and is pressing 4 hours 55 EMA for the moment. Though, with 1667.1 resistance intact, there is no indication of reversal and fall from 1804.4 is still expected to continue. Below 1585.1 minor support should flip bias back to the downside for 1562.5 and then 1535 low. However, sustained break of 1667.1 will indicate that whole fall from 1804.4 is finished and will turn bias back to the upside for 1767.1 resistance and above.

In the bigger picture, price actions form 1923.7 high is viewed as a medium term consolidation pattern only. The first leg has finished with a dive to 1535. The second leg is completed at 1804.4. Fall from there is treated as the third leg of the consolidation and should target 1535 and possibly below. Though, at this point, we'd anticipate strong support from 1478.3/1577.4 support zone to complete the consolidation and bring up trend resumption.

Comex Gold Continuous Contract 4 Hour, Daily, Weekly and Monthly Charts

Get Our Market Trend Forecasts Today!

Mihir Dange: Traders Cautious on Gold

2011-12-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

Mihir Dange, founder of Arbitrage, reveals his trading strategy as gold tries to reclaim its 200 day moving average.

Get Our Free Weekly Low Risk Stock Picks

Tim Knight: All Assets Are Moving Together, So Watch Gold

2011-12-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

With asset correlation nearly 1.0 across the board, it hardly matters what you watch for guidance as to the market's general direction..........the Dow, the S&P, the Russell, crude oil, gold, silver, kitty litter......if one moves down, they all move down, with rare exceptions. (The only consistent odd-man-out, of course, is bonds, which have been strong all year and move inversely to equities).

Gold, I think, is a particularly good guide right now. It used to have this freakish property of being in a world unto itself, but I think it has basically decided to become the stock market. All assets are moving together, so watch gold - - if we get a path like the one below, the bears are going to have a medium-sized victory across the board.

Posted courtesy of The Slope of Hope

Gold ETF Trader

Gold And Silver Stuck In A Holding Pattern

Did the SP 500 Just Peak at 1356?

Two Short Term Scenarios for the S&P 500 Index

Was Friday’s Price Action in Gold Signaling a Top in the S&P 500?

The Fed, the S&P 500, & Why Gold Is Shining Bright

Gold Has Started to Break Out of it's Down Trend, Can it Hold up into Friday’s Close?

The Weekly Gold Chart:

The Weekly Silver Chart:

Mid-Week Trend Conclusion:

Are Gold Bulls Ready to Throw in the Towel?

Anthony Neglia on Why He is Shorting Gold

Gold Starts The Week on a Positive Note

ONG: Gold Weekly Technical Outlook For Sunday January 22nd

Gold Trend Forecast for the 1st Quarter of 2012

Gold Pops Over Upper Donchian Levels

Why China Might Stop Buying Gold

Gold Becoming Overbought But Remain Neutral to Bullish

Could Crude Oil Prices Intensify a Pending SP 500 Sell Off?

ONG: Gold Weekly Technical Outlook For Monday Jan. 9th

Anthony Neglia Selling Into Golds Rally

First Gold and Silver Trading Commentary For 2012

Five Best Trade Ideas for the Next Two Weeks

Charts of the 5 investments moving in the directions we anticipated … - Dollar bounced off support

- Stocks are topping and selling off today

- Oil looks to have topped and is selling off

- Gold and Silver are moving lower

- VIX (Volatility Index) just bounced

Market Looks Poised to Reverse Hard to Downside Within Days

Phil Streible: Europe's Troubles to Boost Gold in 2012

Gold and Silver on the Verge of a Big Move

Dollar Index Daily Chart

Gold Price Daily Chart

Silver Price Daily Chart

Mid-Week Trend Conclusion:

ONG: Gold Daily Technical Outlook For Wednesday Dec. 21st

Mihir Dange: Traders Cautious on Gold

Tim Knight: All Assets Are Moving Together, So Watch Gold

Charts of the 5 investments moving in the directions we anticipated …
- Dollar bounced off support