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Downwards movement was expected. This is how the session began, but price recovered well by the end of the session to come up to touch the trend line expected to provide resistance on the hourly chart.

Summary: The bigger picture sees the S&P now in a primary degree pullback to last a minimum of 8 weeks and find support at the maroon channel on the weekly chart.

Watch the upper blue trend line on the main hourly chart carefully. If price breaks above it, then look for upwards movement to end somewhere in the zone of 2,466 to 2,477. A new high above 2,455.77 would provide price confidence in this view. WARNING: A bullish signal from On Balance Volume today supports the alternate hourly Elliott wave count which sees a bounce underway.

The short term target for a third wave down is now at 2,362, which may be met in eight more sessions.

Last monthly and weekly charts are here. Last historic analysis video is here.

ELLIOTT WAVE COUNT

WEEKLY CHART

S&P 500 Weekly 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

Primary wave 3 now looks complete. Further and substantial confidence may be had if price makes a new low below 2,405.70, which is the start of minor wave 5 within intermediate wave (5). A new low below 2,405.70 may not be a second wave correction within an extending fifth wave, so at that stage the final fifth wave must be over. Fibonacci ratios are calculated at primary and intermediate degree. If primary wave 3 is complete, then it still exhibits the most common Fibonacci ratio to primary wave 1.

Primary wave 4 may not move into primary wave 1 price territory below 2,111.05.

Primary wave 4 should last about 8 weeks minimum for it to have reasonable proportion with primary wave 2. It is the proportion between corrective waves which give a wave count the right look. Primary wave 4 may last 13 or even 21 weeks if it is a triangle or combination. So far it has lasted only two weeks.

If primary wave 4 reaches down to the lower edge of the Elliott channel, it may end about 2,325. This is within the range of intermediate wave (4); fourth waves often end within the price territory of the fourth wave of one lesser degree, or very close to it.

The final target for Grand Super Cycle wave I to end is at 2,500 where cycle wave V would reach equality in length with cycle wave I. If price reaches the target at 2,500 and either the structure is incomplete or price keeps rising, then the next target would be the next Fibonacci ratio in the sequence between cycle waves I and V. At 2,926 cycle wave V would reach 1.618 the length of cycle wave I.

DAILY CHART

S&P 500 Daily 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

The daily chart will now focus in on the unfolding structure of primary wave 4.

Primary wave 2 was a regular flat correction lasting 10 weeks. Given the guideline of alternation, primary wave 4 may most likely be a single or double zigzag. Within both of those structures, a five down at the daily chart level should unfold. At this stage, that looks incomplete.

While primary wave 4 would most likely be a single or double zigzag, it does not have to be. It may be a combination or triangle and still exhibit structural alternation with primary wave 2. There are multiple structural options available for primary wave 4, so it is impossible for me to tell you with any confidence which one it will be. It will be essential that flexibility is applied to the wave count while it unfolds. Multiple alternates will be required at times, and members must be ready to switch from bear to bull and back again for short term swings within this correction.

While intermediate wave (A) is labelled as an unfolding impulse, it may also be a diagonal. Both structures are considered at the hourly chart level.

Intermediate wave (A) may also be a zigzag if primary wave 4 is to be a triangle. So far it is possible a zigzag downwards could be complete, but it is not deep enough for wave A of a triangle when it is viewed on the weekly chart. And so that possibility will not be considered at this time.

MAIN HOURLY CHART

S&P 500 hourly 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

Minor wave 1 downwards looks very clear as a five wave structure.

Minor wave 2 upwards ended just above the 0.618 Fibonacci ratio. Minor wave 3 downwards has now made a new low below the end of minor wave 1, meeting the Elliott wave rule.

Minor wave 3 now exhibits slightly stronger momentum than minor wave 1. A further increase in downwards momentum would be expected.

Minute wave iii may be extending. Today, a target is calculated for minute wave iii and the target for minor wave 3 is removed.

When third waves extend, they do so in price and time. They look like stretched out accordions with their subdivisions showing at higher time frames. Minuette wave (ii) now shows up on the daily chart.

So far minute wave iii has lasted five sessions. If it completes in a Fibonacci 13, then it may continue now for another eight sessions. This is when the target at 2,362 may be met.

Minute wave iii downwards should show an increase in momentum and should have support from volume. Along the way down, bounces should continue to find resistance at the upper edge of the base channel. Lower degree second wave corrections should not breach base channels drawn about first and second waves one or more degrees higher.

Minuette wave (ii) may not move beyond the start of minuette wave (i) above 2,454.77.

If upwards movement breaks above the upper edge of the base channel tomorrow, then use the alternate below, even before invalidation.

ALTERNATE HOURLY CHART

S&P 500 hourly 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

If the base channel on the main hourly chart is breached by upwards movement, use this alternate.

The other possible structure for intermediate wave (A), if it is to be a five, would be a leading diagonal. These are not as common as impulses, so this must be an alternate wave count judged to have a lower probability than the main wave count. However, low probability does not mean no probability. All possibilities should be considered.

Within leading diagonals, the first, third and fifth waves are most commonly zigzags. They may also appear to be impulses. Here, minor wave 1 will fit as a zigzag.

Second and fourth waves must be zigzags. Minor wave 2 may not move beyond the start of minor wave 1 above 2,490.87.

Sideways movement over the last five sessions may be a zigzag for minute wave b; this movement no longer fits as a triangle.

Second and fourth waves within diagonals are usually very deep; a range is given for the common depth.

Minor wave 3 would have to move below the end of minor wave 1 at 2,417.35. Minor wave 3 downwards of a leading diagonal should still exhibit an increase in downwards momentum and should still have support from volume.

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

WEEKLY CHART

S&P 500 weekly 2017
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.

Last week has made a lower low and lower high, but the candlestick closed green and the balance of volume was upwards. Lighter volume does not support the rise in price during the week.

ADX had been extreme for a long time and is now declining. The black ADX line is now declining but has not yet been pulled down below both directional lines, so the consolidation or pullback may be expected to continue.

DAILY CHART

S&P 500 daily 2017
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.

A downwards break has negated the possible pennant pattern.

There is an important bullish signal today from On Balance Volume. This supports the alternate hourly Elliott wave count. Look for resistance about 2,460 and next 2,470.

VOLATILITY – INVERTED VIX CHART

VIX daily 2017
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.

Normally, volatility should decline as price moves higher and increase as price moves lower. This means that normally inverted VIX should move in the same direction as price.

There is no new divergence today.

BREADTH – AD LINE

AD Line daily 2017
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.

With the last all time high for price, the AD line also made a new all time high. Up to the last high for price there was support from rising market breadth.

There is normally 4-6 months divergence between price and market breadth prior to a full fledged bear market. This has been so for all major bear markets within the last 90 odd years. With no divergence yet at this point, any decline in price should be expected to be a pullback within an ongoing bull market and not necessarily the start of a bear market.

There is no new divergence today.

DOW THEORY

The S&P500, DJIA, DJT and Nasdaq have all made new all time highs recently.

Modified Dow Theory (adding in technology as a barometer of our modern economy) sees all indices confirming the ongoing bull market.

The following lows need to be exceeded for Dow Theory to confirm the end of the bull market and a change to a bear market:

DJIA: 17,883.56.

DJT: 7,029.41.

S&P500: 2,083.79.

Nasdaq: 5,034.41.

Charts showing each prior major swing low used for Dow Theory are here.

Published @ 11:11 p.m. EST.