XLB
How much will overbought Materials Sector Fall? XLBThe Materials Sector SPDR Fund has been in a bull trend since the end of the financial crisis. The trend has narrowed but remains upright since December 2016. The fund has been in a more specific trend channel since February and has created firm support and resistance levels. The fund is currently at that resistance level. Below I have laid out the reasons and levels to which the fund may dip will it continue its overall bull trend.
When we take a look at technical indicators, the relative strength index (RSI) is at 64.9868. RSI tends to determine trends, overbought and oversold levels as well as likelihood of price swings. I personally use anything above 75 as overbought and anything under 25 as oversold. Currently the RSI is below overbought levels, however, the RSI has developed a resistance point of its own. The RSI has been reaching lower highs since December 2016 and is once again at this key resistance point. If the RSI begins to retreat, the fund should follow suit.
The true strength index (TSI) is currently 4.4168. The TSI determines overbought/oversold levels and/or current trend. I solely use this as an indicator of trend as overbought and oversold levels vary. The TSI is double smoothed in its calculation and is a great indicator of upward and downward movement. Like the RSI, the TSI has created relative resistance since December. This indicator is about to hit that threshold. Failure to substantially break above this resistance, the fund should drop in the near-term.
The positive vortex indicator (VI) is at 1.1174 and the negative is at 0.7410. When the positive level is higher than 1 and higher than the negative indicator, the overall price action is moving upward. When the negative level is higher than 1 and higher than the positive indicator, the overall price action is moving downward. These indicators have been in a relatively tight trend since mid-February. When the positive VI was last at its current level, the fund tapered down which ultimately led to a drop to the fund's support line (dotted pinkish-purple on the chart).
The stochastic oscillator K value is 92.2124 and D value is 87.3198. This is a cyclical oscillator that is highly accurate and can be used to identify overbought/oversold levels as well as pending reversals and short-term activity. I personally use anything above 80 as overbought and below 20 as oversold. When the K value is higher than the D value, the stock is trending up. When the D value is higher that the K value the stock is trending down. The stochastic currently overbought, but the D value has not overtaken the K value, meaning the fund could produce gains for a few more days before ultimately turning downward.
The last three times the fund hit its resistance, it did manage to drop down to its support level in less than 12 days. The first drop was in January over 9 trading days and it resulted in a 3.62% decline. March saw a 3.41% decline over then following 6 trading days while April had a 2.91% drop over 11 days. These timeframes and declines could be blueprints for the current bounce off of the resistance level.
Considering the RSI, TSI, VI and stochastic levels, the overall direction favors a move to the downside. Based on historical movement compared to current levels and the current position, the fund could drop at least 2% over the next 23 trading days if not sooner.
Long Term Sector RotationSPX vs Major Sectors. I added IBB to cover Biotech.
Please comment. My understanding at this point is to stay in sectors which have good fundamentals and have been relative laggards. The 3 bottom ones at this point seem to be Financials, Technology and XLU / XLP.
Since utilities is a risk-averse sector, so in a pro-growth environment I may want to go with the other 3. XLB is like the coyote / fox from Mickey mouse that runs a few meters off the cliff thinking its still running on solid ground before realizing that there's nothing below it and then falls like a rock. Great if you can time it right.
CRC don't risk a lot on this one, see commentsHandle risk with caution, weekly timeframe is definetly not what i like so it can turn out to be a loser, but those sometimes turn out to be huge if momentum proceeds so a smaller risk can still do well.
new trend potential if support holds above trading range.
MACRO VIEW: XLB IN UNCERTAINTY ON ALL FRONTSXLB trades within uncertain territory both on macro and micro basis.
On long term perspective price has failed its 10 and 5 year trends, and now trades between 2 macro levels - the 5-year mean at 41.50 and the 10-year uptrend border at 46.50.
On short term perspective price also showing no particular trend - XLB is trading within 1st standard deviations from both quarterly (66 day) and 1-year (264 day) mean.
Thus in general currently more lateral action is most likely at XLB, until it breaks one of the key macro levels outlined on the chart.
XLB 50.15: 4-month triangle top breakdown drives lowerXLB broke below the 8-month rising trendline support to reinforce the triangle top breakdown. The next support rests at 49.80 (June 9, 2015) and then 49.45 (200 day moving average). Below there would open 48.39 (March 26, 2015). It would take strength back above 50.60 (June 11, 2015) to stabilize and lift for 51.78 (May 8, 2015) near the triangle top resistance zone.
Outlook:
Short term: bearish
Long term: bearish
XLF $24.17: Forms a 6-month symmetrical triangle patternXLF has been consolidating within a 6-month symmetrical triangle pattern (from October
15, 2014 low and December 29, 2014 high). The key support lies at 23.78 (March 26, 2015 low), near the triangle lower bounds and the 200 day moving average currently at 23.64. While the 23.78/23.64 support area holds dips, if bulls manage to reclaim 24.54 decisively (April 16, 2015 high near the triangle upper bounds), that would suggest a triangle breakout and trigger further gains towards 24.78 (March 23, 2015 high) then 25.14 (December 29, 2014 record peak). However, a breakdown below the 23.64 support area would signal topping and weaken towards 22.89 (February 2, 2015 low).
Outlook:
Short term: neutral
Long term: bullish while above the 200 day moving average
XHB $35.75: Consolidates above a 2-month range support at 35.01XHB has been consolidating within a 2-month range between March’s 35.01 low and the 37.31 YTD peak (March 31, 2015). While the 35.01 range support holds dips, back above the 36.59 resistance (April 16, 2015 high) would suggest basing and offer scope for further bullish momentum towards 37.31. Clearance above the latter is needed to complete the 2-month long consolidation and extend the uptrend trend higher. However, if bears manage to break below the key 35.01 support area (which houses the 89 day moving average) would signal near term topping and expose 33.73 (200 day moving average0.
Outlook:
Short term: Neutral
Long term: Bullish while the 200 day moving average holds
XLB $49.83: Consolidates above a 6-month rising trendlineXLB has been holding a 6-month rising trendline (from October 13, 2014 low). If bulls manage to reclaim 50.38 (April 13, 2015 range high), that would suggest there is scope for further bullish momentum towards 51.01 (November 17, 2014 range peak) ahead of 52.22 (February 23, 2015 YTD high). The 49.38/48.59 support zone (which houses the the rising trendline) needs to hold dips. A breakdown would signal topping.
Outlook:
Short term: Buy on pullbacks
Long term: Bullish while the rising trendline holds
Junior Gold Miners coiling in low vol p/back.$GDXJ has shown signs of accumulation since Q3 2014. See Excess Demand/Supply signals. It appears $GDXJ is getting ready to outperform $GDX Gold Miners etf (see chart shown below). $GC Gold futures also have shown accumulation. I am planning to leg in to the Juniors. To reduce risk I prefer to invest long in the Gold Miner etf's.
S&P Sector Review - A Look at Relative PerformanceThe charts above show the performance of each sector relative to all nine sectors combined. XLK tech couldn't be included due to having only 8 panes but it was included in determining the sector ratios. Important to keep in mind that these are ratios, all prices could go lower or higher together but what I'm interested in here is purely the relative performance. Also, in order for one to outperform is ensuring that another sector somewhere is underperforming.
Top Row:
XLU Utilities, XLP Consumer staples, XLF financials and XLV Health are all breaking out on a relative basis. 3 of 4 can be considered defensive sectors. Financials are interesting in that the sector was completely demolished after the 2008 recession and appear to be breaking out of a 5 yr wedge.
Bottom Row:
XLE Energy issues are widely known. Not much to say other then its possible that they go lower longer term and return to previous levels (.10-.12 of the total). The "energy commodities are an asset class" theme may finally be unwound and if so XLE could suffer from underperformance for some time (oversold bounces excluded). XLB materials have not broken down yet but look quite vulnerable. XLY Consumer discretionary did break down and may have recently been saved by the plunge in oil. Any economic weakness and i suspect this will quickly revert and this sector could significantly underperform. XLI Industrials looks like it could break out but has not yet. The transportation portion of this sector has significantly helped this sector.
Summary:
XLU - breaking out upwards, 6 yr wedge
XLP - breaking out upwards, 6 yr wedge
XLF - breaking out upwards, 5 yr wedge
XLV - breaking upper trend line important since 2011
XLE - broke out down, 6 yr wedge, approaching possible long term support
XLB - approaching bottom trend line important since 2002
XLY - broke ascending wedge lower, recently bounced back towards 2013 highs
XLI - sitting at upper trend line that has been important since 2000
XLK - Not shown