ES Levels & Targets for July 22ndPlan for Monday: supports are 5542-44 (major), 5535, 5528 (major), 5519, 5511, 5498-5500 (major), 5491 (major), 5484, 5474 (major), 5467, 5457 (major)
It should go without saying, as I have emphasized since Wednesday: Bears are still in control until we see a significant reclaim of key breakdown points from last week. Hopefully, last week served as a valuable lesson in trading downtrends, as these skills have likely dulled over recent months. When bears are in control, all long positions will struggle, regardless of their apparent strength, and follow-through will be weak. Attempting to catch sustained bottoms is as useless as trying to pick sustained tops during an uptrend. While there are opportunities for gains on the long side, they won't last or lead to a squeeze until ES recovers some major resistance levels. For Monday, these will be 5568, and 5604 (the big one now). In terms of supports, 5542-44 is first down, and we already tested it and defended once Friday, making it weaker for Monday. I won’t be buying this again personally. If we flush it and reclaim though, it may present an option to add since this lvl hasnt trapped shorts yet. Below there, we sell again to 5528. I’d be interested in trying a small size long here. Could it fail? Of course, but that is just the cost of business when trying to long in downtrends. If that goes, I am not interested in longing again until 5498-5500, and a failed breakdown of the July second low at 5502 would be quite attractive.
Resistances are 5552, 5560, 5568-66 (major), 5575, 5581-85 (major), 5588, 5598, 5604 (major), 5611, 5617 (major), 5621, 5632-34 (major). If buyers reclaim 5568-66 on Monday, we will probably squeeze. 5604 may have another dip left in it if we get there (though this is already very well tested), and the 5630-32 area also is likely to produce a dip on the backtest.
Buyers case: sellers control for now obviously and there is no “buyers case” until they do something to tell me otherwise. There are many overhead resistances that must reclaim now to build back a legitimate buyers case (5568, 5604, then 5630), with 5568 being first up. There may be a long available above this. But you will have to read the action in real time. As always, one does not want to rush into it especially if we dip substantially first (like crash to 5528 early on Monday). You want to see some acceptance first, then perhaps 5569 would represent a long. If buyers are very motivated, this would send us back to 5604, dip there, then run back to 5630 which is a huge resistance. Level to level profit takes though as always. Do not bank on any long working for more than a level.
Sellers case: The bear case is the default case. For Monday, this resumes on the failure of 5542. Check my July 19th plan on these type of trade setups. 5542 has been tested once already, so shorting below is slightly derisked now, but ideally I’d want to see one more test/failed breakdown, then 5540 would trigger us down. Will have to read the volume in real time. 5528 fail is also a possible attractive short, but I’d definitely need a bounce here first/failed breakdown, then short a little below.
Generally, after three days of "short the pop," sellers still have control. This trend will inevitably conclude like every dip does, with a violent short squeeze. For that to happen though, buyers need to reclaim some major resistance levels. My outlook for Monday is that if buyers can defend 5542 (and if we do dip, it should be a quick flush to 5528 then recover), we can attempt another relief pop to 5585, 5604+. If 5528 fails, we are likely heading sub 5500.
