Having formed a small double bottom last Wednesday and a small double top on Monday, the S&P 500 exemplifies the market's lack of direction. The Nasdaq, also poised for an upside breakout on Monday morning, failed to hold support yesterday. In short, the major averages are in trading ranges (the support and resistance levels listed below as "intermediate" define this trading range). Strategically, that means traders should be buying dips to the low end of the range, and selling rallies to the upper end. This trading range may be related to uncertainty about Iraq's acceptance of inspectors. That would explain the lack of direction in both the stock and bond market as well as the rally in crude oil. The decline in crude oil and the rally in stocks and yields will soon reassert itself.
Housing Starts were weaker than expected, but Building Permits were stronger - providing a mixed picture. Yesterday's late-day weakness is likely to spill over into early trading today. Expect the major averages to work their way toward the low end of this trading range.
Support: Short-term: Dow 8,405, S&P 893, Nasdaq 1,367
Intermediate: Dow 8,298, S&P 872, Nasdaq 1,319
Resistance: Short-term: Dow 8,589, S&P 905, Nasdaq 1,395
Intermediate: Dow 8,800 S&P 925.66, Nasdaq 1,426.76