Quote from gnome:
I'm with you about not anticipating an upside price... I'm just stating my observations about (1) good chance at swing low nearby, and (2) anyone getting all beared-up in here is running on hope, not technical evidence, probabilities and logic.
Quote from michaelscott:
Its all about common sense.
All that volume and it was only able to sell it down to 1458. Is that all the market has to toss at us? I surely thought we would go much lower and a possible crash would take place. The SPX blew it on Friday, it failed me. They could only sell it down to 1458.
Quote from michaelscott:
One factor that is exacerbating the downturn is the margin debt. Its 68% over the reading from last year and up 32% from January's reading. Its also at record highs over 2000's reading. Im guessing that a big part of this selloff is not simply a credit crunch of Wall Street but a good ole fashioned margin call. In March of 2000, the margin reading was 78% over March of 1999's read. However, in the early 80s it was very common to have huge increases in year over year margin readings.
What is interesting is when the market has turned down the last few years there was no sizable decrease in the use of margin. Even in February, when the market suddenly dropped, there was no sizable decrease in the readings.
When going through the margin figures, I feel like I am reading Neke's trading journal. Folks are being very bold (or very wreckless) with their margin usage.
I have confidence that my call will come true, but if it doesnt then I expect there to be a very big downfall or even a crash as folks keep selling to cover their margin call.
Quote from michaelscott:
I went through the drops from 2004 and I have found that all of them on the $SPX have only been 6-8% which is none to exciting when you consider the 25% inflections during 2002 and the 48% advance during 2003.
We are currently at about 6-7% under the 1555 high.
I see the possible pivot points at the following prices:
6.5%= 1453
7.0%= 1446
7.5%= 1438
8.0%= 1430
8.5%= 1422
9.0%= 1415
9.5%= 1407
10.0%= 1399
If the market falls much lower then 8% then its doing something different that it has not done in 3 years. Thats when we should start being concerned and paniced.
Im pretty confident though that this is just another summer panic. The VIX isnt high enough to promote a large move in the market, too many puts and shorts are in place throwing a bottom underneath, etc.
Right now I see the bulk of the move is overwith and it might sell down to 1415 max (or another 3%). If there is a turnaround, then we will see a double bottom like we did in February/March 07 and summer of last year. Growth stocks will be the rule if and when that happens.
Quote from austinp:
Mikey, I truly wish I were as market savvy and astute as you. That sure would be nice. To know definitively where markets are going and what they'll do next must be an incredible gift. It sure is something to see the confidence in your many markets predictions here.
Just curious... did you by any chance trade thru March 2000 to March 2003? If so, how old were you then?