Tuesday, April 23, 2013

BRITISH POUND


Today's MARKET STATE BRITISH POUND **NEUTRAL DIGESTION**

- Technically the MKT is "on the fence" with the potential to go in either direction or nowhere. Pick your points and have no expectations, as the likelihood of this MKT trading sideways is high.
- On the SELL side BREAKOUT, FADE and REVERSAL strategies are valid, however profit and position risk management should be aggressive and anticipated. The pivotal nature of the session does have the potential to be the starting point for a new move. However, the probability of any trend action is more likely to just be the MKT defining its new consolidation extreme.
- On the BUY side BREAKOUT, FADE and REVERSAL strategies are valid, however profit and position risk management should be aggressive and anticipated. The MKT is "on the fence" and does have the potential to be the beginning of a new trend move. The probability of a new trend move is low. However, any price trend action is more likely to just be the MKT defining its new consolidation extremes.


Today's PRICE MAP Performance for BP









Wrap Up
Today in the BRITISH POUND market, our STOCHASTIC and BOLLINGER BAND tactics helped identify the trade of the day.  The R Level at the DP emphasizes the structural significance of the DP Support level.  Any sell off down to the DP should be viewed as an opportunity to get long the market with the expectation of a sideways trading session confined within the UP and DP, or Critical Range.  As the Stochastic indicator was giving us an "Oversold" reading, price action touched the lower band on our Bollinger Band indicator.  Both of these tactics confirmed the BUY opportunity at the DP as the market was overextended to the downside.  Traders were able to ride the long position up to the DIR, where profits could have been realized.

Monday, April 22, 2013

DOW FUTURES


Today's MARKET STATE DOW FUTURES **NEUTRAL DIGESTION**

- The MKT has a slight negative bias in a difficult "choppy" trade. On the SELL side DP BREAKOUT strategies are valid but should expect a laborious trade.  UP and UT1 FADE and REVERSAL strategies are recommended but profit should be taken at initial targets. The probability is to the downside today but is not a day to press it.
- On the BUY side avoid UP BREAKOUT strategies but rather FADE a negative reaction after a positive breakout signal at the DIR. DP REVERSAL strategies are recommended over FADE strategies as "sloppy" trading conditions are expected. Any DP FADE trades should get confirmation before executing. Position management adjustments should be anticipated for all longs as sideways trading conditions can quickly erase profits.


Today's PRICE MAP Performance for YM









Wrap Up
With an MC Value of -2 and the R at the UP, the DOW FUTURES market was in a NEUTRAL DIGESTION market state with a negative bias below the R Level.  If the market is going to perform to expectations, it should play host to a sideways, "choppy" trading session within the Critical Range (UP-DP).  The market market tested the upper extreme (UP) on multiple occasions during the overnight and early morning session, signalling to traders that this was indeed the key inflection pivot for the session.  The negative sentiment below the R gave traders the confidence to short the market from our optimal entry point at the UP R.  The market respected this level of resistance perfectly, and eventually started to grind lower toward the DP.  The market gave traders an opportunity to take profits at our expected level of Support, the DP.  Staying true to the NEUTRAL DIGESTION market state, the market found support at the lower end of our Critical Range and offered traders another opportunity to get LONG the market from the Support pivot at the DP targeting the DIR.  The market wasted no time as it trended higher to end the day, ultimately surpassing the DIR on the way up.

Friday, April 19, 2013

AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR


Today's MARKET STATE DAX INDEX **BEAR TREND**

- The MKT is on the offer and pressing into the lower extreme. On the SELL side accept UP REVERSAL strategies over FADES, expecting more of a trendless trading environment rather than a new negative trend move. Avoid DP BREAKOUT strategies but rather FADE into a positive reaction after a negative breakdown signal against the DIR. The MKT is extended and will have trouble sustaining any new weakness. Use aggressive position management and anticipate potential early exit points to reduce profit give-back.
- On the BUY side DP FADE and REVERSAL strategies are qualified, however the FADE is a lower probability and should use tight risk criteria. DP and DT1 REVERSALS can risk more but should also go for more profit with the expectation of the MKT putting in a short term turning point signal. UP BREAKOUT strategies are aggressive and should just "go" and not look back. Risk less; use aggressive position management and conservative profit limits.



Today's PRICE MAP Performance for DAX




 
Wrap Up
Today in the AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR futures market, traders were given an opportunity to execute the optimal trade for the session, the SELL UP REVERSAL, at our key inflection pivot (R Level).  In a NON-TRENDING market environment, traders should look to the momentum oscillator tactics for a "tell" on the market.  As our UP REVERSAL trade was setting up, the RSI was creating a BEARISH DIVERGENCE signal, giving traders the confidence to execute the short trade from the R.  The market played out on the signal beautifully as it stabalized at the DIR for a bit before eventually ending the day at the DP.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

DAX INDEX


Today's MARKET STATE DAX INDEX **BEAR TREND**


- The MKT is in a soft neutral position. On the SELL side UP REVERSAL and FADE strategies with confirmation will be a better option over downside Breakouts, as selling into corrective reactions is the best position. The MKT remains negative but be patient as to not get caught FADING a corrective rise all the way up. DP BREAKOUT strategies are valid opportunities but look to take profits on emotional drops versus getting trail stopped on corrective pull backs.
- On the BUY side DIR and UP BREAKOUT strategies should be looked at as a "one-shot" deal. Either the MKT railroads higher in a steady climb or it’s just a head fake to sell. If you get on a steady advance, ride it until structure is broken. DP and DT1 REVERSAL strategies are valid, as the neutral tone has the potential to produce false signals in either direction.  Avoid DP FADE BUYS as the negative trend remains in force.


Today's PRICE MAP Performance for DAX




Wrap Up
Organized chaos in the DAX INDEX FUTURES today as the market played host to an enormous, early-morning sell off.  However, JS Traders had the opportunity to capitalize on the trade by identifying market state, structure and strategy coming into the session.  The DAX market was in a BEAR TREND market state with the R Level at the UP telling traders to look to get short the market below the R Level.  After the faster moving average crossed from above to below the slower moving average, traders had tactical confirmation to accept the SELL DP BREAKOUT trade around 2:45 am CT.  As indicated by the black horizontal dashed lines, the market maintained - structure making lower lows and lower highs throughout the session and, for the most part, respected the moving average "resistance band" created by the 21 and 55 period SMA.  Our profit target on the DP BREAKOUT strategy is the DT2, which was easily achieved as the market traded as low as the ** minor level at 7494.5.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

SWISS FRANC


Today's MARKET SWISS FRANC **BULL TREND**


- The MKT has a firm tone and as long as the integrity of the previous session low remains intact, look for excuses to get long. On the SELL side UP FADE strategies are valid but profit targets and risk management should be tight.  REVERSAL strategies should be applied only at the UP and +c after an exhaustive signal. Use DP BREAKOUT strategies as a signal to FADE a positive reaction against the DIR. Only until the MKT breaks the positive structure are sell signals an opportunity.
- On the BUY side BREAKOUT, FADE and REVERSAL are recommended as the MKT is bid and all buy signals are valid opportunity. If stopped out at or near the low tic of a reaction and the MKT is not following through to the downside, look to re-enter using the recent squeeze low as a stop. If the MKT breaks structure, de-leverage and be more selective as the likelihood of a sideways trade is high.


Today's PRICE MAP Performance for SF



Wrap Up
The SWISS FRANC took off and never looked back today.  In a BULL TREND market state, this is exactly the type of price action traders look to capitalize on, higher move highs, and higher move lows throughout the entire session.  Traders were able to accept the BUY UP BREAKOUT strategy with a profit target at the UT2 expecting follow through on the BULL TREND.  Sure enough, the market didn't disappoint.  The market rallied up to the UT1, where it encountered brief resistance before continuing up to the UT2 to end the session.  Traders were able to ride the long trade all the way up to the top as the SWISS FRANC maintained + structure throughout the move.

Monday, April 15, 2013

S&P 500


Today's MARKET STATE S&P 500 **BULL TREND**



- The MKT has a firm tone and as long as the integrity of the previous session low remains intact, look for excuses to get long. On the SELL side UP FADE strategies are valid but profit targets and risk management should be tight.  REVERSAL strategies should be applied only at the UP and +c after an exhaustive signal. Use DP BREAKOUT strategies as a signal to FADE a positive reaction against the DIR. Only until the MKT breaks the positive structure are sell signals an opportunity.
- On the BUY side BREAKOUT, FADE and REVERSAL are recommended as the MKT is bid and all buy signals are valid opportunity. If stopped out at or near the low tic of a reaction and the MKT is not following through to the downside, look to re-enter using the recent squeeze low as a stop. If the MKT breaks structure, de-leverage and be more selective as the likelihood of a sideways trade is high.



Today's PRICE MAP Performance for SP



Wrap Up
Today played host to an enormous sell off in US indices and real opportunity for profit in the S&P 500 market.  The R Level at the DP in a UPT market state signals the "breaking point" for the + sentiment.  The market opened up below the DP R voiding both the UPT signal as well as the positive sentiment.  Below the R Level, the opportunity for the session is to the downside, and boy did it pay off!  As the 21 period SMA crossed below the 55 period SMA creating a "sell" signal, the market began to breakdown from the DT1.  From here it stabilized for a brief moment at the DT2 before plummeting down through the DT3 and eventually ending the day at our extreme -c level.  Notice how the directional move maintained negative structure throughout the entire session, and found resistance at moving average "band" created by the 21 and 55 period moving averages.  These types of moves don't present themselves very often, but when they do it is essential to execute your game plan and capitalize on the opportunity.

Friday, April 12, 2013

CRUDE OIL



Today's MARKET STATE CRUDE OIL **NEUTRAL DIGESTION**


- The MKT has a slight negative bias in a difficult "choppy" trade. On the SELL side DP BREAKOUT strategies are valid but should expect a laborious trade.  UP and UT1 FADE and REVERSAL strategies are recommended but profit should be taken at initial targets. The probability is to the downside today but is not a day to press it.

- On the BUY side avoid UP BREAKOUT strategies but rather FADE a negative reaction after a positive breakout signal at the DIR. DP REVERSAL strategies are recommended over FADE strategies as "sloppy" trading conditions are expected. Any DP FADE trades should get confirmation before executing. Position management adjustments should be anticipated for all longs as sideways trading conditions can quickly erase profits.


Today's PRICE MAP Performance for CL



Wrap Up
A big move today in CRUDE OIL that our JS Traders were able to capitalize on by using the OPTIMAL HEDGE TACTIC in a NEUTRAL DIGESTION market state.  The expectation coming into the session was for a sideways trade within the Critical Range.  The R Level at the UP signaled traders to look for selling opportunity below this level.  When the MKT played host to a DP BREAKOUT strategy, the integrity of the NEU market state was compromised and the market began to transition into trend mode.  The optimal hedge tactic in a NEU state is the markets ability to build directional structure along with the MA crossover tactic to confirm the trade.  Sure enough the faster MA had crossed below the slower MA earlier in the session, confirming the sell signal.  Also notice that the market found resistance at the MA "band" throughout the entire session as it continued to build - structure.  The MKT eventually sold off to the DT3  before finding support and correcting back up near the DT2 to end the session.