GOLD

Today's MARKET STATE GOLD **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 GC

 

Wrap Up

A nice day for JS GOLD Traders as the market showed its hand early and performed to expectations.  In a NEUTRAL DIGESTION market state, the expectation is for a sideways trade within the CRITICAL RANGE; however, with the R Level at the DIR, this changes the expectation of the state.  The R at the DIR signals to traders that this market is "all wound up" and has the potential to create a directional move in either direction.  The market began to build negative structure from the DIR at 2 am CT, creating lower highs and lower lows as it progressed toward the DP.  After digesting  at the DP for 4-5:30 am CT, the market gave traders the SELL DP BREAKOUT opportunity around 5:30 am CT with confirmation from the MOVING AVERAGE TACTIC.  The optimal profit objective on this strategy is the DT2, which was attained with ease.  Notice how the market maintained NEGATIVE structure throughout the entire trade allowing traders to hold onto their shorts with confidence.  A good way to end the week on a profitable short from the DP BREAKOUT signal!

SWISS FRANC

Today's MARKET STATE SWISS FRANC **BEAR TREND**

- 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 SF

Wrap Up

A great day for JS Traders in the SWISS FRANC currency futures today!  In a NEUTRAL DIGESTION market state with the R Level at the DIR, the market is "wound up" and has the potential to be the start of a new directional move.  Knowing full well that the possibility of a new trend move is likely, the MOVING AVERAGE crossover / "band" TACTIC is the optimal tactic to confirm a Critical Range breakout.  After failing from the DIR just after 8:00 am CT, the market began to decline sharply.  The momentum was clearly to the downside, and at 8:30 am CT traders were given a SELL DP BREAKOUT signal with confirmation in the moving averages.  The profit objective on this trade is the DT2; however, the momentum behind this significant decline took prices all the way down to the DT3 before eventually finding support.  By understanding the market environment and the key inflection pivots within the market, our traders were able to catch the big break in the SWISS FRANC and realize serious profits.

AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR

Today's MARKET STATE AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR **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 DA

Wrap Up

With an MC Value of -4 and the R Level at the minor level above the UP, the AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR has produced a BEAR TREND market state with a resistance "band" from the UP - R.  Any corrective price action up to this level is expected to exhaust here and provide traders with an opportunity to capitalize via a short position.  At 7:30 am CT, traders were given a SELL UP FADE opportunity at our expected major level of resistance, the UP.  This trade turned profitable immediately and gave traders an opportunity to take profits on the position at 9:30 am CT, when the market came to within a few tics of the DIR.  The market churned sideways in a tight range before eventually taking out the DIR and closing below the 1.0146 level.

S&P 500

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

- Technically the MKT is in a DIGESTIVE BULL TREND with a slight positive tone. The underlying tone is positive but opportunity is on both sides of the MKT today.
- On the SELL side accept FADE and REVERSAL signals at the UP and +c only. The underlying momentum is up, so keep position management and profit targets aggressive on any counter trend trades. Avoid DP BREAKOUT strategies as follow through in either direction is not expected.
- On the BUY side accept FADE and REVERSAL strategies off the DP with the expectation that any test may need to build a base before it can mount a sustained positive push. UP BREAKOUT strategies should be used as a signal for a "pullback" BUY DIR FADE strategy.

Today's PRICE MAP Performance for SP

Wrap Up

Today the S&P 500 was in one of JS Services unique SIGNATURE STATES, BULL TREND DIGESTION.  In this market state, opportunity exists on BOTH sides of the market as the market is "digesting" the previous move.  Sentiment remains + above the DP; however, the Critical Range extremes (UP-DP) both offer potential entry points for the session.  The UP is our expected area of major resistance and should mark the "lid" on any price advance if the digestive market state is going to play out.  As it so happened, the RSI was showing a slight divergence with price, offering a "tell" to accept the SELL UP FADE strategy at 9 am CT from our resistance level.  The mark sold off immediately down to the DIR, giving traders an opportunity to take profits on the counter-trend opportunity.

CRUDE OIL

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


- The MKT is in a sideways digestive position with a slight positive bias.
- On the SELL side avoid DP BREAKOUT strategies but rather FADE a positive reaction against the DIR after a negative breakdown signal. UP and UT1 REVERSAL strategies are recommended over FADE strategies as "sloppy" trading conditions are expected. Any UP FADE trades should get confirmation first.
- On the BUY side UP BREAKOUT strategies are valid but should expect a laborious trade. Work any position, selling into emotional surges and re-entering on any sharp pullbacks. Expect a choppy trade and be aggressive on minimizing profit give-back. DP and DT1 FADE and REVERSAL strategies are recommended.

Today's PRICE MAP Performance for CL

Wrap Up

Today in the CRUDE OIL futures market, traders had the opportunity to capitalize on the entry signal at the DIR after the upside breakout of the Critical Range.  The market opened up above the UP to start the session, and was unable to sustain the positive move.  After falling back into the Critical Range, CL made an intra-day double bottom a few ticks below the DIR.  This allowed traders to get long the market on the pullback to the DIR with confirmation from the RSI indicator.  After putting in the first bottom, the RSI firmed up substantially from the previous low level.  This highlighted the underlying strength in the market and confirmed the BUY strategy from the DIR.  The market eventually rallied back up to the UP giving JS Traders an opportunity for profit taking.

BRITISH POUND

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


- 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 BP

Wrap Up

STATE, STRUCTURE, STRATEGY and TACTICS all aligned at our OPTIMAL ENTRY point today in the BP, making JS Traders look like all-stars as the BUY DP FADE opportunity as given to us just after 7:30 am CT at our KEY INFLECTION PIVOT.  The DP is the lower extreme of our Critical Range and always represents our expect major are of support; however, when the R Level (Sentiment Bias) is placed at this level, it identifies that point as the OPTIMAL ENTRY point for the session.  With an MC Value of +4, the BRITISH POUND was in a BULL TREND market state.  Expectations in this market environment is for the market to produce further gains, with any corrective pullback expected to exhaust at the DP R.  Well, at around 7:45 am CT, the market gave JS Traders a "touch and go" BUY DP FADE opportunity with confluence in our technical indicators.  The market broke structure taking out yesterdays lows and signaled traders to use the OPTIMAL HEDGE TACTICS to confirm the BUY opportunity from the DP.  Sure enough, the Stochastic and RSI both showed an OVERSOLD reading below 20 and 30 respectively.  This gave our traders confidence to accept the BUY strategy and it paid off BIG TIME!  By identifying the KEY INFLECTION PIVOT in the BP, JS Traders were able to get long the market AT the LOW of the session, and take profits at the expected target, the UP, which just so happened to be the HIGH for the session.  Today's performance in the BRITISH POUND futures market shows the importance of MARKET TACTICS in identifying high-probability trading set-ups.

NASDAQ 100

Today's MARKET STATE NASDAQ 100 **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 ND

Wrap Up

Today in the NASDAQ 100 market, we had a BULL TREND market environment with the R Level at the lower extreme of the Critical Range (DP).  The key "tell" for follow through potential in a BULL TREND environment is in its ability to maintain POSITIVE market STRUCTURE.  The overnight low, just above the DIR, marked the breaking point for the + structure.  After a head fake above the UP, the MKT pulled back and threatened a break in structure at 8:30 am CT.  However, the market firmed up, maintaining structure and keeping the BULL TREND signal in play.  The MA crossover / band tactic is the optimal MARKET TACTIC to use in a trending market state and it allowed us to accept the BUY UP BREAKOUT strategy around 8:45 am CT.  The market stabilized for a bit, finding SUPPORT at the UP after the breakout signal, and then rallied sharply.  Notice how price found SUPPORT at the MA band on two different occasions.  The market eventually made it up to our profit target at the UT2 around 12:30 pm CT while maintaining positive market structure throughout the entire trade.