Selling pressure rises
By Colin Twiggs
May 7th, 2014 5:00 am EDT (7:00 pm AET)
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Research & Investment: Performance update
Our ASX200 Prime Momentum strategy returned +30.04%* for the 12 months ended 30th April 2014, outperforming the benchmark ASX200 Accumulation Index by +19.58%.
The S&P 500 Prime Momentum strategy has been running six months, since November 2013, and returned 7.79%* for the period, compared to 8.36% for the S&P 500 Total Return Index.
A sell-off of momentum stocks affected performance in April, but macroeconomic and volatility filters indicate low risk typical of a bull market and we see current weakness as a buying opportunity.
* Results are before fees, unaudited and subject to revision.
S&P 500
S&P 500 displays little direction while bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow continues to signal selling pressure. Reversal below 1850 would warn of a correction to test primary support at 1750. Breakout above 1900, however would signal an advance to 1950.
* Target calculation: 1850 + ( 1850 - 1750 ) = 1950
The primary trend remains upward and CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) below 14 continues to indicate low risk typical of a bull market.
The Nasdaq 100 is struggling to break 3600 and reversal below 3400 would warn of a down-swing to the primary trendline. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow below zero warns of selling pressure, but breakthrough above 3600 would suggest another advance.
* Target calculation: 3700 + ( 3700 - 3400 ) = 4000
The Russell 2000 is testing primary support at 11.00. Follow-through below 10.80 would confirm. Small caps outstripped large caps over the last 18 months, but now appear to be faltering. A 13-week Twiggs Momentum cross below zero would also warn of small cap reversal to a down-trend. A small cap down-trend would not necessarily mean large caps will follow: large caps significantly outperformed small caps for more than 3 years leading up to the 2000 Dotcom crash.
Canada's TSX 60 is retracing, but unlikely to break support at 820 and the rising trendline. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow, with troughs above zero, indicates long-term buying pressure. Respect of support would suggest an advance to the 2008 high of 900.
I have always been fond of the West African proverb "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
~ Theodore Roosevelt (1900)