Wednesday, February 20, 2013
HUI has "Issues"
The mining shares still continue to sink lower seemingly unable to attract sufficient buying to stem the flow of red ink being seen across the sector. As a fundamentalist, I think one can make the argument that some of the leading shares in the sector are severely undervalued against the price of gold; however, as a technician, one has to respect the chart action be that as it may.
I am presenting a monthly chart but wish to note that the last trading day for February has yet to arrive so there remains sufficient time for the index to recover. It is however flirting with some important chart support level. I thought that the index might have found enough buying near 380 to bottom it. That is evidently not the case.
What concerns me with this chart, and again, the month is not yet out, is the fact that the NEGATIVE DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR is at its highest level since the move lower in the middle of the credit crisis of 2008. The bottom of that move lower in the index was accompanied by the peak in the negative DMI near the 30 level. This -DMI is currently sitting at -26.53. I have noted this level on the chart with a dashed red line.
One might make the argument based on this alone that the shares have now reached oversold levels commensurate with a bottom. That might be true but as of right now, we do not have any technical confirmation of such; we only have an extreme oversold reading based only on this particular indicator. You will notice the lack of any white candle whatsover. In other words, there is no buying in size sufficient to absorb the continued selling occuring in the sector. There is buying just not enough of it.
Here is the problem, the ADX, the solid navy blue line, is rising even as the -DMI is rising while it is above the +DMI (the blue line). That only happened very briefly back in 2008. Keep in mind that a rising ADX indicates the beginning of a trend but generally it needs to get above the 20 level to be valididated.
BAck in 2008 as it began to turn higher while above the 20 level, the Fed announced the inception of QE1 and that put an abrupt end to the slide in the gold shares, as well as everything else on the planet it seems. Now, we are witnessing the rising of the ADX (it is still below 20) with chatter that the Fed will end the QE sooner than expected. I personally do not believe that they can but what i believe is of no consequence when it comes to what the majority of hedge funds/large investors believe.
While not a particular fan of Head and SHoulder patterns for predictive purposes (those patterns are highly overrated), it should be noted that the index is sitting right on the neckline. A breach on a montly closing basis would get the bearish chatter going even more against this sector but traders need to pay attention regardless.
There is a band of congestion near 320 - 310 that should attract enough buying to at least drop the index into a congestion pattern at a bare minimum should price get there. Let's hope it does not for the sake of those long suffering gold share bulls.
One last thing, you will notice that the HUI tends to make SPIKE BOTTOMS when it finally does exhaust the selling pressure. If it can do this before the end of this month and recapture the 400 level in the process, it should be a fairly reliable signal that the worst is over. We simply have to wait and see.
I am presenting a monthly chart but wish to note that the last trading day for February has yet to arrive so there remains sufficient time for the index to recover. It is however flirting with some important chart support level. I thought that the index might have found enough buying near 380 to bottom it. That is evidently not the case.
What concerns me with this chart, and again, the month is not yet out, is the fact that the NEGATIVE DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR is at its highest level since the move lower in the middle of the credit crisis of 2008. The bottom of that move lower in the index was accompanied by the peak in the negative DMI near the 30 level. This -DMI is currently sitting at -26.53. I have noted this level on the chart with a dashed red line.
One might make the argument based on this alone that the shares have now reached oversold levels commensurate with a bottom. That might be true but as of right now, we do not have any technical confirmation of such; we only have an extreme oversold reading based only on this particular indicator. You will notice the lack of any white candle whatsover. In other words, there is no buying in size sufficient to absorb the continued selling occuring in the sector. There is buying just not enough of it.
Here is the problem, the ADX, the solid navy blue line, is rising even as the -DMI is rising while it is above the +DMI (the blue line). That only happened very briefly back in 2008. Keep in mind that a rising ADX indicates the beginning of a trend but generally it needs to get above the 20 level to be valididated.
BAck in 2008 as it began to turn higher while above the 20 level, the Fed announced the inception of QE1 and that put an abrupt end to the slide in the gold shares, as well as everything else on the planet it seems. Now, we are witnessing the rising of the ADX (it is still below 20) with chatter that the Fed will end the QE sooner than expected. I personally do not believe that they can but what i believe is of no consequence when it comes to what the majority of hedge funds/large investors believe.
While not a particular fan of Head and SHoulder patterns for predictive purposes (those patterns are highly overrated), it should be noted that the index is sitting right on the neckline. A breach on a montly closing basis would get the bearish chatter going even more against this sector but traders need to pay attention regardless.
There is a band of congestion near 320 - 310 that should attract enough buying to at least drop the index into a congestion pattern at a bare minimum should price get there. Let's hope it does not for the sake of those long suffering gold share bulls.
One last thing, you will notice that the HUI tends to make SPIKE BOTTOMS when it finally does exhaust the selling pressure. If it can do this before the end of this month and recapture the 400 level in the process, it should be a fairly reliable signal that the worst is over. We simply have to wait and see.
Euro Gold Below 1200
Since July of 2011, forays in gold priced in Euro terms, have been met with solid buying on approaches towards 1200. Only ONCE over that time period did gold end the week below this psychological support level. There was no downside followthrough however and the price rebounded the following week moving back towards 1320 before faltering. The week is still young but the gold price has now fallen below this level with today's sharp move lower.
Some of what we are seeing today in gold is tied to selling ahead of the release of the FOMC minutes for January. Traders/Investors continue to fear a more hawkish tone to the minutes with a rising number of voices perhaps calling for an ending to the QE program sooner than expected. That remains to be seen given the extremely tenuous state of this so-called "recovery" but this is the current thinking for whatever that is worth.
It is no different over in Europe where many believe the worst is now behind the region and has been the case over here in the US, money flows are moving into equities and exiting gold for the time being. Any reversal to the downside in the equity markets there, and here as well, would change that mentality quite rapidly were that to occur.
There is a spike low down near the 1150 level made in September of 2011 that is the last line of bullish defense for the euro gold bulls should the weekly close be below the 1185 level. In a sense, this corresponds closely to the $1550 - $1530 zone on the US Dollar priced gold chart. Bulls would not want to see this level give way without an intraweek recovery as it would portend even lower prices
As far as the US Dollar priced gold chart goes, support at $1600 was crushed with the market attracting fresh short selling on the break below last week's low just under $1600. There is no support just below today's session low on the chart until price nears $1565. Below that, should it fail, is the $1550 level. That one is a biggie. Should it not stem the bleeding, gold is going to test $1535.
Some data providers are showing that the 50 day moving average has already managed to cross below the 200 day moving average, the infamously known "Death Cross". My data does not yet show it although it will probably do so within the next day or two. Either way, technical analysts will view this as further confirmation of a bearish trend in gold prices.
The ADX that I have been including recently picked this up much sooner than the death cross occurence itself. It continues to rise with bearish momentum increasing as it has picked up the fund flows OUT OF GOLD and FRESH SHORTING. The market has fallen rather sharply 7 out of the last 8 trading sessions, so it is perhaps due for a bit of a bounce but expect rallies to be sold unless gold can get back above $1640 for a bare minimum. Even at that, bulls will not be out of the woods until price can move past $1660 - $1665. The bears are currently in the driver's seat.
Physical market buyers of size as of yet do not seem to be interested in moving in right now. Let's see if we can spot their footprints when they do.
I should also note here that the Continuous Commodity Index or CCI, has been getting worked over rather harshly the past week. That is continuing this week. I am getting reports of several large funds and banks exiting commodities due to the sector's poor performance over the last year.
Have to hand it to the elites at the Fed - they have managed to conjure into existence with QE1, QE2, QE3 and now QE4, trillions of dollars out of absolutely nowhere without the least bit of negative impact on commodity prices ( for now!). They have concocted a perfect world in which equity prices move steadily higher, interest rates remain stable at ultra low levels and commodity prices, while higher than several years ago, show no significant impact from the huge increase in liquidity.
Brace yourselves for the potential for some wild price swings when those FOMC minutes are made public.
Some of what we are seeing today in gold is tied to selling ahead of the release of the FOMC minutes for January. Traders/Investors continue to fear a more hawkish tone to the minutes with a rising number of voices perhaps calling for an ending to the QE program sooner than expected. That remains to be seen given the extremely tenuous state of this so-called "recovery" but this is the current thinking for whatever that is worth.
It is no different over in Europe where many believe the worst is now behind the region and has been the case over here in the US, money flows are moving into equities and exiting gold for the time being. Any reversal to the downside in the equity markets there, and here as well, would change that mentality quite rapidly were that to occur.
There is a spike low down near the 1150 level made in September of 2011 that is the last line of bullish defense for the euro gold bulls should the weekly close be below the 1185 level. In a sense, this corresponds closely to the $1550 - $1530 zone on the US Dollar priced gold chart. Bulls would not want to see this level give way without an intraweek recovery as it would portend even lower prices
As far as the US Dollar priced gold chart goes, support at $1600 was crushed with the market attracting fresh short selling on the break below last week's low just under $1600. There is no support just below today's session low on the chart until price nears $1565. Below that, should it fail, is the $1550 level. That one is a biggie. Should it not stem the bleeding, gold is going to test $1535.
Some data providers are showing that the 50 day moving average has already managed to cross below the 200 day moving average, the infamously known "Death Cross". My data does not yet show it although it will probably do so within the next day or two. Either way, technical analysts will view this as further confirmation of a bearish trend in gold prices.
The ADX that I have been including recently picked this up much sooner than the death cross occurence itself. It continues to rise with bearish momentum increasing as it has picked up the fund flows OUT OF GOLD and FRESH SHORTING. The market has fallen rather sharply 7 out of the last 8 trading sessions, so it is perhaps due for a bit of a bounce but expect rallies to be sold unless gold can get back above $1640 for a bare minimum. Even at that, bulls will not be out of the woods until price can move past $1660 - $1665. The bears are currently in the driver's seat.
Physical market buyers of size as of yet do not seem to be interested in moving in right now. Let's see if we can spot their footprints when they do.
I should also note here that the Continuous Commodity Index or CCI, has been getting worked over rather harshly the past week. That is continuing this week. I am getting reports of several large funds and banks exiting commodities due to the sector's poor performance over the last year.
Have to hand it to the elites at the Fed - they have managed to conjure into existence with QE1, QE2, QE3 and now QE4, trillions of dollars out of absolutely nowhere without the least bit of negative impact on commodity prices ( for now!). They have concocted a perfect world in which equity prices move steadily higher, interest rates remain stable at ultra low levels and commodity prices, while higher than several years ago, show no significant impact from the huge increase in liquidity.
Brace yourselves for the potential for some wild price swings when those FOMC minutes are made public.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)