Thursday, March 28–Jim Wyckoff’s morning markets report
It’s a very busy U.S. data release schedule Thursday, including U.S. Q4 GDP data and its inflation indexes, as well as a major USDA crop planting intentions report. U.S. markets are closed Friday for the Good Friday holiday but personal income and outlays, including PCE inflation data, will be released that day.
The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index higher. Nymex crude oil prices are firmer and trading around $82.00 a barrel. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note is presently fetching around 4.25%.
U.S. economic reports due for release Thursday includes the weekly jobless claims report, the 4Q GDP report, the Chicago ISM business survey, pending home sales, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey, the USDA planting intentions and quarterly grain stocks report and the Kansas City Fed manufacturing survey.
STOCK INDEXES
June S&P 500 e-mini futures: Prices are near steady in early U.S. trading and not far below last week’s contract and record high. Bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a five-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. The shorter-term moving averages (4-day, 9-day and 18-day) are bullish early today. The 4-day moving average is above the 9-day. The 9-day is above the 18-day moving average. Short-term oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are neutral early today. Today, shorter-term technical resistance comes in at the contract high of 5,322.75 and then at 5,350.00. Support for active traders is seen at this week’s low of 5.271.25 and then at 5,250.00. Wyckoff’s Intra-day Market Rating: 5.5
June Nasdaq index futures: Prices are near steady in early U.S. trading and not far below last week’s record high. Bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Shorter-term moving averages (4- 9-and 18-day) are bullish early today. The 4-day moving average is above the 9-day and 18-day. The 9-day is above the 18-day. Short-term oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are neutral early today. Shorter-term technical resistance is seen at this week’s high of 18,619.00 and then at the contract high of 18,709.00. On the downside, shorter-term support is seen at this week’s low of 18,414.75 and then at 18,300.00. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 5.5.
U.S. TREASURY BONDS AND NOTES FUTURES
June U.S. T-Bonds: Prices are slightly down in early U.S. trading. Shorter-term moving averages (4- 9- 18-day) are neutral early today. The 4-day moving average is above the 9-day. The 9-day is below the 18-day moving average. Oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are neutral early today. Shorter-term technical resistance is seen at this week’s high of 120 12/32 and then at 121 even. Shorter-term support lies at this week’s low of 119 2/32 and then at last week’s low of 118 3/32. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 4.5
June U.S. T-Notes: Prices are down in early U.S. trading. Shorter-term moving averages (4- 9- 18-day) are neutral early today. The 4-day moving average is above the 9-day. The 9-day is below the 18-day moving average. Oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are neutral early today. Shorter-term resistance lies at this week’s high of 110.31.5 and then at 111.10.0. Shorter-term technical support is seen at this week’s low of 110.11.5 and then at 110.00.0. Sell stops likely reside just below those levels. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 4.0
EURO CURRENCY
The June Euro currency futures are lower and hit a six-week low in early U.S. trading. The shorter-term moving averages for the Euro are bearish early today, as the 4-day is below the 9-day and 18-day. The 9-day is below the 18-day moving average. Short-term oscillators for the Euro are bearish early today. The Euro currency finds shorter-term technical resistance at the overnight high of 1.0862 and then at this week’s high of 1.0901. Shorter-term support is seen at the overnight low of 1.0808 and then at 1.0750. Wyckoff’s Intra Day Market Rating: 4.0
NYMEX CRUDE OIL
May Nymex crude oil prices are higher in early U.S. trading. The shorter-term moving averages are neutral early today as the 4-day is even with the 9-day. The 9-day is above the 18-day moving average. Short-term oscillators (RSI and slow stochastics) are neutral early today. Look for buy stops to reside just above technical resistance at this week’s high of $82.48 and then at last week’s high of $83.12. Look for sell stops just below technical support at this week’s low of $80.55 and then at $80.00. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 6.0
GRAINS
Grain futures prices were mixed overnight. Grain traders are awaiting one of the most important sets of USDA reports of the year due out Thursday: the planting intentions report and the quarterly grain stocks report. Bigger price moves could occur after these reports due out in late morning. Charts remain overall bearish for corn, wheat, soybeans, meal and bean oil. However, corn, soybeans, meal and bean oil, and HRW wheat have broken their near-term price downtrends on the daily charts, to begin to suggest market bottoms are in place.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I am not a futures broker and do not manage any trading accounts other than my own personal account. It is my goal to point out to you potential trading opportunities. However, it is up to you to: (1) decide when and if you want to initiate any traders and (2) determine the size of any trades you may initiate. Any trades I discuss are hypothetical in nature.
Here is what the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
(CFTC) has said about futures trading (and I agree 100%):
1. Trading commodity futures and options is not for everyone. IT IS A VOLATILE, COMPLEX AND RISKY BUSINESS. Before you invest any money in futures or options contracts, you should consider your financial experience, goals and financial resources, and know how much you can afford to lose above and beyond your initial payment to a broker. You should understand commodity futures and options contracts and your obligations in entering into those contracts. You should understand your exposure to risk and other aspects of trading by thoroughly reviewing the risk disclosure documents your broker is required to give you.
Jim Wyckoff