Back With A Vengeance

I’m back ladies and leeches. Please forgive my complete silence over the past 10 days but I have been slaving to prepare for a very important trade show exhibition (not related to ‘trading’) and literally could not spare a minute. Anna and Berk did an excellent job here during my absence and I would like to thank them both for their tireless efforts in keeping the blog interesting and flowing along.

As I’m just getting back into the swing of things I’ll continue to tack on charts here throughout the day. Let’s start with the good ole S&P – as you can see we have been moving along just as proposed over ten days ago. However, we are now getting very close to my expected target zone and it’s time to start thinking puts again. Yes, we could easily bust a bit higher as a ‘blow off top’ would count just nicely at this point. But as bears we have two trading choices: Either we pick tops/bottoms based on our TA or we let the market prove a trend change to us based on important inflection points.

If you are the type of bear who prefers to ‘be late but right’ in determining a trend change then this is the chart you should be looking at. Forget about all the daily gyrations and look at two simple trend lines. The first one connects the Primary {1} March low with the July Intermediate (X) low and finally the October 2nd drop into B of (Y) – i.e. the long one ;-)

The second connects the lows of this Intermediate with important touch points in August and September and finally also the B of (Y) low. So, what the ‘late bears’ will need to see here is a three punch combination. The ‘jab’ will be the drop through 1070 followed by hook through 1015 and then of course the knock of upper cut to take out 1000. Once that psychological line falls you will see late some profit taking, followed by some dip buying, which should be a great chance for bears selling the rip to add short positions.

Personally I’m prepared to keep playing the same game I played back in September – load up on puts at new market highs (not unlike this one) and let the tape prove to me that I’m right.

I checked my CBOE Put/Call Ratio chart last night and was very excited to see a dip down to the ‘danger zone’. This is code red for all bears and although we could see a drop below 0.5 here the risk is now on the upside. Maybe not for long but most definitely for the coming week or two.

Man, it’s good to be back – I couldn’t have picked a better time :-)

12:08pm EDT: Insite alerts us to the new POMO schedule which was probably updated last Wednesday (but I didn’t look all week):

I’m always worried to hold positions ahead of these days but:

  1. They are running out of funds – last time I checked there was about $5 Billion left.
  2. We are still a few days out, so the schedule would permit a nice drop to the downside with plenty of opportunity to take profits and hedge ahead of those days.

12:20pm EDT: I had to catch up on sleep last night and thus missed out on a great opportunity to trade Anna’s AAPL call spread – I expect her to bank some nice coin on that one. I better get my butt back into NYSE hours – LOL :-)

1:51pm EDT: Call me completely NUTS but I just backed up the truck here.

Yes, we probably push higher and yes I will have to endure more pain and insanity but options are cheap here, so whatever – what the heck do I know anyway but I’m insane, so don’t do what Mole does. It’s best to let the market prove to you that a trend change has occurred – the money I just threw in is money I expect to lose. And remember that Berk’s 13 indicators did not budge all last week, so be careful!

2:02pm EDT: Here’s a chart you should see before even thinking about buying any puts or getting into short positions here:

The Dollar seems destined to fall even further as every push higher gets instantly sold. Let’s however remember that I have a nice new gadget courtesy of 2sweeties over at retracementlevels.com:

So I see a lower probability that we turn around 75.15 but who are we kidding – 74.9 or perhaps even 74.45 is in the cards, which might get us to 1120 on the SPX. As you know I don’t trade correlations – but I do see the current correlation as an inverse ‘bias’ for equities. But since I don’t trade them I decided to load up on puts now – which again I don’t recommend any of you to attempt.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 12:01 pm and is filed under Currencies, Intraday Update, Market Outlook, TOMO/POMO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Go Apple go baby :)
  • Just like GOOG, NQ futures just spike 15pts after AAPL results. SPY +5
  • Me_XMan
    TIME TO GO SHORT!
  • Whoa APPL beat by 10% Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee congrats to all those who went with me :)

    1.92
  • Nice call Anna. what we see in the next few minutes will define the next week I suspect. Will EURUSD make a new high?
  • Thanks Jack, great earnings season so far, I told someone when I am right on RIMM I usually have a great earning season call. ;)
    yes 1121 here we come
  • Hi Anna,

    Congrats on your AAPL call spread. You are rocking! Amazing calls on GOOG and AAPL.

    Last time I played a straddle on ISRG and made 400%. Its earnings are tomorrow AH and it usually has a big move after earnings. Can you please look at its chart and let me know what you think. I would really appreciate your thoughts.
  • That would be sweet! 1.5050 works for me :)

    By the futures look, i supose (iii) is extending...
  • GO EUR GO!!!
  • hehehehe good for you O!!!
  • Didn't even see the news...the price seemed to move first...lol
  • Beat by 10%
    1.92 earnings per share
  • Unbelievable....lol. That is really good performance in a recession.
  • Brian_mk
    excellent news
  • Congrats you got in right Brian ?
  • Brian_mk
    yep.. btw.. where can I see after hours quotes?
  • CandleStickEmUpper
    AAPL reports at 430 pm EST? Thought it was 4 PM but dont see anything out on the wire
  • May I ask which wire are you using...? I could already see the results...
  • CandleStickEmUpper
    IB's feed
  • Oh...I see....Anna's my wire...lol
  • CandleStickEmUpper
    Nice wire to hang on
  • ZION missed earnings...-1.41 vs -1.24
  • Market seems to be setting up for a gap up tomorrow, maybe fuelled by AAPL results.

    iii of (iii) is on the table.
  • tell me it's so O!!! LOL i was long GLD USO as well today how was your EUR long trade?
  • Pretty much at the same place where i open my longs, i`m dealing with a 20pip profit so far.

    Nice USO trade A.! Do you have a target?
  • Douala
    anna
    I heard you are starting or have started a web site for option trading. Do you have a link?
  • Richard
    I'd love to see this.
  • tradejane
    >Market seems to be setting up for a gap up tomorrow

    I certainly hope so! :)
  • Anna, how did you actually know AAPL will close above 195...? Intraday....it looks like it has some difficulty getting above 190 ya.
  • bshah
    Didn't you know...? secret only telling you.. She is part of core GS team... Sorry Anna..
  • Really....lol.
  • bshah
    If you have noticed, she's got almost 100% trades with gains.. ( atleast that's what it sounds from her posts ).. some with big ones ( like RIMM ).. Only they have the crystal ball.. Having fun on this sunny day after a while..
  • well, I don't wish to speculate on that....but I know that "we love her" and she is cool....lol
  • Brian_mk
    I call her Ms. Midas for a reason.. everything she touches turns to gold.... errr $$$$ at least when it comes to trading :)
  • should "hard cash in the bank" be stretching the line?
  • Now how could I know that ;-)
  • ok show time....never mind....
  • Nice move AAPL :)
  • raised_by_wolves
    I decided against doing any AAPL play. Losing or winning but especially winning even a small lotto trade that really doesn't matter could negatively affect my psychology. Everything I do this week needs to be done for a purpose. If I short AAPL, I will have to wait for an opportune time.

    http://screencast.com/t/110lbyzIGj
  • Yup... pretty clever this late in the day... ;-P

    Skål!
  • looks nice and juicy, Mole tried to go with this one, I don't think he got it filled not sure
  • Missed the early morning drop and I'm not chasin'
  • Next time I will be on your butt if we get a backtest like we did on Apple today, there I said it publicly. so now I have to remember :)
  • Look @ GLD go wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
  • Question for smart options peoples---

    I did a calendar spread on QQQQ options, sold November 43 puts, bought June 43 puts.

    I would have assumed that the Nov puts would move much more than the June. But that is not really the case. The deltas appear to be almost the same. How can that be?

    How would one analyze this? In particular, using TOS tools.

    Big thanks

    http://screencast.com/t/q7PM2QK90
  • Steve, the delta is higher on the front month, but the real difference is the Gamma, that is the speed at which the option moves in relation to the underlying instrument..like the gas pedal on a car, the one on the front month is much faster, so that opetion will move faster
    Nov is -148 and the June's are 44

    The Theta burn will be much faster on the Novembers (obviously) as well :) plus I also noiticed the IV is much higher in June which mean s you will get some IV burn on those as well
  • Anyone think the DX will hit 72 by mid-November?
  • colonel_bleep
    Yes, DRV not in the batch. Actually, have position in DRV (on a buy- write with some fat call preemies) & played that against naked deep otm puts on DRN
  • Now tape is taking a dip and apple is getting stronger hmmmmmmmmmm
  • colonel_bleep
    Sheesh, looks like every bear ETF making new 52 week lows today -

    SDS, DOG,TWM, QID, DUG, UUP, MWN, VXX, DTO, EEV etc - about 40 total.
  • SRS / DRV (real estate) not among them, however.
  • tradejane
    Nor SKF/FAZ it seems. :)
  • Are you still playing / holding SRS? To me, it looks like the inverse real estate ETF's are safer than the financials. (IYR set its' high in September, while XLF set a new high last week).
  • tradejane
    >Are you still playing / holding SRS?

    No, I want to reload at the wee 9s or less. ( Financials were better shorts during periods of high volatility but I think SRS is the better play now. :)
  • Welcome back, Mole!

    I continue to watch IYR (real estate index ETF). It has not yet eclipsed last Wednesday's high of 43.57, even as indexes have set new highs. My trading plan:

    If I see automated short covering (example: look at a 5 day chart, paying attention to the last 10 minutes of activity last Wednesday on the IYR chart), I'm going to go short (via the DRV 3x ETF) at about 4 minutes before market close. My expectation then would be a gap down the next day in IYR.

    If I see IYR tailing off into the close, I'll wait until tomorrow and look for another setup (possibly long via DRN).
  • nyxjf
    Thanks for the awesome post!
  • Brian_mk
    Anna, check email when you get a chance...
  • Stop sending her dirty pics (that's my job).
  • Brian_mk
    but I had a good one of a mudslide....
  • T_dub
    uh oh... looks like AAPL is gonna fill that gap at 175 on earnings. I expect tomorrow to be a short term bottom, yes bottom.. at 1076 ish. Then off to the final (really, final.. :-)...) push to 1110 or 1120 or whatever by this Friday. Then the bear party can start in earnest. For VIX at 20, I'm looking for crazy volatility here this week. If October 22-23 is not THE top, the bears are toast.
  • gannsecret
    T_dub
    Pushing the vix below the lower
    band on the daily should do the trick anytime in the next few days
    I think too many looking for 1121, It will probably not get there.
    Still like my 1108 and 10190 targets
  • T_dub
    Thanks, GS.

    Your 1108 target definitely makes sense. The bear move is about to begin, IMO and all these euphoric earnings beats remind me so much of Oct 2007, but I have some long term trendlines which "need" a turnaround this week. We'll see. My targets for Jan 2010 are 820 or 790 SPX !! So, 1% overshoots should hardly bother the bears, but the timeframes are critical here.
  • omelette
    Regarding the dollar still having a chance of falling more. Based on past correlations we actually want to see the $SPX fall with the /DX to indicate that the trend has changed as that is what happened in the last few correlations highlighted here in a chart Berk posted earlier:

    http://evilspeculator.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009-10-11_usd.png
  • innatedc
    Can you imagine if AAPL actually misses....just for kicks it might be fun....something unexpected. I don't have a position and I also don't want Anna to lose out, but I'd love to see it for entertainment purposes.
  • z12run
    That would be interesting, but the more likely scenario is they beat handily and then are cautious on expectations for the next quarter (which of course they beat handily next quarter).
  • innatedc
    I know, I just want to watch something different, you know. I'm a variety kind of guy.
  • PRSGuitars
    They always guide lower -- bearish for NQ
    They ALWAYS guide lower -- flat/bullish for NQ
    Accounting switchover to allow present qtr. realization of profits -- bullish for NQ

    overall... a wash? Who knows.

    ie, earnings pump (in fairness, not so much pump as 'the truth' but the newbies will see this and think it's some new source of revenue, which AAPL always had anyway but spread over the 24-mnth life of an iphone contract)
  • innatedc
    Nice points...+1
  • It could Inna, I am hedged so not too worried.
    On a bounce this morning I took 1/2 off...for a nice little profit :)
    thanks for thinking kindly of me
  • innatedc
    Of course don't want my girl missing out on any dough for her wine and Coach bags.
  • shortcover
    anybody have news on why oil just spiked a buck...i'm sans TV at present...
  • Just late day surge Short, that's what I heard
  • AudioTactics
    Looking back at the SPX in late September and early October 2008, I see resistance right at the 1,100 - 1,120 level. This area appeared to offer some support for at least a few days last year.

    I might start initiating shorts here but it might pay to wait till the close as we probably have a trend day on our hands.

    However, I don't see any potential for strength in the USD (other than a technical bounce) which also makes me hesitate. Strong support appears to be way below at the 74 level in the $DXY.

    What are the other reasons that the 1100-1120 are offers resistance?

  • The patterns, bear wedges etc suggest that 1121 will not be reached. 1121 is the 50% retracement of the bear market as well and if reached, would invalidate my preferred EW count and open the path to 1160.

    To get there though we would have to break a lot of topping patterns.
  • If we go above 1120, we have open road to 1200 or 68% retrace of the bear market.

    Wave 2 usualy retrace to 68% mark, so i would not be surprised.
  • There is a real nice target around the open gap at 1165ish... It looks more and more like that everyday. But for now my eye is on 1120. One step at a time.

    Skål!
  • Ditto my brother :-D one level @ a time
  • PRSGuitars
    Don't say rational things like that, you make me want to puke!
  • Higher it go, bigger the fall.
  • Me_XMan
    Don't tell that to Helicopter Ben
  • skynard
    I'll second that!
  • Hi Audio that is my exact scenario :)
    short term dollar bounce before heading to 74 area.

    I am gently adding SPY Nov 110s for this week. but they won't be held for a long time a day or two at most
    then reload either up or down :)
  • AudioTactics
    I'm thinking about starting to leg into shorts as well but I'm also thinking that the top of the recent upward sloping channel which began in early October is a little higher from here. Maybe we could see the 1110-1120 area tested.

    I think the market has also demonstrated that the 1080 level in SPX is solid support and this appears to be giving some confidence to the bulls right now.

    And given the volatility of earnings season, I think it pays to be patient (although I have to admit that I have been missing opportunities recently).

    I think the dollar will be also key and if we see a little bounce we could have healthy pull backs in oil, gold and equities.
  • BLK throw-over...

    Skål!
  • Liking the price move on CF... Entered some front and second month calls.

    CL at all time highs. CMI breaking out (no volume). BIDU being BIDU. FWLT looks about ready to short. CTB looking for a break below 16 or a push up towards 20. GMCR breaking out. GRMN showing a nice bounce from support.

    Skål!
  • Berk, did you see the article i posted on BIDU?
  • Nope baby... It must have been when I was at lunch... I missed it.

    Skål!
  • Interesting... Looks like SOHU caught hold of that news too...

    Skål!
  • amokta
    might buy some puts tomorrow. will stick to cash settled index options. dont want risk of contingent liabilities with equity puts if i forget to close them before exp date (?!). is there any index that rises/falls proportionately more than spy or dow, that you can buy index puts on?
  • maybe calls on ERY (inverse double sensex)
  • EUR/USD is on a triangle, possible breakout to the upside near the EOD.

    Watch your head, bullshit ahead!
  • PRSGuitars
    /dx bear flagging all afternoon -- fits with your thesis -- and mole's chart of another push...
  • Me_XMan
    Mole. What's your target for SPX now?
  • TheCrowe
    See the yellow box on the chart above (1107 - 1100)
  • itsbusinesstime
    This market needs to take a hint from AAPL and start selling off.
  • tradejane
    Patience. Patience. We need it to run above 10120 first. The higher the better.
  • string01
    Clever update mole.
    The ole' 'do as I say not as I do' play.
    So what you are *really* saying is sell sell sell.
    I get it.
    (it helps to have the voice of Bill Hicks running constantly in ones head)
  • skynard
    When does everyone think inflation will hit? I mean if the dollar continues to fall off this planet.... come on what the F>>>
  • it already did on gold, but should retrace to 700-800, should become a serious problem on next major slow move up (2011-2012 onward perhaps)
  • z12run
    I'm going with inflation on the things you need (food, energy, bling) and deflation on things you want (cars, boats, etc...). Also, deflation on your house and wages (not sure if a house should be considered a want or a need).
  • to answer your last question

    rents UP
    house prices DOWN
  • string01
    you're mixing up terms deflation and dis-inflation.
  • amokta
    not now?. seriouily though, some contrarians saying deflation more likely??
  • skynard
    How is that if the dollar becomes worth less and my grocery bill continues to go up?
  • Thank Mr Bernanke for that it's called inflation
  • dollar
    The British Financial Services Authority (FSA) has made a startling discovery:

    “The FSA needs to ensure that firms only lend to people who can afford to pay the money back."

    “The paper sets out the main findings of the FSA’s comprehensive analysis of the mortgage market. It clearly shows a rapid explosion in mortgage products; the emergence of high risk lending strategies which typically focused on higher risk borrowers; relaxed credit standards; and a mutual assumption by too many borrowers and lenders that the good times could not end."

    This is how far the pendulum is swinging:


    Homebuyers could be forced to provide detailed information about the amount of money they spend on alcohol each month to qualify for a new mortgage under a new clampdown on reckless lending. ... It said lenders should delve deeper into homebuyers' personal spending including the amount they spend on alcohol and tobacco.
  • de3600
    The FSA needs to ensure that firms only lend to people who can afford to pay the money back."

    Wow what a great idea I never thought about it. It may just work. :)
  • ROFL very good Dollar! :)
  • z12run
    In case you missed it, ZH covered QE2 last week:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/article/fed-leaves-option-qe2

    The key statement from the FOMC minutes:

    "Members discussed the importance of maintaining flexibility to expand the asset purchase programs should the economic outlook deteriorate or to scale back the programs should economic and financial conditions improve more than anticipated."
  • newbear
    Mole you have balls of stainless steel. I'm too chicken to load here, my plastic balls have been melted away.
  • better your balls than your money, I'm 30% down
  • Me_XMan
    Anyone shorting today? Got brassballs?
  • I wish, all my powder is used up from 1076, now it's just pain because it's one cusp moment

    if I'm wrong I'l do as in april. Sell at the best time and play the patern I see to win back as much as the counts allow.
  • Trader_Steve
    I always go with gravity after 38%.

    Steve
  • Yeah, but you're a hamster - it's easy for you to scrounge up enough for food for a day.
  • 200 pound hamster who love good restaurants and good vintages don't come cheap, and hight 5 digit hurts a poor laid off hamster.

    still, I expect the drop to cover the theta burn in the ETFs
  • Me_XMan
    HAHAHHA! Good one!
  • heheheh and a nice one too :)
  • Bart7
    I've got blueballs from all the titillation here today...
  • No, you're just smarter than me.
  • Vardoger
    /es 1103.5 gap fill on deck, still running buy stops

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VU6g2pj18s
  • Lordted
    You tube if you want to... Good vid. Been following these boys for some weeks now

    You got ES 1103.5 on your post above... Guy on the Video was reffering to S&P500 I believe... Only a few points in it of course. But there's bugger all else to talk about at present.
  • hank30
    Welcome back. Good to hear your comments. Nothing like a few refreshing days to tackle this horrid tape.
  • Bart7
    1100 S&P....
  • Me_XMan
    Yeah...now where it's going...
  • Trader_Steve
    >>hehehehe :) he won't look as sexy as I am those pictures are things that fit me :) <<

    PROVE IT! (sheepish grin)

    Steve
  • I think we'll need to see you posing wearing a thong and high heels first.
  • Trader_Steve
    I gave up pole dancing...the tips were bad and the sock in my crotch caused a rash....LOL

    Steve
  • no we don't, run out of bleach on the mole thong
  • not another one...

    steve, the avatar photo is hers, she's a fitness pro.

    ask gently (I would)
  • amokta
    ATM, or OTM, or far OTM - would not a higher strike be a better risk/reward in case spy doesnt fall so much, in the time frame . and is march too soon an exp date (given the slowness of things unfolding)? hey what do i know. EWI oct still saying go short (of course, no to risk all capital, only money you can aford to lose)
  • Vardoger
    Bradley turn date Thursday 10/22: target is SPX 1112-1115.

    I made these charts last week so the targets could be off by a couple points but you get the idea. I was particular in drawing the channels off the exact highs nonetheless...

    http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/737329/OctoberWIDEANGLEchannels.png

    http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/737329/October14WAzoom.png

    http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/737329/OctoberProjection.png

    Dollar:

    http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/737329/OctDollarCountED.png
  • LogansRun
    What are the latest market top predictions? Now that we are at nearly 1100 breaking through the infamous "1120" will happen in just a breath. Is 1250 the new "top"? Crazy how just this month we were at 1012 heading for the 900's. Is the market really this inefficient at establishing reasonable equity valuations?
  • Trader_Steve
    Don't let GS or JPM know.

    Steve P.S.

    I'm just now hearing a clip of O-Vomit nailing health insurance companies as opposing his health care. If I could go deaf for 4 years to not hear his voice I would consider it. He said nothing about handing GS money, and had to endorse it. A 2nd Lehman Brothers now runs the oligarchy.
  • bergs
    Berk

    Took another look at the overlap between minute two to minute three and came up with this.

    http://screencast.com/t/U2VxyexfI8Lw

    Zoomed

    http://screencast.com/t/rhN9UvKklyI
  • That is fairly similar to how kenny is counting it. I can buy that too. Looks good. I think we are moving up impulsively whether I can count it or not.

    Skål!
  • skynard
    Those SPY MAR 65 Puts are on sale right now. Will wait for one more push.
  • Bart7
    65 puts, that's way out of the freakin money....
  • Yeah, I'd probably move it up a bit - 65 is quite a bit from here... maybe a few but don't test your luck.
  • skynard
    Thanks! Maybe those 70's will do.
  • newbear
    Why not the 90's?
  • amokta
    thats what i was wondering, maybe short-term traders use closer targets, with shorter expiry puts, while 'gamblers' or those who feel they know the future can go with far otm long exp puts?
  • skynard
    Maybe a gamble, But when this tape falls it will not be a pretty sight and want to stay ahead of it for a change.
  • apple breaking out!
  • Hi Anna....Good Afternoon....lol. Any ideas what is causing the VIX to suddenly drop...? I mean we did not have a severe sell down the previous session...?
  • Vardoger
    Besides the overall lack of fear in the market place, they added a 24 and 26 strike in the middle of last week
  • oh good info thanks Var :)
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