Bigger Picture

If you weren't able to follow the comments yesterday, last night in the pre-market, the count of a diagonal wave was invalidated. That meant we were likely in a third wave. So, that provided this shorter term count. The third wave (iii) can still be in progress as there is no concrete overlap yet.

S&P500 Cash Index - Half Hourly - Still in Minute ((c))

Then, yesterday, Elliott Wave International posted this incredulous statement regarding the current wave count, (paraphrase), "our best wave count is that we are in (1), (2), 1, 2" - which readers will recognize means they think we have had Intermediate (1), and Intermediate (2), and Minor 1, and Minor 2. This current wave up would be Minor 2.

The reason this proposed count is incredulous is that Minor 2 would already be a larger wave in points than Intermediate (2) - which simply flies in the face of degree labeling! You can't call a wave a smaller degree if it is, in fact, larger than it's larger degree counterpart. And it is! They think (2) where is we show minute ((b)) at the beginning of December, 2018; and (1) is where we show ((a)) at the end of October in the daily chart, below.

To counteract whatever is going on over there, I thought I would show you my proposal for the beginning of this bear market.

S&P500 Cash Index - Daily - Contracting Diagonal Lead off to Bear Market

The reason is thus: this up wave consumed more points that the prior minute ((b)) wave did by the end of November, 2018. Therefore, it simply must be a larger degree wave. There are only two ways this can happen, and both of them are diagonals. Right now, the market is so choppy, and the Federal Reserve has implemented its "patience" plan. So it seems we might only get a choppy diagonal for the first Intermediate wave of the bear market - shown as (1) in the lower right.

I have drawn in some preliminary trend lines. They are just that. They will be adjusted as we get more waves. Perhaps Minor 3 will occur if/when the Special Counsel's report is released, and/or if Congress takes any action on it.

Until we get more information, this is the best I can do. I was dismayed to read yesterday what the professionals at the wave service thought of the count. It makes it hard for all to learn.

Have a good start to your evening.
TraderJoe

Still the One - 2

We should know soon enough if this count of minute ((c)) = minute ((a)) is the correct one or not. Every wave occurred just about as we expected- with the few twists and turns along the way that are characteristic of potential diagonal waves.

ES E-Mini S&P500 Futures - 4 hr - Minute ((c)) = Minute ((a))

The orange box is drawn so ((c)) = ((a)), and it fits like a glove at the moment. If the count is correct then, there should be a gap lower in the morning, and the minute ((b)) wave should be exceeded lower in less time than it took to complete the overlapping diagonal ((c)) wave, up. The diagonal has all of the correct measurements, and this one has the nice "throw-over" of the top of the trend line.

The diagonal would invalidate if wave (v) became longer than wave (iii) above 2,655.75.

Have a good start to your evening.
TraderJoe

P.S. The futures count was invalidated in the overnight. The only count I can find that still follows the rules for all those overlaps is this one.

ES E-Mini S&P500 Futures - 4 Hr - Only Count that Follows the Rules for the Overlaps

So, the overlapping waves must have been a leading diagonal first wave, and we are now in a third wave.

Still The One

There were initial marginal higher highs in the stock indexes today, followed by a somewhat weaker close.  The S&P500 did have a second higher high in the day that was not confirmed by the Russell 2000 futures. The count below still remains the best one at this  time..

ES E-Mini S&P500 Index Futures - 4 Hr Chart - Diagonal Still Possible for Minute ((c))

The potential diagonal remains solidly on the table. As of the ES settlement, by measurement, there were still five points of possible overlap with waves (iv) and (i) based on the length shown for a third wave. Again, a fourth wave (iv) should remain shorter in time than wave (ii) to maintain a diagonal. As always, a diagonal must form properly in every detail or an alternate would have to be selected. But, we will address that issue if it should come to it.

Today, price got very, very close to the 50-period SMA on the daily chart.

Have a very good start to your evening.
TraderJoe

Brexit Defeat

Today the British Parliament voted down Ms. May's proposal for a Brexit, and this generated a call for a "No Confidence" vote in the government. Stocks here initially rose, then see-sawed on the news.

The best count for the S&P500 cash index remains this one on the four-hourly chart of the futures, below.

ES E-Mini S&P500 Futures - Four Hourly - Diagonal minute ((c))

It's 'possible' wave (iv) down began at the tail end of the session. It should take less total time than (ii) to maintain a diagonal. (This is not a rule but a guideline). The Elliott Wave Oscillator continues to diverge but the green histogram bars for today likely indicate the third wave.

In order to maintain this count, in no case may wave (iv) travel below the low of wave (ii). So far, this wave is just 'grinding and grinding' and there is no clear wave-counting topping signal such as an outside day down, or a bearish engulfing candle. One can also see the the trend line from the 26 Dec lows is also still being maintained. Price is still above the 18-day SMA, so, it has a positive bias, the upper Bollinger Band is not too far away, and the daily slow stochastic is now embedded.

With today's higher high and overlap of 2,603 for the S&P500, it likely means the diagonal count is activated - just as with the $NYA we showed on the previous post.

Have a good start to the evening.
TraderJoe

Overlaps

Others have counted the chart below of the New York Composite Index differently. I thought it would be instructive to look at it today.

$NYA - Weekly - Fifth Wave Failure

Some have counted this wave as wave 1, down in February, 2018, and wave 2, up to the October, 2018 high. I believe that wave count to be in error based on where almost all of the other major stock indexes made their highs. As far as I can tell, the October, 2018 high was the fifth failure wave in the $NYA.  It is what Ralph Nelson Elliott would call the "Orthodox high of the move", versus the "Nominal High of the move".

More importantly, look now at where the $NYA has overlapped on the way down.

$NYA - Weekly - Overlap on Minute ((x))

Some think that minute ((x)) was actually the high of Minor 1. If that was the case and they are calling for a "fifth wave up, because this is the fourth wave down", the overlap suggests they are clearly in error. There are other reasons to rule this out - as I have stated before - based on degree labeling. But the above overlap is yet another reason.

OK, that is water under the bridge, but here is another overlap.

$NYA - Daily - Overlap at 2

The daily chart of the $NYA shows two interesting features. The first is that there is clear overlap at wave Minor 2. So, those now labeling this as a fourth wave in this index are likely incorrect. But, this chart also shows something else of note. Namely, there is no overlap in the minute ((a)) wave down, as there is in the S&P500 cash index. Instead, there is a rather clear wave (iv) triangle!

So, in the first instance, there is now a clear case for a diagonal downward. Such a diagonal could either be expanding or contracting! The market is doing its level best to keep the uncertainty in the wave count. 

But, in the second instance if the current three-waves up somehow expand into "five waves up", then the next best count (best alternate) will be Minor 1 down at the October minute ((a)) location, down, and then five waves up for a "running flat" for Minor 2. 

$NYA - Daily - Alternate Running Flat

While I have diagrammed the alternate, above, the reason it is the alternate is that the internals of the minute ((a)) are not really clear, in this case, and they already contain one upward failure. In addition, there is no clear evidence of five-waves-up to minute ((c)) of Minor 2. But there could be. It could be the upward waves just aren't finished yet.

So as always patience, calm and flexibility are needed until the market sorts things out. It should be clear that any downward overlap of 11.40 on this chart before making a fourth and fifth wave higher would help clearly rule out the alternate.

Have a good rest of the weekend.
TraderJoe

Inside Day

Market Outlook: Likely Long Term Top Identified
Market Indexes: Major U.S. Equity Indexes closed higher
SPX Candle: Lower High, Higher Low, Higher Close - Inside Day
FED Posture: Quantitative Tightening Interim Patience (QTIP)

As the FED has sent all its messengers out to say how patient they can be, today resulted in an inside day - also requiring patience. The hourly chart of the S&P500 Cash Index is below.

SP500 Cash Index - Hourly - Minute ((c)) Nears Equality

One can see from the Fibonacci ruler that a minute ((c)) wave is now nearing equality with minute ((a)). One can also see that the tail end is wedging prominently and price is below the mid-line of the channel. Since the cash index did not form an over-lapping diagonal for minute ((a)), then it would be acceptable for minute ((c)) to have formed a diagonal in its entirety.

Did the diagonal fail, or will it continue? That is a good question. There is a way to count such a diagonal for either case, unfortunately. The waves are so compressed, they do not provide a good answer. Monday and Tuesday should bring some better information.

Have a good start to your evening.
TraderJoe

Diagonal 80: Impulse 20

Stocks as measured by either the S&P500 cash index, or the futures made a marginal new high today. Still, the closer they get to 2,604, cash, then the closer they get to invalidation of the impulse down. For this reason, and one other that was covered in yesterday's comment, the odds of a diagonal are increasing and the odds of the pure impulse count are falling off considerably.

Price remained above the 18-day SMA, and therefore still has a bullish bias, although the slow stochastic is in over-bought territory. And, the swing-line (higher highs and higher lows) is still up. More-than-likely, the "smart money", is still targeting the daily upper Bollinger Band, as below.

ES E-Mini S&P500 Futures - Daily - Outside Day Up

Today was actually an "outside-day-up", and it was again riddled with speeches from the FED Chair and other members. Being an outside-day-up, it would be significant only if the low of today was taken out in the next two trading sessions. The above analysis is the first reason the diagonal is gaining odds.

The second reason, as discussed in yesterday's comments, is 'there is no sign of a clear topping candle on the daily chart.' There is not an evening star, or an inverted hammer, or a bearish engulfing candle. The upper daily Bollinger Band coincides with minute ((c)) = minute ((a)). So, this level is likely to provide some still resistance to upward price movement. Is the 100 period SMA (the green line) out of the question? Since it is inside of 1.618 x ((a)), it is not. As a result, patience and flexibility are still greatly needed as the trading algorithms and the news continue to present overlap upon overlap. This 'slowed pace' of both down and up price movement may be well in-tune with the personality of a diagonal wave.

Have a very good start to the evening.
TraderJoe