The broad stock market, as measured by several indices, but particularly by the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has broken out to new all-time highs. Other indices that have done the same include the Dow ($DJX), NASDAQ Composite, NASDAQ 100 ($NDX), Midcap 400 ($MID), and the NYSE Index.
The broad stock market, as measured by $SPX, has traded in a very narrow range since early December (with one very brief excursion below the range in late December). That range is essentially 2250 to 2280, an amazingly small range for a 5-week period of time. As a result, realized volatility has declined to very low levels.
After all the positive seasonality that surrounds the end of a year (Post-Thanksgiving rally, Santa Claus rally, January Effect), it is probably not too surprising to learn that there is a system that relies on a bearish seasonal pattern. That is, after about 8 to 12 trading days into a new year, the stock market – particularly, the NASDAQ market – tops out and trades lower for a week or so. This year, with NASDAQ being so strong, one wonders whether the system will work. But there have been times in the past where the system has worked even when NASDAQ was relatively strong in comparison to SPX. The system is sometimes known as “The January Defect.”
The stock market has split into two parts recently. Most of the major averages are moving sideways, but staying within easy range of new all-time highs. The NASDAQ Composite, however, and its smaller companion the NASDAQ-100 ($NDX) have been making new all-time highs frequently. This should be a good thing.
The $SPX chart remains bullish in that its trend lines are sloping upwards and support has held. There is support at 2233, and then at 2210 and 2190 below that.
Overall, the $SPX chart -- which is, by definition, the most important indicator -- remains positive. $SPX did have a pullback at year's end. The subsequent rally off of the 20-day moving average leaves support at 2233 (last Friday's lows). Below that, there is support at 2210 and 2190 (all marked on the chart in Figure 1).
The equity-only put-call ratios have pushed lower as the rally has continued. That means they remain on buy signals.
The final analysis on the $SPX chart is that it is still rising, with rising trend lines, and that means that it is still bullish. In the more traditional sense, there is support on the $SPX chart at 2210 and 2090.
First and foremost, it must be noted that the chart of $SPX is still in an uptrend. The 20-day moving average is rising, and no major trend lines have been broken. $SPX has rallied so hard and so fast since the election that it is quite a ways above support, which is 2210 and 2190. As long as that support holds, the chart of $SPX will arguably still be in an uptrend.
The bullish juggernaut was finally slowed a bit this week by the Fed's decision to raise interest rates (or at least, that was the excuse for some profit-taking). However, the chart of $SPX remains very strong, and this is a period of highly bullish seasonality.
Put-call ratios are remaining bullish. Both equity-only put-call ratios are declining daily, although the pace of their decline has slowed over the past two days. Even so, a declining put-call ratio is bullish for stocks.
