A week ago, a correction was underway, but the bulls were having none of that, and $SPX support held in the 1540 area for the third time in the last two months. The correction measured about 60 $SPX points, which is small considering how much the index is up this year, but it had the effect of relieving overbought conditions and paving the way for new buy signals on some of the indicators.
This market is getting very interesting. It has been under pressure all week, and volatility has increased dramatically. In fact, most of the indicators have turned bearish -- except for the most important one: price. $SPX has held above the 1540 support level, and if this turns out to be a third successful bottom in that area, one would expect the market to challenge the recent highs.
Wednesday was an ugly day for the market, and it didn’t have the convenient excuses that Monday did. It was just plain old selling. There was a modest rally at the end of the day that lifted prices off of their worst levels. Overnight, S&P futures are little changed in Globex trading. $SPX continues to hold above the 1540 support level (Wednesday’s low was just below 1544). That is the only positive indicator for the bulls right now.
The broad stock market, as measured by the Standard and Poors 500 Index ($SPX) continues to make new highs almost every day. $SPX finally moved above its 2007 intraday highs, and so it (and the Dow $DJX) are trading at prices never seen before.
$SPX clearly established 1540 as a major support level, as it has rallied strongly and sharply off that level twice in the last month.
Equity-only put-call ratios continue to be heavily distorted by protective put buying.
