(Barron's) - Options can be great contrary indicators.
Puts and calls are very versatile. Strategically, they can be used for leveraged speculation by some, while providing protection, income, or both, to others. Their prices and volume also can produce information advantageous for an investor or trader, even if that person doesn't actually buy or sell options.
The initial selling on Wednesday afternoon was probably just some profit-taking by traders who'd bought heavily on Monday and Tuesday. But then the selling gathered momentum.
The stock market has found itself under increasing pressure again this week, and once again seems to have found support at 1600. It is also clear that 1650 is resistance and $SPX is trading wildly and with great volatility in between those two levels.
Equity-only put-call ratios have remained solidly on sell signals throughout. Even on days when the market has rallied, there has been considerable put buying.
Market breadth indicators are currently mixed.
The pressure on the stock market increased again this week, driving the Standard & Poors 500 Index ($SPX) down through some support levels, and generally turning almost all of our indicators to sell signals.
The next support level for $SPX -- at 1600 -- is the extremely important one, and that held today. There is now resistance at 1625-1635.
Equity-only put-call ratios are strongly on sell signals. They are now trending upwards, which is bearish for the market.
Since stocks started to stumble last week, volatility has increased and a number of indicators have begun to look more negative.
The chart of SPX is still bullish, though. This week's low was 1640, and that is the first support level. There is also support in the 1625-1635 area, as well as at the still-rising 20-day moving average (near 1635).
Equity-only put-call ratios have started to roll over to possible sell signals.
$VIX rose again yesterday (6 days out of 7), and its chart clearly shows the beginning of an uptrend. We had been saying that a close above 15.11 was necessary to confirm that uptrend, but it doesn’t really appear that way now. The uptrend is evident from blue line on the chart (below). A close below 14 would break that budding uptrend and return $VIX to a bullish state. But for now, I am grading $VIX as a negative indicator.
The stock market finally took a hit this week, but it hasn't really changed the overall picture -- yet.
First, as far as the chart of $SPX is concerned, it is still bullish. Yesterday's low at 1635 has to be considered a support level as well as 1625-1630, and then the more important support at 1600. if THAT were violated, it would be bearish.
Some wild action in the U.S. yesterday, coupled with a 7% decline (!!) in Japan overnight, has put traders on edge. Yesterday saw $SPX gain about 1% (up 18), then lose most of it, then gain about 10 again, and then just collapse, finishing 32 points off the high of the day. Overnight, after the debacle in Japan, S&P futures were as must as another 23 points lower, but at this writing, they are off about 14.
Stocks continue to rise almost daily. $SPX has gone on a tear since successfully testing support at 1540 about a month ago.(April 18th). This latest upside breakout now leaves the 1623 area as minor support.
Equity-only put-call ratios have plunged recently. That is caused by heavy call buying. Consider Figures 2 and 3: these 21-day moving averages rolled over to buy signals in late April, and they are overbought by the fact that they are at the lower regions of their charts.
Stocks had a small change to their regular pattern yesterday: they didn’t close at the day’s highs. However, they did open slightly lower and then rallied strongly into mid-day. After that there was modest selling, but a late rally kept most of the day’s gains intact. $SPX is now in a bit of a rarified situation.
