S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for THU 01/02

The Last Hurrah of the Bulls or the Next Leg? Many professional and institutional traders may not be back in full strength until Monday. Whoever is back could be driving some wild spiky moves in either directions, so caution is warranted when jumping into positional trades on spikes up or down. Structurally, we are still (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for TUE 12/31

Fireworks Ahead! Happy New Year’s Eve to everyone! Enjoy tonight’s fireworks – they sure are going to be followed by more fireworks in the markets in the coming days! Most professional and institutional traders are not in the markets until the New Year. Models indicate subdued trading to continue until normal liquidity and volumes return (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for MON 12/30

Squaring off Positions Into the Year End  The volumes today and tomorrow are likely to be mainly driven by traders squaring off their positions into the year end. Most professional and institutional traders are not in the markets until the New Year. Models indicate subdued trading to continue until normal liquidity and volumes return post (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for FRI 12/27

Thin Liquidity and Options Expiration Thinly liquid markets with volatility related expiration events (options expiration Friday) are known to lead to exaggerated or exasperatingly narrow moves in either direction to chop out weak hands/stops and it could be the theme for today’s price action. Models indicate the theme to continue until normal liquidity and volumes (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for THU 12/26

Tread Lightly in this Light Trading Compulsive trading could lead to hazardous outcomes. It is even more applicable in low liquid markets and market days. Exaggerated moves likely in either direction to wipe out weak hands/stops until normal liquidity and volumes return post holidays. Structurally, we are still in the bull territory. A daily close (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for TUE 12/24

Bear – Nice or Naughty? Christmas eve shortened markets to experience low liquidity and spiky moves primarily driven by stop hunting of shorts. Exaggerated moves likely in either direction to wipe out weak hands/stops until normal liquidity and volumes return post holidays. Structurally, we are still in the bull territory. A daily close below 3180 (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for MON 12/23

Holiday-thin Liquidity to Drive Spiky Moves Holiday thinned markets to experience low liquidity and spiky moves primarily driven by stop hunting. Exaggerated moves in either direction to wipe out weak hands/stops until normal liquidity and volumes return post holidays. Structurally, we are still in the bull territory. A daily close below 3180 is needed to (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for FRI 12/20

Large Options Positions to Drive the Price Action Today There are very large options positions along the strikes in the broad range of 3180-3225 which is likely to draw intense battles at every 5-point interval, with 3200 the main pivot (very large number of Calls to expire today). Unless some major unexpected headlines hit the (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for THU 12/19

Thinning Liquidity and Large Options Positions With the holidays upon us and the liquidity thinning, and with large call positions expiring tomorrow, expect the tight range to get broadened with wild spikes in either direction today and mainly tomorrow. As we wrote yesterday, “The unabated bull run is likely going to slow down a bit, (more…)

S&P 500 MODEL TRADING PLANS for WED 12/18

This Roller Coaster for both Bulls and Bears The unabated bull run is likely going to slow down a bit, albeit not getting negated any time soon. Unless some major unexpected headlines hit the markets, expect choppy range trading into the year end, with occasional sudden spikes in either direction. Structurally, we are still in (more…)