Brief Technical Analysis: S&P 500 and S&P 600 Testing Resistance and more

In this briefing:

1. S&P 500 and S&P 600 Testing Resistance
2. LG Electronics Resistance Rejection
3. Gold Topside Pivot Barrier Short Set Up
4. Komatsu, HCM and CAT Tactical Recovery Targets and Macro Pivot Support
5. U.S. Equity Strategy: Nearing Short-Term Overbought Extremes

1. S&P 500 and S&P 600 Testing Resistance

We believe the market is at short-term overbought extremes and is contending with resistance. Resistance levels we are monitoring include 2,810-2,817 on the S&P 500 and the 200-day moving average on the S&P 600 Small Cap index… see charts below. We would welcome some consolidation or a mild pullback which would be a healthy correction of the current extended market conditions.

In today’s report we highlight attractive Groups and stocks within Manufacturing and Technology: Construction Equipment, Industrial Rental Equipment, Data Storage Solutions & Devices, Small-Cap, and Software, Financial Mgmt. Solutions.

2. LG Electronics Resistance Rejection

Lg Electronics (066570 KS) is seeing a rejection from 74.5k resistance that acts as an important intermediate if not macro inflection level. Weakness below 74k implies a test on lower pattern support.

Daily MACD rising wedge accompanied by a flat or triangle corrective range, typically is a bear set-up for a break lower. Making the 74k level pivotal and a short level with a stop above 75k. Very often indicators gyrating higher to relieve oversold conditions with a  failure for price to make headway labels the sideways range as corrective in a stair case sequence.

Shorts need to focus on the 75k pivot as the stop and risk level. Longer term investors will need to remeasure lower entry points barring a break above pivot resistance which would initiate upside bull targets.

3. Gold Topside Pivot Barrier Short Set Up

Our bullish gold view from 1,200 just kissed the formidable topside resistance near 1,350 with increasing signs of the current up leg exhausting.

The standout chart feature stems from the most recent highs have not been confirmed by the daily RSI and MACD for a case of bear divergence amid a rising wedge. This divergence along with the physical barrier at 1,350-60 sets up a compelling short trade.

Well defined MACD triangulation denotes clean breakout points. RSI will give us good lead signals on a break below trend/pattern support.

A peak in gold may tie in with a firming USD bias and exhaustive moves in base metals.

4. Komatsu, HCM and CAT Tactical Recovery Targets and Macro Pivot Support

We thought a technical view on these counters would help clarify where tactical rally targets come into play as well as more important macro support levels where a basing process is expected to begin.

Key resistance points can be used as short zones with key pivots stops and limit levels that reign in risk.

All three stocks display varying degrees of a macro descending corrective wedge formations that have yet to fully mature. 

CAT stands out as the more buoyant of the group and faces its own set of upside pivot resistance points with solid macro support to work with on weakness.

We wanted to fold in a technical view with Mio Kato, CFA and his insight Komatsu, HCM, CAT: The Stock Punishment Does Not Match the Outlook Deterioration Crime . This group may be ahead of the earnings curve and why we may see more gas in a corrective bounce cycle (CB easy policy and the hunt for value may be part of the rally) before more pressure points are hit to re test macro support targets.

5. U.S. Equity Strategy: Nearing Short-Term Overbought Extremes

Positive news surrounding trade and dovish Fed rhetoric has continued to flow, resulting in a reversal from December’s oversold extremes to our current, overbought extremes according to the S&P 500’s percentage of stocks above their 50-day moving average (see chart below). We continue to believe the market is going through a bottoming process, and we prefer to be on the cautious side at current levels considering how far and how quickly the market has risen. 

In today’s report we highlight attractive stocks within Materials and Technology: large- and small-cap gold, silver, platinum, and optical equipment companies.