This was sent out in the early (European) morning, two hours before the jobs report at 8:30 a.m.
The S&P 500 Index has followed the path which we expected to follow the August selloff. The index retraced quite exactly 61.80% of the August selloff on the day of the FED interest rate decision on 17.9.2015. The failure to break upwards suggested that another short-term decline was to be expected.
Indeed, this decline has pulled the index back towards the support zone around 1870 to 1830. This is the range, a break of which would shift the weight of the evidence from the bullish Elliott Wave interpretation to a more bearish one. So far, we still treat the August correction as wave IV within the long-term uptrend from 2009. If the support holds depends on our momentum readings. The S&P would have to recover to around 1945 to signal a short-term momentum bottom. Moreover, it would have to rise above 1970 for the medium-term momentum to signal a new uptrend.
For now, the index remains in its trading range between 1830 and 1970. Ideally, the index would see some more minor weakness to a successful test of 1850 in October. This would fit the Cycle Composite for 2015, which calls for a cycle low in October. It could be followed by a resumption of the uptrend. This is the scenario we call the inflation scenario.
The FED decision to leave rates unchanged centered around the argument of global growth concerns. However, what seems to be more of a concern to the stock market is the outlook for inflation, as measured for example by the Consumer Price Index. A major concern here is that the uptrend in the CPI has slowed to the extent that the absolute trend in the CPI could in fact turn down. If the CPI breaks the low from January 2015 at 234, it would also signal a major top and stress the deflation scenario. Obviously, the price of oil plays a key role here because much of the slowdown in the CPI is derived from the oil decline. For now, Crude oil is consolidating above long-term support at 38. A clear break above 50 would be an encouraging sign that the financial markets are more likely to re-instate the reflationary trend.
For now, our Global-40 Stock Markets Model still shows most technical indicators in red. If the S&P fails to hold the support around 1830 the deflation scenario would become the preferred scenario, if also the CPI tops out.
As we continue to assess the risk/reward of the deflation/inflation scenarios with a respective break in the S&P from the present trading range we stick to our neutral equity view.
© RB at CS