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DXY Analysis 10-11-23Overnight, Fed Chair Jerome Powell surprised markets with his comments that "the bigger mistake remains not getting rates high enough" and that "the US economy has been stronger than expected". These hawkish comments spurred market anticipation that the Fed is not done with the current rate hike cycle, lead to a sharp increase in the DXY. The DXY broke out of the consolidation, first testing the short-term 50% fib retracement level (105.35) before rising to consolidate just under the 106 round number level and at the 50% fib retracement level from the longer term. While the DXY could retrace briefly to retest the 105.65 level, look for the price to climb and break above the 106 level to trade higher toward 106.25
TVC:DXYLong
by JinDao_Tai
ES: Fed Pivot Breathes Life into MarketsCME: E-Mini S&P 500 Options ( CME_MINI:ES1! ) Last Wednesday, investors cheered as the Fed kept interest rates unchanged for the second time in a row. On Friday, a soft jobs report backed up market expectations that the rate-hiking campaign is over. For the full week, the Dow was up by 5.07% in its best week since October 2022. The S&P was higher by 5.85% and the Nasdaq gained 6.61%. It was the best week for both indexes since November 2022. Investors Choose to Ignore What the Fed Says Stock market behavior shows that the Fed is still the dominant driver. Drilling down further, I find that what moves market is not the actual Fed action, but the expectation of what the Fed would do next. Very often, such market-moving expectations could be in direct contradiction of the Fed Chair’s public statement. At the post-FOMC press conference, the Fed Chair said that they had not made a decision for the next meeting. He also stated that pausing now would not prevent the Fed from raising rates again. The Fed Chair stressed that they had not discussed if or when to cut rates. The overarching focus now is to bring inflation down to the 2% target rate. Investors think otherwise. According to CME FedWatch Tool, the probability of keeping rates unchanged on the December 13th FOMC is 95.4% as of November 5th. By the FOMC meeting scheduled on May 1st, 2024, the odds for cutting rates by 25-50 bps are 71%. (Link: www.cmegroup.com) Investors acted upon their expectations. Prior to the Fed meeting, Treasury yields were rising sharply. 10Y rose from 4.5% to above 5.0% in 11 days. In the three days following the rate decision, 10Y took a nosedive and now back to 4.6%. This dramatic changes in yields took place while the Fed did nothing. The stock market rebound could be attributed to the change in expectations too. Lowering rates has the effect of raising the present value of future cash flows, thus increasing a company’s market value, as prescribed by the Discounted Cash Flow valuation method. The collapse of the US dollar is due to the expectations that it would not generate higher returns without further rate increases, according to interest-rate parity theory. Let’s look at two more examples: On July 26th, the Fed raised rates by 25 bps. This was the 11th consecutive rate hike. US stocks rose initially, with the major indexes going up 1-2%. Investors interpreted that this marked the end of Fed tightening. The expectations of Fed Pivot drove market higher, even though the Fed continued to stress the important for fighting inflation. The September 20th FOMC was the first Fed Pause. On face value, this should have been taken as a huge positive. However, investors believed that the Fed would raise rates one more time by year end. US stocks falls so much that both S&P and Nasdaq lost more than 10% from their high and entered contractionary territory. Trading with E-Mini S&P Options What’s the implication from the above observation? 1. Investors may have an easier time forecasting the Fed decision itself than the market reaction after worth. A 95% probability of a Fed Pause could not tell if the stock market would rise or fall after the decision is made. 2. Investor expectations could be adjusted very quickly. Following the Fed decision, the stock market could move up or down by 5% in a week. We could build an event-driven strategy focusing on the December 13th Fed meeting. If we think that the stock market would make a sizable move after the Fed decision, CME E-Mini S&P Options on Futures could be used to express this view. The trade would not be built by this single insight only. There are more: The November jobs report will be released on Friday, December 8th, and the November CPI data will be published on Tuesday, December 12th. These big reports, available to the Fed right before the FOMC, could have a major impact on its rate decision. More importantly, it could alter investor expectations and drive market volatility. The December 2023 contract (ESE3) will be expired on Friday, December 15th, two days after the FOMC. It is also the “Triple Witching Day”, where US stock index futures, stock index options, and single-stock options contracts all expire on the same trading day. My writeup from September shows that stock market is highly likely to make a big move on Triple Witching and on the days leading up to it. With big reports, Fed decision and Triple Witching all within one week, the stock market could enter wild swings as investors digest new data. Time is ripe for options traders. CME E-Mini S&P 500 Options provide leverage and capital efficiency. Options are based on futures contracts. Contract notional is $50 x S&P 500 Index. On the morning of November 6th, the December futures contract is quoted 4,384. The out-of-the-money (OTM) call strike 4,580 is the most active call options, with over 50,000 lots traded. If a trader purchases a call and it finishes at 100 points above the strike, she will realize a gain of $5,000 (=50 x 100), minus the upfront premium she paid. If the market moves against the trade, with the index value below the strike, she will lose money, up to but not beyond the upfront premium. The OTM put strike traded 1,023 lots. If the trader purchases a put and it finishes 100 points below strike, the trader will also make $5,000, minus the premium. If the market moves against the trade to finish above the put strike, the trader will lose money, up to but not beyond the upfront premium. Happy Trading. Disclaimers *Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services. CME Real-time Market Data help identify trading set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
CME_MINI:ES1!Long
by JimHuangChicago
6
No such thing as a Hawkish pause? USD overrated? Has the market adopted the term “hawkish pause” to bolster USD bids? It could be possible that, in an attempt to drag out USD strength just a little bit longer (euro has weakened –4.20% in past 6 months), the term Hawkish Pause has been thrown around with not-enough criticism. Not many people have confidence in the US Fed to really make the hard decisions (transitory inflation anyone?), including being able to start up the rate hiking engine again (this year or next) after a few pauses. If they do, will they do it in a timely manner? Jerome Powell, this morning noted in his public address that the committee hasn’t discussed what it might plan for its December decision but dismissed the idea that it would be difficult to start hiking again (if the conditions in the market require such an action). There are two more inflation readings and two more labor market readings before the last decision of the year. Maybe investors have shrugged off the hawkish pause rhetoric this morning though. The Australian dollar is pumping, up 0.94% at last look, while the dollar has fallen more than half a percent against the yen. The euro is only up 0.16%.
by BlackBull_Markets
Should I do a FOMC strangle/ straddle play? Read here.So, what's the best way to play FOMC? Probably a strangle. According to last FOMC on 9/20 your NASDAQ:QQQ calls would have printed around +50% or more. Assuming you sold and held your puts, your puts would have given you an extra 200% to 300%. You can do this on any stock obviously. Don't get greedy. Best decision might be to stay out of course. Choosing a definite direction (i.e. holding calls/ puts only without a hedge) is pure gambling. Good luck. Welcome to follow for trade ideas. FOMC chart 9/20:
NASDAQ:QQQ
by kingdips
How the Fed affects long Bond YieldsInverse chart of US10Y Yield to show changes in Bond prices. Overlayed with the following: Fed Funds Rate US Treasury Deposits to Federal Reserve Banks Increase/Decrease Rate of change to Fed Balance Sheet Balance Sheet Total in separate pane below The USCBBS Percentage Change shows the money raining down :-D It's clear to see the relationship between the Fed buying Treasuries, i.e. Quantitative Easing (QE) and the increase in US10Y prices. Quantitative Tightening (QT) is the name of the game now. There is A LOT of QT left to do, we're at most 25% into QT since the Fed has only rolled off roughly 1Trillion. They likely have 3+ Trillion to go. Expect US10Y to be under continued pressure as long as QT is in effect. Even when Fed Funds rates are lowered it will have little effect on US10Y while the biggest buyer of Treasuries is on hiatus.
TVC:US10Y
by RobBiddle
Analyzing GOLD: Market Dynamics and Trading strategyThe XAU/USD currency pair, a dynamic interplay between gold and the US dollar, is currently navigating through pronounced market fluctuations. In this comprehensive analysis, we will delve into the intricate interplay of fundamental factors steering the value of XAU/USD. Our focus extends to the looming potential of The Federal Reserve's interest rate adjustments, the consequential shifts in the 10-year US Treasury Yield, and the intricate repercussions woven into the fabric of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts. Moreover, we will embark on a journey through the undulating terrain of gold price fluctuations, deciphering their nuanced implications for the volatility inherent in this currency pair. As we scrutinize both the fundamental and technical dimensions, our aim is to provide traders with a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted forces currently at play, guiding them toward informed and strategic trading decisions. Join us as we unravel the layers of complexity inherent in the XAU/USD market, offering insights that transcend the surface, into the heart of this captivating financial landscape. Fundamental Analysis Potential Rise in The Fed's Interest Rates The Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, stands at the forefront of XAU/USD trader considerations. Despite maintaining interest rates in the latest meeting, speculation about future rate hikes has introduced uncertainty. A hike in interest rates could diminish gold's allure as a risk-free investment alternative. Gold investors tend to favor assets offering higher yields when interest rates rise. Increasing 10-Year US Treasury Yield The recent upswing in the 10-year US Treasury Yield over the past few months has adversely impacted XAU/USD. Gold, often considered a safe-haven asset, typically experiences decreased demand as bond yields rise. Investors seeking protection tend to shift towards bonds offering higher returns than gold, resulting in a decrease in the value of XAU/USD. Impact of Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine Conflicts Geopolitical uncertainty stemming from the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts plays a pivotal role in the dynamics of XAU/USD. As a traditional safe-haven asset, gold tends to attract attention during periods of uncertainty. Elevated geopolitical tensions increase the demand for gold, contributing to an upsurge in the value of XAU/USD. Gold Price Fluctuations: Implications for XAU/USD The notable fluctuation in gold prices, reaching $1,750 per ounce on September 21, 2023, and subsequently declining to approximately $1,700 per ounce on October 20, 2023, reflects significant market volatility. The dip in gold prices could be attributed to a combination of factors, including expectations of interest rate hikes and a shift in investor preferences towards higher-yielding assets. Technical Analysis Indicator Analysis XAU/USD exhibits overbought signals on the STOCHRSI(14) and MACD(12,26) indicators. However, the elevated volatility serves as a warning for potential market direction changes. The 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) confirms a bullish trend, instilling confidence in traders. Support and Resistance Levels According to Barchart, current support and resistance levels are as follows: 1st Resistance Point at 1,986.06, Last Price at 1,994.86, 1st Support Level at 1,954.30, 2nd Support Level at 1,934.11, and 3rd Support Level at 1,914.30. These levels serve as crucial guides in planning trading strategies. Trading Strategy The employed trading strategy involves entering positions after the price breaks and retests the breached support and resistance (S&R) levels. The target price is set before the next resistance level or prior to the Fed speech on October 25, 2023, considering potential unforeseen events. Trade Parameters Based on the above analysis, several trade parameters are identified: Entry Point: When the gold price rises and re-test the previous resistance level. Stop Loss: Placed below the nearest support level to safeguard against sharp declines. Target Profit: Before the next resistance level or prior to the Fed speech on October 25, 2023, considering potential unforeseen events Conclusion: This analysis illuminates the intricacies of XAU/USD, emphasizing the intertwined nature of complex fundamental and technical factors. As investors grapple with potential Fed rate hikes, changes in the 10-year US Treasury Yield, and geopolitical conflicts, a comprehensive understanding of risks is essential. The fluctuation in gold prices serves as a vital indicator, highlighting the need for vigilant monitoring of news and Federal Reserve policies. In navigating these volatile market conditions, prudent trading strategies and effective risk management become indispensable for success in trading XAU/USD.
FXOPEN:XAUUSDLong
by fardycurry
Markets embrace the Higher-for-Longer themeIt has been a big week of central bank policy announcements. While central banks in the US, UK, Switzerland, and Japan left key policy rates unchanged, the trajectory ahead remains vastly different. These central bank announcements were accompanied by a significant upward breakout in bond yields. Interestingly most of the increase in yields has been driven by higher real yields rather than breakeven inflation signifying a tightening of conditions. The bond markets appear to be acknowledging that until recession hits, yields are likely to keep rising. Connecting the dots The current stance of monetary policy continues to remain restrictive. The Fed’s dot plot, which the US central bank uses to signal its outlook for the path of interest rates, shows the median year-end projection for the federal funds rate at 5.6%. The dot plot of rate projections shows policymakers (12 of the 19 policymakers) still foresee one more rate hike this year. Furthermore, the 2024 and 2025 rate projections notched up by 50Bps, a signal the Fed expects rates to stay higher for longer. The key surprise was the upgrade in growth and unemployment projections beyond 2023, suggesting a more optimistic outlook on the economy. The Fed’s caution is justified amidst the prevailing headwinds – higher oil prices, the resumption of student loan payments, the United Auto Workers strike, and a potential government shutdown. Quantitative tightening continues on autopilot, with the Fed continuing to shrink its balance sheet by $95 billion per month. Risk assets such as equities, credit struggled this week as US yields continued to grind higher. The correction in risk assets remains supportive for the US dollar. A hawkish pause by the Bank of England In sharp contrast to the US, economic data has weakened across the board in the UK, with the exception of wage growth. The weakness in labour markets is likely to feed through into lower wages as discussed here. After 14 straights rate hikes, the weaker economic backdrop in the UK coupled with falling inflation influenced the Bank of England’s (BOE) decision to keep rates on hold at 5.25%. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was keen to stress that interest rates are likely to stay at current levels for an extended period and only if there was evidence of persistent inflation pressures would further tightening in policy be required. By the next meeting in November, we expect economic conditions to move in the MPC’s favour and wage growth to have eased materially. As inflation declines, the rise in real interest rates is likely to drag the economy lower without the MPC having to raise interest rates further. That said, the MPC is unlikely to start cutting rates until this time next year and even then, we only expect to see a gradual decline in rates. Bank of Japan maintains a dovish stance Having just tweaked Yield Curve Control (YCC) at its prior Monetary Policy Meeting (MPM) on 28 July, the Bank of Japan decided to keep its ultra easy monetary settings unchanged. The BOJ expects inflation to decelerate and said core inflation has been around 3% owing to pass-through price increases. Governor Ueda confirmed that only if inflation accompanied by the wages goal was in sight would the BOJ consider an end to YCC and a rate shift. With its loose monetary policy, the BOJ has been an outlier among major central banks like the Fed, ECB and BOE which have all been hiking interest rates. That policy divergence has been a key driver of the yen’s weakness. While headline inflation in Japan has been declining, core inflation has remained persistently higher. The BOJ meeting confirmed that there is still some time before the BOJ exits from negative interest rate policy which is likely to keep the Yen under pressure. The developments in US Monetary Policy feeding into a stronger US dollar are also likely to exert further downside pressure on the Yen. This year global investors have taken note that Japanese stocks are benefitting from the weaker Yen, relatively cheaper valuations and a long-waited return of inflation. Japanese companies are also becoming more receptive to corporate reform and shareholder engagement. Adopting a hedged Japanese exposure Taking a hedged exposure to dividend paying Japanese equities would be a prudent approach amidst the weaker yen. This goes to a point we often make - currency changes do not need to impact your foreign return, and you can target that local market return by hedging your currency risk. A hedged Japanese dividend paying equity exposure could enable an investor to hedge their exposure to the Yen. This material is prepared by WisdomTree and its affiliates and is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. The opinions expressed are as of the date of production and may change as subsequent conditions vary. The information and opinions contained in this material are derived from proprietary and non-proprietary sources. As such, no warranty of accuracy or reliability is given and no responsibility arising in any other way for errors and omissions (including responsibility to any person by reason of negligence) is accepted by WisdomTree, nor any affiliate, nor any of their officers, employees or agents. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the reader. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
TVC:US10Y
by aneekaguptaWTE
1
SP500 BULL ACCUMULATIONHello! I see SP500 has formed some bottom on 12H timeframe and closed beyond previous 12H High Point. Bulls are gaining more strength in this market, that has seen 3 weeks of countinious decline. It looks just about to swing higher. Taking into consideration that previous weeks NFP data came out much stronger then forecast, about 330k new payrolls added to the economy tells of a strong labor market. This adds to the FEDs case to raise interest rates further and would be bearish for the SP500. This was not the expected market reaction, instead a small decline was followed by a steep increase and that is telling me bears are running out of steam. Write in the comments what you think will happen next week!
BLACKBULL:SPX500Long
by eediiz
BTC BULLISH BRAINSTORMHappy Spooky Season boys and girls! Here is just a mock up of how I have been navigating Bitcoin. I am currently short term bullish and possibly long term bullish due to the season and recent price action across major indexes, commodities, the dollar, and Treasury yields. However that is remain to be seen and I will adjust my theses when necessary. Cool side note: If you had been dollar cost averaging every time BTC went oversold on the daily RSI over the last 12-18 months, you would have an average price per Bitcoin somewhere in the ballpark of $20,000. As of today you would be up 37% on that strategy.
COINBASE:BTCUSDLong
by ChazzyFreshh
S&P500 Vulnerabilities: from Money Supply to Sectoral ImbalancesAs much as we try not to repeat ideas here, occasionally, an opportunity emerges to harp on the same point. As we have previously laid out the bear case for the S&P 500 from a historical volatility behavior perspective, this week we will zoom in on other metrics showing why we think the S&P may struggle from here. The first and most interesting measure, in our opinion, is the S&P 500 when adjusted by the money supply. Once again it appears to have peaked and is on the path of reversal now. The S&P500 / Money Supply has reached these levels not once, not twice but thrice, stopping at the same level before reversing. More importantly, overall, we see the S&P 500 clearly climbing up in line with the level of money supply. Money supply has been on a decreasing trend since the start of the Federal Reserve hikes. While the downtrend has been paused momentarily with money supply slightly increasing in early 2023 it now seems to have resumed the downward path. This could spell bad news for equities given that the S&P has broadly followed money supply and the clear resistance observed on the S&P 500 / Money Supply chart. As yields creep higher, investors will eventually second guess whether it still makes sense to put more into the equities when cash now yields more. The 6-month treasury yield is now higher than the S&P 500 earnings yield, a phenomenon not experienced since the turn of the millennium. A federal reserve resolute in keeping rates higher for longer might just be the kicker for investors to turn to these shorter dated treasuries while waiting out equity volatility. With a series of better-than-expected economic data, the Federal Reserve once again gains greater headroom to maintain its higher for longer stance, which is causing discomfort in the equities market. All eyes will be on the Non-Farm Payrolls numbers coming out tomorrow for further confirmation if the US economy can indeed take this regime of higher rates. Within the S&P 500, the Technology sector remains the significant outperformer compared to other sectors like Financial, Consumer Staples and Energy. With the Technology Sector / Financial Sector ratio extending far beyond the trend from 2017. The combination of money supply metrics, yield comparisons, and sectoral imbalances, among other factors, makes a compelling case for a bearish outlook on the S&P 500. For investors seeking targeted strategies, CME E-MINI Select Sector Futures offers a refined approach, allowing for an overall bearish view on the S&P 500 while building positions in certain sectors through a relative value strategy. To express the bearish view on the technology sector relative to the financial sector, we can take a short position on the E-MINI Technology Select Sector Futures and a long position on the E-MINI Financial Select Sector Futures. Given the contract size differences, to roughly match the notional, we will need 3 E-MINI Financial Select Sector Futures at the current level of 405 to match 2 E-MINI Technology Select Sector Futures. 3 x E-MINI Financial Select Sector Futures Notional = 3 * 405 * 250 USD = $303,750 2 x E-MINI Technology Select Sector Futures Notional = 2 * 1678 * 100 USD = $335,600 Each 0.1 index point move in the E-MINI Technology Select Sector Futures is $10, while each 0.05 index point move in the E-MINI Financial Select Sector Futures is $12.5. The charts above were generated using CME’s Real-Time data available on TradingView. Inspirante Trading Solutions is subscribed to both TradingView Premium and CME Real-time Market Data which allows us to identify trading set-ups in real-time and express our market opinions. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com Disclaimer: The contents in this Idea are intended for information purpose only and do not constitute investment recommendation or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products or services. They serve as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate fundamental concepts in risk management under given market scenarios. A full version of the disclaimer is available in our profile description. Reference: www.cmegroup.com www.cmegroup.com
SP:SPXShort
by inspirante
Unlocking SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust's PotentialAt the start of 2023, our key assumption was that bullish trends would dominate the market this year despite the challenging global macroeconomic conditions following the post-COVID-19 era. Our prediction proved accurate, as the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust has already surged by over 10%, despite the ongoing high hydrocarbon prices. Bears have been trying to regain control and putting downward pressure on SPY in recent weeks. Adding fuel to the fire was the news that the Federal Reserve is ready to raise interest rates again if necessary, Jerome Powell said following the meeting at the end of September. "Given how far we have come, we are in a position to proceed carefully as we assess the incoming data and the evolving outlook and risks. Real interest rates now are well above mainstream estimates of the neutral policy rate, but we are mindful of the inherent uncertainties in precisely gauging the stance of policy. We are prepared to raise rates further if appropriate, and we intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we are confident that inflation is moving down sustainably toward our objective. In determining the extent of additional policy firming that may be appropriate to return inflation to 2 percent over time, the Committee will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments." However, despite the negativity spreading in the media, in our opinion, all movements are taking place within the framework of corrective wave 4, which will be completed this week. Overall, we believe that the Fed will not tighten its monetary policy as American savings continue to decline, which, given the rise in household debt, poses a significant threat to the stability of the US financial system. In conclusion, we would like to note that we are optimistic about the American economy, which is showing its stability while China cannot recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we expect that the price of SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust will continue its movement within the impulse wave 5 up to $461-462. Analyst’s Disclosure: This article may not take into account all the risks and catalysts for the assets described in it. Any part of this analytical article is provided for informational purposes only, does not constitute an individual investment recommendation, investment idea, advice, offer to buy or sell securities, or other financial instruments. The completeness and accuracy of the information in the analytical article are not guaranteed. If any fundamental criteria or events change in the future, I do not assume any obligation to update this article.
AMEX:SPYLong
by AisenQuantum
4
Fed Pause is the New Restricted PolicyCME: Micro Russell 2000 ( CME_MINI:M2K1! ) Global financial market orbits around Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions. By concept, hiking interest rates means monetary tightening while cutting them signals easing. In reality, market perception to the Fed actions evolves over time, sometimes blurring the difference between “good news” and “bad news”. • On May 5, 2022, the Fed surprised the market with a larger-than-expected 50-bps rate hike. The S&P 500 fell 3.6%. This is a normal market reaction to bad news. • On July 27, 2022, the Fed hiked 75 bps and the S&P soared 2.6%! Previous meetings saw the Fed raising the stake from 25 to 50 and then 75 bps. By not getting a bigger 100-bp hike, investors were relieved and cheered as if it were good news. • On February 1st, the Fed raised for the 8th time, but the S&P went up 1%. With lower-than expected inflation, investors concluded that this would be “the last” rate hike. • On September 20th, the Fed paused after raising for 11 consecutive times. The S&P were down 1% as investors were spooked by the hawkish Fed statement. Last Friday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported that personal consumption expenditures price index (PIC) excluding food and energy increased 0.1% for August, lower than expectation. On a 12-month basis, the index was up 3.9%. As the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge shows that the fight against higher prices is making progress, “Fed Pause” might be the new baseline case for the US central bank’s interest rate decision. The futures market agrees. CME FedWatch Tool shows that the probability of the Fed keeping rate at 5.25-5.50% is high through Mid-2024. Specifically: (Link: www.cmegroup.com) • Fed pause on November 1st, 2023 FOMC meeting: an 82% probability • Fed pause on December 13th, 2023: at 65% • Fed pause on January 31st, 2024: at 65% • Fed pause on March 20th, 2024: at 60% • Fed pause on May 1st, 2024: at 49% Last year, a Fed Pause meant slowing the rate hikes. It has a very different meaning now: to keep the interest rate higher for longer. Therefore, what was once a signal of easing should now be viewed as restricted monetary policy. Even if the Fed stops raising rates, the cumulative effect of past rate hikes would continue to ripple through the US economy. Government policy has a lagging period, but it has passed. Households and businesses now feel the full force of higher borrowing costs. Below are two-year changes of selected interest rates from the FRED: • 30-Year-Fixed Mortgage Rate: from 3.01% to 6.29% to 7.29% • 72-Month New Car Loan: 4.17% - 5.19% - 7.80% • Credit Card Interest Rate: 14.61% - 15.13% - 20.68% • Baa Corporate Bond Yields: 3.26% - 5.97% - 6.39% Restricted monetary policy would have negative impacts on stocks. Good news: Market prices show that investors have not yet adapted to changes in the Fed trajectory. Russell 2000: The Weakest Link The discounted cash flow (DCF) pricing theory states that stock price is the present value (PV) of expected future cash flows discounted by the weighted average cost of capital (WACC). A higher cost of capital shall cause stock price to fall, other things equal. Small- and medium-sized companies would be hit harder comparing to larger corporations. As rates go up, credit standard will be tightened, and credit spread will expand. Below are current bond rates charged to companies with different credit scores: • 10-Year Treasury Bond Yield: 4.58% • Moody’s Aaa Corporate Bond Yield: 4.95% • Moody’s Baa Corporate Bond Yield: 6.39% • Bank of America BBB Corporate Bond Yield: 6.31% • Bank of America BB High Yield: 7.55% • Bank of America CCC or Lower High Yield: 14.05% Russell 2000 is the benchmark stock market index for the US small companies. CME Micro Russell 2000 futures ( FWB:M2K ) has a drawdown of 200 points in the past two months, from yearly high of 2013 to 1807. The index is still up 2.6% YTD. As the Fed keeps rates high for the next 6-9 months, corporate bond yields could likely go higher. And the credit spreads, including Baa-Bbb, Baa-Bb, and Baa-Ccc, would likely get wider. This could put further downward pressure on the Russell index. Could we quantify the impact? Let’s illustrate this with a $1 million payment, to be received in five years. • Applying the BBB corporate bond yield 6.31% as the WACC, present value of $1 million will be $736,427. • If the WACC goes up by 200 bps, the PV will be reduced to $670,899. • This shows that a 2% increase in WACC could cause an 8.9% loss in market value. The same concept would work on the Russell index. WACC could go up, either due to a rise of general interest rate level, or because of the widening of credit spread. The result would be the decrease in the market value of Russell component companies. For someone with a bearish view of the Russell 2000, he could establish a short position in Micro Russell futures. The contract has a notional value at $5 times the index. At Friday closing price of 1807, each December contract (M2KZ3) is worth $9,035. CME Group requires an initial margin of $620 for each M2K contract, long or short. A short trader would gain $5 for each point the M2K moving down. Hypothetically, if the Russell is 5% lower, the 90-point slide would translate into $452 gain per contract. The risk of short futures is the index going up. If investors continue to perceive Fed Pause as “good news”, Russell could rise after the November and December FOMC meetings. Happy Trading. Disclaimers *Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services. CME Real-time Market Data help identify trading set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
CBOT:ZQ1!Long
by JimHuangChicago
1
Mexico’s Manufacturing Boom Lifted Peso to 5-Year HighCME: USD/Mexican Peso ( CME:6M1! ) What’s the strongest currency in 2023? Hint: Not the US dollar. • Although dollar index has rallied nearly 6% in the past two months, it gained just 2.1 points, or +1.9%, year-to-date, to settle at 105.583 as of September 22, 2023. • British Pound futures ( SEED_TVCODER77_ETHBTCDATA:6B ) was up 2.0% YTD, to close at $1.225 per pound sterling. • Euro FX ($6E) gained a meager 0.7% YTD, to $1.069 per euro. • Chinese Yuan ( FWB:CNH ) declined 5.5% YTD, from 6.991 to 7.295 yuan per dollar. • Japanese Yen ($6J) has lost over 11% YTD, from 130 to 146 yen per dollar. While most foreign currencies were under pressure as the US Federal Reserve embarks on the monetary tightening journey, Mexico boasts the world’s strongest currency this year. • Each dollar was exchanged for 19.70 Mexican Peso on January 1st. The exchange rate is now 17.41 as of last Friday. For the Peso, this represents a 12.7% gain. The strength of the Peso is built upon Mexico’s thriving economy. Riding on the waves of resurgent exports and booming manufacturing, Mexico has overtaken China as the biggest US trading partner. According to the latest US Census Bureau data, Mexico made up 15% of US imports in July, while China had a 14.6% share. From Offshoring to Nearshoring For decades, U.S. companies moved manufacturing offshore to lower production cost. Free trade helped grow global economy and lift the living standard of poorer nations. However, the world has experienced a series of trade disruptions lately: the US-China trade conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic and its supply chain disruptions, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the export controls that followed. Their cumulative impact has called into question the vision of a globalized economy. To “de-risk” the potential disruptions in global supply chain, new trends has emerged to replace offshoring, namely, “Reshoring”, “Friend-shoring” and “Nearshoring”. Reshoring is the opposite of offshoring, with US companies bringing production back to the States. According to the “Reshoring Initiative 2022 Data Report”, this phenomenon contributed to the creation of 360K manufacturing jobs in 2022. • Cross-checking this claim with BLS nonfarm payroll data, I found that manufacturing employment is 13.0 million in August, up 106K year-on-year. “Made-in-America” is one of the reasons supporting a solid US job market. • While reshoring raises the cost of production, robotics and industrial automation offset some of the labor costs. Government funding and tax incentives also help. Friend-shoring encourages companies to shift manufacturing away from authoritarian states and toward allies with shared values. Countries such as India, Vietnam, Mexico, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Brazil could benefit from friend-shoring as plants, jobs and investments move toward these nations deemed sufficiently trustworthy by the United States. • Diversifying the concentration of global supply chain also helps businesses become more resilient to shocks like war, famine, political change, or the next pandemic. Nearshoring is one step down from reshoring. The key word is “Near”. By placing plants in North and Central America, particularly in Mexico, US companies could source imports from closer to home. • In addition to lowering production cost, nearshoring also has the benefits of cheaper transportation, lower import tariffs, shorter production cycle, and faster response time. • Spanish, a common language, stands as a unique advantage for training local workforce and better communication between the US customers and their nearshoring suppliers. The Next World Factory Mexico stands to benefit from both friend-shoring and nearshoring. Made-in-Mexico-for-America is nothing new. It started in 1994 with the signing of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). However, it did not give a big boost for Mexico then. Since the year it took effect, Mexico’s economy grew at 2.0-2.5% a year, well below par for developing economies, and nowhere near enough to lift millions of Mexicans out of poverty. We could make the case that things would be very different this time. Tesla’s Monterrey Gigafactory serves as a textbook case of why it would work. Two years ago, when Tesla announced plans to open a factory in Texas, it also proposed to build a Gigafactory in Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo León state. Instead of shipping auto parts all the way from China, it made sense to build them close to the US border. “You could drive to California from Monterrey in 3 hours without seeing a red light”, a big advantage promoted by Nuevo León’s trade office. Tesla’s decision triggered a sea change in its supply chain. AGP Group makes windshields, China’s DSBJ makes electronics parts, Italy’s Brembo SpA makes brake— and they’re all setting up new factories near Monterrey. All told, more than 30 companies have moved to Nuevo León since Tesla’s announcement. Foreign direct investment in Mexico is already up more than 40% in 2023. Ultimately, Mexico’s appeal to global businesses rests on its geography and its free trade agreement with the U.S. Comparing to other alternatives, Mexico is attractive because it’s already integrated into the U.S. More investment will flow in as big companies bring their plants and the entire supply chains there one-by-one. While manufacturing for the US is concentrated in dozens of mega industrial parks close to the US-Mexico border now, the growth potential is huge. I am convinced that Mexico would be the next World Factory. “Made-in-Mexico” will be like “Made-in-China” today. Trading Idea with Mexico Peso Futures On May 16, 1972, the IMM (now part of the CME Group) launched seven currency futures contracts: British pounds, Canadian dollars, Deutsche marks, French francs, Japanese yen, Mexican pesos, and Swiss francs. This marks the birth of financial futures, the first time a futures contract is based on something other than physical commodities. The USD/MXN futures ($6M) is one of the earliest financial futures contracts. It is notional on 500,000 Mexican pesos. At Friday closing price of 0.057430, each December 2023 contract (6MZ3) is valued at $28,715. Initial margin for buying or selling one contract is $1,400. On September 14th, the day before Triple Witching Day, the Peso futures reached a high volume of 224,296 contracts, with open interest standing at 252,004. Aside from the fundamental economic factors, the near-ending of Fed rate hikes means that interest-rate parity is in favor of the Pesos. When the world has been focusing on the 525-bp Fed rate hikes in the past two years, Mexico’s Central Bank raised interest rates by 725 basis points during the same period, from 4.0% all the way to 11.25%. At 0.5675, the USD/Peso exchange rate is at 5-year high. However, this is nowhere near its all-time high of 0.1099 reached in March 2002. I am bullish on the Pesos based on the analysis discussed here and would explore a long position. Record export data and new announcement of foreign direct investment could lift the Pesos up further. The risk in long Peso would be the Fed raising interest rates again in November or December meeting. Happy Trading. Disclaimers *Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services. CME Real-time Market Data help identify trading set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
CME:6M1!Long
by JimHuangChicago
1
Month on Month US Inflation Harmonically Set to Rise to 1.94%This is a followup to this year-on-year inflation chart idea posted back in June 2022: The YoY US Inflation rate has been on a trend of going down since it tested the 1.414 PCZ of the Bearish Butterfly above, but recently we have seen the MoM rate slow its descent and form a bottoming pattern with MACD Hidden Bullish Divergence at the 200-Month SMA and now we can see that the MACD has crossed positively as the inflation rate has broken out of its recent range. This harmonically puts it into position where we will likely see it at least hit the 0.886 retrace to complete a small bat pattern, but it could go out of control and go as high as the 1.618 Fibonacci Extension area all the way at about 1.94%. One reason I suspect for the sudden stop of the inflationary decline is due to the Fed not raising rates high enough, fast enough, and then keeping them the same for the last few months. It would also seem that the year-on-year inflation rate is setting up for a similar rise, showing Hidden Bullish Divergence at the Moving Averages and likely one that will result in it going to test higher highs to around its 1.414-1.618 PCZ once area once more before ultimately crashing back down from these highs once the Fed starts to go heavy on rate hikes again. Though the timeframe may be shorter than how it is presented on the chart, I do still suspect we will have action resembling what is projected on the chart below until the Fed starts rising rates aggressively again: This does not mean I think stocks will go up, that the dominance of the dollar will go down, or even that I think the consumer credit situation will improve. Instead, I think the rise in inflation will be fueled by energy, import, and export costs, and that this will be very bad for: Stocks, Consumers, REITs, and Banks overall, and that the Bond Yields will continue to rise at an accelerated rate.
ECONOMICS:USIRMMLong
by RizeSenpai
Market Update - September 22, 2023 Bitcoin has an up-and-down week as Mt. Gox delays repayments: Bitcoin (BTC) started the week off rallying from $26.5k USD to $27.4k USD before paring its gains by Friday. Mt. Gox trustees delayed repayment of more than 140,000 BTC and other cryptos by a year, extending the deadline to October 2024. Fed holds rates steady as one more hike expected this year: In line with expectations, the US Federal Reserve held its target benchmark interest rate at 5.25%-5.5%. One more hike is expected by the end of 2023, with interest rate cuts anticipated starting next year. Judge blocks the SEC from immediately reviewing Binance.US software: The SEC faced a setback in its case against Binance.US, as a judge blocked the agency from immediately reviewing the exchange’s software. A follow-up hearing is slated for October 12. Optimism completes third community airdrop and plans private sale: Optimism (OP) airdropped ~19.4 million OP tokens (~$27 million USD) to eligible users. The team also announced a private sale of 116m OP tokens (~$162 million USD) to seven buyers. 🪂 Topic of the Week: Crypto Airdrops ➡️ Read more here
GEMINI:BTCUSD
by Gemini
Bitcoin 10k crash! Reposting from Aug 19, 2023This is a republishing of my original post of title: Bitcoin 10k crash‼️ - 🤔 will it happen? Can it be avoided? The original version was removed - for reason I care not to explain. BITSTAMP:BTCUSD BINANCE:BTCUSDT BINANCE:BTCBUSD KUCOIN:BTCUSDC BINANCE:BTCUSDT.P I wanted to do an update to my original post and below you will see what charts and findings including the original post from August 19th to help you decide on if you want to invest. Please be advised. 🚫Do not allow this to frighten you into selling, or consider this as financial advice, understand the risk and understand this may be hypothetical so bear with me BTC -fans or any of those that follow my content, take this with a grain of salt. Like, laugh, make fun of this prediction, but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up of my findings. So by the 19th to the 20th of this month, we maybe in more trouble than we think, we may need to start the recovery process soon as this is effecting a great deal of the market and not just cryptos if this issue is not recovered soon - or - see Bitcoin fall in price to the range of 10k by September 25, 2023 or late October 2023. I will add updates to this post as it progress. Be sure like, follow, and subscribe for more tips and prediction from me. Grandmaster_oz Will be creating a streaming channel soon so I will be covering future events live or on recording. Below the current status of the market today.
Short
by Grandmaster_Oz
24
Surprised by Fed hinting at another rate hike this year?The big story of the day is of course the Fed signaling one more rate hike this year. At the conclusion of its FOMC meeting a few hours ago, The U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged, but projected another rate increase by the end of the year. Additionally, higher for longer is probably the new reality, with projections showing rates falling only half a percentage point in 2024 compared to the full percentage point of cuts anticipated at the meeting in June. Financial markets had widely expected that the Fed would leave rates unchanged, but the revision to its projected cuts has caught markets off-guard. The biggest mover of the day; GBPUSD was doubling impacted by the Fed decision and UK Inflation Rate Slowing Further to 1-1/2-Year Low (to 6.7% in August 2023 from 6.8% in the previous month, falling below the market consensus of 7.0%.) The GBPUSD moved from around 1.238 to a low at 1.233 (but not before some indecision and a shot up to 1.238 within the first hour). In the end, the price fell below the pre-decision (panicked?) low. The current price trades at 1.234 just above that level, but an eye will be kept on this new short-term resistance for the downside prospects of this pair
by BlackBull_Markets
MACRO MONDAY 10~ Interest Rate & S&P500MACRO MONDAY 10 – Historical Interest Rate hike Impact on S&P500 This chart aims to illustrate the relationship between the Federal Reserve’s Interest rate hike policy and the S&P500’s price movements. At a glance the chart highlights the lagging effects of the Federal Reserves Interest Rate hikes on the S&P500 (the “Market”). In all four of the interest rate hikes over the past 24 years the S&P500 did not start to decline until 3 months into an interest the rate pause period (at the earliest) and in 3 out of 4 of the interest rate pauses there was a 6 – 16 month wait before the market begun to turn over. The move to reducing interest rates (after a pause period) has been the major warning signal for the beginning or continuation of a major market decline/capitulation. We might have to wait if we are betting on a major market decline. In the chart we look particularly at the time patterns of the last two major interest rate hike cycles of 2000 and 2007 as they offer us a framework as to what to expect in this current similar hike cycle. Why is this cycle similar to 2000 & 2007?.. because rates increased to 6.5% in 2000, 5.25% in 2007 and we are currently at 5.50% in 2023 (sandwiched between the two). These are the three highest and closely aligned rate cycles over the past 24 years. The COVID-19 crash is included in this analysis but has not been given the same attention as the three larger and similar hike cycles 2000,2007 & 2023. The Chart We can simplify the chart down to FIVE key points (also summarised hereunder): 1. Previously when the Federal Reserve increased interest rates the S&P500 made significant price gains with a 20% increase in 2000 and a 23% increase in 2007. - Since rates started increasing in February 2022 we have seen the S&P500 price make a sharp decline and then recover all those losses to establish an increase of 5% at present since the hiking started. - This means all three major interest hike cycles resulted in positive S&P500 price action. - For reference, a more gradual rate hike pre COVID-19 also resulted in 20%+ positive price action. 2. When the Federal Reserve paused interest rates in 2000 it led to a 15% decline in the S&P500 and then in 2007 it led to a 28% increase in the S&P500. It is worth noting that a lower interest rate was established in 2007 at 5.25% versus 6.5% in 2000. This might indicate that this 1.25% difference may have led to an earlier negative impact to the market in 2000 causing a decline during the pause phase. Higher rate, higher risk of market decline during a pause. - At present we are holding at 5.5% (between the 6.5% of 2000 and the 5.25% of 2007). 3. In the event that the Federal Reserve is pausing rates from hereon in, historic timelines of major hike cycles suggest a 7 month pause like in 2000 or a 16 month pause in line with 2007 (avg. of both c.11 months). For reference COVID-19’s rate pause was for 6 months. - 6 - 7 months from now would be March/April 2024 and 16 months from now would be Nov 2024 (avg. of both Jun 2024 as indicated on chart). 4. As you can see from the red circles in the chart the initiation of Interest rate reductions have been the major and often advanced warning signals for significant market declines, including for COVID-19. 5. It is worth considering that before the COVID-19 crash, the interest rate pause was for 6 months from Dec 2018 – Jun 2019. Thereafter from July 2019 rates begun to reduce (THE WARNING SIGNAL from point 4 above)…conversely the market rallied hard by 20% from $2.8k to $3.4k topping in Feb 2020 at which point a major 35% capitulation cascaded over 6 weeks pushing the S&P500 down to $2,200. Similarly in 2007 the rates began to decline in Aug 2007 in advance of market top in Oct 2007. A 53% decline followed. The lesson here is, no matter how high the market goes, once interest rates are decreasing it’s time to be on the defensive. Summary 1. Interest Rate increases have resulted in positive S&P500 price action 2. Interest rate pauses are the first cautionary signal of potential negative S&P500 price action however 2 out of 3 pauses have resulted in positive price action. The higher the rate the higher the chance of a market decline during the pause period. 3. Interest rate pauses have ranged from 6 to 16 months (avg. of 11 months). 4. Interest rate reductions have been the major, often advanced warning signal for significant and continued market decline (red circles on chart) 5. Interest rates can decrease for 2 to 6 months before the market eventually capitulates. - In 2020 rates decreased for 6 months as the market continued its ascent and in 2007 rates decreased for 2 months as the market continued its ascent. This tells us that rates can go down as prices go up but that it rarely lasts with any gains completely wiped out within months. September – The Doors to Risk Open We now understand, as per point 2 above, that an Interest rate pause is the first cautionary signal of potential negative S&P500 price action. Should the Fed confirm a pause in September 2023 we will clearly be moving into a more dangerous phase of the interest rate cycle. Based on the chart and subject to the Fed pausing interest rates from September 2023 we can now project that there is a 33% chance of immediate market decline (within 3 months) when the pause commences with this risk increasing substantially from the 6th and 7th month of the pause in March/April 2024. I have referenced previously how the current yield curve inversion on the 2/10 year Treasury Spread provided advance warning of recession/capitulation prior to almost all recessions however it provided us a wide 6 - 22 month window of time from the time the yield curve made its first definitive turn back up to the 0% level (See Macro Monday 2 – Recession Timeframe Horizon). Interestingly September 2023 will be the 6th month of that 6 – 22 month window. Both todays chart and Macro Monday 2’s chart emphasize how the month of September 2023 opens the door to increased market risk. Buckle up folks. March/April 2024 – Eye of the Storm On Macro Monday 2 – Recession Timeframe Horizon our average time before a recession after the yield curve starts to turn up was 13 months or April 2024 (average of past 6 recessions using 2/10Y Treasury Spread). From today’s review of the Interest rate hikes impact on the S&P500, we have a strong indication that March/April 2024 will be key high risk date also. Now we have two charts that indicate that the month of Mar/Apr 2024 will come with significantly increased risk. Its worth noting a pause could last 16 months like in 2007 lasting until Nov 2024, at which point we would be pretty frustrated if we had been preparing defensively since Mar/Apr 2024. Just another scenario to keep in mind. The Capitulation Signal Based on today’s chart, should interest rates at any stage decline we should be prepared for significant market decline with immediate effect or within 2 months (at worst). Regardless of any subsequent increases in the market, these would likely be wiped out within 6 – 9 months by a capitulation. An optimist could run a trailing stop and hope it executes in the event of. Bridging the Gaps Please have a look at last week’s Macro Monday 9 – Initial Jobless Claims if you would like to measure risk month to month. The chart is designed so that you can press play and have an idea of the risk level we are entering into on an ongoing basis. In this chart we summarised more intermediate risk levels with Sept-Oct 2023 as Risk level 1 (yield curve inversion time window opens and potential rate pause risk increase) and Nov-Dec 2023 as stepping into a higher Risk Level 2 (as increase in Jobless claims average timeframe will be hit). Should the yield curve continue to move up towards being un-inverted and should Jobless Claims increase then Jan 2024 forward this could be considered a higher Risk level 3 leading the path to our Risk level 4 defined today which is March/April 2024. Final Word It is worth noting that the Fed could surprise us and start increasing rates again, they may also not pause interest rates in Sept 2023. For this reason I included the small black and red arrows that provide a general timeline across different rate periods to help us gauge a market top (red arrows) and a market bottom (black arrows). The black arrows suggest a time window of 27 – 32 months from now being the market bottom. A lot of people are focused on when a recession or capitulation will start, we may want to start thinking a step ahead and prepare for the opportunity that will present itself at a market bottom. Having a time window can help us plan and be psychologically prepared to consider taking a position in a market of pain and fear should the timing window align. If we are expecting this bottom in between Oct 2025 and Mar 2026, we can make more rational decisions when the streets are red. We can try to make more definitive calls and decisions on an ongoing bases so please please do not take any of the above as a guarantee. We know the risk is increasing now and a lot of charts indicate incremental increases in risk up to Mar/Apr 2024, Nov 2024 and even January - March 2025. All of theses dates are possible trigger events but ultimately we don’t know. We are just trying to prepare and read the warning signs on the road as we drive closer to a potential harpin turn. If you have any charts you want me to look at or think would be valuable to review in the context of the above subject matter please let me know, id love to hear about it. PUKA
ECONOMICS:USINTR
by PukaCharts
6
NQ Power Range Report with FIB Ext - 9/20/2023 SessionCME_MINI:NQZ2023 - PR High: 15386.50 - PR Low: 15377.25 - NZ Spread: 20.75 Tight NZ spread ahead of FOMC day 14:00 – FOMC Economic Projections - FOMC Statement - Fed Interest Rate Decision 14:30 – FOMC Press Conference Evening Stats (As of 12:05 AM) - Weekend Gap: N/A - Session Gap: -0.33% (open > 15807) - Session Gap: -0.11% (open > 15939) - Session Open ATR: 224.75 - Volume: 17K - Open Int: 235K - Trend Grade: Neutral - From ATH: -8.5% (Rounded) Key Levels (Rounded - Think of these as ranges) - Long: 16105 - Mid: 15247 - Short: 14675 Keep in mind this is not speculation or a prediction. Only a report of the Power Range with Fib extensions for target hunting. Do your DD! You determine your risk tolerance. You are fully capable of making your own decisions.
CME_MINI:NQZ2023Short
by mv3trader5
Triple Witching Signals Market Turning PointCME: E-Mini S&P 500 Futures ( CME_MINI:ES1! ) Last Friday was the infamous “Triple Witching Day”, where US stock index futures, stock index options, and single-stock options contracts all expired on the same trading day. These phenomena happen only four times a year: on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December. In 2023, Triple Witching occurs on March 17th, June 16th, September 15th, and December 15th. In folklore, the witching hour is a supernatural time of day when evil things may happen. Derivatives traders use this term to magnify the significance of options expiration. Hence the “Triple Witching Day”, and “Triple Witching Hour”, the last hour of trading on that day. Understanding Triple Witching A common expiration date for all three types of equities derivatives could cause increased trading volume and unusual price movements in both the derivatives contracts and the underlying equity assets. Most traders seeking derivatives exposure are either hedgers or speculators. Speculators must offset their open positions prior to the end of triple witching hour. Hedgers, on the other hand, may want to maintain the hedging of their stock portfolio. They could close the existing futures or options positions and roll them out to the next contracts. Some traders opened the contracts with the intention of buying the underlying securities. With any deliverable contract, the seller must deliver the underlying securities to the buyer when the futures contract expires, or if the options are exercised. Triple witching days could generate escalated trading activity and volatility. Although much of the trading during triple witching is related to the squaring of positions, the surge in trading also drives price inefficiencies, which draws short-term arbitrageurs. Traders with large short gamma positions are particularly exposed to price movements leading up to expiration. Arbitrageurs try to take advantage of such abnormal price action. Triple Witching Day on Friday September 15th US stocks fell last Friday as investors wrapped up a volatile week ahead of the Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate-setting meeting on September 19th-20th. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 288.87 points, or -0.83%, to 34,618.24. At its lows, the index completely eliminated Thursday’s 332-point rally. The S&P 500 was lower by 1.22% to 4,450.32. And the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.56% to 13,708.33. In equity derivative market, I found that the high-volume day for CME E-Mini S&P 500 options on futures occurred on Thursday September 14th, the day before Triple Witching. The E-Mini S&P options had a daily volume between 100K and 200K contracts from August to Mid-September. On September 14th, trade volume shot up 92% from the prior trading day to 441,871, and open interest gained 157,913 contracts to 2,459,599. Both trade volume and open interest fell back to normal levels on the next day. This is evidence that traders planned their trades ahead of Triple Witching, so that they could avoid being squeezed on the last trading day and hours. Triple Witching and Market Turning Points Upon further review of the S&P price data, I found that Triple Witching Days in the past two years usually signaled a change in market directions. Following each of the seven such days under examination, the S&P moved up four times and moved down three times. • 12/17/2021: Closed at 4,620. By March, it was 455 points lower, or -9.8% (Down) • 03/18/2022: Closed at 4,463. It declined by 788 points or -17.7% by June (Down) • 06/17/2022: Closed at 3,675. By August, it rose to 4,314, up 639 or +17.4% (Up) • 09/16/2022: Closed at 3,873. It fell to 3,587 by October, down 286 or -7.4% (Down) • 12/16/2022: Closed at 3,852. By February, it reached 4,193, up 341 or +8.8% (Up) • 03/17/2023: Closed at 3,917. In the next 3 months, it rose 606 points, +15.5% (Up) • 06/17/2023: Closed at 4,523. It moved up nearly 100 points, or 2.1% by August (Up) A move by 7-18% in a short time span of three months is quite significant, statistically. The difficulty is to predict which way the S&P goes next, on the day of Triple Witching. The S&P 500: From now till the next Triple Witching Day On September 15th, the S&P 500 closed at 4,450. Where will the S&P be by December 15th, the next Triple Witching Day? One hint could be found in the futures market. The December 2023 contract of E-Mini S&P 500 futures (ESU3) was settled at 4,498, down 4.8% from 4,675 reached on July 27th. March 2024 contract (ESH4) was settled at 4,549, down 4.0% from its recent high. Our analysis from the last section shows that from one Triple Witching Day to the next, the S&P is more likely to make a big move than moving sideways. The December futures price (4,498) is just 1.1% above the cash index (4,450). Would there be a misprice? If the market follows similar patterns from the past two years, we could expect the S&P to go up to 4,800 (+8%), or down to 4,100 (-8%) by December. In my opinion, the S&P faces significant headwind, after running up 20% from its October low. Here are the top-3 that come to mind: • US CPI has rebounded, from 3.0% in June, to 3.2% in July, and 3.7% in August. The government narrative of inflation getting under control is starting to unravel. • The rise in energy and shelter cost will spill over to household cost-of-living and business operating cost. On the one hand, it raises the final price of good and service; on the other, it reduces consumer dispensable income available for other purchases. • According to the Fed, consumer credit card debt hit $1 trillion in Q2. Total student loans outstanding reached $1.78 trillion in Q1. High credit card interest rates and the resumption of student loan repayments will squeeze consumer budget. The Fed would face a difficult decision this week as it debates whether to raise interest rate or pause for the time being. In my view, the Fed is not done with its monetary tightening policy. Even if it holds rate unchanged for now, it could still raise it again in November or December meeting. The overheated inflation data just makes the Fed unlikely to call it a victory after 11 rate hikes. The remaining Fed meetings in 2023, September 20th, November 1st, and December 13th, all holding before the December Triple Witch Day. If the Fed turns out to be less accommodating than the market expects, the S&P could go further down. Each E-Mini S&P 500 futures contract is notional on $50 times the index. At Friday closing price of 4,498, one December contract is valued at $224,900. When the index moves 1 point, the futures account would gain or lose $50. Buying or selling one contract requires an initial margin of $11,200. Alternatively, investors could consider the Micro S&P 500 ( FWB:MES ). It is 1/10th of the E-Mini contract and requires a margin of $1,120. When the index moves 1 point, the futures account would gain or lose $5. Happy Trading. Disclaimers *Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services. CME Real-time Market Data help identify trading set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
CME_MINI:ES1!Short
by JimHuangChicago
2