AT40 = 52.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs)
AT200 = 55.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs
VIX = 11.1 (flat) (volatility index)
Short-term Trading Call: neutral
Commentary
Tech was back today sucking energy out of other parts of the stock market. The Nasdaq increased 0.4%, and the PowerShares QQQ ETF (QQQ) increased 0.7%. The S&P 500 (SPY) barely eked out a gain at 0.1%. Yet, AT40 (T2108), the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs), declined slightly by 2 percentage points to 52.7%.
The Nasdaq managed to close above its 50DMA in an attempt to resume its bullish positioning.
While trading volume shrank, the PowerShares QQQ ETF (QQQ) rallied just short of its 20DMA. The 50DMA looms overhead as additional resistance.
The S&P 500 (SPY) faded from its now downtrending 20DMA. This move leaves another 50DMA test still in play.
The apt representation of the sucking sound was Amazon.com (AMZN) which was on the eve of raking in big dollars from its much anticipated Amazon Prime Day. AMZN popped 1.8% in a move that confirmed a 50DMA breakout and reconfirmed the 50DMA as uptrending support. On the other side of the ledger was the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) and its 2.4% loss to a (marginal) new 17-month low. Macy’s (M) was just minding its business and lost 7.1% to a near 7-year low on heavy trading volume just for being one of the many hapless retailers looking like sitting ducks on Prime Day eve (ok, MAYBE it had something to do with sympathy for Abercrombie & Fitch’s (ANF) 21% loss after announcing there is no buy-out on the horizon).
Amazon.com (AMZN) is back in prime bullish form with a gap up that reconfirmed 50DMA support.
The SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) broke down to new lows.
Macy’s (M) confirmed 50DMA resistance in a big way as its post-guidance relief rally came to a crashing end.
