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When it comes to market timing (why market prices turn and how to predict that), there are many opinions out there. There are the many different fundamental factors such as global economic reports, the health of corporate profits and so much more. The thought is when the data is good, market prices rise and when the data is weak, market prices decline. If this market timing theory worked and it was this easy, everyone would make fortunes trading and investing.
Then there is a school of thought called “technical analysis”. As I have written about before, this school of thought focuses on price patterns on a chart that, in theory, help you predict market turning points and market moves in advance. There are many flaws with this form of analysis but one of the biggest is that you’re almost always buying after price rises and selling after price declines, which is not how you profit buying and selling anything.
In this piece, I want to offer a very simple and real alternative to how you “think” the markets. Instead of thinking conventional technical and fundamental analysis, let’s focus on one thing and one thing only to do our market timing analysis, Buy and Sell orders. To do this, let’s use an example from a recent buying opportunity in the S&P from our OTA Supply/Demand grid, a service we publish daily for our members.
OTA Supply/Demand Grid Feb. 24, 2016 – S&P Buy Setup
A – “A” represents a Demand zone where banks and financial institutions are buying. This demand zone was on the grid because it achieved a very high odds enhancer score. There was very little trading at the level followed by a strong rally from the level. This told us demand greatly exceeded supply. Once the last sell order is filled and you have buyers at the price who still want to buy, price will rise; this is a supply/demand imbalance and the result of it.
B – “B” also represents a demand zone for the same reasons as “A”.
C – “C” is the decline in price to demand level “B”. This is when our rules tell us to buy. At “C”, sellers are making two key mistakes. They are selling after a decline in price and at a level where the chart already told us demand exceeds supply. In short, novice traders and investors are selling at a price level where banks are buying.
D – “D” is the second time price revisits demand zone “B”, however, this time price falls right through it. This is expected as the demand is not there anymore due to the trading at “C”. In other words, the buy orders are filled already which is why we expect price to keep declining at “D”.
E – “E” is the first time price declines to our grid demand zone “A”. This is when our members are taught to buy. Again, banks (smart money) are buying and the ill-informed are selling. The reason price rallies so strong and far from our demand zone “A” is because there is no supply above to stop it. This large profit zone is another reason that level made it onto the grid.
The movement of price in any and all markets is a function of an ongoing supply and demand equation. Prices turn at levels where this simple and straight forward equation is out of balance. It’s not about the filled buy and sell orders that create the candles and bars you see on your price charts. The supply and demand imbalance that causes price to turn is because of the unfilled orders that are not represented by the data you see on charts.
Hope this was helpful, have a great day.
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Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD accelerates losses, focus is on 1.1800
EUR/USD’s selling pressure is gathering pace now, opening the door to a potential test of the key 1.1800 region sooner rather than later. The pair’s pullback comes on the back of marked gains in the US Dollar following US data releases and the publication of the FOMC Minutes later in the day.
GBP/USD turns negative near 1.3540
GBP/USD reverses its initial upside momentum and is now adding to previous declines, revisiting at the same time the 1.3540 region on Wednesday. Cable’s downtick comes on the back of decent gains in the Greenback and easing UK inflation figures, which seem to have reinforced the case for a BoE rate cut in March.
Gold picks pace, flirts with $5,000
Gold is back on the front foot on Wednesday, shaking off part of the early week softness and pushing higher towards the key $5,000 mark per troy ounce. The move comes ahead of the FOMC Minutes and is unfolding despite an intense rebound in the US Dollar.
Fed Minutes to shed light on January hold decision amid hawkish rate outlook
The Minutes of the Fed’s January 27-28 monetary policy meeting will be published today. Details of discussions on the decision to leave the policy rate unchanged will be scrutinized by investors.
Mixed UK inflation data no gamechanger for the Bank of England
Food inflation plunged in January, but service sector price pressure is proving stickier. We continue to expect Bank of England rate cuts in March and June. The latest UK inflation read is a mixed bag for the Bank of England, but we doubt it drastically changes the odds of a March rate cut.
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