In a recent Extended Learning Track course, I was fielding questions from nervous traders and investors about where the potential market top could be. While I do not know the exact high we will make before the next correction or bear market occurs, I do know of several techniques that we can use to identify when the market environment is right for such a turn to happen.
When the economy and markets show weakness, the majority of people worldwide focus on saving money and spending wisely. Especially those hit by unemployment or a reduction in their credit lines. Could we use this natural tendency of swinging between penny-pinching and reckless spending to help predict the movements of the markets? Of course, we can!
According to Investopedia, the Consumer Discretionary Sector is, “A sector of the economy that consists of businesses that sell nonessential goods and services. Companies in this sector include retailers, media companies, consumer services companies, consumer durables and apparel companies, and automobiles and components companies.” They define Consumer Staples as, “The industries that manufacture and sell food/beverages, tobacco, prescription drugs and household products.” Therefore, during times of economic bust, one would expect the discretionary companies to underperform staples as investors would not buy companies facing slow or no growth.
You can see how this looked during the 2007-2008 market collapse.
Of course, as the markets turn positive, you would expect the opposite.
As a technical analyst, there is a way to use this relationship and identify potential turning points in the market. TradeStation Securities has a useful technical indicator I like to use called the Spread Ratio. This tool allows the trader to see a visual representation of the price of one security divided by another. By using trend lines, a trader can observe changes in the performance of two securities and make decisions about the broad markets.
To see changes in the overall market, I use a spread ratio that divides the closing price of the XLY, the consumer discretionary ETF, by the closing price of the XLP, the consumer staples ETF. If the ratio line is rising, the discretionary are outperforming the staples and we are in a bullish trend. Should the trend break and the ratio line decline, we are experiencing a bearish move and trend in the markets. Supply and demand work the same on the ratio as they would on a stock.
Notice the monthly charts of the XLY and XLP with the spread ratio. The breaks in trend correctly identified the shifts from bullish to bearish markets. Although this technique will not give you exact tops and bottoms, it will alert you to major changes in the markets.
The larger time frames on charts show us the major trends and we can adjust our biases accordingly. However, as traders, we often want to look at shorter time frames to see smaller tradable trends. This ratio analysis will also help with that. Simply adjust the chart’s time frame to your needs but keep in mind that the larger time frame trends always dominate over the shorter.
We are currently seeing the daily trend consolidating. We have had higher lows and therefore some buying in the discretionary but it is not what we should see in a healthy bull market.
By looking at the rotation between staples and discretionary sectors, traders can gain additional insight as to the future direction of the markets. Until next time, honor your stops, trade safe and trade well!
Neither Freedom Management Partners nor any of its personnel are registered broker-dealers or investment advisers. I will mention that I consider certain securities or positions to be good candidates for the types of strategies we are discussing or illustrating. Because I consider the securities or positions appropriate to the discussion or for illustration purposes does not mean that I am telling you to trade the strategies or securities. Keep in mind that we are not providing you with recommendations or personalized advice about your trading activities. The information we are providing is not tailored to any individual. Any mention of a particular security is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold that or any other security or a suggestion that it is suitable for any specific person. Keep in mind that all trading involves a risk of loss, and this will always be the situation, regardless of whether we are discussing strategies that are intended to limit risk. Also, Freedom Management Partners’ personnel are not subject to trading restrictions. I and others at Freedom Management Partners could have a position in a security or initiate a position in a security at any time.
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD eases toward 0.6500 after mixed Australian trade data
AUD/USD is seeing some fresh selling interest in the Asian session on Thursday, following the release of mixed Australian trade data. The pair has stalled its recovery mode, as the US Dollar attempts a bounce after the Fed-led sell-off.
USD/JPY rebounds above 156.00 after probable Japan's intervention-led crash
USD/JPY is staging a solid comeback above 156.00, having lost nearly 450 pips in some minutes after the Japanese Yen rallied hard on another suspected Japan FX market intervention in the late American session on Wednesday.
Gold price stalls rebound below $2,330 as US Dollar recovers
Gold price is holding the rebound below $2,330 in Asian trading on Thursday, as the US Dollar recovers in sync with the USD/JPY pair and the US Treasury bond yields, in the aftermath of the Fed decision and the likely Japanese FX intervention.
Top 3 Price Prediction BTC, ETH, XRP: Altcoins to pump once BTC bottoms out, slow grind up for now
Bitcoin reclaiming above $59,200 would hint that BTC has already bottomed out, setting the tone for a run north. Ethereum holding above $2,900 keeps a bullish reversal pattern viable despite falling momentum. Ripple coils up for a move north as XRP bulls defend $0.5000.
The FOMC whipsaw and more Yen intervention in focus
Market participants clung to every word uttered by Chair Powell as risk assets whipped around in a frenetic fashion during the afternoon US trading session.
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