|

S&P 500 refreshes all-time high, again

The title of this post has been ‘on repeat’ for three weeks; that’s because the S&P 500 pencils in a fresh all-time high (ATH) each week!

January ended in unchartered territory, touching a fresh all-time high of 4,931 and adding +1.6%. This extended recovery gains from the near-test of monthly support coming in from 4,102 in October 2023. Recent posts by the FP Markets Research Team communicated that the index has been entrenched in a dominant uptrend since breaking out in early 2013, and aside from two sizeable corrections in 2020 and 2022, the uptrend has been one-sided.

Overthrown weekly channel resistance

Extended from the high of 4,607, channel resistance was unsaddled last week, pulling the index within striking distance of the widely watched 5,000 barrier. Sellers barely put up a fight at the channel resistance. While a bull trap could still unfold just north of it this week, a test of 5,000 is likely on the table before this takes shape, if at all.

Ultimately, the focus on the weekly timeframe this week will be on the area between 5,000 and the channel resistance. Breaking through offers at 5,000 supports additional outperformance, though a bearish move off 5,000 that forces a close back under the channel resistance could prompt profit-taking back to as far south as support at 4,743. The latter is supported by the Relative Strength Index (RSI) elbowing into overbought territory (note the monthly chart also shows early signs of negative divergence).

Daily support at 4,869 - 4,903?

Having noted the index refreshing all-time highs last week, entering at the high is seldom a good approach. Traders and investors tend to monitor for any correction within the trend to buy dips. On the daily timeframe, two areas of interest are calling for attention this week: the nearby daily support area at 4,869-4,903 and the previous ATH at 4,818. However, for buyers to commit to either support area, they’ll likely want to see the price reverse ahead of the 5,000 level or, alternatively, break the 5,000 base to run offers before retesting either of the two supports.

Source: TradingView

Author

Aaron Hill

Aaron Hill

FP Markets

After completing his Bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing in the UK, and subsequently spending a handful of years teaching English as a foreign language teacher around Asia, Aaron was introduced to financial trading,

More from Aaron Hill
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD flat lines below 1.1900; divergent Fed-ECB expectations offer support

The EUR/USD pair struggles to capitalize on the overnight bounce from the 1.1835-1.1830 region and oscillates in a narrow band during the Asian session on Thursday. Spot prices currently trade around the 1.1875 area, remaining nearly unchanged for the day and staying within striking distance of an over one-week high, reached on Tuesday, amid mixed cues.

GBP/USD slips heading into the Thursday trading window

The Pound Sterling pulled back from four-year highs on Wednesday, weighed down by a combination of Bank of England dovishness and UK political uncertainty, even as the US Dollar weakened on soft labor market revisions. 

Gold down but not out as focus shifts to more US data

Gold is back in the red near $5,050 early Thursday, having faced strong offers at around the $5,100 mark once again. Buyers keep a close eye on the mid-tier US Jobless Claims data and US-Iran geopolitical developments to regain control.

Crypto trades through a confidence reset

The cryptocurrency market is navigating a liquidity-driven reset rather than a narrative-driven rally. Bitcoin, Ethereum and major altcoins remain under pressure even as new exchange-traded fund filings continue and selected inflow days appear on the tape.

The market trades the path not the past

The payroll number did not just beat. It reset the tone. 130,000 vs. 65,000 expected, with a 35,000 whisper. 79 of 80 economists leaning the wrong way. Unemployment and underemployment are edging lower. For all the statistical fog around birth-death adjustments and seasonal quirks, the core message was unmistakable. The labour market is not cracking.

XRP sell-off deepens amid weak retail interest, risk-off sentiment

Ripple (XRP) is edging lower around $1.36 at the time of writing on Wednesday, weighed down by low retail interest and macroeconomic uncertainty, which is accelerating risk-off sentiment.