#IWM US Small caps at Significant levelThe US Small cap equities index - IWM - Russel 2000, has approached a massive level of polarity. This 160 level is where the old resistance has turned into support previously. Monitor for reversal and continuation upwards. A break of this level however could really cause massive technical damage. The bulls have their work cut out for them this week
IWM
Russell 2000 (RTY, M2K) Low-Timeframe ShortQuick idea here as we look to get back in a groove with analysis/posts after a very light October. Not going to include a lot of elaboration, but we're looking to take advantage of a swing short (price depending) via a low timeframe (5-minute) RTY supply zone (defining candles not pictured here since sub-15-minute charts cannot be posted). If price approaches the zone hot (expanded range candle vs. grinding action), look to take the trade outright upon penetration of the lower bound (1795.4). If RTY stair-steps higher, forming new pockets of demand between current price and supply, consider taking a confirmation entry (price exit from zone). Stop should be placed a bit above the zone's upper bound. Keep in mind round # psych @ 1800. Targets are 2:1 and 5:1 (look for a fall back to origin of CPI breakout). Finally, US stocks have been very bullish as of late, so shorts fly in the face of current momentum. That said, RTY has consistently been the weakest of the 4 US equity indexes, so if you're going to short one, it's probably your best bet. Have to run, but good luck!
Stay tuned b/c a LOT more ideas are coming soon!
Jon @ LionHart Trading
US Russell 2000 RTY ~ Ping Pong Perpetuity (Daily Chart)CAPITALCOM:RTY chart mapping/analysis.
Russell 2000 still stuck within trading range despite recent rallies across major US indices.
What's on the chart:
Ascending parallel channel (light blue) captures upward trend over multi-decade timeframe
Descending parallel channel (white) frames downward trend from upper to lower range (multi-decade) parallel channel
Horizontal lines (yellow dashed) locks in trading range (June 2022 to present)
Descending trend-line (light blue dotted) highlights pivot support points
Fibonnaci levels establishes key supply/demand zones
Short-medium term outlook:
Neutral-bearish
RTY remains in " Ping Pong Perpetuity " until breakout on either side of trading range
200DMA acting as dynamic resistance, exerting downward pressure
Bullish reversal = rally above 200DMA to switch trend & test upper trading range
Despite a strong week, IWM remains in trading rangePrimary Chart: IWM / Russell 2000 Weekly Timeframe
The Russell 2000 (IWM) is often a leading indicator in US markets. It led to the downside in early November 2021 after a false breakout out of its 2021 topping-pattern's resistance around $234. SPX topped nearly two months later on January 4, 2022. While small-caps are not necessarily always the first to make a move, it is something frequently cited by commentators and analysts. This is why the Russell 2000 is important for traders and investors to follow to maintain a deeper understanding of the broader US equity markets.
Despite a very strong weekly close for IWM, its price remains in the lower half of its trading range. This trading range has contained price for the past 1.5 years, since the topping pattern's support (at the upper blue rectangle) broke down in January 2022. Unlike other major US indices like the Nasdaq 100, IWM has continued to struggle and remains well below its August 2022 and January / February 2023 highs.
Two months ago, in a recent post titled " Something is Rotten in the State of Markets ," IWM's underperformance of SPX provided a basis for discussion as to why US equity markets may remain unhealthy despite the bullish price action YTD (see link below). A strong and long-lasting bull market should show signs of broad participation. Many breadth indicators have shown very narrow breadth. It's not a surprise, in fact, that SPX's rally and upside performance has been driven by 5 to 10 SPX names, with the other 490-495 flat, lagging, or up weakly.
Supplementary Chart A
This previous April 10 analysis displayed a hypothetical price path intended to reflect the possibility of more sideways and choppy price action in the intermediate term. The choppy price action has largely unfolded as expected (click the play / refresh arrow on the prior post from April 10, 2023). In fact, IWM's price at the time of the prior post was at $173.89, and a month later on May 8 it had closed almost at the same level around $172.72.
Now IWM appears to be breaking above the recent trading range. Major levels of resistance appear on the Primary Chart as Fibonacci levels (the .618 retracement and the .50 retracement, which is not technically a Fibonacci proportion) as well as the anchored VWAP from the November 2021 ATH. How price responds to these levels will be important to watch in coming weeks especially after June 16, 2023 OPEX—a quad witching event.
It is notable that IWM trades far below its major ATH VWAP from November 2021. Compare how IWM's price trades relative to this VWAP (labeled on the Primary Chart above) with how SPY's price trades relative to its ATH VWAP. SPY's VWAP anchored to its ATH is shown in Supplementary chart B below.
Supplementary Chart B
Finally, a relative chart of Russell 2000 vs. S&P 500 is helpful to examine these two major US equity indices and how IWM has performed YTD relative to the SPY / SPX. See Supplementary Chart C below. This relative chart shows IWM still in a downtrend relative to SPY. And it still shows that IWM vs. SPY remains below major resistance. Given that IWM is a leading index at times, it will be interesting to see whether what happens to the major resistance on this relative chart that was broken in early April 2023. Will it hold?
Supplementary Chart C
In summary, the small-cap stocks in the US equity market are lagging despite putting in a strong weekly performance this week of +3.33%. The primary trend in small caps remains sideways by any measure. Will IWM play catch up to the other main US indices like S&P 500 ( SP:SPX ) and Nasdaq 100 ( NASDAQ:NDX NASDAQ:QQQ )? No one knows for sure. But the liquidity problems plaguing the US economy tend to show up in the weakest names first, which usually are also the smallest names. Could IWM's underperformance be a sign of this liquidity stress? Or will it catch up to confirm that the current rally in NDX and SPY are perfectly healthy under the hood and headed to new all-time highs? Stay tuned.
And thanks for reading this and for your encouragement and support.
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Author's Comment: Thank you for reviewing this post and considering its charts and analysis. The author welcomes comments, discussion and debate (respectfully presented) in the comment section. Shared charts are especially helpful to support any opposing or alternative view. This article is intended to present an unbiased, technical view of the security or tradable risk asset discussed.
Please note further that this technical-analysis viewpoint is short-term in nature. This is not a trade recommendation but a technical-analysis overview and commentary with levels to watch for the near term. This technical-analysis viewpoint could change at a moment's notice should price move beyond a level of invalidation. Further, proper risk-management techniques are vital to trading success. And countertrend or mean-reversion trading, e.g., trading a rally in a bear market, is lower probability and is tricky and challenging even for the most experienced traders.
DISCLAIMER: This post contains commentary published solely for educational and informational purposes. This post's content (and any content available through links in this post) and its views do not constitute financial advice or an investment or trading recommendation, and they do not account for readers' personal financial circumstances, or their investing or trading objectives, time frame, and risk tolerance. Readers should perform their own due diligence, and consult a qualified financial adviser or other investment / financial professional before entering any trade, investment or other transaction.
Opening (IRA): IWM Dec 15th/Dec 29th/Jan 19th 160/157/153Comments: Targeting the <16 delta short put strikes paying around 1% of the strike price in credit to emulate dollar cost averaging into the broad market.
December 15th 160: 1.64 credit
December 29th 157: 1.63 credit
January 19th 153: 1.57 credit
Opening (IRA): IWM February 16th 151 Short Put... for a 1.58 credit.
Comments: Targeting the <16 delta strike paying around 1% of the strike price in credit to emulate dollar cost averaging into the broad market. I would've gone shorter duration, but already have rungs camped out at where I would've pitched my tent, so starting to building out first quarter rungs here.
$MBLY U&R?NASDAQ:MBLY looks like and technically is a fairly new IPO. However, it was a publicly traded company prior to NASDAQ:INTC buying them in 2017. They re-IPO’d in 2022.
I am playing this as an Undercut and Rally play. Earnings are behind them, and they beat expectations and guided sales and earnings higher. My stop is a close below today's low.
A word of caution, they are located in Israel and may be affected in some way by the conflict going on over there.
They have enjoyed several upgrades as well. See Chart for additional notations.
Ideas, not investing / trading advice. Comments always welcome. Thanks for looking.
THE SHORT SQUEEZE as STARTED PEAK ON JAN 112024The chart posted is my top view I am posting the weekly and daily of the value line For a reason it should NOT break the low of oct 27th 2023 If it is valid I have a major spiral from sept 21 2001 it is due NOW 11/10-13th the march 13th low was from june low 1949 . We will see rather soon which cycles are in force . and based on MY VIEW OF TLT 5 waves down ended
Weekly Update: Do Small Caps Still Lead the Broader Markets?We've all heard that the small capitalized publicly traded companies lead the larger cap companies, more so featured in the broader indices. A quick look back shows the Small Caps Topped in November 2021, whereas the Nasdaq and SP500 did not top till January 2022. Subsequently, the IWM bottomed in June of 2022, and it took the NDX and SPX till October of 2022 to form a bottom.
So it appears we do not have to go back too far to see this phenomenon is still valid. If this price action of leading the broader markets continues to persist, then the IWM is now poised to literally "Drop like Rock".
A quick observation shows the small caps are around their lows bouncing slightly for wave 2 in our primary c-wave down. You can read my prior posts on the SPX and NDX indices but it appears if you want to know if the recent bullish feeling rally in the DJIA, NDX and SP500 has sustainable legs...look no further than the IWM.
Best to all,
Chris
Opening (IRA): IWM Dec/Dec 29th/Jan/Feb 154/151/146/141... short put ladder.
Comments: Adding on weakness at strikes better than what I currently have on, targeting the <16 delta strike to emulate dollar cost averaging into the broad market.
December 15th 154: 1.60 credit
December 29th 151: 1.63 credit
January 19th 146: 1.49 credit
February 16th 141: 1.50 credit
Opening (IRA): IWM Dec 19th/Jan 19th 146/142 Short PutsComments: Squeezing in a couple of extra rungs here at strikes better than what I currently have on, targeting the <16 strike paying around 1% of the strike price in credit.
December 29th 146: 1.47 credit
January 19th 142: 1.47 credit
After this, will primarily look to do "housekeeping" trades running into the end of the year ... .