Category Archives: Edson Gould

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Shanghai Composite Index: Testing Critical Support

It could get bad if the Shanghai Composite Index cannot sustain the brief increase that it has experience since the August 26, 2015 low.

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As we touched upon this topic on August 23, 2015, the next downside target could be a long way down from the current level at 1,722.12.  If the current support level of 2,867.34 cannot be maintained then the only downside supports levels are 2,294.73 and 1,722.12.

Quick Take: Helmerich & Payne

It is clear that the commodity market is in the dumps.  The chart below outlines the course of the Bloomberg Commodity Index since the July 2008 peak.

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With the decline that has occurred in the index, it would be obvious to any long-term investor that there are values to be had.  Yeah, there are risks but we’re investors not savers (anyone confused about the difference between saving and investing?  Savers expect the money to be there no matter what, investors are taking the risk that more or less will be there, after the passage of time).  One idea that we think is worth entertaining (or researching) is a stock that we’ve followed for many years.

Quick Take: Dover Corp.

According to Yahoo!Finance, “Dover Corporation manufactures and sells a range of equipment and components, specialty systems, and support services in the United States. The company operates in four segments: Energy, Engineered Systems, Fluids, and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. The Energy segment provides solutions and services for the production and processing of oil, natural gas liquids, and gas to drilling and production, bearings and compression, and automation end markets.”

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The price of Dover Corp. (DOV) has declined by –32.46% since the early July 2014 peak.  Looking at the stock, it appears that the downward spiral is locked in.  The following are some thoughts about the stock.

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Netflix Downside Targets

It’s that time again.  We’re going to see what the effectiveness of Gould’s Speed Resistance Lines (SRL) is in predicting the downside for Netflix (NFLX).  But first we’re going to review the last time that we ran an SRL on Netflix.  The very first time we ran numbers on NFLX was on December 3, 2010 when the stock was trading at the pre-split price of $185.45. 

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At the time, we were testing out the quality of Gould’s work.  We came up with a conservative downside target of $117.76 and an extreme downside target of $68.63.  The most challenging part of the assessment was the fact that Netflix increased +50% before achieving the first downside target.

A follow-up review of the SRL on Netflix was done on September 22, 2011 where we had the following to say:

“…in reviewing the chart pattern of Netflix (NFLX), we have the peak of NFLX at $298.73. The conservative estimate for the stock is that it would fall to $148 which has already taken place. The extreme downside target would be $99.58. Because of the nature of the rise, we believe that Netflix (NFLX) is slated to fall at least to the $99.58 level.”

At the time, we proposed that NFLX would decline at least -66% from the peak of $298.73.  The actual decline was -79.89%.  Will it happen again? We don’t know.  However, if it does, there will be good buying opportunities ahead.

Dow Altimeter Review

On May 20, 2014, we said the following about the Dow Jones Industrial Average Altimeter based on the work of Edson Gould:

“Currently, the Altimeter is closing in on the 2007 peak of 47.37.  If the Dow were to attain the 47.37 level in the Altimeter, the index would sit at 17,062.67.  There is no rule that says the Dow Industrials must stop at the prior turning point.  However, our cautious nature instinctively pushes us to wonders if the run from the 2009 low is about to come to an end.”

Since that time, the Altimeter for the Dow peaked at 47.03 on March 2, 2015, just short of the 2007 level of 47.37, and has declined below the 32.05 support level.  From a performance standpoint, the Dow Industrials has fallen -11.95% since March 2, 2015.

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Naturally we can’t say that we predicted any of the changes in the market since May 2014.  However, our primary goal is to observe indicators that most accurately guides our thinking about possible scenarios for the stock market.  In this case, we believe that the best way to assess the possible scenarios is by applying Dow Theory to Gould’s Altimeter, as seen below.

Oil and Gas Stock Index Update

On January 6, 2015, we said the following about the NYSE Oil and Gas Stock Index (XOI):

“The conservative downside target of 1,454.79 has been constructed while the mid-point of 1,015.10 is also indicated.  However, we did not include the extreme downside target of 575.41.  We did indicate in red the 812.08 level which was the extent of the decline in the period from the 2008 high to the 2009 low.

“Suffice to say that we expect the XOI index could easily fall to 1,015.10 and subsequently to the 812.08.  Those interested in the oil sector should start initiating positions at or below the ascending 1,015.10 level. ”

At the time, the NYSE Oil and Gas Stock Index was trading at 1,287.66.  The September 4, 2015, XOI close was 1,085.81, down –15.67%.  At least from the perspective of the last posting, the SRL achieved the expected downside target.

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However, lurking in the background is the extreme downside target of 575.41.  Since our experience has been that the extreme downside target is commonly achieved, we hazard to guess what would happen globally to the oil market in order to decline to such a low point.

For now, we’ll resign ourselves to the idea that the 812.08 is the next downside target.  If that target is achieved we believe that the 575.41 level is highly achievable.  Given our concern for the downside risk, oil sector stocks should be bought in three stages at 958, 812 & 575.

Baidu: Downside Targets

On April 27, 2013, we wrote a short piece on Baidu (BIDU) that concluded with the following remark:

“The conservative downside target of $93.43 has been achieved and we are now sitting at the extreme downside target of $54.79. All indications, based on the SRL, are that Baidu is worth considering in a two stage purchase plan, once at the current level and again at $67 or lower.”

The chart that we included for the above assessment was based on the work of Edson Gould’s Speed Resistance Lines (SRL) and is shown below.

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Since that recommendation to buy at $85, Baidu had increased to as high as $251.  What was not included at the time was the upside targets based on the work of Edson Gould.  At that time, the upside targets were:

  • $140.16 (conservative target)
  • $210.23 (mid target)
  • $280.31 (extreme target)

Baidu was able to achieve two of the three upside targets that were indicated for the stock based on the interpretation of Gould’s work.  With the Chinese stock market experiencing significant turmoil, Baidu has declined from the $251 level to the current price of $144 making a review of the technicals useful.

Baidu Downside Targets

Below is the updated Speed Resistance Lines based on the work of Edson Gould:

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Commodity Index Review: Upside Targets

The Bloomberg Commodity Index has finally reached the extreme downside target of 79.26.  Initially, we didn’t think that the index would fall to the extreme downside target as indicated in our October 29, 2013 posting.  However, after declining below the long-term technical support level, we had to acknowledge what is now obvious.

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Shanghai Composite Index: Upside Target

On August 26, 2015, the Shanghai Composite Index traded as low as 2,850.71.  While the most recent rise may only be a bear market rally, we think that resistance to the rise might kick in around the 4,400 level.  Rising above 4,4oo would suggest that a run to the previous peak of 5,166.35 is not out of the question.  Keep in mind that a bull market in this index is not confirmed until the index exceeds the prior high, until that time the Shanghai Composite is in a bear market rally.

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Shanghai Composite Index: Where To Now?

On August 23, 2015, we said the following:

“The next move in the price to the downside should confirm the downside move or indicate the ongoing battle between buyers and sellers.  The point indicated as the critical support will reveal the overall short-term direction of the index.  Although the move up or down is academic, it is the size of the move that will be most fascinating as we believe it will be massive.”

So far, the Shanghai Composite Index (SSE) has confirmed that the direction of the index is down, now it is only a matter of magnitude.  Already the Shanghai Composite Index has reached the mid-range downside target of 2,867.34.

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A large bounce at this level is hoped for as a continuation of the declining trend could spark a genuine panic.  If an upside bounce were to occur at this level, the SSE would face resistance at the ascending conservative downside target of 4,012.56.   It would be a +48% rise to the 4,400 ascending conservative downside target from the close of August 25, 2015. 

The flip side of a reversal to the upside is a decline to the extreme downside target of 1,722.12.  Our breakdown of the potential reversal points are as follows:

  • 2,450
  • 2,100
  • 1,722

The actions of the Chinese government have not been constructive for a change in the declining trend of the market.  The sooner restrictions intended to stop prices from falling are lifted the better the chance for Chinese stocks to fully recover.  The more involved the government becomes in the stock market the more we believe that 1,722 on the SSE is likely to occur.

Shanghai Composite Index: Downside Targets

The index to watch in the coming week is the Shanghai Composite Index (SSE) as it represents the raw emotions of the stock market in China.  Below we have applied Edson Gould’s Speed Resistance Lines [SRL] to the SSE to determine the potential downside targets to watch for.

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The SRL is ideally suited for a stock or index that has experienced a parabolic move to the upside.  When viewed from a historical perspective, the Shanghai Index meets the criteria of entering the entropy stage. 

Already the Shanghai Composite Index has declined below the conservative downside target of 4,012.56.  The July 23, 2015 upside failure coincided with the ascending conservative target.  This is the first true test of weakness in the upside move.  The next move in the price to the downside should confirm the downside move or indicate the ongoing battle between buyers and sellers.  The point indicated as the critical support will reveal the overall short-term direction of the index.  Although the move up or down is academic, it is the size of the move that will be most fascinating as we believe it will be massive.

Because the Shanghai Composite Index has a history of parabolic rises and subsequent crashes, our guess is that  declining to the 1,722.12 level should be expected.  In addition, if the SSE were to replicate the previous rise and fall in the period from 2005 to 2008, the index could drop as low as 1,447.37.