Art's Charts

Spinning Tops for QQQQ-IWM-DIA

Arthur Hill

Arthur Hill

Chief Technical Strategist, TrendInvestorPro.com

-DIA forms spinning top and bull flag.
-QQQQ forms spinning top at support.
-IWM forms spinning top below support break.


On the daily charts, the major index ETFs finished with spinning top candlesticks on Monday. These show indecision that could foreshadow a short-term bounce. Spinning tops form when the open is near the close and there is a wide high-low range. Despite a lot of movement during the day (high-low range), the major index ETFs settled near their opening levels, resulting in little change from open to close. The bulls pushed the market higher in early trading, the bears drove it down in the afternoon and the market bounced in the last two hour of trading. Not much to show for a whole lot of pushing and shoving.

091103spinningtop

DIA also formed a bull flag over the last two weeks. Technically, a break above 100 would be bullish and signal a continuation higher. Using traditional technical analysis techniques, the upside target would be around 104. However, I have my doubts on the sustainability of a breakout at this stage of the ballgame. We can judge the strength of a potential breakout by what happens after the breakout. Strong breakouts hold and prices continue higher. A quick throw back below 99 would show hesitancy that would question strength.

091103dia

QQQQ formed a spinning top at support on Monday.

091103qqqq

IWM formed a spinning top below support on Monday. As the only major index ETF to break below support, IWM shows relative weakness.

091103iwm

Arthur Hill
About the author: , CMT, is the Chief Technical Strategist at TrendInvestorPro.com. Focusing predominantly on US equities and ETFs, his systematic approach of identifying trend, finding signals within the trend, and setting key price levels has made him an esteemed market technician. Arthur has written articles for numerous financial publications including Barrons and Stocks & Commodities Magazine. In addition to his Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designation, he holds an MBA from the Cass Business School at City University in London. Learn More