Mish's Market Minute

Is the Market Falling into a Rangebound Trap?

Mish Schneider

Mish Schneider

Director of Trading Education, MarketGauge.com

To get a quick overview of the markets direction, let's look at Mish's Economic Modern Family (MF).

Also, if you haven't picked up Mish's 2022 Yearly Outlook, here is a full report that not only shows an in-depth view of the market, but also gives our big picks and trends to watch through the new year.

With that said, let's take a short-term look through the daily charts of the MF to see which key sectors are leading the way or falling behind. The first member is the small-cap index Russell 2000 (IWM). Although IWM has been choppy, it is still holding over major support at $208 showing a neutral stance. Watch for IWM to head back toward the middle of its range near $225 before it hits resistance.

Moving to our weakest members, Retail (XRT) and Biotech (IBB) sectors continued to trend lower and are grasping to find support. Currently, both are in a bearish phase, with the 50-day moving average under the 200-DMA. Watch for XRT to trade over $88.17 and for IBB to clear $144.07 before these can make a comeback.  

On the other hand, the outperforming members are Semiconductors (SMH) and Regional Banking (KRE). If banking companies continues to report well, watch for KRE to hold support at the $75.60 area. However, before SMH can make any meaningful progress, it will need to clear its mini range from $287-318.

The last sector is the Transportation space (IYT). Sitting between its 50- and 200-DMA, IYT could be showing us that the movement of goods is slowing down or stagnating. If people are expecting the 2022 stock market to push higher, IYT will need to keep its upward momentum instead of drifting sideways.

Currently, we are seeing a possible split in Modern Family, as few are attempting to push to new highs while most are getting stuck in sideways price action like IWM. Even with small breakouts to new highs, if prices revert to their average trading zones, we could be in for a very choppy year. Therefore, watch for trades near the bottom of ranges and remember to quickly get out if the range low is broken.

The last member is Bitcoin, which is currently holding over major support from roughly 40k. While it has trended lower with the general stock market, it will be interesting to see if BTC can change directions. If not, like the other Family members, it could fall into a rangebound trap.


Follow Mish on Twitter @marketminute for stock picks and more. Follow Mish on Instagram (mishschneider) for daily morning videos. To see updated media clips, click here.

The global medical device market is projected to grow tremendously over the next 10 years. On this week's edition of StockCharts TV's Mish's Market Minute, Mish takes a look at an ETF and some medical devices companies that you should be considering in the new year.


ETF Summary

  • S&P 500 (SPY): 456.60 support.
  • Russell 2000 (IWM): 208.76 support.
  • Dow (DIA): Needs to hold over the 50-DMA at 358.50.
  • Nasdaq (QQQ): 369.44 support.
  • KRE (Regional Banks): 75.76 support.
  • SMH (Semiconductors): Stuck in the middle of its range with 318.82 to clear.
  • IYT (Transportation): 263 next support area.
  • IBB (Biotechnology): Needs to clear 144.07.
  • XRT (Retail): 88.17 to clear.


Forrest Crist-Ruiz

MarketGauge.com

Assistant Director of Trading Research and Education

Mish Schneider
About the author: serves as Director of Trading Education at MarketGauge.com. For nearly 20 years, MarketGauge.com has provided financial information and education to thousands of individuals, as well as to large financial institutions and publications such as Barron’s, Fidelity, ILX Systems, Thomson Reuters and Bank of America. In 2017, MarketWatch, owned by Dow Jones, named Mish one of the top 50 financial people to follow on Twitter. In 2018, Mish was the winner of the Top Stock Pick of the year for RealVision. Learn More