Showing posts with label PPI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PPI. Show all posts

Monday, May 11, 2009

Trading Momentum Weakening

After last week trading, many short call traders have already lost a substantial pile of money, and long put traders have also had their capital tided up. In addition, governments, China or USA, have been boosting the economic performance by manipulating the interpretation of their figures and exaggerating the effect of their policies. Banks and zombie corporates, cooperating mutually, have announced turn-around on their Q1 performances. Analysts, while "surprised" by "improving figures", covered up their inaccurate estimation by echoing "recovery is coming". All these efforts together will hinder the short sellers's actions.

Nevertheless, without increasing short call and long put, their opposite parties will also lose fuel to further the recent growth. Besides, technically speaking the rebound has reached around 2/3 of the bottom level, so perhaps it is also time for them to cash out and wait for the next opportunity.

This week we will have announcements about inventory levels, PPI and CPI. Inventory levels and PPI may be "good news" as inventory level is lowering and PPI may been steady or even have picked up, from observation on China's equivalent period of PMI as well as petroleum prices. CPI may reduce and form a source of "bad news" although analysts can claim the risk of inflation will also be eased.

Under such circumstances, stock markets transactions may contract in this week and even next week. The futures and options clearing will take place 2 weeks later. Thus, next week and the week after will be crucial had short traders attempted to win something back, or most likely, will not take such actions but look for a rebuilt on next month. Hence, most likely market will maintain high but upward speed may slow down.

The money diffusion from stock markets to other markets due to the influx of new hot money will take effects. In this month Gold and Treasuries will become rivals on competing for hot money as the "risks" on stock markets have gone virtually smaller. As economic situation may relax in this week, another influx of money may not be necessary. Hence, the risk of inflation may not be as substantial and put a pressure on Gold prices. Treasuries will benefit from it, particularly on short-term ones. Yet, if we buy the ideas that the economy has not really bottomed, and further money-printing measures are still required, and short traders will be back, it will be a good moment to purchase gold whenever the price is lower than 900USD. Of course, 850 will even be greater as it provides more rooms of rising.

Judging from the BDI, the commodity prices should have reached the recent peak and will drop again. As economic activities have not really recovered, and production facilities are over-capacity, commodity prices do not have rigid and firm supports. Once the futures contracts bought a year/half a year ago are all exercised, the drop on volume of transaction will be significant. On the other hand, both the ease of inflation and the drop of commodity prices may give reasons for USD to rally.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Short Prediction After HSI Rose by 1000pts +

Today HSI rose by 1000pts + but be careful for the following phenomena on stock option market:

1. Largest trading volume today occurs at 12000 put.

2. Overall put open interest contracts are 25027; call open interest contracts are 32014.

3. Change in OI: put is +1206; call is +675.

The following is the brief outline on the news to be announced in USA:
April 2 (USA) and April 3:
"White and Black"
"White Knight" on statistics may appear on factory orders or ISM non-mfg indexes. Nevertheless, "Black Swan" can also appear on these 2 figures, plus jobless claim and employment situation.
Remarks: Ching Ming Holiday.

April 6 - 10:
"Readjustment Week"
International Trade and Treasury Budget - international trade may not go further down but may remain bad despite the news can report in a manipulative way as "stablized" or "within expectation". Treasury budget will not be good with reasons well-known.
Remarks: Ching Ming holiday in China; Easter, Good Friday.

April 13 - 17:
"Fluctuation Week"
CPI, PPI, Treasury International Capital - The former 2, CPI may not improve much but PPI might improve if according to the spring seasonal re-start on projects as well as rebound from over-panic. Treasury International Capital may stay the same - it depends largely on the international buyers. Observations on G20 may help.
Housing Starts, Housing Market Index, Industrial Production, and Retail Sales - They may provide good news to fuel the market, mainly due to seasonal effects, rebound from over panic, or false vision on the future.
Remarks: Easter, Monday holiday.


April 20 - 24:
"Boring Week (well, if no BLACK SWAN)"
Only figures on Existing Home Sales and New Home Sales - spring seasonal effects may continue and stop at this week. Rebound from panic perhaps helps - yet, jobless rate may start to tighten as another wave of university graduates may graduate and hunt for jobs. While many companies are still downsizing or at least have their headcounts frozen, the new graduates may find nowhere to go.
Remarks: Clearing of Futures.

April 27 - May1:
"Boring or Non-boring, this is the question Week"
FED announcement - the rate itself may not be indicative; the tone in the FOMC minutes may.
GDP - may show some stablization or improvement, if the home sales figure is "right" "somehow". But as pointed out before, the actual home sales figure is dropping - only the yearly estimation has "improved".
Personal Income and Outlay - stablized but not good to anywhere.
Remarks: Labour Holiday in China

With those dates and the current option pricing at head, this month can be fluctuating and misleading. The rise can be fueled but gone easily. The drop may be deep: V or not still depends. Good time to unload trash; bad time to hunt for red october for the torpedo may hit from an unimaged angle.