Select Page

Price has remained above 1,260.72 and so far has bounced up a little. Price remains within the channel on the hourly charts, so no trend change is yet indicated.

Summary: While price remains above 1,260.72, this downwards movement could still be a second wave correction that may now be complete. A third wave up may begin here.

If price makes a new low below 1,260.72, then the second Elliott wave count would be strongly indicated. A mid term upwards swing would still be expected to begin very soon. The target at this stage would be about 1,305 – 1,310.

Invest only 1-5% of equity on any one trade. Always trade with stops.

New updates to this analysis are in bold.

Last monthly charts for the main wave count are here, another monthly alternate is here, and video is here.

Grand SuperCycle analysis is here.

The wave counts will be labelled first and second. Classic technical analysis will be used to determine which wave count looks to be more likely. In terms of Elliott wave structure the second wave count has a better fit and fewer problems.

FIRST ELLIOTT WAVE COUNT

WEEKLY CHART

Gold Elliott Wave Chart Weekly I 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

There are more than 23 possible corrective structures that B waves may take, and although cycle wave b still fits well at this stage as a triangle, it may still be another structure. This wave count looks at the possibility that it may be a double zigzag.

If cycle wave b is a double zigzag, then current upwards movement may be part of the second zigzag in the double, labelled primary wave Y.

The target remains the same.

Within intermediate wave (C), no second wave correction may move beyond the start of its first wave below 1,205.41. However, prior to invalidation, this wave count may be discarded if price breaks below the lower edge of the black Elliott channel. If this wave count is correct, then intermediate wave (C) should not break below the Elliott channel which contains the zigzag of primary wave Y upwards.

There are now three problems with this wave count which reduce its probability in terms of Elliott wave:

1. Cycle wave b is a double zigzag, but primary wave X within the double is deep and time consuming. While this is possible, it is much more common for X waves within double zigzags to be brief and shallow.

2. Intermediate wave (B) within the zigzag of primary wave Y is a double flat correction. These are extremely rare, even rarer than running flats. The rarity of this structure must further reduce the probability of this wave count.

3. Although intermediate wave (C) should be continuing so that primary wave Y ends substantially above the end of primary wave W, the duration and depth of minor wave 2 within it now looks to be too large at the weekly time frame.

DAILY CHART

Gold Elliott Wave Chart Daily 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

The analysis will focus on the structure of intermediate wave (C). To see details of all the bull movement for this year see daily charts here.

Intermediate wave (C) must be a five wave structure, either an impulse or an ending diagonal. It is unfolding as the more common impulse.

It is possible that minor waves 1 and now 2 may both be over. Minor wave 2 may have ended very close to the 0.618 Fibonacci ratio. If it continues lower, then minor wave 2 may not move beyond the start of minor wave 1 below 1,205.41.

Minor wave 1 lasted 44 days and minor wave 2 may have lasted 20 days, just one short of a Fibonacci 21.

It is of some concern now that minor wave 3 appears to be starting out rather slowly and that minute wave ii within it is now a very deep correction.This is somewhat unusual for a third wave and offers some support now to the second Elliott wave count. With StockCharts data showing a steady decline in volume as price rises, this concern is validated.

A base channel is now added to minor waves 1 and 2. If this wave count is correct, then lower degree second wave corrections should find support at the lower edge of the base channel. Friday’s candlestick is below the base channel, which now reduces the probability of this wave count.

Attention now turns to the structure of minute wave ii. Minute wave ii cannot be over and may be continuing further as a flat correction. Within minute wave ii, minuette wave (b) may be an expanded flat.

HOURLY CHART

Gold Elliott Wave Chart Hourly 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

A double zigzag will fit neatly within downwards movement. If minute wave ii is over as a very deep double zigzag, then it may have lasted a Fibonacci eight days.

Because minute wave ii here is so deep, the appropriate Fibonacci ratio to use to calculate a target for minute wave iii is 2.618.

Minute wave ii may not move beyond the start of minute wave i below 1,260.72.

The best fit channel is now reasonably wide and contains all of minute wave ii downwards. A breach of this channel would be the earliest indication of a possible trend change.

A new high above 1,282.03 could not be a second wave correction within subminuette wave c of minuette wave (y) downwards, so at that stage price would provide confidence that a low is in place.

SECOND ELLIOTT WAVE COUNT

WEEKLY CHART

Gold Elliott Wave Chart Weekly I 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

It is still possible that cycle wave b is unfolding as a regular contracting or barrier triangle.

Within a triangle, one sub-wave should be a more complicated multiple, which may be primary wave C. This is the most common sub-wave of the triangle to subdivide into a multiple.

Intermediate wave (Y) now looks like a complete zigzag at the weekly chart level.

Primary wave D of a contracting triangle may not move beyond the end of primary wave B below 1,123.08. Contracting triangles are the most common variety.

Primary wave D of a barrier triangle should end about the same level as primary wave B at 1,123.08, so that the B-D trend line remains essentially flat. This involves some subjectivity; price may move slightly below 1,123.08 and the triangle wave count may remain valid. This is the only Elliott wave rule which is not black and white.

Finally, primary wave E of a contracting or barrier triangle may not move beyond the end of primary wave C above 1,295.65. Primary wave E would most likely fall short of the A-C trend line. But if it does not end there, then it can slightly overshoot that trend line.

Primary wave A lasted 31 weeks, primary wave B lasted 23 weeks, and primary wave C lasted 38 weeks.

The A-C trend line now has too weak a slope. At this stage, this is now a problem for this wave count, the upper A-C trend line no longer has such a typical look.

Within primary wave D, no part of the zigzag may move beyond its start above 1,357.09.

DAILY CHART

Gold Elliott Wave Chart Daily 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

This second wave count expects the new wave down may be deeper and longer lasting than the first wave count allows for. At this stage, in the middle of this downwards wave intermediate wave (B) looks incomplete.

A common length for triangle sub-waves is from 0.8 to 0.85 the length of the prior wave. Primary wave D would reach this range from 1,170 to 1,158.

If primary wave C is correctly labelled as a double zigzag, then primary wave D must be a single zigzag.

Within the single zigzag of primary wave D, intermediate wave (A) is labelled as a complete impulse.

Intermediate wave (A) lasted twenty days, just one short of a Fibonacci twenty-one. Intermediate wave (B) may be about the same duration, so that this wave count has good proportions, or it may be longer because B waves tend to be more complicated and time consuming.

So far intermediate wave (B) has lasted fifteen sessions. The next Fibonacci number in the sequence is twenty-one which would see it continue now for another six sessions.

Intermediate wave (B) may be a sharp upwards zigzag, or it may be a choppy overlapping consolidation as a flat, triangle or combination. At this stage, it looks most likely to be incomplete because an intermediate degree wave should last weeks. At its conclusion intermediate wave (B) should have an obvious three wave look to it here on the daily chart.

Minor wave B may be complete here or close to completion as a double zigzag.

Minor wave A will subdivide as either a five wave impulse or a three wave zigzag. If it is seen as a zigzag, then the whole structure for intermediate wave (B) may be a flat correction, which would allow for minor wave B to move below the start of minor wave A at 1,260.72.

HOURLY CHART

Gold Elliott Wave Chart Hourly 2017
Click chart to enlarge.

Intermediate wave (B) may be a regular flat correction. Within intermediate wave (B), minor wave B has passed the minimum requirement of 0.90 the length of minor wave A. B waves within 0.90 to 1.05 the length of A waves indicate a regular flat correction. The most common length for C waves within regular flats is equality in length with the A wave.

Minor wave C would be extremely likely to make at least a slight new high above the end of minor wave A at 1,305.72 to avoid a truncation.

As for the first wave count, this second wave count also requires a breach of the best fit channel for any indication that a low is in place.

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

WEEKLY CHART

Gold Weekly 2017
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.

What looks like a possible double bottom here with the last swing low three weeks ago is too small to be classified as a correct double bottom. The two troughs of a double bottom should be about 10% from the peak in between. Here, they are only 3.6% from the peak.

The long lower wick on the last completed weekly candlestick is bullish, but volume tells a different story as it is bearish.

On Balance Volume may again lead the way. Support may force a bounce here.

DAILY CHART

Gold Daily 2016
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.

With the sideways pattern on On Balance Volume being very small, a breakout should come quickly. This will be used as an indicator of what price should do next if it comes first, or as supporting evidence for price direction if it comes after price.

ATR and Bollinger Bands support the second Elliott wave count.

GDX DAILY CHART

Gold Daily 2016
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.

A downwards trend is now in place. Look out for a bounce to test resistance where price found prior support about 22.75. If price behaves like this, it would offer a good entry point to join the downwards trend.

Published @ 07:10 p.m. EST.