A short term change from down to up for a bounce was expected. This is what looks like to be happening so far.
Summary: Expect overall sideways movement this week. In the short term, look out for a deep bounce for wave B within this correction; it may make a new high above 1,357.09.
With the bounce expected to be a B wave, it may not offer a good trading opportunity. B waves exhibit the greatest variety in structure and price behaviour; it may be a swift sharp bounce or a time consuming sideways chop. It is impossible to tell which it may be. Members are strongly advised to manage risk diligently if trying to trade this correction, or to step aside and exert patience at this time.
Always use a stop. Invest only 1-5% of equity on any one trade.
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.
MAIN ELLIOTT WAVE COUNT
WEEKLY CHART
There is strong support from classic technical analysis for this wave count. Now that price has fully broken above the Magee trend line and has broken out above a consolidation zone, with support from volume, this wave count will now be the main wave count.
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.
There are two 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.
Although this wave count still has these problems, technical analysis now points to it being more likely. The alternate will continue to be considered until price invalidates it.
DAILY CHART
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) may be unfolding as an impulse.
Within the impulse, minor waves 1 and 2 would now be complete.
Minor wave 2 may have ended as a relatively brief shallow second wave. It is unusual for second wave corrections to be this shallow. If my analysis of intermediate wave (C) is wrong, it may be in labelling minor waves 1 and 2 already over. It is possible that only minor wave 1 was over at last week’s high. If price moves below 1,300.54 at this stage, then I would expect a deeper more time consuming correction which would be labeled minor wave 2.
Minor wave 3 may only subdivide as an impulse. So far the corrections of minute waves ii and iv show up on the daily chart giving this portion of the wave count the right look. It looks like minor wave 3 could be over.
With minor wave 1 a very long extension, minor wave 3 may not be extended. If this labelling is correct, then there is no Fibonacci ratio between minor waves 1 and 3, and minor wave 3 is shorter than minor wave 1 by 18.80. This limits minor wave 5 to no longer than equality with minor wave 3 at 76.33, so that minor wave 3 is not the shortest and the core Elliott wave rule is met. This labelling only fits with the first target for cycle wave b to end; it does not fit with the second higher target.
Minor wave 2 was a shallow 0.21 zigzag lasting five days. Given the guideline of alternation, minor wave 4 may be most likely a flat, triangle or combination. It may most likely last a Fibonacci five or eight days. Within all of flats, triangles and combinations, a new high above 1,357.09 may be included.
Minor wave 4 may not move into minor wave 1 price territory below 1,300.54.
Minor wave 4 should find very strong support at the cyan Magee trend line now if price gets down there. This would be a very typical curve down to back test support at prior resistance.
Fourth waves are often but not always contained within a channel drawn about the impulse using Elliott’s first technique. That is why Elliott developed a second technique to redraw the channel when a fourth wave breached it. At this stage, it looks like minor wave 4 may not be contained within the blue Elliott channel.
HOURLY CHART
If minor wave 4 unfolds as either a flat, combination or triangle, then within it minute wave a would most likely be a three wave structure. When A waves subdivide as threes, they are almost always zigzags and occasionally flat corrections. A waves may not subdivide as triangles.
At this stage, it looks like minute wave a may be a complete zigzag. It has breached the lower edge of the blue Elliott channel, which is copied over here from the daily chart, before price re-entered the channel. With the lower edge of this channel not accurately showing where price found support, now it looks like it may not be useful to show where minor wave 4 ends. The cyan Magee trend line on the daily chart may be a better guide.
If minor wave 4 is the most common flat correction, then within it minute wave b must retrace a minimum 0.9 length of minute wave a. Minute wave b of an expanded flat (the most common type and a very common structure) must be a minimum 1.05 length of minute wave a, so it must move above the start of minute wave a at 1,357.09. A common range is now calculated for minute wave b of a flat correction.
If minor wave 4 is the next very common structure of a combination, then it would be labelled minute waves w, x and y. Doubles are common and triples are very rare, so triples will not be considered unless price proves it correct. Double combinations are most commonly a zigzag and a flat correction joined by a three for minute wave x in the opposite direction. Minute wave x may make a new high above 1,357.09. There is no minimum requirement for X waves within combinations, so a combination will be considered if the minimum requirement for a flat correction is not met.
If minor wave 4 is a triangle, then within it minute wave b may make a new high above 1,357.09 if the triangle is a running variety. There is also no minimum requirement for minute wave b within a triangle. The only requirement is that it must sub-divide as a three.
The labelling within minor wave 4 will change as more structure unfolds. At this stage, it is impossible for me to tell you with any confidence which of the multiple options outlined above minor wave 4 will be.
As more structure within minor wave 4 unfolds and the multiple options begin to diverge, then alternate hourly wave counts will be required. For now all possibilities expect a continuation of the upwards bounce, which appears to have begun on Tuesday.
ALTERNATE ELLIOTT WAVE COUNT
WEEKLY CHART
The Magee trend line is now breached by a full weekly candlestick above and not touching the line. This substantially reduces the probability of this wave count at the end of last week.
The Magee bear market trend line is drawn from the all time high for Gold on the 6th of September, 2011, to the first major swing high within the following bear market on the 5th of October, 2012.
To use this trend line in the way Magee describes, we should assume that price will find resistance at the line if it gets back up there. Now that the line is breached, it is signalling a major trend change from bear to bull.
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 started its 38th week. A double zigzag may be expected to be longer lasting than single zigzags within a triangle, and so this continuation of primary wave C is entirely acceptable and leaves the wave count with the right look at this time frame.
With upwards movement continuing, the A-C trend line now has too weak a slope. At this stage, this wave count now looks less likely.
DAILY CHART
The cyan Magee trend line has now been breached. This must reduce the probability of this wave count.
A breach of the blue Elliott channel by downwards movement would indicate a trend change.
The structure of minor wave C may now be complete.
HOURLY CHART
If there has been a trend change at primary degree at the last high, then the next wave down must be seen as a five and not a three. This has good proportion, fits neatly within an Elliott channel, and has good Fibonacci ratios.
This should be followed by a bounce upwards, which must subdivide as a three. The only corrective structure that minor wave 2 may not be is a triangle.
How high this bounce goes and possibly what structure it turns out to be may give some clues as to which wave count, main or alternate, may now be correct.
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
WEEKLY CHART
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.
Overall, this chart is bullish. This trend may be expected to continue at least until weekly RSI reaches overbought.
A small pullback here within the upwards trend may pull RSI a little lower allowing more room for upwards movement to continue.
DAILY CHART
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.
An Evening Star candlestick pattern indicates a trend change from up to either down or sideways. Candlestick reversal patterns do not necessarily mean a switch from up to down or down to up, they may also indicate a switch to sideways. This offers some support to the Elliott wave count.
Volume continues to strongly decline as price falls. Pullbacks and consolidations most typically come with lighter volume. Only should this view change if downwards movement continues and has support from volume. At this point, the data available indicates a consolidation.
The pullback may find support at the short term Fibonacci 13 day moving average.
GDX
DAILY CHART
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.
Price has moved lower with a lower low and a lower high, but the candlestick has closed green and the balance of volume during Tuesday’s session was upwards. Volume is lighter. Volume did not support the rise in price during Tuesday’s session.
On Balance Volume offering support here may initiate a bounce for the short term.
GOLD THIRD WAVE EXAMPLE – DAILY CHART
Click chart to enlarge. Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com.
This section will be left at the end of analysis until either the current wave count is proven wrong, or the third wave we are expecting has completed.
This chart has been published before. It shows the most recent example of a strong third wave in Gold from December 2015 to March 2016.
Note that during this strong upwards trend:
– RSI first reached overbought on the 4th of February and price then continued strongly higher for five more days culminating in a blowoff top on the 11th of February.
– RSI and Stochastics remained extreme for most of the second half of the trend. At the final high, they both exhibited strong divergence with price.
– Price found support at the short term Fibonacci 13 day moving average during the entire trend.
– All signals from On Balance Volume were bullish right up to the end of the trend. The 9th of March shows the first bearish signal, which was an important warning of a trend change.
– The trend begins with choppy overlapping and some hesitancy.
– The 6th of January was an important upwards breakout from resistance, with support from volume. Thereafter, price moved more strongly.
– While overall volume supported the upwards movement in price, this was not linear. Some weaker days occurred yet price continued higher. It is the overall trend of volume which is more important than any one or two days. On Balance Volume remaining bullish was an important guide.
No two waves are the same. So if the current wave count is correct, it may be different from this example. However, there are some important lessons to be learned here:
1. On Balance Volume is an important guide. Bullish signals should be taken seriously, particularly early on in the trend. Later in the trend, with RSI and Stochastics overbought, any bearish signal from On Balance Volume should see long positions closed.
2. RSI and Stochastics can reach extreme overbought. Only when they have been extreme for some time and then exhibit strong divergence should it be taken as a warning of a trend change.
Published @ 08:00 p.m. EST.
Hi Lara,
just a quick question to WTI as we have reached 49.60 and overshoot the invalidation point at 49.42. are we still in a bear market as the weekly invalidation point 50.43 is still in place?
Updated hourly chart:
It looks like minor 4 may be a zigzag, not exhibiting great alternation with the zigzag of minor 2 but they do have differences. That’s the problem with guidelines, not rules. You should expect to see alternation, but it isn’t always how you expect and sometimes it doesn’t happen.
Anyhoo… the big ? is over whether or not minute c is over. So far there is zero evidence of a trend change, but I am expecting it here or very soon because of very strong support just below at the cyan trend line (on the daily chart).
If minor 4 were to move lower to the 0.618 Fibonacci ratio so it has better alternation with minor 2 in depth that would be at 1,309 and it would need a slight undershoot of the cyan trend line. That is possible.
Let us see what volume and On Balance Volume have to say about the situation today when StockCharts data is available…
Within the zigzags of minor 2 and 4, there is good alternation within their B waves. Within minor 2 the B wave was a big sideways movement, giving minor 2 more of a look of a combination than a typical zigzag. Here within minor 4 it is quicker, giving the whole correction a stronger downwards slope.
Bottom might be in @ 24.16 GDX
No comments?
🙂 Imo no comments needed really. Gold price did what was expected – get back below the weekly upper Bollinger band & then with CCI getting below 100 & ADX dropping back from 40+, a pullback was inevitable. Imo a break below 1319 will likely signal 1357 as interim top. Refer to Alan’s comments yesterday to get a better idea. Savour those thoughts with Lara’s analysis & get on board to ride out a profitable trade. Happy trading.