Sunday, July 12, 2009

Market Outlook 13-17th July 2009

Weekly Index Outlook — Poised on the brink
Sensex (13,504.2)
 
The Union Budget for 2009-10 was definitely not scary enough to make equities fall off a cliff the way they did. Though the packaging of the Budget and missing road-maps caused a great deal of consternation among market participants, the 1,400 points weekly loss in the Sensex appears to have been largely caused by unwinding of short-term positions built in expectation of a post-election surge in stock prices.

Volumes tapered off towards the close of the week. Data released by SEBI reveals that foreign institutional investors have bought $603 million in the four sessions from the Budget day.

Domestic institutional investors too were largely net buyers last week.

Retail investors seem to have borne the brunt of the post-budget selling.

A turnover of Rs 96,000 crore, recorded in the derivative segment of NSE on Monday indicates that leveraged positions built up in anticipation of a post-Budget rally could have been the primary factor that pushed stock prices lower on the Budget day.

The 10-day rate of change (ROC) oscillator has declined into negative zone and the 14-day relative strength index is positioned at 38.

Both these readings reflect a bearish short-term outlook. That the Sensex has recorded a close below its 50-day moving average is also a negative.

But investors can take heart from the weekly momentum indicators that are holding in the positive zone.

Interestingly, monthly ROC has risen from the negative zone and is poised on the median line. The inference is that the movement of Sensex over the next few weeks will determine the long-term direction that the index takes.

The third wave of the down-move from 15,600-peak started on the Budget day and this wave has the downward targets of 13,513 and 12,553. Sensex moved to the first target on Friday. There are a cluster of supports around the 13,500 level provided by the trough formed on May 26 and the ceiling of the post-election result gap.

A short-term bounce is possible here that takes index to 14,000. But failure to record a strong close above 14,000 would mean that the weakness would continue in the short-term.

We stay with the view that the medium-term trend will turn conclusively negative only on a close below 13,300. The yawning gap between 12,219 and 13,479 will result in the decline accelerating once the index closes below 13,300. Fibonacci retracement of the up-move from March lows give us the medium-term targets of 12,730, 11,840 and 10,950 in the event of a protracted down-move.

A brief review of the long-term outlook is warranted at this stage. We have adhered to the view that the up-move from March lows was a counter-trend rally in a long-term down-trend (bear market rally in common parlance and B wave in E-wave terminology).

A strong weekly close above 16,200 is needed to alter this view. The behaviour of market participants in May and June had all the hallmarks of the B wave and patterns in the charts of other global indices also support this view. Investors holding short-term positions need to tread carefully at this point since the C wave of the long-term down-trend could have commenced from the 15600 peak. This count will be confirmed on a strong close below 13000. The force and ferocity of the C wave downward is known to all. But bulls need not throw in the towel just yet. A strong rebound next week will mean that the B wave can extend for a few more weeks and maybe help Sensex reach 16,000.

Sensex closed on a very weak note on Friday. But a short-term rebound can take the index to 14,059 or 14,455 early next week. Key resistance zone for the week would be between 14,000 and 14,250. Failure to move beyond this zone will result in the index heading lower towards 13,346 or 12,730 in the short-term.

Nifty (4,003.9)
 
Nifty moved to the low of 3,976 on Friday. Targets of the down-move from 4,693 peak are 3,930 and 3,590. Since Nifty is close to the first target, a short-term rebound is possible that takes the index higher to 4,181 or 4,296. Short-term traders can use rallies to these levels to initiate fresh short positions. Medium-term targets for the Nifty based on retracement levels are 3,876, 3,624 and 3,371.

A close above 4,450 is needed to make the medium-term view positive again for Nifty.

Global Cues
Global equities began correcting in earnest last week; most of the major indices gave up between 3 to 4 per cent. Asian indices were however resilient, indices such as Jakarta Composite, KLSE Composite, Seoul Composite and so on closed near the upper end of their medium-term trading ranges. CBOE VIX spiked to an intra-week high of 33 before closing at 29 implying that investors are getting just a trifle edgy.

The Dow moved in line with our expectation, declining below the first target of 8,198. Close below 8,200 is a negative from a short-term perspective and implies that the index could decline towards the next target between 7,960 and 8,000. But we stay with the view that a re-test of March lows becomes a possibility only on a strong close below 7,800.

Commodities led by crude pulled the CRB index lower by almost 3 per cent. This index has retraced over 40 per cent of the rally from the March lows and the speed of the current decline implies that the long-term trend in commodities continues to be down.

As the Sensex declined from 21,000 to below 10,000, all the key valuation parameters fell below the historical averages. The BSE Sensex now trades at a forward P/E of 16.1x v/s the 15-year average of 14.3x, while the P/B multiple has declined from 4.7x to 2.8x. Following the deceleration in earnings momentum, Sensex RoE is now estimated at 18% v/s its peak RoE of 24%. At the current levels, earnings yield to bond yield is 0.8x, close to the long-term average of 0.73x. (At March 2009 Sensex levels of 9,500, it was about 1.3x.) This is one of the important parameters indicating that equities have moved from a stage of undervaluation to their long-term average fair values.

 Strong & Weak  futures  
This is list of 10 strong futures:
  1. Colpal
  2. Dabur
  3. EduComp
  4. ITC
  5. DrReddy
  6. Gail
  7. Maruti
  8. Patni
  9. Cipla
  10. GTOff Shore
And this is list of 10 Weak futures:
  1. AdlabsFilm
  2. Aban
  3. BajajHind
  4. EssarOil
  5. HDIL
  6. NagarFert
  7. ChambalFert
  8. OrchidChem
  9. Suzlon
  10. PrajInd
  Nifty is in Down Trend.
Reliance (Rs 1,778.4)
 
RIL went in to a free fall last week and closed 12 per cent lower. It has already achieved our first medium-term target of Rs 1,750. Failure to move above Rs 1,900 next week would mean that it would move down to our next medium-term target of Rs 1,522. Since that coincides with 61.8 per cent retracement of the up-move from October lows, the current medium-term down-trend could halt there.

Presence of 200-day moving average at Rs 1,575 makes the entire zone between Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,600 a very potent support zone if the decline continues. Short-term resistances for the stock are at Rs 1,900 and Rs 1,970. Short-term traders can initiate short positions on a reversal from either of these levels.

State Bank of India (Rs 1,543.6)
 
SBI recorded a giant bearish engulfing candle on Monday that has dragged the stock close to our second medium-term target of Rs 1,500. A bounce is possible from here that takes the stock to Rs 1,650 or Rs 1,690. The medium-term view will stay negative as long as the stock stays below the second resistance. Short-term traders can short the stock on rallies till it closes above Rs 1,690.

However, close above Rs 1,690 will imply that SBI has begun a fresh leg of the up-move from March lows that can take it towards Rs 2,000 again. Those holding long positions can do so with a stop at Rs 1,480. Close below this support will signal an impending decline to Rs 1,416 or Rs 1,290.

Tata Steel (Rs 353.4)
 
Tata Steel was one of the biggest losers among the pivotals last week with 19 per cent weekly loss. The third leg of the downtrend from the Rs 496 peak is currently in motion. This leg has the targets of Rs 372, Rs 327 and Rs 255. Fibonacci retracement of the up-move from the March lows gives us the targets of Rs 320 and Rs 280 if the stock continues to slide.

There could be a brief rally to Rs 382 or Rs 405 next week. Reversal from the first resistance would be the cue for short-term traders to initiate fresh shorts on this counter.

Infosys (Rs 1,726.5)
 
Infosys too plunged below Rs 1,650, before its first quarter earnings helped the stock to wipe out part of the losses; helping it close only 4 per cent lower for the week. Despite Friday's reversal, the medium-term trend in this stock has reversed downwards. As we have been reiterating, the stock has strong intermediate resistance in the zone between Rs 1,850 and Rs 1,900 and a reversal from here can pull the stock lower to Rs 1,400 over the medium-term.

Short-term resistance for the stock is at Rs 1,750. If the stock fails to move above this level early next week, it will imply an impending down-move to Rs 1,650, Rs 1,602 or Rs 1,550 in the near term.

ONGC (Rs 986.3)
ONGC reversed strongly from the resistance zone around Rs 1,130 indicated in our last column and is currently pausing at the first downward target of Rs 990. If the stock manages to hold this level, it would mean that the stock could have a shy at its previous high over the medium-term. But a decline below Rs 980 would drag the stock down to Rs 920 or Rs 850. The 200-day moving average would be the key support in a protracted decline.
 
Maruti Suzuki (Rs 1,104.7)
 
Maruti Suzuki was among the rare few that defied the sell-off in the market last week and went on to put a 4 per cent weekly gain. This stock moved contrary to our expectation and recorded an intra-week peak of Rs 1,125. But there is short-term resistance around this level and fresh long positions are recommended only on a strong close above Rs 1,125. Reversal from here can pull the stock down to Rs 1,015 again.

However, we maintain that the medium-term view on this stock stays positive as long as it holds above Rs 950.

 FII DATA
FII trading activity on NSE and BSE in Capital Market Segment(In Rs. Crores)
Category Date Buy Value Sell Value Net Value
FII 10-Jul-2009 1713.69 2617.01 -903.32
DII trading activity on NSE and BSE in Capital Market Segment(In Rs. Crores)
Category Date Buy Value Sell Value Net Value
DII 10-Jul-2009 1432.58 546.45 +886.13
 
SPOT LEVELS FOR MONDAY 13TH JULY
NSE Nifty Index   4003.90 ( -1.89 %) -77.05       
  1 2 3
Resistance 4096.97 4190.03   4250.12  
Support 3943.82 3883.73 3790.67

BSE Sensex  13504.22 ( -1.84 %) -253.24     
  1 2 3
Resistance 13794.81 14085.40 14273.61
Support 13316.01 13127.80 12837.21
Price rate of change
 

Price rate of change (ROC) oscillator measures the velocity of price movement. It is a simple yet effective indicator that gives investors prior warning about impending change in trend.

To plot the ROC, the time period over which the oscillator has to be plotted needs to be determined first. If the period is taken as 12 days, the difference between the latest closing price and the closing price 12 days ago is used for plotting this oscillator.

What ROC indicates
Needless to add that once the latest close is less than the price recorded 12 days ago, the ROC will turn negative. So the ROC fluctuates above and below a zero line that is from the positive to the negative territory. ROC is plotted below the price chart of a stock.

When a stock price is trending up or down, there is a period when the rate of increase or decrease in the stock price slows down and this phase generally precedes a reversal in trend.

ROC captures the slowdown in momentum in this period thus warning the investor about flagging of buying or selling fervour.

The warning is given in the form of positive or negative divergence in the ROC chart. A positive divergence is noticed when the stock price makes lower lows while the ROC plots higher lows. Similarly, a negative divergence is observed when the stock price continues to rise forming higher peaks, while ROC peaks out and begins form lower peaks.

Overbought and oversold
The 12- and 25-day ROC are most widely used. Over a period, each stock or index forms its overbought and oversold regions. But, one should not hurry to initiate a position just because the oscillator has reached the overbought or oversold zone; one must wait until the stock price changes its direction too.

The ROC can remain overbought or oversold for extended periods during which the price continues to trend higher or lower. When ROC is poised above zero, it indicates an increase in upward momentum and ROC below the zero line indicates an increase in selling pressure.

The MRPL chart illustrates overbought and negative divergence. In late May, the ROC reached overbought levels and it continued to remain at those levels till early June. In late May, if you had hurried to open a short-position, you would have gone wrong as the stock price continued to move higher.

We can observe a negative divergence during early June as the stock price made higher peaks, the ROC formed lower peaks. Subsequently, the ROC entered into the negative territory signalling a sell.

As with most technical indicators, ROC should be used in combination with other tools of technical analysis as well as other non-momentum based indicators.

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Arvind Parekh
+ 91 98432 32381