Will Powell's speech spark another rally or spook the market?

In our previous post on the Nasdaq index, we stated that the bullish breakout above the descending channel would bolster the bullish odds in the short term. Furthermore, we said that in such a scenario, we would closely observe volume and the ability of SMAs to halt the price rise. Interestingly, after the breakout, NQ1! jumped approximately 3.8% and stopped slightly below the 50-day SMA before returning below the 20-day SMA (falling within the scope of natural retracements after the price deviates too far from a moving average). At the same time, the volume picked up, reflecting an increase in selling pressure.

Despite this bullish development, we remain bearish on the index, which follows what we stated before about the breakout not impacting the primary bearish trend. Therefore, today, we will pay close attention to Jerome Powell’s speech. We expect him to reiterate that the FED will stay committed to hiking rates throughout 2023 and achieving its goals over time. Depending on Jerome Powell’s tone, market participants might find signs of a pivot in his words, potentially sparking more upside in the short term. Contrarily, an overly hawkish tone might spook the market into selling. Therefore, we raise a word of caution over a potential increase in volatility.

Expected dates of upcoming earnings for FAANG stocks in 2023:
Netflix - January 17th
Alphabet - January 31st
Meta Platforms - February 1st
Apple - February 2nd
Amazon - February 2nd

Illustration 1.01

The picture above shows the daily chart of NQ1!. The yellow arrow indicates the breakout above the upper bound of the descending channel.

Technical analysis
Daily time frame = Slightly bullish
Weekly time frame = Neutral

Illustration 1.02

Illustration 1.02 shows the daily chart of NQ1!. The yellow arrow indicates the retracement to 20-day SMA and 50-day SMA. To support a bearish case, we want to see the price stay below the 50-day SMA. Additionally, (ideally) we want to see a further increase in volume accompanying a price decline, followed by the breakout's invalidation.

Please feel free to express your ideas and thoughts in the comment section.

DISCLAIMER: This analysis is not intended to encourage any buying or selling of any particular securities. Furthermore, it should not be a basis for taking any trade action by an individual investor. Therefore, your own due diligence is highly advised before entering a trade.

Kommentar:

Jerome Powell talking in the context of the United States at the Symposium on Central Bank Independence: “The FED must continuously earn that independence by using our tools to achieve our assigned goals of maximum employment and price stability.”

Kommentar:

"Restoring price stability when inflation is high can require measures that are not popular in the short term, as we raise interest rates to slow down the economy."

Trade ist aktiv:

Today, we will pay close attention to the release of following data: inflation rate, core inflation rate, CPI, initial jobless claims, and monthly budget statement.