Emini bulls disappointment likely today

Trading Update: Thursday February 3, 2022

Emini pre-open market analysis

Emini daily chart

• Last week, the Emini had a strong reversal from below the October low, which is the bottom of the 6-month trading range. But Emini bulls disappointment still likely.
• As Al has been saying, this rally is currently a V-bottom. V-bottoms happened on the October – December 2018 crash and the pandemic crash. Traders are wondering if this rally will continue to a new high without needing more than a 3-day pullback.
• So far, this V-bottom is likely to go higher even if there is a 3-day pullback.
• On Monday, the bulls tested the December breakout point and continued above it for two consecutive days, furthering the chances of more up.
• Traders are currently deciding, will this rally be a V-bottom that reaches the January all-time high, or will the market get a second leg down from the selloff in January.
• The odds are slightly higher that we will continue up at least a little after the four consecutive bull days, however as Al has stated in yesterday’s blog, the bulls have two problems with this rally. One is that the Emini has been in a trading range for the past 6 months, which means the bull will likely become disappointed by the rally soon. Next is that the January selloff is unusually strong, which makes a second leg down likely. Even if the second leg down is small and tests the January lows, that would satisfy the requirement.
• If the bulls continue to get more bull closes on the daily chart, this will increase the odds of the V-bottom being successful and lower the probability of a second leg down.
• Since last Friday, it is important to notice that the bull bodies have been getting smaller, which is a sign of momentum loss by the bulls. This increases the odds of 2-3 days sideways to down.
• Traders will pay close attention over the next couple of days to see what kind of pullback the rally from the January lows will have. If it only has a 2-3 day pullback and reverses up, the odds are the market will go at least a little higher. However, if the bears can keep the market sideways around this current price level, the odds will increase that they will get their second leg down.

Emini 5-minute chart and what to expect today

• Emini is down 36 points in the overnight Globex session.
• The Emini has been sideways to down since yesterday’s close.
• The odds are today will close around the open. This is due to the bulls having four consecutive bull days in a trading range, and the bull bodies are getting smaller, which is a sign of momentum decreasing.
• Traders should expect a trading range open and pay close attention to the open of the day since today’s odds will close below the open or at the very least close around the opening price.

Yesterday’s Emini setups

Al created the SP500 Emini charts.

Here are several reasonable stop entry setups from yesterday. I show each buy entry with a green rectangle and each sell entry with a red rectangle. Buyers of both the Brooks Trading Course and Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns have access to a much more detailed explanation of the swing trades for each day (see Online Course/BTC Daily Setups).

My goal with these charts is to present an Always In perspective. If a trader was trying to be Always In or nearly Always In a position all day, and he was not currently in the market, these entries would be logical times for him to enter. These therefore are swing entries.

It is important to understand that most swing setups do not lead to swing trades. As soon as traders are disappointed, many exit. Those who exit prefer to get out with a small profit (scalp), but often have to exit with a small loss.

If the risk is too big for your account, you should wait for trades with less risk or trade an alternative market like the Micro Emini.

EURUSD Forex market trading strategies

EURUSD Forex daily chart

• The EURUSD had a strong reversal up on Monday following the bear breakout below the 2-month trading range.
• The bulls were able to get follow-through on Tuesday, which increased the chances of at least a small 2nd leg up.
• Yesterday’s close was right at a 50% retracement of the January selloff. This week, bulls are hopeful that the 3 consecutive bull bars are strong enough to test the January 20 lower high and ultimately break above the January high and form a bull trend over the next couple of months.
• The bulls need to break above the January 20 lower high (the most recent sell climax). Ultimately, the bulls need to break above the January 14 major lower high for traders to conclude the market is no longer in a bear trend.
• The bears are still hopeful that the rally this week is just a lower high 50% pullback of the January selloff and that the January selloff is the resumption of the bear trend.
• Over the past three days, the reversal up is strong enough for most traders to conclude that the market is more likely in a trading range than a continued bear trend.
• The bulls still need to get more strong bull bars before traders are convinced this will be the start of a bull breakout above the January 14 major lower high.

Summary of today’s S&P Emini futures price action and what to expect tomorrow

End of day summary

• The Emini opened with a big gap down and formed a bear channel day.
• On the open, it had a weak rally that reversed down from a wedge at the EMA.
• There was a wedge bottom in the middle of the day, but the reversal again failed at the EMA.
• The third, bigger wedge bottom in the final hour also failed to stop the selling.
• However, there was a sharp reversal up in the final minutes, and today closed just below the open.
• Today is a High 1 Buy signal bar on the daily chart, but its bear body makes it less reliable.
• A more important factor is tomorrow’s unemployment report, which will be released before the day session opens. It increases the chance of at least one strong move up or down tomorrow.
• The bulls want the V-bottom on the daily chart to continue up.
• But even if tomorrow sells off, there will still probably be a 2^nd leg up next week after this week’s strong rally.
• Tomorrow is Friday and therefore weekly support and resistance can be important, especially in the final hour.
• The bulls want a bull bar on the weekly chart, especially one that closes near its high.
• The bears want a bear bar closing near its low so that this week will be a Low 1 sell signal bar for next week.

See the weekly update for a discussion of the price action on the weekly chart and for what to expect going into next week.

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Trading Room

Traders can see the end of the day bar-by-bar price action report by signing up for free at BrooksPriceAction.com. I talk about the detailed S&P Emini futures price action real-time throughout the day in the BrooksPriceAction.com on trading room days. We offer a 2 day free trial.

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Charts use Pacific Time

When I mention time, it is USA Pacific Time. The Emini day session charts begin at 6:30 am PT and end at 1:15 pm PT which is 15 minutes after the NYSE closes. You can read background information on the market reports on the Market Update page.

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