LIVE MARKETS Nasdaq Composite: Washed out or waterfall?

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NASDAQ COMPOSITE: WASHED OUT OR WATERFALL? (0900 EST/1400 GMT)

Amid the Nasdaq Composite's (.IXIC) recent weakness, one measure of internal strength collapsed to its lowest level since early-April, 2020 read more :

Of note, when the Composite topped on February 19, 2020, the Nasdaq New High/New Low (NH/NL) index, which had been diverging from the IXIC at that time, stalled at 76.6%.

It then took the NH/NL index 17 trading days to collapse to 12.3%. In so doing, the Composite slid about 20%. From there, the NH/NL index continued down to just 1.2% over the next six trading days, while the Composite lost another 13% into its March 23 low.

Recent NH/NL action is quite similar to back then. The measure diverged into its early November highs, and then from a reading of 75.7% on November 10, it fell 17-straight trading days into its December 6 low of 12.5%. However, in a testament to the market's current bifurcated state of mega-cap haves and smaller-cap have-nots, however, the Composite only lost 5%. read more

On Tuesday, the NH/NL index ticked up to 14.8%.

It now remains to be seen if the Nasdaq became sufficiently washed out, that a broad recovery can take hold. This measure certainly has room to rise, and if it can reclaim its descending 10-day moving average it may add confidence in the potential for more sustained strength under the surface.

A NH/NL index violation of Tuesday's 12.5% low can open the door for a test of its March 2020 trough. With this, however, the IXIC this time, may instead find itself going over a waterfall. read more

(Terence Gabriel)

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