12/21 Watchlist

It's Christmas week, and I'll be scanning in holiday mode this week and next: I'll check out the indicators and currencies, and of course watch my holdings like a paranoid hawk.

But, for new entries, I shall be scanning only a few high-volume etfs, and most likely won't be opening any new positions. might be opening positions, if they're really compelling, as SMH seems to be (see below).

A new bear signal on the fear index (VIX), but oddly not on the blue-chips (SPY) whose volatility the VIX measures. The VIX is trading at 20.33, down 5.3% from the open. The signal comes two days after a bull signal amid a downtrend that began in January.

Treasury long bonds (TLT) shows a bear signal, two days after giving a bull signal. TLT is trading at 91.55, down 0.5% from the open.

Otherwise, no new signals on the indicators, the currencies or my holdings.


High-volume etfs (ignoring shorts and multiples):

• QQQQ (the NASDAQ), bull signal in an uptrend that begin in March. The etf has given three signal reversals in six trading days.
• XLF (financials), bull signal, strong uptrend began in March, and a less convincing retracement downward in October.
• UYG (financials), bull signal, uptrend began in March, retracement in October.
• XRT (retail), bull signal in a sideways trend since October, reversing Friday's bull signal.
• SMH (semiconductors), bull signal on a gap up, in an uptrend since March and a sideways trend since the beginning of December.

The SMH signal is the most convincing of the lot.