Dow Jones Industrial Average

Summary: Investor uncertainty. Canadian Dollar Read next: EUR/USD Falls Below Parity, Eurozone Energy Crisis Concerns Persist (EUR/GBP), Hawkish BoC (USD/CAD), USD/JPY  The Dow 30 closed almost 0.5% down The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) closed almost 0.5% lower at the time of market closing on Thursday. The fall in the Dow comes in the wake of investor uncertainty as recession and earnings discussions from major banks continue whilst still reeling from the release of US inflation data that shocked the markets and prospects of a 100 basis point interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve. DJIA Price Chart Canadian Dollar On Wednesday the Bank of Canada (BoC) shocked the financial markets with their largest cash rate hike since 1998 of 1%. The hawkish move from the BoC has offered the Canadian Dollar support and has thrown a curveball at investors, leaving a range of responses from analysts. The current cash rate are at their highest level since October 2008, the move had outdone the Federal Reserve in its methods of bringing down local inflation. BoC raised its cash rate 100 bps from 1.5% to 2.5%. Sources: finance.yahoo.com, fxmag.com, poundsterlinglive.com

By InvestMacro | COT | Data Tables | COT Leaders | Downloads | COT Newsletter Here are the latest charts and statistics for the Commitment of Traders (COT) data published by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The latest COT data is updated through Tuesday July 12th and shows a quick view of how large traders (for-profit speculators and commercial entities) were positioned in the futures markets. Weekly Speculator Changes COT stock market speculator bets were mostly lower this week as three out of the seven stock markets we cover had higher positioning while the other four markets had lower weekly net changes. Leading the gains for stock markets was the MSCI EAFE Mini (11,147 contracts) with the Dow Jones Industrial Average Mini (3,240 contracts) and Russell 2000 Mini (815 contracts) also showing  positive weeks. Meanwhile, leading the declines in speculator bets this week were the S&P500 Mini (-31,846 contracts) and the VIX (-20,866 contracts) with the Nasdaq Mini (-11,479 contracts) and the Nikkei 225 USD (-206 contracts) also registering lower bets on the week.   Data Snapshot of Stock Market Traders | Columns Legend Jul-12-2022 OI OI-Index Spec-Net Spec-Index Com-Net COM-Index Smalls-Net Smalls-Index S&P500-Mini 2,317,580 8 -215,528 16 247,687 100 -32,159 20 Nikkei 225 13,053 7 -1,951 68 3,206 46 -1,255 13 Nasdaq-Mini 254,260 45 19,416 86 -9,589 21 -9,827 28 DowJones-Mini 67,254 24 -19,843 11 25,635 94 -5,792 7 VIX 281,586 21 -66,367 76 73,802 25 -7,435 55 Nikkei 225 Yen 61,838 46 7,547 57 25,338 88 -32,885 7   Strength Scores Strength Scores (a normalized measure of Speculator positions over a 3-Year range, from 0 to 100 where above 80 is extreme bullish and below 20 is extreme bearish) show that the Nasdaq-Mini (85.9 percent) leads the stocks and is currently in a bullish extreme position. The VIX (76.0 percent) and the Nikkei USD (68.2 percent) come in as the next highest stock markets in strength scores. On the downside, the Russell2000-Mini (0.5 percent) comes in at the lowest strength level currently (extreme bearish) and continues to scrape the bottom of its 3-year range. The DowJones-Mini (11.1 percent), EAFE-Mini (12.6 percent) and the S&P500-Mini (16.3 percent) round out the next lowest scores and are also in extreme bearish levels (below 20 percent). Strength Statistics: VIX (76.0 percent) vs VIX previous week (86.4 percent) S&P500-Mini (16.3 percent) vs S&P500-Mini previous week (22.2 percent) DowJones-Mini (11.1 percent) vs DowJones-Mini previous week (7.1 percent) Nasdaq-Mini (85.9 percent) vs Nasdaq-Mini previous week (92.3 percent) Russell2000-Mini (0.5 percent) vs Russell2000-Mini previous week (0.0 percent) Nikkei USD (68.2 percent) vs Nikkei USD previous week (69.2 percent) EAFE-Mini (12.6 percent) vs EAFE-Mini previous week (0.0 percent)   Strength Trends Strength Score Trends (or move index, that calculates the 6-week changes in strength scores) show that the DowJones-Mini (7.8 percent) leads the past six weeks trends for stocks currently. The Nasdaq-Mini (7.7 percent) and the Nikkei USD (5.4 percent) fill out the top movers in the latest trends data. The S&P500-Mini (-44.0 percent) and the Russell 2000-Mini (-22.2 percent) lead the downside trend scores this week followed by the EAFE-Mini (-20.7 percent) which saw an improvement from last week (-37.5 percent). Strength Trend Statistics: VIX (-10.8 percent) vs VIX previous week (-1.0 percent) S&P500-Mini (-44.0 percent) vs S&P500-Mini previous week (-43.1 percent) DowJones-Mini (7.8 percent) vs DowJones-Mini previous week (1.2 percent) Nasdaq-Mini (7.7 percent) vs Nasdaq-Mini previous week (9.6 percent) Russell2000-Mini (-22.2 percent) vs Russell2000-Mini previous week (-24.8 percent) Nikkei USD (5.4 percent) vs Nikkei USD previous week (-1.1 percent) EAFE-Mini (-20.7 percent) vs EAFE-Mini previous week (-37.5 percent) VIX Volatility Futures: The VIX Volatility large speculator standing this week came in at a net position of -66,367 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly lowering of -20,866 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -45,501 net contracts. This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish with a score of 76.0 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 25.0 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 55.3 percent. VIX Volatility Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS – Percent of Open Interest Longs: 14.5 59.2 8.2 – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 38.1 33.0 10.8 – Net Position: -66,367 73,802 -7,435 – Gross Longs: 40,825 166,659 23,039 – Gross Shorts: 107,192 92,857 30,474 – Long to Short Ratio: 0.4 to 1 1.8 to 1 0.8 to 1 NET POSITION TREND: – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 76.0 25.0 55.3 – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish Bearish Bullish NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -10.8 10.1 4.8   S&P500 Mini Futures: The S&P500 Mini large speculator standing this week came in at a net position of -215,528 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decrease of -31,846 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -183,682 net contracts. This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish-Extreme with a score of 16.3 percent. The commercials are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 100.0 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 19.6 percent. S&P500 Mini Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS – Percent of Open Interest Longs: 9.7 77.8 10.1 – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 19.0 67.1 11.4 – Net Position: -215,528 247,687 -32,159 – Gross Longs: 224,577 1,802,289 233,148 – Gross Shorts: 440,105 1,554,602 265,307 – Long to Short Ratio: 0.5 to 1 1.2 to 1 0.9 to 1 NET POSITION TREND: – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 16.3 100.0 19.6 – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish-Extreme Bullish-Extreme Bearish-Extreme NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -44.0 39.8 -1.6   Dow Jones Mini Futures: The Dow Jones Mini large speculator standing this week came in at a net position of -19,843 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly rise of 3,240 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -23,083 net contracts. This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish-Extreme with a score of 11.1 percent. The commercials are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 93.9 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 7.5 percent. Dow Jones Mini Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS – Percent of Open Interest Longs: 20.3 64.3 14.5 – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 49.8 26.2 23.1 – Net Position: -19,843 25,635 -5,792 – Gross Longs: 13,674 43,227 9,777 – Gross Shorts: 33,517 17,592 15,569 – Long to Short Ratio: 0.4 to 1 2.5 to 1 0.6 to 1 NET POSITION TREND: – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 11.1 93.9 7.5 – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish-Extreme Bullish-Extreme Bearish-Extreme NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 7.8 -5.1 -11.5   Nasdaq Mini Futures: The Nasdaq Mini large speculator standing this week came in at a net position of 19,416 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly reduction of -11,479 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 30,895 net contracts. This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish-Extreme with a score of 85.9 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 20.6 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 28.3 percent. Nasdaq Mini Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS – Percent of Open Interest Longs: 30.3 55.4 12.7 – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 22.6 59.1 16.6 – Net Position: 19,416 -9,589 -9,827 – Gross Longs: 76,972 140,774 32,410 – Gross Shorts: 57,556 150,363 42,237 – Long to Short Ratio: 1.3 to 1 0.9 to 1 0.8 to 1 NET POSITION TREND: – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 85.9 20.6 28.3 – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish-Extreme Bearish Bearish NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 7.7 -8.3 -0.7   Russell 2000 Mini Futures: The Russell 2000 Mini large speculator standing this week came in at a net position of -117,778 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly gain of 815 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -118,593 net contracts. This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish-Extreme with a score of 0.5 percent. The commercials are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 100.0 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 8.4 percent. Russell 2000 Mini Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS – Percent of Open Interest Longs: 6.9 89.0 3.1 – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 26.9 67.9 4.2 – Net Position: -117,778 123,998 -6,220 – Gross Longs: 40,461 523,195 18,305 – Gross Shorts: 158,239 399,197 24,525 – Long to Short Ratio: 0.3 to 1 1.3 to 1 0.7 to 1 NET POSITION TREND: – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 0.5 100.0 8.4 – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish-Extreme Bullish-Extreme Bearish-Extreme NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -22.2 22.1 -9.9   Nikkei Stock Average (USD) Futures: The Nikkei Stock Average (USD) large speculator standing this week came in at a net position of -1,951 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly lowering of -206 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -1,745 net contracts. This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish with a score of 68.2 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 45.7 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 12.6 percent. Nikkei Stock Average Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS – Percent of Open Interest Longs: 22.9 62.1 14.8 – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 37.9 37.5 24.4 – Net Position: -1,951 3,206 -1,255 – Gross Longs: 2,991 8,101 1,931 – Gross Shorts: 4,942 4,895 3,186 – Long to Short Ratio: 0.6 to 1 1.7 to 1 0.6 to 1 NET POSITION TREND: – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 68.2 45.7 12.6 – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish Bearish Bearish-Extreme NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 5.4 -2.0 -9.2   MSCI EAFE Mini Futures: The MSCI EAFE Mini large speculator standing this week came in at a net position of -22,036 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly boost of 11,147 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -33,183 net contracts. This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish-Extreme with a score of 12.6 percent. The commercials are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 93.1 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 44.2 percent. MSCI EAFE Mini Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS – Percent of Open Interest Longs: 5.7 91.3 2.4 – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 10.9 86.8 1.7 – Net Position: -22,036 19,139 2,897 – Gross Longs: 24,616 391,518 10,216 – Gross Shorts: 46,652 372,379 7,319 – Long to Short Ratio: 0.5 to 1 1.1 to 1 1.4 to 1 NET POSITION TREND: – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 12.6 93.1 44.2 – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish-Extreme Bullish-Extreme Bearish NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -20.7 23.6 -14.0   Article By InvestMacro – Receive our weekly COT Reports by Email *COT Report: The COT data, released weekly to the public each Friday, is updated through the most recent Tuesday (data is 3 days old) and shows a quick view of how large speculators or non-commercials (for-profit traders) were positioned in the futures markets. The CFTC categorizes trader positions according to commercial hedgers (traders who use futures contracts for hedging as part of the business), non-commercials (large traders who speculate to realize trading profits) and nonreportable traders (usually small traders/speculators) as well as their open interest (contracts open in the market at time of reporting).See CFTC criteria here.

Dow Jones Industrial Average has underperformed against the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 in the past 2 sessions. Broke minor support yesterday now turns into key short-term resistance at 34,310. Sill sandwiched within a complex sideways range configuration in the medium-term horizon with its range resistance at 34,630.   The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) has continued to be one of the underperformers among the major US benchmark stock indices ex-post Q2 “Triple Witching” options expiration since last Friday, 16 June. In the past two sessions, the DJIA has declined by -1.03% versus the S&P 500 (-0.84%), Nasdaq 100 (-0.76%), and small-cap concentrated Russell 2000 (-1.2%).   Sandwiched within a medium-term complex sideways range in the past 6 months   Fig 1:  US Wall St 30 medium-term trend as of 21 Jun 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart) The price actions of the US Wall St 30 Index (proxy of the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures) have continued to churn within a medium-term complex sideways range configuration in place since 13 December 2022. The recent minor up move from the 25 May 2023 low of 32,561 has managed to stage a retreat right below the upper boundary of the range configuration now acting as resistance at 34,630 (see daily chart).   Minor support broke but still above the 200-day moving average     Fig 2:  US Wall St 30 minor short-term trend as of 21 Jun 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart)   Yesterday, the Index has broken below its minor ascending trendline support from the 1 June 2023 low now acting as a pull-back resistance at around 34,310 which also confluences with the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of the current minor decline from the 16 June 2023 high to yesterday, 20 June 2023 low (see 1-hour chart) Short-term momentum is still showing no clear signs of a bullish reversal as indicated by the 1-hour RSI oscillator that is still below a corresponding resistance at the 49% level. A break below the 33,830 near-term support exposes the next support at 33,470 (minor swing low area of 7 June 2023 & close to the 50% Fibonacci retracement of the prior up move from 25 May 2023 low to 16 June 2023 high). On the flip side, a clearance above 34,310 key short-term pivotal resistance negates the bearish tone for the next resistance to come in at 34,630 (medium-term range top as illustrated on the daily chart).

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) has underperformed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 in the past two weeks. Last Friday’s initial bullish price actions of DJIA retreated at 34,630 key range resistance. Minor uptrend from the 10 July 2023 low of 33,595 has shown signs of exhaustion.     Last week’s advance halted at 7-month range resistance     Fig 1:  US Wall St 30 medium-term trend as of 17 Jul 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart) Since the 13 December 2022 high of 34,944, the US Wall St 30 Index (proxy of the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures) has continued to oscillate within a 7-month sideways range configuration. The 3% rally from the 10 July 2023 minor low of 33,595 has been rejected at the 34,640 range resistance for the third time last Friday, 14 July, and confluences with a major descending trendline that capped previous up moves since the 29 March 2022 high.     Short-term momentum has flashed a bullish exhaustion signal     Fig 2:  US Wall St 30 minor short-term trend as of 17 Jul 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart) The hourly RSI oscillator has flashed a bearish divergence signal at its overbought region which suggests that it is likely the upside momentum of the minor short-term uptrend from the 10 July 2023 low of 33,595 has been exhausted which in turn increases the odds of a minor decline. Watch the 34,630 key medium-term pivotal resistance to maintain the short-term bearish bias with near-term support coming in at 34,320. A break below it exposes the next supports at 34,000 and 33,840. However, a clearance above 34,630 sees a potential bullish breakout from the 7-month range with the intermediate resistance coming in at 34,940 in the first step.  

The pivotal question we aim to answer is who should consider such instruments and who might be better off exploring alternatives. Given the diverse array of tools available for exposure to stock indices, it's worth exploring various options. Let's begin by addressing what a stock index truly is. An index, in itself, isn't a financial instrument, security, or derivative. It's essentially synthetic information about the market or specific segments and slices within it. In simpler terms, a stock index is a collection of components (in our case, listed companies) used to calculate its value. Each index has its portfolio, where each company is responsible for a specific percentage weight. Most indices use weights based on market capitalization – the higher the market value of a component, the greater its percentage value in the index portfolio. Additionally, the liquidity of a given company over a specific period (usually 6 months to a year) is often considered when determining portfolio weights. In essence, an index is like a portfolio comprised of a specific number of listed companies (in our case, not limited to just companies) in specific percentage proportions. Its value and price movements depend on the behavior of the components it holds. Explore more: Mastering Requoting in CFD Trading: Navigating Uncommon Market Scenarios In this segment, we'll focus on prominent stock indices from major exchanges. In the USA, the three key indices are the S&P500, Nasdaq-100, and Dow Jones Industrial Average (US30). In Germany, we have the DAX (DE30), once a favorite among traders; in the UK, it's the FTSE-100; in Japan, the Nikkei-225; and in Poland, the WIG20. Of course, this is just a small glimpse of the market, as each stock exchange has dozens, if not hundreds, of sector-specific, thematic, and smaller company-focused indices. However, leading indices are considered benchmarks for the mood and condition of a given exchange, although not always accurately. Investing in Stock Indices: How to Do It? Since a stock index isn't a financial instrument on its own, is it possible to "buy" it? There are numerous ways to gain exposure to index price movements, with the most popular being the purchase of an Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) replicating a specific stock index. These ETFs construct their portfolios based on the composition of the underlying index, essentially buying shares of selected companies in the appropriate proportions. By investing in such a fund, we gain exposure to the stocks within the index using a single instrument. ETFs boast several advantages, including relatively low management costs, simplicity, convenience, and often high liquidity. However, standard ETFs are typically medium-term instruments, less suitable for speculation due to the lack of leverage and the ability to only take long positions. Of course, there are also synthetic ETFs in the market with double or even triple leverage, and some with inverse positions (short). On the XTB xStation platform, you'll find ETFs on all major stock indices, including their synthetic, leveraged, and inverse versions. Importantly, these can be purchased without any commission, and if you have a currency account, you won't incur any fees for currency conversion – the only cost is the annual management fee charged by the fund provider. If you prefer not to invest in an entire index through an ETF, you can independently create a portfolio of specific companies in predetermined proportions. On the xStation platform, you won't incur any commission fees for such transactions (up to a monthly turnover of 100,000 EUR). However, this approach is more time-consuming, although it exempts you from management costs charged by ETF providers. For more advanced investors, derivative instruments are available, including futures contracts, structured certificates on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, and, of course, Contracts for Difference (CFD), where stock indices serve as the underlying asset. Derivatives offer financial leverage and the ability to take both long and short positions, but they come with higher risk. CFD Market on Indices: Specification and Trading Conditions CFD contracts on stock indices are now offered by almost every broker, covering primarily popular American indices and leading indices from major global stock exchanges. According to the regulations of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), CFD contracts on indices provide a maximum leverage of 20:1, meaning a 5% margin requirement. Given the volatility of indices themselves, this is sufficient leverage even for intraday speculation. Depending on the broker, CFDs on some indices may have lower leverage – for instance, with XTB, this is the case for the Italian FTSE ITA40 and Reuters Russia 50 (RUS50), where the leverage is 10:1. Read more: Mastering Forex Markets. A Comprehensive Guide to Navigating Sideways Trends and Consolidation Patterns When holding positions overnight, be prepared for negative swap points, although XTB exempts CFDs on indices (excluding cash versions) from swaps, eliminating additional costs for maintaining positions over time. As for the lot value for CFD contracts on indices, it should ideally be equivalent to the multiplier for futures contracts (which are the underlying instruments for CFDs). However, some brokers may apply a multiple of the multiplier. For the most popular CFD indices, the lot values are: S&P500: multiplier 50 (e-mini) Nasdaq-100: multiplier 20 (e-mini) DAX: multiplier 25 (Mini-DAX) WIG20: multiplier 20 (similar to FW20) In the case of CFDs, you can open a position with a minimal volume of 1 micro lot (1/100 of a lot), allowing you to engage with the market without committing significant capital. Who Should Consider CFD Contracts on Indices? When it comes to CFD contracts on indices, as mentioned earlier, they are certainly not suitable for everyone. Leading stock indices themselves exhibit considerable volatility, and with CFDs, this volatility is further amplified by a maximum leverage of twenty times, introducing significantly higher risk. Therefore, these instruments primarily serve a speculative purpose, typically in the short term. Nevertheless, for those comfortable with the risk and desiring to capitalize on prevailing trends, CFD contracts can serve as a more accessible and considerably lower-capital alternative to index futures. It's crucial, however, to employ risk management measures, such as trailing stop-loss orders, especially given the inherent risks associated with these instruments. CFDs can also present a more accessible and significantly lower-capital alternative to index futures.