From the desk of Steve Strazza @Sstrazza

We held our January Monthly Strategy Session last week. Premium Members can access and rewatch it here.

Non-members can get a quick recap of the call simply by reading this post each month.

By focusing on long-term, monthly charts, the idea is to take a step back and put things into the context of their structural trends. This is easily one of our most valuable exercises as it forces us to put aside the day-to-day noise and simply examine markets from a “big-picture” point of view.

With that as our backdrop, let’s dive right in and discuss three of the most important charts and/or themes from this month’s call.

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

It’s a new year with unlimited possibilities!

Even ol’ King Dollar is turning the page, embracing 2024 and everything it offers with open arms. It’s shaken off the selling pressure from 2023 and appears ready to turn over a new leaf. 

But a bigger dollar rally might need a little help from a nearby friend. 

More on this idea in a second. 

First, let’s check out the US Dollar Index $DXY chart…

The DXY is finding its footing following a brutal holiday season (dropping nearly 5 percent since November 17):

The DXY stopped catching lower right where we would expect: a shelf of former lows at approximately 101.

A period of US dollar strength would make sense as the DXY mean reverts higher, especially as it enters its most favorable month of the year.

Dollar strength likely means...

This is the video recording of our January 2nd Monthly Charts Live Strategy Session

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

Y’all know the drill… 

Dollar down, stocks up.

That dominant inverse relationship remains firm as stocks rip and the dollar dips. 

The market’s message is clear: Buy stocks, sell dollars.

If you trade the FX markets, I have two new setups to ride the falling dollar…

First up, the US dollar-Swiss franc pair USD/CHF:

I’ve been tracking a generational topping formation in the USD/CHF (bottoming formation in the Swiss franc futures) for most of this year.

It wanted to break down in July but lacked follow-through.

Today, the USD/CHF is printing fresh 8-year lows, flashing another sell signal.

I’m short the USD/CHF below .8575 with an initial objective of .8125.

Next, the US dollar-Swedish krona pair USD/SEK:

...

The bull market continues as stocks keep making making new highs.

This is what happens in bull markets, stocks regularly go up.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is making new all-time highs every day. The S&P500 and Nasdaq are right there too.

And the list of stocks on the NYSE hitting new highs is the longest its been in over 30 months.

But what's driving these stock prices?

It's not earnings. It's not the Fed. It's not the biden.

It's the Dollar. It was always the Dollar.

When the Dollar is weak, stocks go up. It's that simple. And when the Dollar is strong, stocks have a hard time making any progress:

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

If it wasn't at the very top of the list, the Japanese yen was certainly among the best shorts of 2022.

But the times they are a-changin’.

King Dollar has ducked down a dark alley.

And it doesn't take a weatherman to tell us to buy the yen.

Here are Japanese yen futures carving out a year-long base following fresh 30-year lows:

I like buying strength on a breakout of this bottoming formation. But the yen has quite a way to travel before completing this possible double bottom. 

I don’t want to miss those potential gains, so let’s get tactical by taking a closer look… 

Check out the daily chart with a Fibonacci retracement framing the 2023 decline:

I’m long Japanese yen futures against 0.7075 (the 38....

This is the video recording of the December 2023 Mid-month Conference Call.

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

Bing Crosby dreamed of a White Christmas.

Who hasn’t?

Growing up, I wished for a white Christmas every year. I knew snow was a stretch living in Florida. But a kid can dream… 

This season, stock market bulls hope for quite a different, serene vision: a weaker dollar.

Based on the charts, they might just get their wish.

Check out the updated US Dollar Index $DXY chart:

DXY has respected key retracement levels on the way up and down over the past six months. The repeated touches add to my conviction in these levels.

Today’s breakdown below 102.54 suggests further weakness toward the year-to-date lows. A fall to those former lows would undoubtedly stir tailwinds for global equities, producing joy and cheer among investors worldwide.

The 102 area also carries...

Sector rotation is the lifeblood of a bull market.

I would encourage you to go back and study every bull market in history. Do you know what you'll find?

Sectors rotating.

And this bull market is no different.

This is the video recording of our December 4th Monthly Charts Live Strategy Session

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

Fiat money worldwide is sidelining the dollar.

Emerging market currencies were the first to strike. Now, their developed market counterparts have joined the fray.

The result: Global equities and precious metals are catching a bid.

After a challenging second half, perhaps the year's final weeks will be a layup for stock and forex traders.

And with the Australian and New Zealand dollars completing tactical reversals against the USD, the Canadian dollar could be next…

Check out Canadian dollar futures bouncing off support:

Buyers continue to defend the 0.72 level as ...

“If people weren’t wrong so often, we wouldn’t be so rich” - Charles Thomas Munger

R.I.P. Legend.

Charlie, of course known for his fundamental analysis alongside Warren Buffett all these years, was a closet Technician at heart.

His analysis of human behavior was top notch, particularly misbehavior and stupid behavior.

His comment to Warren about the reason they were so rich was because people are so often wrong, was spot on.

If you've been paying attention, we use this to our advantage quite a bit.

For example, twelve months ago Wall Street strategists forecasted an outright fall for stocks in 2023, the first time this century that they had predicted a loss...