* LATEST MARKET DEVELOPMENTS *

Amid a lack of major geopolitical developments or markets-moving economic data the past several days, the world market place continues to buzz about last week’s decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve to not “taper” its monthly bond-buying program—and when might the Fed begin that endeavor. Several Federal Reserve officials have already spoken so far early his week, with the common thread among them being that the Fed would begin to wind down its quantitative easing when U.S. economic conditions warrant. At present, most of those Fed officials do not believe the U.S. economy is quite strong enough to pull away from the monthly bond buying. However, some of those Fed officials have suggested the tapering could still come in 2013. Just Tuesday morning, New York Fed president William Dudley told CNBC the Fed could implement tapering yet this year and be finished with the bond buying entirely sometime during 2014. Ironically, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s vision of a more transparent Fed during his tenure has been severely blurred as his leadership comes to an end, due to the market place’s inability to clearly read the monetary course of Bernanke and the FOMC. Meantime, European Central Bank officials Tuesday suggested the ECB could implement new monetary policy easing measures if the European Union economies do not show better growth prospects. That helped to put downside price pressure on the Euro currency. The U.S. budget and debt ceiling issues are looming and will be debated by the U.S. Congress and the Obama administration the next few weeks. This will become a front-burner matter for the market place, and one that could be significantly bearish for most markets, as there is already talk the U.S. government could shut down for a short time. U.S. economic data due for release Tuesday includes the weekly Goldman Sachs and Johnson Redbook retail sales reports, the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index, the monthly house price index, the consumer confidence index, and the Richmond Fed business survey.–Jim Wyckoff
 
U.S. STOCK INDEXES

S&P 500 futures: Prices are near steady early today. Bulls still have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. The shorter-term moving averages (4-, 9- and 18-day) are bullish early today. The 4-day moving average is above the 9-day and 18-day. The 9-day is above the 18-day moving average. Short-term oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are neutral to bearish early today. Today, shorter-term technical resistance comes in at Monday’s high of 1,707.40 and then at last Friday’s high of 1,718.40. Buy stops likely reside just above those levels. Downside support for active traders today is located at last week’s low of 1,687.90 and then at 1,675.00. Sell stops are likely located just below those levels. Wyckoff’s Intra-day Market Rating: 5.0

Nasdaq index futures: Prices are slightly higher early today. The bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. The shorter-term moving averages (4- 9-and 18-day) are bullish early today. The 4-day moving average is above the 9-day. The 9-day average is above the 18-day. Short-term oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are neutral early today. Shorter-term technical resistance is located at 3,225.00 and then at Monday’s high of 3,237.00. Buy stops likely reside just above those levels. On the downside, short-term support is seen at Monday’s low of 3,198.00 and then at 3,183.00. Sell stops are likely located just below those levels. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 5.5.

Dow futures: Prices are slightly lower early today. Bulls still have the overall near-term technical advantage. Buy stops likely reside just above technical resistance at 15,350 and then at Monday’s high of 15,385. Sell stops likely reside just below technical support at 15,300 and then at 15,250. Shorter-term moving averages are bullish early today, as the 4-day moving average is above the 9-day. The 9-day moving average is above the 18-day moving average. Shorter-term oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are bearish early today. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 5.0

U.S. TREASURY BONDS AND NOTES

December U.S. T-Bonds: Prices are firmer early today on more short covering. Bears still have the overall near-term technical advantage. However, the bulls are gaining some upside momentum. Shorter-term moving averages (4- 9- 18-day) are bullish early today. The 4-day moving average is above the 9-day and 18-day. The 9-day is above the 18-day moving average. Oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are bullish early today. Shorter-term resistance lies at the overnight high of 132 15/32 and then at 133 even. Buy stops likely reside just above those levels. Shorter-term technical support lies at the overnight low of 132 1/32 and then at Monday’s low of 131 13/32. Sell stops likely reside just below those levels. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 5.5

December U.S. T-Notes: Prices are higher early today. Bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. However, the bulls have gained upside momentum recently. Shorter-term moving averages (4- 9- 18-day) are bullish early today. The 4-day moving average is above the 9-day and 18-day. The 9-day is above the 18-day moving average. Oscillators (RSI, slow stochastics) are neutral to bullish early today. Shorter-term resistance lies at the overnight high of 125.24.5 and then at last week’s high of 125.31.0. Buy stops likely reside just above those levels. Shorter-term technical support lies at the overnight low of 125.16.0 and then at Monday’s low of 125.02.5 Sell stops likely reside just below those levels. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 5.5

U.S. DOLLAR INDEX

The December U.S. dollar index is slightly higher early today on short covering in a bear market. Prices are hovering not far above last week’s 7.5-month low. Bears are in technical command. Slow stochastics for the dollar index are bullish early today. The dollar index finds shorter-term technical resistance at the overnight high of 80.740 and then at 80.949. Shorter-term support is seen at the overnight low of 80.520 and then at Monday’s low of 80.395. Wyckoff’s Intra Day Market Rating: 5.5

NYMEX CRUDE OIL

November Nymex crude oil prices are slightly lower early today and hit a six-week low overnight. In November Nymex crude, look for buy stops to reside just above resistance at $104.00 and then at $105.00. Look for sell stops just below technical support at the overnight low of $103.00 and then at $102.50. Wyckoff’s Intra-Day Market Rating: 4.5

GRAINS

Markets were firmer overnight on short covering. Not much new. Soybean and some corn harvesting are picking up speed this week. Focus is on early yield reports in the U.S. Corn Belt. Technically, the soybean bulls still have the overall advantage, but are fading. Corn and wheat market bears remain in firm technical command. My bias is that the corn and wheat markets do not have strong downside price potential at present levels. It’s also my bias that soybeans will trade sideways to lower in the coming weeks.