Category Navigator™ Signals for Swing Traders

Founder’s Room Notes – 9/30/2022

S&P 500 Index Futures - Today's Trades
S&P 500 Index Futures - Today's Trades
S&P 500 Index Futures - 15-Min Algo Status Panels
S&P 500 Index Futures - 15-Min Algo Status Panels
S&P 500 Index Futures - Daily Algo Status Panels
S&P 500 Index Futures - Daily Algo Status Panels

msg.avt
AF Thornton
9/30/22, 12:34 AM
9/29/2022 – Summary we were in at 3632.25 and out on a trailing stop at 3658. All Founder’s Accounts are 100% Cash.
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AF Thornton
9/30/22, 9:22 AM
Good morning: I will leave the 15-Minute Algo Chart Up. We are still looking for a short-covering rally possibly kicked from behind by the Fed Plunge Protection Team. But we don’t have a solid buy yet. No day-trading today as it is weekly and quarterly expiration, combined with the last trading day of the calendar quarter and month.
msg.avt
AF Thornton
9/30/22, 9:24 AM
Bottom line – Buy, Sell, Hold, or Cash? -Navigator Swing Algorithm Mode is Cash/Neutral. -Navigator Day Trading Mode is Cash/Neutral Because of Expiration
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AF Thornton
9/30/22, 10:00 AM
We do have a cradle buy signal on the 15-Min Algo at 3640.25. I took a couple of contracts but I know what I am doing and this is still a tough kind of day to trade,
msg.avt
AF Thornton
9/30/22, 10:02 AM
Target is 5-EMA at 3685 in an ideal world which this is not. So far there is resistance at yesterdays halfback.
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AF Thornton
9/30/22, 11:27 AM
I am out on the first contract at 3671.75, moving stop on second above break-even and trailing two ticks under the algo trigger on the 15-min chart. The 5-day line target has moved up to 3695. So I have a limit order to sell at the target and a sell stop at 3656.50, moving higher on each 15-minute candle.
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AF Thornton
9/30/22, 11:47 AM
For those not on the room’s mic, we decided to exit the second contract at 3676.50 and wrap it up for the day. I will come in near the close and monitor for a swing buy signal – if it presents.
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AF Thornton
9/30/22, 3:36 PM
I think we will stand down today and see what develops on Monday. The Russian annexation of Ukraine’s four provinces and Ukraine’s application to join NATA are throwing the markets another monkey wrench. This is a crazy time; if the shorts start making money today, our short-covering window expires. And if they run the shorts into the close like last week, it still leaves the market hanging around the recent lows – a cliffhanger. Enjoy the weekend – keep your families close and safe. A.F. Thornton

Interim Update – 9/8/2022

With the volatility this morning, we lowered our sell stop on yesterday’s long position to 3933 to allow the market to react to the Fed Chairman’s speech. The new stop is a few points below yesterday’s midpoint at 3936.50, which should hold for the long swing signal if the rally has any legs.

In addition to the midpoint, we will monitor the 5-Day line at 3960.50, which becomes our new stop in a whipsaw that stays higher than our stop.

We will monitor the situation live, so be alert for signals today.

New Swing Strategy Signals – 9/7/2022

9/7/2022 (Wednesday) Buy/Cover Signal

We are issuing a buy signal to cover short positions at 3929.75. Aggressive accounts can take a long position in the Emini or micro at the same level. For calls. we used the October 21, 2022 monthly 395 calls @$11.25 (.SPY221021C395). This trade closes the 8/15/2022 short signal @4327.75.

Sell Stops Hit

Our sell stops triggered a nice profit at 436.50 on what looks like a look above and fail per Balance Rules. Trick and company tried a fake-out at the open, but the markets have been in a non-stop Gamma sell spiral since.

I am out for a few hours but will keep checking in for more opportunities. If we have to return to the bottom of the range, it is 4275. More negatively, the failure of this rally to follow through above the daily mean is a bad omen.

As always, I will keep an open mind. Even with fear indicators at correction highs, they are not at panic levels, which may be what is required to take us any higher.

A.F. Thornton

Adjustment – Leveraged Accounts

S&P 500 Index Continuous Futures 5-Minute Chart - At Resistance
S&P 500 Index Continuous Futures 5-Minute Chart - At Resistance

The Founder’s Group just exited the Emini Futures for Leveraged Accounts at 4382.50 and will replace it with a 100% position in the SPY. The swap deleverages the strategy for the rest of the day, locks in short-term profits, and keeps the market strategy. We will keep stops just below the SPY halfback at 434.25.

We don’t like to hold futures overnight in these circumstances. When we have a quick 56 point gain having reached our second resistance target on the day, we take the profit but stay in the market (unleveraged) consistent with the larger picture unfolding.

The S&P 500 is right at this morning’s 2nd resistance level at 4380, the Volatility Trigger, and last week’s high. The climb has a slight wedge look to it, so we may get some selling before it can break through the resistance.

The easy gain is over. The market must now work through the resistance up to the 21-day line. But if the market manages to close above yesterday’s futures high at 4399, it would achieve both a daily pivot and a weekly pivot, closing above last week’s high at 4391.25.

Also, a break through the Volatility Trigger shifts dealer focus back to positive Gamma. Instead of making losses worse because the dealers have to sell futures, the Dealers will turn around to buying dips and selling rallies to neutralize portfolio deltas. The shift also will reduce volatility.

I would be even more encouraged if I see traders buying more call positions out on the spectrum and reducing the put positions congregating at 4000. Chairman Powell’s announcement that he will stick with a quarter-point raise at the next meeting should provide some certainty that will discourage short interest.

A.F. Thornton

New Buy

This morning, the Founders Group took a 50% long position at 433.25 on the SPY for Swing Trade Accounts. We used an S&P 500 Emini Futures at 4326.50 for leveraged accounts. Stops are set at 431.50 on the SPY and 4315 on the Futures.

We have Navigator Algorithm buy signals, the first of which came at 4267.50 on 2/25. As we would have been holding over the weekend in the middle of the Russia/Ukraine conflict, we waited for an entry on Monday. We took a position Monday, but we were stopped out just above break-even in yesterday’s volatility.

We now have a secondary buy signal this morning, and we will try once again. We will move our stops to break even as soon as possible.

The market is volatile and tricky and not for the faint of heart. From a psychological standpoint, the buys are among the most difficult of my career. That is why we affectionately call it the “puke point.” Stops are our saving grace.

A.F. Thornton

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