Trade War Fears, Global Markets' Decline, Stocks To Continue Lower?

 | Jun 25, 2018 07:21AM ET

The U.S. stock market indexes were mixed between -0.3% and +0.5% on Friday, extending their short-term consolidation, as investors' sentiment remained neutral. The S&P 500 index continues to trade along 2,750 mark. It currently trades 4.1% below the January's 26th record high of 2,872.87. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.5%, as it was relatively stronger than the broad stock market, and the technology Nasdaq Composite lost 0.5% on Friday.

The nearest important level of resistance of the S&P 500 index remains at around 2,780-2,800, marked by the recent local highs along with the mid-March local high. The resistance level is also at 2,830-2,840, marked by the late January short-term consolidation. On the other hand, support level is at 2,750, marked by the previous level of resistance and some recent local lows. The next important level of support is at 2,735-2,740, marked by June the 4th's daily gap-up of 2,736.93-2,740.54. The support level is also at 2,700-2,720.

The broad stock market retraced some of early June advance recently. But it keeps bouncing off support level of around 2,750. Will the uptrend resume? Or is this just a flat correction within a new downtrend? There are still two possible medium-term scenarios - bearish that will lead us below the February low following trend line breakdown, and the bullish one in a form of medium-term double top pattern or breakout towards 3,000 mark. There is also a chance that the market will just go sideways for some time, and that would be positive for bulls in the long run (some kind of an extended flat correction). The S&P 500 index trades below its two-month-long upward trend line: