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Pascal
08-28-2013, 04:13 AM
I received the following question regarding SPWR.
I will use this as an opportunity to remind how to use these EV/Supply charts.

"SPWR stock has just 41 Million float and has avg daily 50 day avg of 4 million with an ROE of 110% and increasing quarterly EPS and Sales. I believe that my position can be increased based on the analysis of supply and demand.
Following is my interpretation:
1. I interpret that the left side of the LEV and TEV charts(before 8/2) indicates that institutions have created large positions at higher price points.
2. The right side of the LEV and TEV charts(after 8/2) indicate that the market makers have accumulated inventory after pushing the price down.
3. Need guidance on what LEV/TEV chart indicates when it moves from 500 to 1500 with a positive slope. Does it mean a position size of 1000000 shares?
4. On this chart it does seem like LEV decreased from 1500 to -1500 in a matter of a few days. Does it mean that large institutions offloaded 3000000 shares. Or does it mean a market maker is accumulating shares at the lower price for the next move since there is possible future demand
5. Need guidance on what LEV/TEV chart indicates when it does not have a slope This is confusing. Does a horizontal line on the chart mean that buying or selling has ceased by large players or does it indicate consistent selling at that level.
6. Finally does the supply chart indicate that at the current price there is very low volume and if large players want to increase position the only way forward would be higher prices. Marketmakers have inventory and have positioned for the next higher price when buying resumes and there is another uptrend."

I understand that this member has a long SPWR position. This long position is justified by the growing ROE, sales and profits. Since the stock is pulling back, the question is: should we buy more here (or maybe should be sell some?)

The TA shows that SPWR is now close to the $21 support, but the next support is $18. If that breaks, we will go straight to $14. To move into that direction, we only need the market to continue down and investors to cut losses. If SPWR moves down, it will not be company specific, but market specific.

19705


When we analyse a stock based on the LEV and Supply figures, it is always better to start with the supply.
The supply Figure first shows the Upper, Neutral and Lower boundaries. The Neutral Boundary is the place where active traders have no profit or loss. This is the equilibrium point for the stock. Below that point, selling might accelerate on loss cutting and above that point, buying might accelerate due to trend followers. Note that the NV is at $23, which is just the 50MA. This is often the case.

The Supply curve is a probability calculation that shares will be offered for sale, depending on the price/volume distribution. Usually, as the price moves from the NB to the LB, selling accelerates because traders cut their losses. The lower the float, the fastest the move. Note that the LB for SPWR is $18 and once we cross below $20.5, there is no support down to $18. A supply level below 10% indicates not much selling pressure and hence, I use to target these low supply levels to enter new long positions.

We can see on the upper panel that as me move to lower prices, the number of shares that will incur small losses of 8% to 20% will increase. This is where the selling strength will come from.

19704

Once we know these facts, it is interesting to look at the EV pattern.
It is important to know that the EV pattern does not show the strength of a move, but represents an equilibrium between large buyers and large sellers. It is best to use it when the price is either in a trading range or is moving back to support (or resistance.)

Even if institutions bought positions on August 2, these positions could easily be cut back down, but I believe that those who bought at $28 are "locked-in." They probably cannot afford to take a 20% plus loss.

When the chart indicates a move from 500 to -500, this is a 1000,000 shares selling power. Compared to the total volume exchanged during that period, this selling pressure is about 3% to 8%. Of course, we do not know if these are funds, market makers, algos, etc. We basically should not care about that.

When the LEV pattern is identical to the price pattern, then there is no additional information to gain from EV.

SPWR is in great danger here and I would not increase the long position, except if I see buyers coming in at $20.5 or $18. This of course depends on the pain level one can endure on the present long position.

19703

In summary:

- You buy when the supply level is below 10% AND EV shows accumulation.
- You short when the price is below NB, the supply level is higher than 10% and EV is negative.

Karin
08-28-2013, 10:44 AM
Hi Pascal,



- You buy when the supply level is below 10% AND EV shows accumulation.


I don't mean to hijack the thread but NOK currently fits that requirement. I stupidly bought in yesterday and am contemplating if I should sell on any bounce today.

The LEV of NOK has been going up for several days while the price stayed in the same range and then fell sharply yesterday. I stupidly bought in, thinking I get a bargain. This morning the stock price fell further in Europe and reached the LB at a supply level of 3.3%. After the US market started it bounced back slightly.

I believe that the money moving into NOK is for a big part short covering. There are 6 big funds ("tiger cubs") that are still sitting on big short positions from last year according to the European short report ( http://www.finanssivalvonta.fi/en/supervision/market_supervision/Short_positions/Positions/Pages/Positions.aspx ).and can't be happy that the stock price went up after the last earnings release. I also believe that the sharp fall in the stock price yesterday and today was helped along by these shorts. There are a few corroborating factors: Lately good news on NOK has been underreported (NOK beat Apple in market share in Latin America but most of the financial newsletters did not pick the story up) while a downgrade by an analyst (who's been notoriously wrong on NOK in the past) has been excessively reported in the news for several days. So I suspect some manipulation to drive the price down before new (potentially good) market share data gets published in early September (but I'm paranoid in that regard).

My question is this: given that:
- the market bounce today is likely just a technical bounce and the outlook for the overall market is gloomy,
- the "tiger cub" short funds will still need a lot of time to close out their sizable positions and they apparently have the fire power to hold the market down,

would it be wiser to sell my position again today?

Thanks,
Karin

Pascal
08-28-2013, 11:16 AM
Hi Pascal,



I don't mean to hijack the thread but NOK currently fits that requirement. I stupidly bought in yesterday and am contemplating if I should sell on any bounce today.

The LEV of NOK has been going up for several days while the price stayed in the same range and then fell sharply yesterday. I stupidly bought in, thinking I get a bargain. This morning the stock price fell further in Europe and reached the LB at a supply level of 3.3%. After the US market started it bounced back slightly.

I believe that the money moving into NOK is for a big part short covering. There are 6 big funds ("tiger cubs") that are still sitting on big short positions from last year according to the European short report ( http://www.finanssivalvonta.fi/en/supervision/market_supervision/Short_positions/Positions/Pages/Positions.aspx ).and can't be happy that the stock price went up after the last earnings release. I also believe that the sharp fall in the stock price yesterday and today was helped along by these shorts. There are a few corroborating factors: Lately good news on NOK has been underreported (NOK beat Apple in market share in Latin America but most of the financial newsletters did not pick the story up) while a downgrade by an analyst (who's been notoriously wrong on NOK in the past) has been excessively reported in the news for several days. So I suspect some manipulation to drive the price down before new (potentially good) market share data gets published in early September (but I'm paranoid in that regard).

My question is this: given that:
- the market bounce today is likely just a technical bounce and the outlook for the overall market is gloomy,
- the "tiger cub" short funds will still need a lot of time to close out their sizable positions and they apparently have the fire power to hold the market down,

would it be wiser to sell my position again today?

Thanks,
Karin

Hi Karin,


NOK indeed is bouncing from its Low supply level while large players are in no mood to sell.
However, we need to keep in mind that these charts are only part of the picture, as NOK is also well traded in Europe.
What is nice today is that the S&P500 seems to attract a few buyers. It passed through an early resistance level and heading to a second resistance level.

If the S&P500 breaks, then NOK will fall back to its neutral zone. However, The EV pattern does not show evidence that it would fall further down and break the LB level. I would keep the position and sell only if it breaks LB or if the price bounce attracts sellers.

19706

19708

19707

Karin
08-28-2013, 12:34 PM
Thanks for the advice Pascal. I keep second and triple guessing every decision I make and suspect evil manipulation behind every move the stock makes :-).
Nokia now seems to be on its usual low volume sideways move that it mostly goes on after the European market closes. I guess I'll wait what tomorrow brings.

ernsttanaka
08-28-2013, 02:16 PM
Thanks for the advice Pascal. I keep second and triple guessing every decision I make and suspect evil manipulation behind every move the stock makes :-).
Nokia now seems to be on its usual low volume sideways move that it mostly goes on after the European market closes. I guess I'll wait what tomorrow brings.

if you like NOK sell some OCT $4 puts -- for 31ct.

That's close to 8% return on risk for 51 days and 150% return on capital considering portfolio margin.
Based on Pascal's reply this morning I sold quite some puts.

Karin
08-28-2013, 03:02 PM
if you like NOK sell some OCT $4 puts -- for 31ct.

That's close to 8% return on risk for 51 days and 150% return on capital considering portfolio margin.
Based on Pascal's reply this morning I sold quite some puts.

Thanks for the tip. I'm still a beginner though and don't understand the option market well enough to dare trading options (bought a stock for the first time in my life last fall). Around option expiration day I check the max pain price for the stocks I hold but otherwise I'm fairly clueless and still have a lot to learn on that front.

Pascal
08-28-2013, 03:55 PM
if you like NOK sell some OCT $4 puts -- for 31ct.

That's close to 8% return on risk for 51 days and 150% return on capital considering portfolio margin.
Based on Pascal's reply this morning I sold quite some puts.

This is a good trading idea.
Thank you for posting.


Pascal

Pascal
09-03-2013, 06:29 AM
Karin,



This trade has been an excellent idea.
We now know why large players did not want to sell.
I urge you to search for many more ideas like that.
The puts of Ernsttanaka have also been a good trade, but I guess that in hindsight, buying calls would have even been better.


Pascal

19759

Karin
09-03-2013, 12:15 PM
Glad I stayed in :-) That turned out to be VERY good advice. Thanks again Pascal!

I sold part of my position earlier today and am trying to make sense of the LEV and TEV now to determine if I should sell the rest. There was a big sales wave after Europe closed at 11:30 (profit taking I assume) but I can't imagine that all those shorts have already been covered. The LEV looks pretty stable. I know from your post on "handling gaps on ER days" though that the TEV gives the better indication on days like this.

Pascal
09-03-2013, 12:27 PM
Glad I stayed in :-) That turned out to be VERY good advice. Thanks again Pascal!

I sold part of my position earlier today and am trying to make sense of the LEV and TEV now to determine if I should sell the rest. There was a big sales wave after Europe closed at 11:30 (profit taking I assume) but I can't imagine that all those shorts have already been covered. The LEV looks pretty stable. I know from your post on "handling gaps on ER days" though that the TEV gives the better indication on days like this.

As of now, everybody is trading his/her book. The upside potential is now small. It is not the same situation as when a company produces good earnings. NOK is selling its main business for cash. As a shareholder, you now own cash and ownership of a professional networking business. The good point is that NOK is not bleeding anymore. Will it be able to rebuild itself around the new business line?

At some point, I believe that you should sell the rest of your position. It is not urgent though.



Pascal

Karin
09-03-2013, 12:55 PM
As of now, everybody is trading his/her book. The upside potential is now small. It is not the same situation as when a company produces good earnings. NOK is selling its main business for cash. As a shareholder, you now own cash and ownership of a professional networking business. The good point is that NOK is not bleeding anymore. Will it be able to rebuild itself around the new business line?

At some point, I believe that you should sell the rest of your position. It is not urgent though.



Pascal

I wasn't planning to stay in much longer. I just don't want to sell out at the lowest price of the day (I seem to have a unique talent for that :-) ). I'm hoping there is still some more "short squeezing" to come.

Boy, buying your book was one of the best investments I ever made :-)
Karin