Major averages, weak at first, managed to close with gains for the day on higher volume with the NASDAQ Composite closing above its recent 3 day consolidation, after Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said that recent economic data were too mixed for the central bank to decide whether or not to taper bond purchases in September. Only the Russell 2000 finished fractionally lower.
Cloud company DATA had a recent gap up but it carries higher risk because its earnings are weak and it is a relatively thin IPO, though this could change, thus we will keep an eye on it. The stock is trading at 70.45. If you sold when it breaks the low of the gap up day, your loss would be -5.4%. If you gave the stock 1-2% porosity, your loss would be roughly 6.4-7.4%. If you decide to trade it, position size accordingly.
FLT which provides payment products and services to oil companies had another pocket pivot since we reported previously on this stock. Its recent gap up on its strong earnings report adds to the odds this pocket pivot will work. Institutional sponsorship has grown 11 quarters in a row since the company came public.
Network marketer of personal care and nutritional products NUS had a pocket pivot. Earnings is accelerating slightly, group rank 28, ROE a strong 38.1%, and the stock had a fast powerful gap up within minutes of the opening bell in early July.
XONE hit new highs the day after its pocket pivot on which we reported Monday. It is now somewhat extended.
AAPL had a pocket pivot yesterday that closed just under its 200-day moving average. It has since moved sufficiently above its 200dma. That said, earnings and sales have slowed so this is a poor quality pocket pivot. On the fundamental side, it is questionable when AAPL's next killer app will launch as there seem to be no such products in its pipeline.
LL traded sufficient volume for a pocket pivot. Institutional sponsorship has climbed over the last 7 quarters, earnings and sales remain strong, and the stock recently had a pocket pivot on July 18 on which we reported.
CREE gapped down after the close on a disappointing earnings report. The way we handle gap downs is to sell at the open since it's relatively unpredictable which way the stock will go from there. It is very very rare a stock shows no signs of selling before a major gap down, but that is the type of market environment we are in.
Vipshop (VIPS) had its first pullback after a steep and steady uptrend. One could use the 10-day rule to sell part or all of their position should it trade below yesterday's low. Alternatively, one could use the 7-week rule should the stock violate its 10dma within 7 weeks, in which case, one would switch to using a violation of the stock's 50dma as their sell stop.