Namzes Cycles
Hurst Cycle & Technical Analyst, Commodities/Crypto/Equity Indices, Risk Management Background
US stocks could see a bigger decline over the next few months, as dealers are heavily short indices and long VIX futures, though that is not a timing tool. The key S&P 500 pivot is 7,620; below it lies 7,300 June-July support and, in an extreme case, the 6,878 yearly open. Seasonally, a low usually forms in October, and an election-cycle rally typically starts before the November 3 election as hedges unwind, absent black swans. x.com x.com x.com
US stocks face a rising risk of a volatility spike as positioning turns complacent and earnings quality weakens. VIX futures show dealers very long and CTAs quite short, which often precedes spikes, VIX is at 2026 lows near 14, and the most volatile seasonal and pre-election period is starting. BBB and CCC credit spreads are widening, diverging from the S&P 500. Near-record 35% S&P 500 EPS growth leans heavily on paper gains in pre-IPO AI companies and on AI circular financing. x.com x.com x.com
US large-cap stocks look set for a weak October and a needed reset, as transports and now financials have broken down, often a week or more before the major indices. Midterm years have brought index drawdowns of about 10% in 2014 and 2018 and 14% in 2022, which would put the S&P 500's 7,000-7,200 area in focus. Even an Iran resolution would likely see its initial pop faded as liquidity rolls over in early October and hard by mid-October. With the VIX in the 14s, protection is cheap. x.com x.com
US stocks face a likely negative and volatile September, as September tends to be in midterm election years. x.com
Crowded fund shorts despite market participation give the S&P 500 a strong upside bias, reinforced by midterm seasonality. Net leverage this low usually appears deep in a bear market or near the end of capitulation. A rally is highly probable, but another 1.5 to 3 weeks of pain is possible: the market could be lower in two weeks, higher in a month and much higher in six months. The S&P 500 has historically gained over 14% after midterms, though there are no guarantees. x.com x.com x.com x.com
A new SPY low alongside a lower VIX high often, though not always, signals a near-term reversal. A roughly 30% VIX jump makes a shallow rally likely Monday or Tuesday, but after breaking below yesterday's low following a trend-line backtest, SPY still looks headed for $750 soon. x.com x.com
Short dealer gamma could amplify SPY and QQQ selling as liquidity drains. SPY's first long-gamma strike is 745 next week, a possible magnet; QQQ has no long-gamma floor in frame, with vanna near 700. A bottom looks likelier next week than this week, with chop between. When strength returns, probably late October, easing should flood equities sooner than most expect: a strong November, stronger December and a Santa rally, with high beta leading into year-end. Its early hourly turn could reverse. … Show more
Hyperscaler credit stress and weak financials-versus-staples leadership warn of downside risk in the S&P 500 consolidation. Spreads have broken July wides, though an upside breakout is probable if financials stabilize. So far, tech weakness has lowered yields as Fed hikes are priced out, letting defensives rally and the S&P chop. If the Fed signals Nasdaq weakness won't stop tightening without better data, the tech-yield link could break in an uncomfortable, 2018-like direction. x.com x.com … Show more
The S&P 500 is vulnerable to a midterm-election drawdown, since history shows nasty 7-16% declines almost always come around midterms. Elevated 10-year yields and a strong dollar add risk, even though nothing looks bearish yet and rising yields have not dented the Nasdaq or mega-caps, and cheap volatility makes hedging attractive. SPY could reach $800 and still fall back to $750 within two months. x.com
The S&P 500 is forming an expanding triangle, a sign of a market losing consensus, and has now hit its upper line for the sixth time at 7,785. If the pattern repeats, a seventh touch of the lower line would take it toward 6,100–6,200, about 20% downside. The macro backdrop is worsening: inflation at 3.4%, three Fed officials voting to hike, 42% odds of a September hike, July net job losses and extreme mega-cap concentration. Tightening drove 20–25% drops in 2018 and 2022. x.com
Extreme fear has historically offered strong long-term S&P 500 buying opportunities. After VIX spikes above 30, 35 and 40, average 12-month S&P 500 returns were 23%, 28% and over 30%, respectively; after spikes above 40, returns were positive more than 90% of the time. x.com
The S&P 500's heavier semiconductor weighting makes its coming pullback likely larger than the 4% decline in the comparable 1995 period. Its current 16-17 week cycle looks more like November 2025 to March 2026 than the last bullish cycle, pointing to at least the lower Bollinger band in November, with a cycle low due in the month's second half. x.com x.com
