This post is the latest in a series covering the correlation of S&P 500 price movement during the bear markets of 2001 and 2008. Previously, Is it really 2001 again? highlighted a number of similarities for both indicators and chart patterns in addition to the timing and relative resistance levels observed by both markets. This expanded on the first entry Here we are again? 2001 vs. 2008 which started the discussion by showing the two markets spending a similar amount of time above the 1400 level, meeting resistance at a similar level in the area of 1560, forming a similar double top including a final fall retest followed by an extreme decline and culminating in a spring washout setting up an early summer bounce.
The correlation remained tight as both markets failed their early summer bounce by late May in the area of the 200 day moving average and the 50% retracement level of the fall to spring decline. The correlation weakened over the summer as the current market started a much more drastic decline from the May top than occurred in 2001. This time the spring lows were broken by July instead of waiting for September as in 2001. A solid bounce from the July lows this year brought the S&P 500 back to just above the March lows where resistance was encountered around the 50 day moving average in the month of August. Suddenly the correlation has returned as the market failed in August of 2001 at the 50 day moving average also. As the calender turned to September in 2001, volume picked up as the market went into free fall. Of course the 9/11 attacks affected the market as the month progressed and forever after.
But this year, the month of September has not started off any better despite the Feds attempt to stop the bleeding in the credit markets by taking control of mortgage giants Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE). High volume distribution has been the theme with the exception of some serious short covering following the announcement this past weekend (and late Friday for those in the loop). The bad news for the Feds and everyone else is, even as impressive as the short covering rally was Friday/Monday, it still never reclaimed the 50 day moving average nor the March lows. If the July lows at 1200 don’t hold here, a repeat of 2001 may yet be in the cards. The S&P 500 didn’t bottom until dropping under 950 in 2001 and the final bottom in 2002 saw intraday trading under 775. We’re not ready to say it will get that bad this time, but taking out the July lows would suggest scary days ahead.
For those brave longs an entry at the July lows around 1200 is a good place to start. Lows for the year are regularly made in September/October.
North Coast Investment Research 