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Massive Early (Terminal) Squeeze Withering

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Someone threw in the towel this morning, and volume exploded. Subsequent to the initial exuberance volume has been retracing to average, and will promptly turn below average in the next few minutes.

Indicatively, 135mm shares traded yesterday and the entire day's gap was filled on manic indiscriminate marginal buying of only 27.4 million shares in the first half on hour of trading today.

By the way, we are now back to Monday's close, with a 5:1 down/up volume ratio completely netting itself out. For clarification: Taleb on marginal buying, and the lack of discrimination of forced buyins to cover at any cost.

 

 

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Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:51 | 33852 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

I wish someone would take the time to explain these posts once in a while.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:57 | 33864 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Yes, please someone break it down.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:21 | 33917 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

I'll try, but I'm sure there will be some problems with the explanation:
1. As prices got bid up this morning, eventually a large short position was caught out and had to close as they faced a squeeze on their pricing. In all likelyhood, they lost money (or made very little). This caused a spike in volume, which seems to indicate price increases being supported by volume (which has not really been apparent in this bull market).
2. As time is going on, the squeeze has played out, and there is even LESS volume moving forward - meaning that we could wind up at average or slightly above average volume for the day, with at least a mild increase in prices, if we don't maintain the current level.
3. It's worth noting, if you go back far enough (2000, 2001), this kind of behavior was pretty typical of the market as it neared its peak.
4. It's possible (even probable) that the squeeze was orchestrated by Fed flushing cash into the system, through Treasury repurchases or other such manipulation. Alot of the high powered traders are able to spot accumulations of stop or sell orders, and can find ways to drive prices to that level and force a squeeze (I have been a victim of this in the past).

All in all, it's an indication of market manipulation more than actual bullish market behavior - people taking scalps where they can, and as a side "benefit" driving the market higher. If it gets high enough, the bullish behavior becomes self-perpetuating. But we haven't seen the self-perpetuation YET - volume hasn't really risen to support the price increase.

If, and when, this self-perpetuation kicks in - it will not end well for people who finally "give up" on being short. Irrational behavior has a bad habit of going on for longer than we realize.

I don't think this is one of those times, though.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:39 | 33967 zeropointfield (not verified)
zeropointfield's picture

In other words, every time someone goes short in a significant manner, he is squeezed out and destroyed by the bots in this VR game.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:58 | 34004 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Thanks I appreciate your explanation.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 20:05 | 34426 bernbear (not verified)
bernbear's picture

This is a bit like forced sellers at the March lows, but now it is the bears that are being caned


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Wed, 08/12/2009 - 16:56 | 34525 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Goldman sees the order flows, and being experienced traders know where the the cover point are. they buy heavily to cause covering and then sell hard when the price has been driven up. they have been playing this game for months with your tax dollar, and getting a huge bonus from it. rinse wash repeate.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:59 | 33868 deadhead
deadhead's picture

My wish is that someone would take the time to spend years reading, investigating, reading, reading, reading, etcetera about these matters.

as an alternative, the ZH forums are open to anyone.  perhaps you could start one with the topic of "I want to be spoon fed all the information, don't want to put any effort into it, and I want the information to be guaranteed".  You might get some responders there.

 

good luck to you.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:20 | 33912 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

That is unfair and not what ZH is all about. ZH is trying to democratize some hidden and arcane aspects of our capital markets. It is in his(their) best interest to do some spoon feeding to build the viewership for those that do not trade for a living but are concerned about our country and their way of life.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 17:02 | 34543 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

I agree the point can be very criptic, and to encourage people to read a bit more dialoge under the captions would be helpful. Not everyone is an active trader or in the indistry, but it is the regular public we want to tell about the abuses so they can understand them, tell their froends and gain some popular traction.

I remember Tyler's manifesto when he forst came on line and hthat was the spirit he endorsed.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 17:05 | 34549 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

I actually wish people would stop shorting so then we couldn't have the squeeze and the market may drop. you can make money by buying uup, or in bonds because treasury rates would fall. there are other ways to win with the market going down that do not allow goldman to manipulate you.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:23 | 33920 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Yes, please don't bother with anyone that would care to peer under the curtain, let's keep everything as close to the vest as possible. Kinda like the FED, now that I think about it.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:27 | 33938 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Brutal response!

But true and needed.

If anyone thinks they can learn technical analysis by going to a $495 seminar at the Sheraton on a Saturday, they are sadly mistaken and out $495.

Thu, 08/13/2009 - 09:54 | 35155 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

That's arrogant bullshit, deadhead. The guy just asked for an expanation, that's all.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:02 | 33872 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

I just read and re-read until I get it. All of the selling yesterday produced a price drop, which has been completely recovered on 1/5th the volume in just a portion of today.

It is a lovely feature (IMHO) of the market that volume doesn't play a stronger role in price action; one order, at the right time and circumstances, can really move an individual share price. I keep wanting to *think* that an efficient market would "notice" silly low volume moves, and have recovery due to the influx of opportunists. But that more and more seems to be a really dumb way of thinking...

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:52 | 33853 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

you short yesterday and hold overnight and got burnt!

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:02 | 33874 lettuce
lettuce's picture

patience prevails. at least until 2:29:59 you still have a chance to get out!!!!

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:53 | 33856 B_Movie
B_Movie's picture

Momentum not following price ?

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:55 | 33858 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

This is a bit like forced sellers at the March lows, but now it is the bears that are being caned

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:57 | 33862 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Tyler if you look at SPY IGPV, its on track for a normal session. Quit misleading people.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:58 | 33865 Tyler Durden
Tyler Durden's picture

What exactly is misleading? The chart?

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:00 | 33871 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

volume didnt explode this morning. Volume is U shaped, its always busier in the morning and the close.

Just put up a chart of SPY eqty IGPV go. It shows you whether volume is higher or lower than normal (based on 90 days I think).

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:02 | 33877 Tyler Durden
Tyler Durden's picture

I was referring to the green peak in the accumulation volume. Or do you deny that significantly above average volume is significantly above average?

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:05 | 33884 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

you're just showing 1 day difference. how is that meaningful? If it was outsized compared to the last 30 days, yes.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:12 | 33899 Tyler Durden
Tyler Durden's picture

that's the whole point- i am comparing two days' action to the average volume trendline

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:22 | 33918 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

It took 135 million shares to push the market down yesterday, but 1/5 of that to bring it back. That is not a headscratcher to you?

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:02 | 33873 deadhead
deadhead's picture

....such a way with so few words TD.  True brilliance is boiling down massively complex matters into less than a sentence.  You do have that.

as always, thank you so much for your efforts and willingness to share.

 

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 21:58 | 34896 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Deadhead, maybe you could give him a reach around?

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:58 | 33866 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Tyler, can you explain what "Accum Volume Diff" is measuring, and how it measures it? I assume it is a running cumulative count of price move times volume for each minute, but that is just an assumption.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 11:59 | 33869 mdtrader
mdtrader's picture

Perhaps somebody out there already knows the outcome of the FED meeting. I wonder who that could be?

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:03 | 33881 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

perhaps this is merely yesterday's POMO money coming in. after all, they screwed the pooch yesterday with the transaction, didn't they? and it was becoming awfully predictable, wasn't it?

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:04 | 33882 crzyhun
crzyhun's picture

Volume spiked at 10: 15 AM and has fallen since.

The shorts are loosing theirs

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:05 | 33885 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

just when you think its safe to dip your toe into the water(short) the bullsharks bite it off.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:19 | 33910 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Bite your whole bloody legs body arms and head in one swift mouthful before you can blink

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 20:05 | 34427 bernbear (not verified)
bernbear's picture

along with Bank of America, they want to get rid of all that street level glass.

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Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:10 | 33896 mdtrader
mdtrader's picture

Another round of QE and dollar bashing from the FED perhaps, that seems to be what the market is saying. Makes sense after the UK BoE QE expansion.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:20 | 33914 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

to the people who criticize TD's posts:

Go somewhere else...you obviously don't get what is being said here. It's not about being short or long...it's what is being done to the market. Wake the hell up...or turn on CNBS if you want your information "Sifted" for you.

Critical thinking is not being critical....we have the yahoo boards for that...

MS

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:24 | 33928 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

oh, the irony!

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:25 | 33929 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

You should be able to short useless junk without getting squeezed but can't just because the gov changes the rules and makes your borrow called in at short notice so you are forced to cover

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:32 | 33951 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

yes, dumbass newbie shorts should be guaranteed to make money with no risk! viva la revolucion!

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:52 | 33990 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

but dumbass longs doing the same thing is ok? STFU

MS

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 13:07 | 34011 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

only dumbasses classify themselves as "shorts" and "longs". it's like ... so junior high.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:25 | 33931 Cheeky Bastard
Cheeky Bastard's picture

+1

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:50 | 33989 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

should say "not just being critical"
there is that ok for you Mr. Irony?

MS

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 13:12 | 34022 Veteran
Veteran's picture

I encourage criticism, valid or not.  Keeps ZH honest.  Everyone is entitled to voice an opinion. Doesn't mean you have to agree wif it 

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:23 | 33921 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Guest (to the fed): Don't gibe a damn about you being SPARTA, you can hide but you can't run:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=axsovog3CuAE

all kneel deflation!

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:25 | 33930 Comrade de Chaos
Comrade de Chaos's picture

sorry for triplets...

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 14:50 | 34214 Missing_Link
Missing_Link's picture

"SPARTA" = ?

 

I'm guessing it's an acronym for "SubPrime And ..." something.  What are the last three letters?

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:26 | 33934 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Green shoot... it is the bottom

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:26 | 33932 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Can somebody let the canadian bots know about these tricks.. I saw it written on the wall yesterday and acted accordingly, except that this morning they did not follow their american brothers and did not pump up, bastards.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:26 | 33933 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Expect another spike once the hyped up by 1x juiced effects from the gas and cluncker retail sales mirage hits tomorrow... that will really test shorts stomachs... me, I'll keep selling the tail these create

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:35 | 33955 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

I'm holding on to my shorts. My fashion model's telling me that the markets are going to take quite a hit this afternoon after the Fed announcement. Sometimes you need to be brave.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:39 | 33966 Comrade de Chaos
Comrade de Chaos's picture

I am watching China, the largest indicator of Green Shoot mania - patience your best friend.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:43 | 33972 Obnoxio
Obnoxio's picture

Going short against the FED's trading machine seems like pissing against the tide the last few months.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:47 | 33981 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

It seems as though a lot of posters are unclear on certain terminology that TD uses (everday stuff in trading), but there is a website investopedia (.com) that explains almost every financial term you can think of w/ examples of them in use. Like another poster said, do your research before asking questions, and if you can not get an answer then post the question. And NO, i am not trying to plug some website for people to go to.

Thanks TD for all the great info. We really appreciate the unbelievable insight into how irrational these markets truly are.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 13:08 | 34012 Anonymous
Anonymous's picture

Thanks for the tip! Good info with no condescension or hostility, it speaks well of you.

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 13:11 | 34019 glengarryglenross
glengarryglenross's picture

the only financial term you need, abc = always be closing!

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 17:21 | 34577 Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh's picture

-covering

Wed, 08/12/2009 - 20:06 | 34422 bernbear (not verified)
bernbear's picture

yeah, you don't want to be holding their hand when the inflation genie is so big that even the dunderheads on CNBC might have to acknowledge that prices are rising.

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