Stock Market S&P 500 Long Term Bottom Target: 450 to 600, a Drop of 25% to 44% from Here

Previously, we offered analysis that the US Stock Market could be in trouble if the S&P 500 goes below 768.

The S&P 500 recently went to an intraday level of 741 but successfully tested the major low of 768 set 6 years ago on October 10, 2002.

It is still very possible that the S&P 500 could re-test (at least once) 741/768, and the S&P 500 could break below this level.

At this point, where would a potential long term bottom be?

In the Dire Consequences if S&P 500 goes below 768 post, we hinted that a long term bottom might be reached around the S&P 500 level of around 500.

The Long Term bottom could be around 450 to 600 on the S&P 500 over the next several years, a drop of around 25% to 44% from here (S&P 500 Level of 800).


A. No Major Support Until Around S&P 500 level of 450 to 500.



From the chart, aside from seeing the major support area of 768, we also notice that from 1995, the slope of the Chart increases to an unsupportable level, ending up in the Bubble of 2000. The Stock Market had no time to rest from 1995 to 2000, and there was no time to consolidate. This lack of stock market consolidation does not provide any good support for the market as it falls below the 768 level on the S&P 500. This could potentially mean a large drop (over years?) if the S&P 500 drops below 768.

The S&P 500 Level in late 1994 right before the S&P 500 rocketed upwards at an unsustainable rate is around 450.

This sets up the lower end of the long term bottom range of 450 to 500 on the S&P 500.

B. Reverting Back to 60 Year Trend Line Suggests Level around 400-500



Looking at the 60 Year Chart of the S&P 500, we notice the 60 Year Trend Line hits the S&P 500 level of around 400 at this time. If we look forward over time, this trend line would approach 450 to 500, which coincides with the predicted long term support level above.

C. Five Month Fibonacci Grid Suggests Bottom of 600



When we look at the five month chart, we place a Fibonacci Grid and align the top to a recent high (of around 1265), and align the 61.8% and 38.2% line to coincide with the recent trading range between 850 and 1010. The lower range of the Fibonacci Grid suggests a potential bottom.

This S&P 500 level is 600, setting the upper range of a longer term S&P 500 Bottom.

D. 60 Year Fibonacci Retracement: 50% = 770; 38.2% = 588

Early in 1950, the S&P 500 was around 17. At the top of the market, the S&P 500 reached around 1560.

If we use the Fibonacci Retracement Rule of 50%, that would lead to the S&P 500 Retracement of 770, which coincides with the recent major bottom of 768 that was achieved October 10, 2002, and very recently.

If we use the Fibonacci Retracement Rule of 38.2%, that would lead to the S&P 500 Retracement of 588, which is within the 450-600 range using previous methods of analysis.

E. Chartist Louise Yamada Opinion: 400 to 600

On a recent CNBC Fast Money episode, Chartists Louise Yamada predicted an S&P 500 bottom of 400 to 600. This coincides with the analysis so far.

F. Secular Bear Market, Cyclical Bull Market

Television Personal Financial Advisor Suze Orman predicted in 2004 that in 2000, we started a Secular Bear Market (long term Bear Market of around fifteen years), and around 2003, we started a cyclical Bull market (short term market lasting around two to four years), that would eventually end, and hit near the lows of 2002.

Her prediction was accurate.

If her prediction continues, we will continue the Bear Market until around the year 2015 or so.

G. Major Demographic Shift Ahead

In 2010, there will be a major demographic shift as the first Baby Boomers reach 65 years of age, and may retire and take more money out of the stock market. More Baby Boomers will do the same in the years following 2010.

This may put pressure on the U.S. stock market and may be in line with the long term Secular Bear Market theory starting in 2000 and ending around 2015.

Five Month S&P 500 Stock Chart

Sixteen Year S&P 500 Chart

S&P 500 Trendline, Support and Resistance after Big Drop Today

The S&P 500 ($SPX) went down 38.82 points (-2.94%) to close at 1283.15.

Next support levels are the important 1270 and 1219 levels. (See the horizontal blue lines in chart above). The stock market could bounce on these support levels, or else these support levels could break and then we find new support levels and resistance levels.

Looking at the three year trend line (the blue diagonal trend line), we notice that that from 2005-2008, the blue diagonal trend line was support, establishing a trend. However, in 2008, we notice that the S&P 500 broke down below this trend line and remains below the trendline.

In chart analysis (also known as technical analysis), the usual rule is that support levels which have been breached now become resistance.

So now, the long three year trend line is the upper resistance of the S&P 500.

Let us first see how the S&P 500 behaves at the 1270 level, the first support level.

Today's Stock Chart

The Three Year S&P 500 US Stock Market Uptrend is Over

The Three Year (or more) S&P 500 US Stock Market Uptrend is Over.



In the chart above, we overlay a RAFF Regression Channel (the three parallel uptrending blue lines) over the S&P 500 from 2005 to the present. The Raff Regression Channel shows the general trading range of the S&P 500 and it shows a clear three year uptrend. However, it is clear that the S&P 500 has gone below the three year uptrending Raff Regression Channel showing that the uptrend is over.

Other Negatives:

1. The 200 Day Moving Average has gone down below the 50 Day Moving Average (The "Death Cross").
   
2. The S&P 500 is below both the 50 day and 200 day moving average.
   
3. The S&P 500 has gone below a three year trend line (the red line in the chart above)
   

Typically, what was once support now becomes resistance on the upside.

Re-Test 1270 Lows on S&P 500

Because V-shaped recoveries are not common, we continue to expect the S&P 500 to re-test the lows of 1270. The S&P 500 could bounce and possibly re-test a third time. Or, the S&P 500 could continue to breakdown.

We need time to determine whether we will have a sideways, but volatile trading range bound market, or whether we could establish a new downward trend or an uptrend after a lengthy bottoming process with enough successful re-tests.

Today's Chart of the S&P 500 with the Information Above

Stock Chart: LVLT (Level 3 Communications) has broken uptrend line? (June 15, 2007)

Level 3 Communications (LVLT), has been on a nice 2 year uptrend. However, recently, it looks like it has gone below the two year uptrend.

Looking closer at a 5 month chart:



We see that LVLT is underneath both the 50 and 200 day moving average, a bearish sign. Another bearish sign is that the 50 day moving average looks like it is about to go under the 200 day moving average (The Death Cross ).

The only positive I can see is that the stock has not breached the $5.20 support yet.


Note on Trend Lines:

Yes, give a chart to several chartists, and they may draw trend lines a bit differently. However, in the case above, the trend line looks correct, as the line is validated by six different points along the line. The Trend line also nicely supports the 200 day moving average.

Alternate Plays/Charts

Alternatively, Corning Incorporated (GLW), might be a good Alternative Play (Annotated Chart)