DJ Technical Special: CBOT, KCBT, MGE Wheat Work On "Basing"
(Repeating)
By Jim Wyckoff
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Dow Jones)--The three U.S. wheat futures markets have
been working on "basing" patterns on the daily bar charts for nearly two
months.
Basing action on bar charts occurs when prices trade sideways at lower
price levels for a period of time, storing up energy for an eventual upside
breakout that can many times produce a fresh uptrend in prices. The longer
the basing activity occurs, the higher the technical odds of a more powerful
upside breakout, when it does occur.
Following are some shorter-term and longer-term technical observations on
the Chicago Board of Trade, Kansas City Board of Trade and Minneapolis Grain
Exchange wheat futures markets.
CBOT WHEAT
March futures prices are trapped in a nearly 2-month-old trading range at
lower price levels - bound by strong technical support the contract low of
$2.92 1/4 a bushel, scored on Jan. 4, and by solid chart resistance at the
Jan. 7 high of $3.12. A close below the present contract low could be the
beginning stages of a downside breakout from the trading range, and would
open the door to another leg down in futures prices.
There is longer-term chart support seen at the 2004 low of $2.82 1/2,
basis nearby futures, and then at the 2003 low of $2.73, also basis nearby
futures. Below that lies longer-term technical support at the 2002 low of
$2.55 1/2.
Bears can argue that prices have been and remain in a downtrend on the
daily bar chart since the April 2004 contract high of $4.41 1/2, basis March
futures. And, the monthly continuation chart for nearby Chicago soft red
winter wheat futures also shows a steep downtrend has been in place since the
April 2004 high.
Should CBOT March wheat see an upside breakout from the aforementioned
trading range, meaning a move above $3.12, then chart resistance lies at
$3.15 and then at $3.19, basis March futures. Above that lies chart
resistance at $3.25 and then at the November 2004 high of $3.31 1/2. It would
take a move above $3.31 1/2 to uncork some serious technical power for the
bulls.
KCBT WHEAT
March hard red winter wheat futures prices have been trading sideways on
the daily bar chart since late November - bound by the contract low of $3.23
1/2, scored on Jan. 4, and the December high of $3.47 a bushel. Prices have
been in a downtrend since the May 2004 contract high of $4.43.
A downside breakout from the aforementioned trading range would open the
door to another solid leg down in prices. Longer-term chart support is
located
at the 2004 low of $3.12, basis nearby futures, and then at the major
psychological support level of $3.00 a bushel. Below that lies longer-term
chart support at the 2003 low of $2.94 1/2 and then at the 2002 low of $2.71
1/4, basis nearby futures.
An upside price breakout for KCBT March futures, meaning a move above
$3.47, would find technical resistance located at $3.50 and then at $3.53.
Above that is located chart resistance at the November 2004 high of $3.59
3/4. It would take a move above the November high to provide the bulls with
some solid upside technical power.
MGE WHEAT
March hard red spring wheat futures are also confined to a sideways
trading range at lower price levels, marked by the Jan. 4 contract low of
$3.35 and the December high of $3.57 a bushel. Prices have been in a
downtrend since the April 2004 contract high of $4.53 a bushel.
A downside price breakout from the aforementioned trading range would
open the door to a challenge of longer-term chart support located at the 2004
low of $3.25, basis nearby futures. Below that lies longer-term technical
support at the major psychological level of $3.00 and then at the 2002 low of
$2.85 3/4, basis nearby futures.
A breakout above the recent trading range for MGE March wheat, meaning a
solid move above $3.57, would find resistance at $3.65 and then at $3.71. It
would take a price move above the October 2004 high of $3.81 1/2 to unleash
some solid upside technical strength for the bulls.
-Jim Wyckoff is the proprietor of the analytical and educational advisory
service, "Jim Wyckoff on the Markets." His e-mail address is
[email protected]. Phone: 319-277-8643.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
FSN59996 ACGT ANALYSIS GRAIN TECHNICAL TOP
2005-01-20 16:01:39 UTC
^^^^^^