Why not? Has human nature which is responsible for the ebb and flow of the markets changed? Man is probably the most immutable substance on the planet which is why we are doomed to repeat our errors ad infinitum. So far governmental response to the crisis has been entirely predictable. The endgame is also predictable. The problem is timing it beyond broad strokes.

Thanks for the info.

Hi Duesy, that was useful info. thanks. I edited the IB chart bar data and corrected the high. However NT will still load the bad info. unfortunately, even with reloading the historical data.

I also spoke to IB help about this. I was told that they are "mistrades" from the exchange and the exchange will have to rectify the data. IB does not manually correct this, they just send the data that they receive onwards. However I was told that the exchange should remove the trades. When, is the question. Would also appreciate  a heads up on the SRS swing data (second system). Can someone PM me the MA values with time so that I can check my data? Thanks.

Of course gold can rally alongside the USD's foreign exchange value. It did so already between Dec 2008 and Feb 2009 and also spectacularly from late 1978 till Jan 1980 alongside USD strength vs. other currencies. Gold rises regardless of currencies when there is a loss of confidence in the official monetary system as a whole. However it would be unusual for Gold to rise during the first phase of a multi month rally in the US dollar. As was the case last year, even when gold is in a powerful bull market it will typically decline in US$ terms during the first 1-3 months of an intermediate-term advance in the Dollar Index. (info. from Steven Saville of the Speculative Investor).

Thus the current breakout either means that the USD will breakdown OR it is a golden fakeout. Hence caution is still warranted.

I believe many members use Tradestation as broker and platform (although TS has been reported as having difficulty finding shares to short most of the time). You can get around this by using Trade bullet to send triggers to your broker. I have only heard of this, I have no personal experience. You may also use Ninja Trader as a platform with your broker.

True. You never get tops or bottoms with the systems. Usually there has to be a significant reversal or a long sideways move for the systems to trigger. So there is no question of a falling knife.

Thanks for sharing. Please look at your pm.

gfreidan, dumb question but how do you get the "n" with the accent on your keyboard? I'm tired of writing "ny"  looks terrible. Thanks.

Mechanical systems are not affected as they have been backtested to include Op ex weeks. As for discretionary trades, you've just seen the effects, LOL.

Jim, if you are going to be trading off short term charts then make the investment for real time (the Extra RT charting package). After all, how useful can a 20 min delayed quote be for a 5min chart?

Totally agree with this and I believe that Michael has also alluded to the importance of taking every trade of a mechanical system several times.

However I figure that if anyone still does not "get" this concept they will after they see a huge winning trade that would have erased small losing ones IF they had only not turned off the systems, or some such similar experience.  In my case, it was very early on with a too large position size with SRS. I took a hefty loss when the system was down for the day and I sold only to see it end the day exactly the same amount profitable as the loss I had taken!

En fin, I echo your sentiments and agree that position sizing is also important.

Bkout3, just to let you know that regarding NT support, I had some issues with backtesting recently and I emailed them. I got a reply within half an hour and we were emailing back and forth for several hours until the problem was solved. This was not an isolated occasion, the last time I emailed them I got a very fast response as well. So, pretty pleased with NT support.

If you read the comments apparantly the weekly report will still be made, only the source of the data is different.

$SPX 60min: right at the bottom of the channel and stochastics already oversold.

Well, let's see it get moving first then I will evaluate. Here is a chartof some Fib retracements that coincide nicely with a gap, 20 MA and horizontal resistance. What I do is set alerts and look at the charts when/if we get to these areas. I try not to look too much at what swing trades are doing.

TBT: stop below 50 looks reasonable, otherwise that horizontal line coud be support. I am in at 50.55 from 2 days ago at the 200ma then.

Chart 

Rp, the MACD cross above/below the zero line has also coincided nicely with Matt's 89 sma on the weekly chart till now. Interestingly this time, as you have pointed out the MACD is on the point of crossing but we are nowhere near the 89 sma. I'm not sure what to make of this, just pointing it out.

$SPX 10 year weekly chart 

It's not that bad. Up till yesterday the system was up 3.25%. Stilll have to see how the day and month ends.

Did you read the article by Karl Denniger where he makes the very valid point that it would be silly to forge a 500 million dollar bond as no one would pay up for it without authenticating it?