top of page
All Posts


Signs of a bottom for Affirm (AFRM)
Question: Please provide support and resistance levels and any comments for AFRM (Affirm Holdings Inc.) Affirm Holdings (AFRM) is carving out a potential base dating back to late September. The lower end of this developing bottom is holding near the rising 200-day moving average at 65.17, reinforcing the stock’s longer-term uptrend. A decisive breakout above neckline resistance at 78.98–79.38 would confirm the pattern and suggest upside to 92.55-93.20 (September highs) and t
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 24, 2025


SPX A-D line a bullish leading indicator
Although the S&P 500 (SPX) advance-decline (A-D) line eased slightly yesterday, new highs for this important market breadth indicator from late November into late December suggest broad-based participation and provide a bullish leading indicator for new highs on the SPX. This increases the potential for the index to rally to new highs and confirm its tactical bullish cup and handle from late October, targeting 7200-7300. See the December 19 The Chart Check report for more d
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 24, 2025


Kicking the tires on Harley-Davidson (HOG)
We receive a request to review the chart of Harley-Davidson (HOG). HOG tilts bearish . The weekly downside gap for the week ending December 12th at 23.19-23.29 provides a potential overhang for HOG, which is at risk to break its April 2025 low at 20.45 and potentially test its 2020 COVID-19 low at 14.31. The deteriorating 13-, 26-, and 40-week moving averages from 24.73 to 25.79 also provide an overhang and offer additional resistance along with a broken higher low from early
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 23, 2025


Two bullish banks: PNC and TFC
The Financials have had a breadth of bullish setups that we have highlighted in our The Stock Pulse report and in this blog including Affiliated Managers (AMG), Bank of America (BAC), Bank of New York Mellon (BK), Capital One Financial (COF), Citigroup (C), Citizens Financial (CFG), First Bancorp PR (FBP), Hanmi Financial (HAFC), Lemonade (LMND), Nasdaq (NDAQ), Nu Holdings (NU), Principal Financial (PRG), Rocket Companies (RKT), and State Street (STT). This post highlights
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 23, 2025


Bullish setups for GD, LHX, and NOC
General Dynamics (GD), L3Harris Technologies (LHX), and Northrop Grumman (NOC) remain bullish aerospace and defense stocks. A late 2024 into mid 2025 bullish consolidation pattern favors further upside to 395 on General Dynamics (GD) . After the stock rallied and tested its 100% extension of the mid 2023-late 2024 rally projected from the April 2025 low at 353.75 in late October, it formed a falling (aka bullish) wedge. Sustaining the breakout from this pattern would keep t
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 22, 2025


UBER at risk while below 81.51-83.62
While below the 81.51 to 83.62 area, Uber Technologies (UBER) is at risk for a sustained breakdown from a May-December topping pattern that would suggest deeper downside into the low 60s (pattern count and chart supports) and potentially toward 57-54 (rising 200-week moving average and August 2024 low). If UBER stabilizes and reclaims its broken support, the pattern would shift back to range-bound vs. toppy with resistance from 87.94 (40-week moving average) to 91.18-93.60 (
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 22, 2025


Gold breaks above 4400
Gold futures are breaking above 4400 this morning, placing the focus on a test of bullish flag and tactical base breakout counts at 4500 and 4600. In addition, sustaining the move above 4400 would suggest even more tactical upside toward 4890 on gold. Holding above 4400-4369 would keep the immediate pattern bullish. The 4300 to 4250 range offers an additional chart support. Sustaining this tactical bullish setup for gold futures would bode well for the bullish breakouts for
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 22, 2025


The Sector Edge - Dec. 22, 2025
*** Please see the bottom of this report for important disclaimers and disclosures.*** Ranks, XLK, XLY, XLU, and bullish setups for PEJ and PPH Tactical Sector Ranks The Top Five Tactical Sector Ranks are Healthcare (XLV), Technology (XLK), Discretionary (XLY), Communication Services (XLC), and Financials (XLF). Only XLK, XLC, and XLF also appear in the top five of the 52-week Ranks. The Bottom Five Tactical Sector Ranks are Real Estate (XLRE), Utilities (XLU), Consumer St
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 22, 2025


S&P 500 GICS 1 Sector ETF Ranks
This post highlights the Tactical and 52-week Ranks for the S&P 500 GICS Level 1 sector ETFs as of the week ending 12/19/2025. The top five Tactical Ranks remain Healthcare, Technology, Consumer Discretionary, Communication Services, and Financials , unchanged from the prior week. Technology continues to stand out, ranking either first or second in 10 consecutive weeks and remaining the only sector to hold a consistent top five tactical position over that period. The botto
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 20, 2025


Pharma: Bullish setups for AZN and LLY
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) and Eli Lilly (LLY) have broken out from mid 2024-late 2025 bullish consolidation basing patterns and show additional upside potential after a near-term dip back toward their breakout points. These patterns resemble the bullish setup for the VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH) that we highlighted in our November 17 The Sector Edge . The bullish breakout for AstraZeneca (AZN) remains in place above 87.63-86.57 (breakout levels) and 85.84-85.15 (the mid N
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 19, 2025


Carnival (CCL): Big base breakout watch
Carnival Corp. (CCL) is in position for an upside breakout from a big base dating back to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic low. We highlighted the bullish potential for CCL in the Straight from the Chart blog on both October 17 and September 12, but the pattern has taken additional time to develop. CCL has the potential to break out from a big base. A decisive rally above 31.50-32.80 (38.2% retracement of the 2018 to 2022 decline and September high) is required to confirm the big
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 19, 2025


U.S. Treasury Yields across the curve
This post updates our charts and technical views on the U.S. 30-year Treasury yield (TYX), 10-year Treasury yield (TNX), 5-year Treasury yield (FVX) , and 2-year Treasury yield (2YCMY.X) . In summary, TYX's breakout from a head and shoulders bottom suggests upside risk to 5%, the TNX and FVX have backed up to test falling 26- and 40-week moving averages as resistances, and the 2-year yield consolidates within a tight range and remains tilted to the downside. These setups have
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 19, 2025


The Chart Check - Dec 19, 2025
*** Please see the bottom of this report for important disclaimers and disclosures.*** Bulls vs. Bears, SPX, NDX, and inflation breakeven rates AAII Bulls vs. Bears: Room to run based on 13- and 52-week moving averages Our June 9 Charted Market Insights flagged that individual investor sentiment was coming off its biggest contrarian bullish signal since the savings and loan crisis (see chart notes below). The 13-week average and the spread between the 13- and 52-week averag
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 19, 2025


Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (FXY)
Question: Can you speak to the Yen vs the Dollar as Japan raises rates? Could you look at FXY? Thanks. Markets are pricing in and widely expecting the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to hike interest rates at its policy meeting concluding on Friday, December 19, 2025. In theory, the Japanese Yen should strengthen on a BOJ rate hike, as higher policy rates lift yields on yen-denominated assets and help narrow the interest-rate differential versus the U.S. and other higher-yielding currenc
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 18, 2025


Bullish setups for AMR and RIO
We received a request for technicals on Alpha Metallurgical Resources (AMR) and Rio Tinto (RIO) . Both stocks have bullish patterns that point to more upside. Alpha Metallurgical Resources (AMR) is coming out of a February-December basing pattern. Sustaining this week's rally above the 196 to 187 area (rising 200-week moving average and pattern neckline) would support this view with upside potential to the retracement levels for the March 2024 to June 2025 decline at 232-23
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 18, 2025


Weekly seasonality turns positive for equities
Weekly seasonality for the S&P 500 (SPX) going back to 1950 flips bullish this week and remains positive into the first week of January. If today's rally continues in accordance with this stronger pattern for seasonality, it would bode well for the developing bullish cup and handle on the SPX from late October that we have highlighted in this blog, research notes, and on the Charted Line Webinar. Chart 1: S&P 500: Average weekly returns: 1950-2025 The Dow Jones Industrial Av
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 18, 2025


TIP vs. AGG: Sideways-to-lower inflation expectations
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 2.7% year-over-year in November, which was well below the consensus of 3.1% heading into the print and a softer than the +3.0% reading in September. Prior to this morning's CPI numbers, the iShares TIPS Bond ETF (TIP) relative to the iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) suggested sideways-to-lower inflation expectations. The recent breakdown in the TIP/AGG ratio suggests that expectations for inflation should drop back down to t
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 18, 2025


MU: Key levels heading into earnings
Micron Technology (MU) is scheduled to report earnings today (12/17/2025) after the close. MU is under pressure after its push to a new high at 264.75 on December 10 did not hold. Today's weakness has breached the 50% retracement of the November 21 to December 10 rally near 228 with the 61.8% retracement near 220 and the rising 13-week (quarterly) moving average at 215 the next tactical levels to watch ahead of bigger support at the late November higher low at 192.59 and the
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 17, 2025


Margin debt to another record high
FINRA margin debt (aka debit balances in customers' securities margin accounts) reached a new record high of $1.214 trillion in November, marking its sixth consecutive record high since crossing above the $1 trillion threshold in June. The late 2021 to mid 2025 cup and handle pattern supports the case for margin debt to reach $1.260 trillion. Chart 1: FINRA margin debt Source: FINRA The surge in margin debt reflects growing risk appetite and investor confidence, but investor
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 17, 2025


The Stock Pulse - Dec. 17, 2025
*** Please see the bottom of this report for important disclaimers and disclosures.*** Three bulls: NDAQ, PFG, and ROKU; One vulnerable: IBKR Three bullish stocks: NDAQ, PFG, and ROKU; One vulnerable stock: IBKR Nasdaq (NDAQ) has broken out from a bullish wedge, reinforcing its uptrend with upside potential toward 97.63, then 102.50–105.00 and 117.55. Principal Financial (PFG) continues to build a multi-year base, where a decisive move above 92–96 would confirm a breakout
Stephen Suttmeier
Dec 17, 2025
bottom of page
