Uncle Russ is making new ground in the pre market while sleepy Uncle Dow leads the bear charge on its own, and the VIX has popped 4.84% on almost no overnight movement. Inside: why the SPX compression area is now angled rather than flat, the ETH/BTC target lifted to 0.0305, and Friday’s poppers.

Since the 20 April crash higher, the number of stocks above their 20 period moving average has fallen from 83% to around 40%, and it is sat near 65% now. The index has kept climbing anyway. Inside: the sentiment chart, the SPX breakout setup, and why the ETF poppers beat the cash yesterday.

SPX managed 25 points yesterday and the 3 day average is now under 40, which would have counted as a spicy day even in the 2008 crash. Meanwhile the VIX sold off hard as though we had trended 50 points straight up. Inside: why the swings are still on the sidelines, and the RUT breakout that needs a pullback first.

Compression continues across the indexes, but the Dow may be stepping forward to lead the bear charge with a clear 123 pattern. SPX ran the range highs again and ground lower all day, and a push below 7700 hands over the breakout attempt. Inside: the RUT coil, the ETH/BTC flip, and how the profit got locked without a butterfly.

The 3 day ATR is around 40 points and the Bollinger Bands are pinched at their tightest contraction in 120 bars. Price is wound tight across every stock index, SPX is dinging off the upper edge of the range, and RUT is ping ponging until something gives. Inside: the swings, the crypto read, and why sideways still hits target.

Nothing weird or funky happened over the weekend. The VIX has returned to normal, almost violently, and the S&P pushed slightly higher. I’m still concerned overall, and as the first third of the month gets X’ed off the calendar, are we still setting up to meet the grim reaper in September? Or is that my fever dream paranoia kicking in? A shorter one today, because I am sick as a dog.