Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Apple Inc. (Public, NASDAQ:AAPL) Bullish Flag 1 min.; Cup & Handle 15 min.

AAPL $177.00 was a clear pivot point base early in the session, but it took a long time for the pattern to set up correctly. Eventually, it became clear that we had a C&H base and break, but there was a lot of choppiness before the pattern was ripe for trading.

On the 1 minute chart, AAPL formed a base as price tested the 50 SMA. As price broke out of the base, it printed 3 WRBs on higher volume = flag pole. Then price consolidated sideways on declining volume = flag. Price broke out of the flag pattern on a huge volume spike. As soon as volume spikes above the line segment, it's time to get in. On a measured move basis, the flag pattern should produce two flag poles, one before the flag, and one above the flag.

I took a partial after 3 consecutive WRBs on the 15 min. time frame. After that allow for a 38% retracement. On a measured move basis, the C&H pattern also generates a 100% extension, but time ran out on this one.

What's my favorite number? The number 3 figures prominently in my trading.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Jamie,

Nice breakdown on the 1-min chart.

It will be interesting to see bear flags that form on the dailies if the market rallies over the next couple/few days.

TJ said...

Thanks Jim,

No lack of flag poles in the commodities/energy sectors. I get the feeling that any rally at this point could be short-lived and that many of the weaker names have reached a short-term bottom. Crude inventories tomorrow should be interesting.

Unknown said...

Jamie,
After you partial, where did you adjust your stop? The 3.15pm hammer would have probably shook me off.

YR

TJ said...

YR,

I used a mental stop on AAPL. Basically, I allowed for a 38% retracement from the bottom of the flag to the highs up to that point. If I use a hard stop, I get stopped out usually by a few pennies. So now I look at the price sticks and volume to give me a clue whether or not this is a retracement or a reversal. Read my chart notes on the CTSH trade today as I played it the same way.