GAFNN.com Blog

The last week we were bearish E-Mini S&P500 futures, we indicated the 1,265 – 1,270 area as a potential profit target and our volatility-based projection proved extremely accurate once again. In particular, the market opened at 1,285 it dropped to 1,277 on Wednesday and, although it touched 1,287 on Thursday, futures prices plummeted and settled at 1,269 on Friday.

The volatility is currently at 1.4% (22.2% annualised) and the TGARCH plot is visibly displaying a curve which is unusually high but it seems that the mean reverting process of volatility is already on its way.

The VIX was expected to rise in value and the big gap up between the 3^rd of June closing and the 6^th of June opening proved our forecast were correct. The market opened at 18.4% dropped to 18% on Tuesday, rallied to 18.7% on Wednesday whilst it plummeted once again to 17.7% on Thursday and closed to 18.8% on Friday.

The volatility is now at 6.8% (23.5% monthly) and the plot is displaying a curve which is “about” to hit its equilibrium point at 4.5% (15.5% monthly) and consequently to terminate the mean reverting process.

We were bearish E-Mini Nasdaq futures and we forecasted an end-of-week price around the 2,235 – 2,240: our analysis proved accurate once again. Particularly, futures prices opened at 2,274 plummeted to 2,248 on Wednesday, rose to 2,252 on Thursday and closed at 2,222 on Friday

The actual volatility is 1.4% (22.2% annualised) and the TGARCH curve is undoubtedly extremely high but it appears that the conditional variance is now tending to mean revert and collapse even though the decreasing progression could be quite slow at the beginning.

The bullish forecast we gave you the last week proved to be very good and precise because the VXN opened at 19.5% (which was our initial target) it touched 19.9% on Wednesday, it plunged to 19.1% on Thursday and closed at 19.5% on Friday

The volatility of the VXN Index at first rose and achieved 9% (31.1% monthly) but in the very last part of the week it suddenly began to drop and mean revert toward the equilibrium point which is still stable around the 4% area (13.8% monthly).

The last week we were bearish the DJ EuroStoxx50 and we proposed the 2,730 area as a good profit target for a potential short position; our analysis were very good once again. In fact, the Index opened at 2,741 (2,784 was the closing price 2 weeks ago) it dropped to 2,738 on Wednesday and, although it rallied to 2,782 on Thursday, DJ EuroStoxx50 futures closed at 2,730 on Friday

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The current volatility is 1.8% (28.5% annualised) and the TGARCH plot is displaying an evidently downward sloping curve which is probably going to touch 0.85% – 0.9% (13.4% – 14.2% in annual terms) before the end of the week.

The diminishing oscillation rate is a pretty strong signal that the down move is over and that the market is ready to go up again even if the recovery should not be as strong as someone might think.

The last week we forecasted an ulterior rise of German Bund futures whilst our profit target was set around the 125.5 – 126 area and our analysis proved very accurate and profitable. In fact, the market opened at 125.5 and plummeted to 124.9 on Wednesday but it recovered on Thursday when it touched 125.1 and closed at 125.9 on Friday

The current volatility is 0.36% (5.7% in annual terms) and the TGARCH plot is clearly displaying a very stable and robust curve once again meaning that it is probable that the upcoming week will see a prolonged period of low price fluctuations.

E-Mini Crude Oil market moved higher in the first half of the week and then retraced in the second half transforming a bullish week in a sideways one. In fact, the market opened at $ 98.8 rose to $ 99.1 on Tuesday, moved higher to 101.8 on Thursday and sharply dropped to $ 99 on Friday


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The actual volatility is 1.9% (30.1% in annual terms) and the curve has now touched the equilibrium point which is stable around the 1.6% area (25.3% annualised) whilst the TGARCH plot is displaying a fairly stable situation where the fluctuations are quite constant and not high.

The Single currency has been hit by the heavy appreciation of the greenback that was, in turn, caused by a constant decrease of equity indices. Principally, the market opened at 1.4571, rose to 1.4687 on Tuesday but it retraced to 1.4575 on Wednesday and the down move continued until the end of the week because 1.4504 and 1.435 have been the closing prices on Thursday and Friday respectively

The actual volatility is 0.7% (11.1% in annual terms) and the TGARCH plot is now displaying a curve which surely increased but is still trading within its equilibrium range which goes from 0.58% to 0.77% ( 9.2% – 12.2% in annual terms).

The Swiss Franc did not manage to violate the 120 level and the upward sloping volatility curve clearly displays a situation of instability and violent market swings which is quite unusual for such a market. Particularly, the current volatility is 0.68% (10.7% in annual terms) and it is evident that the TGARCH plot is suggesting a further increase of the conditional variance over the next days which could potentially bring the oscillation rate in the 0.8% area (12.6% annualised).

As previously mentioned for both the Japanese Yen and British Pound futures, the sharp plummet in equity indices provoked an appreciation of the US dollar against the major currencies and the Swiss Franc did not constitute an exception to this rule.

British Pound futures began a very bullish week by jumping to 164.5 on Tuesday, in fact the last week we forecasted an up move, but the great uncertainty brought by negative macroeconomics news provoked the US dollar to appreciate against all the major currencies. Particularly, as soon as equity indices began to drop British Pound futures touched 163.9 on Wednesday and closed at 162.2 on Friday                 

The volatility curve is now at 0.46% (7.3% annualised) and its slope seems suggesting a further augment of the conditional variance over the next trading days although the current reading are still within a fairly stable range since a breakthrough of the 0.52% threshold (8.25% in annual terms) did not occur.