Our assessment of the evolution of the Hope Rally, such as that outlined in
Are we there yet (9/14/12) and in past weekend commentaries, has not changed.
The decline into Thursday’s low (1449.98 SPX) likely concluded a small degree wave [iv]-down as tracked by
the blue count in Chart 2 in
Are we there yet (9/14/12).
Chart 1 below updates. A terminal wave [v]-up is likely in progress - barring a severe truncation (see EDT tracking in the Dow below) . In other words, the market is in a countdown towards the black point number 5 based on our Hope Rally model (
Chart 2). An interim high (and potentially a major high) is likely insight.

Interestingly, it is easier to track the very near term wave structure in futures (ES). The sell-off into Friday's close retraced the rebound from Thursday's low and approached potential trend line and Fib support (
Chart 3 and Chart 4). It counts as (ii)-down of [v]-up based on the bullish count (black), and the start of iii-down based on the bearish count (green) or i-down (black-alt).
It's also important to update the potential bearish EDT we have been tracking in the Dow.
Chart 5 shows the proposed EDT has already satisfied an overthrow. If the final small-degree 5th wave does not extend, the market has already turned. Meanwhile, the AD line associated with SP500 still diverges negatively (
Chart 6). Hence, while there are other ways to count the advance as incomplete, a breach of Thursday's low is likely a bearish indication at a larger degree.
