The bearish Head and Shoulders pattern in Nifty is now widely known. According to this pattern, the target of 23,100 is not too far away. The question is: will the decline end at 23,100?
Once the pattern's target is achieved, there is no theory that suggests prices will reverse and start an uptrend from there. After reaching 23,100, the relevance of this pattern ends. However, the background distribution leading to the pattern's formation will still be significant.
Let’s see if any other key technical evidence is emerging. But first, we need to review some recent developments. On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, Nifty closed 325 points lower amidst strong selling pressure throughout the day. Interestingly, while FIIs sold shares worth ₹2,502 crores, DIIs bought shares worth ₹6,145 crores. The market's fall does not align with fund flow data.
The likely explanation is margin selling. When investors buy shares worth ₹5 lakhs by depositing ₹1 lakh with brokers, significant price drops in these shares can trigger margin calls. If the account’s equity value falls below the required margin, the broker’s RMS (Risk Management Section) will sell the shares in the market. This happens regularly in the derivatives segment, but in the cash market, such events often lead to severe declines.
This implies that some shares transferred from strong to weak hands during the distribution phase have now been sold. Often, after margin selling, we see short-covering rallies or a dead cat bounce.
In the medium term, a trend reversal has occurred, and the market is heading downward. Interestingly, this decline is less influenced by bears and more by bull liquidation. This is further evidenced by analyzing India VIX behavior.
While FIIs and FPIs are selling heavily, and the rupee is at its lowest value against the dollar, the strengthening of the dollar due to Donald Trump’s victory is one reason. Still, dollar outflow also needs consideration. When FIIs/FPIs sell shares and take dollars out, the impact can persist for a long time.
The notion of reallocating investments from India to China has been heard, but comparing the charts of Nifty, Hang Seng, and SSE Composite Index does not strongly support this hypothesis. Another potential reason for the market's decline could be SEBI’s restrictions on the derivatives market. While the correctness of such measures can be debated, imposing restrictions contradicts the principles of a free economy, especially in the stock market, which symbolizes it.
Such restrictions might send negative signals to foreign investors. The regulatory mindset, more than decisions like limiting weekly options or increasing contract sizes, can impact foreign investment decisions.
Among the few companies delivering better-than-expected quarterly results, HDFC Bank stands out. Despite being a heavyweight in Nifty and Bank Nifty, this stock saw significant selling pressure on Tuesday and Wednesday. This could worry bulls, as the decline in this investment-grade stock weakens Bank Nifty’s tendency to outperform and brings it closer to the Head and Shoulders neckline. If the 50,000–50,200 neckline is broken, the next station is 49,650, followed by a significant downside.
In bullish markets, deep chart analysis often seems unnecessary as optimism prevails. However, revisiting the weekly chart after a long time reveals an interesting channel—Nifty’s movement over the past year has been within two parallel trendlines. A break below 23,170 will derail this channel. Interestingly, this aligns with the Head and Shoulders target, making the 23,000–23,200 level a crucial confluence zone. On the upside, breaking 24,000–24,100 could bring relief, while breaching 24,500–24,600 is a distant dream. For now, bulls are in a slumber, dreaming of better days.
Notice the vertical axis in the accompanying chart. A 1,000-point rise in Nifty from 10,000 to 11,000 (10%) is not equivalent to a 1,000-point rise from 20,000 to 21,000 (5%). This difference has been accounted for in the chart.
Another point: Nifty’s 200 DMA is at 23,550, and its 200 EMA is at 23,470. Nifty is currently in a strong support zone. Additionally, on the daily chart, the RSI is in the oversold zone with positive divergence. Based on these factors, a pullback can be expected next week.
However, let’s not forget the earlier observation about bulls running low on ammunition. In the short to medium term, the trend is downward, and resistance levels are more effective than support levels—a fundamental principle of technical analysis.
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