The Standard and Poors 500 index (SPX) closed Friday at 4090, up 9 points on the day or +0.2%, but that didn’t save the week, ending down 0.7%. SPX broke resistance at 4100 last week and advanced to a high around 4200 on February 2nd before beginning the pull back that continued this week. This latest rally set a new resistance level a hundred points higher, but the bear market isn’t over yet. Trading volume was mixed all week, running just above and just below the 50-day moving average (dma).

VIX, the volatility index for the S&P 500 options, closed yesterday at 20.5% after opening the week at 19.2%. VIX spiked on Friday to 22% but pulled back into the close at 20.5%.

I track the Russell 2000 index with the IWM ETF, which closed Friday at 190.31, up less than a point on the day, but down 2.7% for the week. Unlike SPX, this latest IWM rally hit resistance around 199, the level set back in August by the failure of that rally. SPX never came close to its August levels. IWM found support on Friday at its January highs around 188.
 
The NASDAQ Composite index closed at 11,718 yesterday with a loss of 71 points or -0.6%. NASDAQ trended lower this week, losing 1.6%. NASDAQ’s trading volume ran above average three days this week before falling significantly below the 50 dma on Friday.

The FOMC announcement last week, coupled with the positive January Trifecta, seemed to bring the bulls back to the table, but that enthusiasm faded this week. The market broke out above the most recent rally highs last week but could not hold those highs and gave back all of those gains this week. On Friday, I entered bullish trades on ENPH and SLB. Both stocks were trading positively in the midst of a bearish market. Our AAPL diagonal spread is still in the black after a tough week.
 
This market remains solidly in its bearish posture, having quashed the latest bullish recovery. I am largely on the sidelines at this point.