The decided bullishness seen during the two previous trading sessions didn’t persist through Friday. Rather, the modest 0.09% gain logged by the S&P 500 on the last trading day of last week suggests traders are still ultimately on the fence about the economy, worried August’s disappointing payroll growth figure could be an omen.
Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) was a key culprit to that weakness, falling nearly 3% for no particular reason. Investors simply remain suspicious that it will be able to continue growing in the foreseeable future as it has in the recent past. Most trade turbulence with China could bolster the prospect of that headwind. Also holding the broad market back, albeit with less net impact than AMD, was Twilio (NYSE:TWLO). It tumbled 4.6%, as profit-takers dug in, worried this year’s big gains are being threatened by brewing weakness as well.
Meanwhile, Symantec (NASDAQ:SYMC) may have been the reason the S&P 500 mustered its small gain on Friday. Shares of the cybersecurity outfit rallied 4.5% after reports surfaced that a private equity firm was mulling an outright acquisition of the company.
As for the names most deserving of a look moving into the first trading day of the new week, however, take a look at the stock charts of Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ:TSCO), WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC) and C.H. Robinson Worldwide (NASDAQ:CHRW). Here’s why.
WEC Energy Group (WEC)
Utility stocks have been especially strong this year, as investors seek out safety in anticipation of economic turbulence. It’s sound thinking, in fact, and WEC Energy Group was no stranger to that trend.
More so than most other utility names, however, WEC stock has raced too far, too fast. The speed and scope of the move carried shares well past the upper boundary of a long-established trading range. As of the end of last week, WEC Energy was starting to crack and break under the weight of those gains. It may be an omen of what’s to come.
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C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW)
With just a passing glance at the stock charts of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, it would be easy to come to the conclusion that shares are stuck in consolidation mode. In fact, CHRW saw an increase in volatility in the June-through-August period, which has led the chart to develop a “diamond” (highlighted). This generally takes shape before a reversal.
If that’s the case — and the argument is good that it is — then traders may want to plan on new downside ahead. The diamond-shaped pattern, however, isn’t the only reason to suspect CHRW stock is poised to edge lower from here.
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Tractor Supply Company (TSCO)
Shares of Tractor Supply Company have been impressively bullish since the middle of 2017, escaping the impact of a so-called retail apocalypse that has worked against most other names in the business. That’s likely because Tractor Supply is such an untraditional retailer. It has not been a straight-line move, but a bullish move nonetheless.
That bigger-picture effort, however, is now under more pressure than it has been at any point since the rally began. Although it has survived and snapped back from similar circumstances before, this time around there’s a significant difference.
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As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can learn more about James at his site, jamesbrumley.com, or follow him on Twitter, at @jbrumley.
