Depressed Housing Market Leads Recovery

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Based upon the performance of the homebuilder stocks since the Oct. 4, 2011 lows and year to date, you would think that the market for new homes was booming. There are subtle signs of stability in data from the National Association of Home Builders, rising new home sales, and stability and a possible bottom for home prices, but the housing market is far from normal.

Back on June 21, I wrote Homebuilders Vulnerable in Current Market and focused on the PHLX Housing Sector Index (HGX), discussing the downtrend that went all the way back to the July 2005 highs for the homebuilder stocks.



The weekly chart for PHLX Housing Sector Index shows rising momentum (12x3x3 weekly slow stochastic). HGX is above its five-week modified moving average at 128.49. The weekly chart profile is thus positive particularly with the breakout above the downtrend that goes back to July 2005. This downtrend connects the highs of July 2005, January and April 2006, and February 2007.

I did not expected this trend to be broken to the upside at this time, but that does not mean that you avoid "buy and trade" strategies for the homebuilders rated Buy or better by www.ValuEngine.com.

My annual value level for HGX is 122.53 with my quarterly pivot at 135.17 and monthly risky level at 148.28. HGX is up a staggering 33.8% year to date and up 87.1% since its October 4, 2011 low. The September 2008 high is 146.34 with the 120-month simple moving average at 155.73.




Chart Courtesy of Thomson/Reuters

In my judgment the latest data on housing does not justify the extent of the rally in homebuilder stocks.

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