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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights CrowdStrike, Splunk, SoFi, ACM Research and Twilio

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – February 9, 2022 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: CrowdStrike (CRWD - Free Report) , Splunk , SoFi (SOFI - Free Report) , ACM Research (ACMR - Free Report) and Twilio (TWLO - Free Report) .

Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:

A Technical Breakdown Ahead of January's CPI Reading

The S&P 500 has been range-bound between 4450 and 4590 (oscillating around 4500) since it broke out of correction territory at the end of January, as market participants sit on their hands and await the next meaningful macro catalyst. Thursday's (2/10) inflation figure looks to be the next on the docket of market-moving economic reports, which will reveal the magnitude and focus of Omicron's inflationary impact.

Volumes have been gradually declining since February began as nervous investors set their expectations for the flood of quarterly reports that are hitting the wire before and after each trading day. Following a red hot January jobs report, the January CPI report and its monetary implications will be the primary market focus of this week's index level action.

This inflationary indicator should further tighten the credit market's expectations (5 to 6 Fed Fund hikes in 2022) and hopefully provide an information-relief rally across the most inhibited rate-sensitive spaces of the market (assuming CPI data doesn't illustrate anything wildly unexpected). Expectations vs. reality is what to focus on, not fear-mongering headlines, which I can almost guarantee we'll see no matter what the result.

Technical Breakdown

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) surrounding inflation, monetary policy, and their combined implication on sustained demand have held the S&P 500 in a technically-bound trading range.

When employing macro technical analysis on the US stock market, it's prudent to do so with S&P 500 futures instead of the spot index due to its 24-hour trading (Sunday evening thru Friday afternoon), making it the preferred US equity trading tool for global professionals. In other words, it's the industry standard for stock market chartists.

Something to remember while reading: Fibonacci extension levels (price targets to the downside) shown above represent entry points, while Fibonacci retracement levels (price targets to the upside) provide technical exit targets.

Last Monday (1/31) began with a tech-fueled breakout to conclude January's exceptionally volatile trade on a note of optimism, driving the S&P 500 comfortably away from correction territory (-10% decline threshold) and back above its 200-day moving average (blue circle).

The week saw its peak around Wednesday's (2/2) closing bell (red circle) into Meta's post-earnings meltdown that carried the whole market with it. Amazon's (AMZN) unexpected earnings blowout, along with scorching hot January jobs report, put a Band-Aid on this hemorrhaging Friday morning.

Fickle price action is kicking us off in this second week of February trading. With a slew of earnings across sectors being released throughout the week and January's yield-driving CPI report Thursday morning, we are poised for another crazy week of market action.

The most important S&P 500 (futures) technical levels to watch amid this week's likely volatility will be the 200-day MA to the downside, which sits just above 4450. A break below this could mean the market is headed back into correction territory or, worse yet, towards a bear market (-20% decline from recent highs).

A breach of the 50-day MA at 4620 will be the bullish breakout signal to watch for if this week's data comes in favorably. First, we'll need a catalytic push above last week's fib-bound high around 4590. This catalyst could come in a data relief rally following January's CPI release Thursday morning.

I'm looking to buy growth prior to this reading as this data will likely lift the FUD-pressures surround next generation innovators.

Stocks I'm buying into the print: CrowdStrike, Splunk, SoFi, ACM Research and Twilio.

Happy Trading!

Dan Laboe

Zacks Strategist

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