Terence Duffy is an analyst and chartist, specialising in researching economic trends and cycles. His primary focus is housing and land affordability. But you can also depend on him to offer his unique analysis of stock market charts. As Terence will show you, the charts often forecast, well in advance, the good or bad news to come — which he details in Cycles, Trends and Forecasts
You’ll read a lot of sweeping statements now as markets correct, but markets are just fully extended right now. Stock market corrections are completely normal. So just be wary when reading some analyst who suggests things are on the verge of collapse. Concerns over inflation and rising interest rates may have sent stocks tumbling, but underneath it all, the US economy remains strong.
Asia is the largest region on the planet in terms of size and population, so what happens in Asia matters to our market here in Australia. And Asia is booming — the charts clearly show it. A strong Asia should keep the ASX bubbling throughout 2018, providing plenty of trading opportunities.
There’s plenty of momentum to come from the US housing market. This is important because it will drive the US economy. And yet this process is widely underappreciated in the mainstream media. Hence why there’s a persistent sense that the US is close to a recession. I don’t see that happening in the immediate future. The charts aren’t suggesting it.
China's President has called it ‘the project of the century.’ The initiative is motivated by a desire to boost economic growth in both China and nearby countries. This will provide a growing market for trade. It’s the largest overseas investment plan ever launched by a single country.
Is the Aussie property market ready for a fall? The experts seem to think so. One thing to remember in all this is that the experts have been predicting an Aussie property crash every year now since 2011.
Just trade what the market gives you. In other words just trade the trend, be it up or down. But bringing your opinion to the market and trying to trade that can be a costly exercise. 
Bad debts are at historic lows, and it’s proving a big windfall for the big four. But you have to think, if house prices had gotten so high and had the consumer stretched to breaking point, you’d expect bad debts at the big four to be rising, not falling!
A frenzy of drilling in shale gas fields across the country over the past decade has put the US within arm’s reach of achieving energy independence. Gas prices are at record lows, and electricity prices are falling. The US economy is booming right now. 
While all the focus is on western economies which have been plodding along, I’m expecting Asian markets to be really strong in the coming year. A strong Asia will present opportunities on the ASX and keep our market bubbling.
The report found more than six million US adults will have their personal bankruptcies disappear over the next five years. That negative credit history has meant that banks have been unable to lend to those consumers. It means banks can start lending again, which will start greasing the wheels of economic activity once more.