Where The Support For Tech Is Coming From

Blue chips stocks are wobbly
in the first half of
trade, caused by a slew of economic reports released early in the session, as
they hovered near positive ground.
Earlier today, a preliminary report from the University of Michigan on consumer
sentiment for August cooled off in rally plans for today. The reading, released
to subscribers this morning, showed a decline in its sentiment index to 87.9
from 88.1 in July. Wall Street had been anticipating a decline in the measure.

After being down nearly 100 points, the Dow Jones Industrial Average
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is trying to break up to hit its 50-day moving average. So far technology shares
are being supported by rosy earnings and revenue outlook from Dell Computer
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.

On the daily chart, the S&P 500
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has recovered from the
negative open and is now slightly positive. The S&P 500 is trading at around 933
right at the 50-day moving average. The S&P 500 has support at around the
925/926 level. If the S&P 500 can break through the 50-day moving average the
next resistance barrier is at 952.

On the daily chart, the Nasdaq Composite
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is now rallying towards its 50-day moving average. Overhead
resistance is at the 50-day moving average at 1378. Support is at 1325/1322.

The Phlx
Semiconductor Index

(
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has pulled up
above its 20-day moving average and pulled back to test it. Now it is trading
near the intraday high. This is close to a new recovery high today. Resistance
is at 335/337 with secondary resistance at 343/345. Support is at 330/327 the
20-day moving average. Some of the stronger stocks helping push the SOX are
Texas Instruments

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, Maxim Integrated Products
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,
Linear Technology
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and Kla-Tencor
(
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.

Other positive sectors are: Computer Hardware,
Airlines
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and Networking.

The weaker sectors so
far are: Biotech
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, Insurance, Oil Services
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and Banks
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.

CR Bard
(
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is pulling back from its recent high.
BCR carries a

3
-month
relative strength rank of 89
from TradingMarkets.com.

Advanced Auto Parts
(
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is
rallying from a 1,2,3 bottom on stronger volume for this time of the day. It has
now broken above its 50-day moving average, which also happens to be right
around the 50% Retracement line. (The Retracement is from the Low in March to
the High in May). Support is at 48.00.

Coinstar
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is breaking
out above the 32.00 resistance level with increasing volume. CSTR is approaching
the 52-week high at 35.00. Initial resistance is at 34.00. CSTR has an up
trending

ADX
of 28.

Pixar
(
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is breaking out of an
ascending triangle with very strong volume. PIXR has a

TradingMarkets.com RS3 rating of 81
.

Nasdaq Breadth

Adv: 1691 UpVol: 5565946

Dec: 1390 DnVol: 1910010

Net: +301 Net: +3655936