The “glochids” are loosely attached making it soft to the touch. Since loosely attached, they are prone to dislodge and fly in the air if bumped or shaken. 

Opuntia rufida-a “blind” prickly pear cactus with no spines.

Rats, mice, gophers, chipmunks, and bats all eat prickly pear cactus. Should the reddish-brown glochids get into the eyes of these animals, they can cause blindness. Hence the word “blind” in the name.

Prickly yet soft. Visually pleasing yet blinding. A spiny cactus with no spine.

As this week begins, the Russell 2000 takes on a similar persona.

Featured in the weekend Daily, IWM unlike the other 3 indices, has made lower highs since its zenith in December at 138.82.

IWM’s glochids are both soft to the touch and visually pleasing as it continues to trade above the 50 DMA.

Nevertheless, if today’s decline has dislodged glochids from the cactus leaf, could it cause blindness in traders?

Or, was today’s decline in price spineless?

For quite some time, Granny Retail and Granddad Russell have gone their separate ways. XRT trades near the 2017 lows. IWM near the 2017 highs.   

Unlike her hubby, Retail represents concern among consumers and the fate of the Gross Domestic Product. The small caps, even if the strength does not match up to the strength of the other indicies, do indicate a more hopeful sentiment for the US economy than Granny does.   

Transportation, often joined at the hip with Granny Retail, seems torn between her and Gramps. Although in a bullish phase, the possiblity of a double top at 171.15 looms large.

Semiconductors, the wonder woman of the Family, looks like she needs to rest. However, if she truly is wonder woman, then she can fight the tape until she drops dead.

In cactus terms, watering SMH too much can cause root rot. Better if she keeps the powder dry.

Which leaves the Prodigal Son, Regional Banks (KRE) and Big Brother Biotechnology (IBB).

KRE hung tough above the 50 DMA. Comparatively, IBB barely declined.

Overall volume across most sectors was light. Although Monday’s red day seems blinding, spiny and prickly, the lack of volume could deceive today’s onlooker.

For now, I’m calling today’s market action more spineless and soft. That’s provided the price doesn’t dislodge further.

Then, not only might traders become as “blind as a bat,” but they could also find new meaning to “Three Blind Mice.”

S&P 500 (SPY) 229.71 all-time high. 228 pivotal support.

Russell 2000 (IWM) 138 key resistance, 135.50 pivotal and 133.50 key support

Dow (DIA) 200 now pivotal. 200.97 all-time high

Nasdaq (QQQ) Hovering near highs. Must hold 125

KRE (Regional Banks) Confirmed bullish phase-55 pivotal support

SMH (Semiconductors) 75.95 all-time high. 74.50 key support

IYT (Transportation) 165 the 50 DMA to hold.

IBB (Biotechnology) 285 big resistance and 277 big support

XRT (Retail) 42.00 the big support. A close over 43.20 better

IYR (Real Estate) Sideways

GLD (Gold Trust) Cleared the 100 DMA-first time since last October. 116.75 pivotal support

SLV (Silver) 16.50 now pivotal. 17.00 the 200 DMA

GDX (Gold Miners) 25.00 now pivotal support. Unconfirmed Accumulation Phase

USO (US Oil Fund) 11.60 next point to clear. 11.35 pivotal support

TAN (Solar Energy) Still on radar as volume was significantly greater than usual

TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasuries) Back to unconfirmed recovery phase

UUP (Dollar Bull) 25.65 support

FXI (China) Tested the 100 DMA