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Materials sector less bullish for Canadian investors

January 3, 2018 by Keith Richards 4 Comments

 

The global materials stocks have, on average, been ripping since 2016. You can see the sharp, tight uptrend on this chart of the iShares Global Materials ETF (MXI-US).

Led by the big US firms, the US materials sector, via the iShares US Materials ETF (IYM-US) has a similar look to the chart. Tight and to the right!

The picture changes dramatically for the Canadian materials sector. Take a look at the iShares Canadian materials ETF (XMA-T). This sector ETF has been sideways while the broader global materials sector has been on fire. Yes, it may be moving within a triangle pattern that shows some signs of breaking out, but that triangle break must last a little longer to be considered bullish. I’m wondering if this breakout is sustainable.

That’s because the Canadian materials sector has a 45% influence via gold stocks (!!), followed by 16% in fertilizers and related agriculture materials stocks. Compare that massive weighting in two industries to the much more “true to form” global ETF. Its holding less than 3% in gold. The global ETF is mostly weighted in chemicals and industrial mining. Further, the individual stock weightings are diversified better than the Canadian index. Dow DuPont is the biggest weighting in the global ETF at just under 8%, with the majority of holdings in the 2% or less range per stock.

 

The Canadian counterpart has over 8% in Potash, along with more than 7% each in Agrium, Barrick and Franco Nevada. The charts for those stocks (not shown) are suggesting a downtrend for Barrick, a base for Potash, and some serious near termed resistance points for Agrium and Franco Nevada. In other words, its largest stock holdings are kind of mediocre chart patterns.

If you are going to buy an index ETF like the iShares Canadian materials ETF, hope for a rising gold market. With gold facing serious resistance at $1350 (currently $1315), there is a case for only short termed upside in that sector. A strong move in Potash would help, too – but that stock (POT-T) needs to break $26 before we get excited.

All in, the Canadian materials ETF is currently uninspiring from my perspective. It might move a bit higher if as when gold hits its old mid-$1300’s area of resistance, but I don’t think the prospects for its holdings will allow for sustained upside past that point.

 

Keith on BNN Monday January 8th 2018 at 5:30pm

If you have questions about the technical analysis of stock trends for individual stocks, be sure to phone in with your questions for Keith during the show.

 

Call Toll-Free 1-855-326-6266

Or email your questions ahead of time (specify they are for Keith) to marketcall@bnn.ca

Keith appears regularly on BNN MarketCall to answer viewer questions on the technical analysis of stock trends, and to provide unique insights on the factors of technical analysis used in successful investment management.

 

 

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Filed Under: commodities, Sectors Tagged With: agrium, franco nevada, IYM, materials, MXI, potash, XMA

Comments

  1. J.P. says

    January 5, 2018 at 5:25 pm

    ARE QUANTITATIVE EASING DEFLATIONARY BY NATURE AND IF SO, WHY DID THE FED HAD POSTPONED RATE INCREASES FOR SO LONG? ANALYSTS SEEMS TO SEE “NO CRACKS” IN THIS MARKET… YET! COMMON BELIEF IS THAT THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT AND WE ARE LIVING IN A NEW ECONOMY ERA. B.T.W., WHAT IS THE HISTORICAL LOW ON THE $VIX?

    J.P.

    Reply
    • Keith Richards says

      January 10, 2018 at 1:24 pm

      JP
      QE is actually inflationary by nature –the purpose is to re-inflate the market with easy money
      Not sure that anything is ever different…
      Anyhow–re the VIX, all time low (data going back to 1990) is probably NOW!! In 2007 it hit 9.39 but i see that VIX hit 9.17 the other day (yikes!!)….even in 1999 pre tech crash it never got so low…

      Reply
  2. DL says

    January 11, 2018 at 10:14 pm

    Hello Keith,
    A recent update:
    As of January 2 2018, Agrium and Potash have merged. The new company name is Nutrien and the Toronto ticker is NTR currently trading now.

    Reply
    • Keith Richards says

      January 15, 2018 at 10:22 am

      Thanks for the correction

      Reply

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