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Ten Year Cycles Or Not? Rate this Topic:
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bknight
Posted : Saturday, August 15, 2009 9:23:44 PM
Registered User
Joined: 12/19/2004
Posts: 415

The note of 14 Aug 09 got me to thinking and since I have a database of DJIA closing back to 1928, I thought I would put in a little time and number crunching.

DW:
Sir Ten-Year Cycle brings us a set of observations that are certainly interesting and that could be quite useful. Of course, we all have to discover that for ourselves. You should check the Dow Jones Industrial Average for at least five decades ..... 

I choose two four decade comparisons since I have 80 years of data.  But all the data is visible for you to check.  My data began in 1928, so I disregarded 1929 in the comparisons.

Sir Ten Year Cycle:
To follow up on Sir DataMiner's article on cycles, I observe something that has remained uncannily true in my lifetime. It is the behavior of the 10-year cycle.

The behavior can be approximated to a form of the 3 wave cycle model in both directions, (waves 1 & 3 being with the direction of the primary trend, wave 2 being the correction to that), I note them in brackets after each year's comment. With a few months variation, sometimes it goes like this:

YEAR ending in...

0 - Deeply depressing mood disappointments failing economy & businesses, unemployment, etc. (Wave 3 down.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/31/1930

164.58

248.48

-83.9

-33.77%

 

 

12/31/1940

131.13

149.99

-18.86

-12.57%

 

 

12/29/1950

235.42

200.52

34.9

17.40%

 

 

12/30/1960

615.89

679.36

-63.47

-9.34%

 

 

12/31/1970

838.92

800.36

38.56

4.82%

 

 

12/31/1980

963.99

838.74

125.25

14.93%

 

 

12/31/1990

2633.66

2753.2

-119.54

-4.34%

3 Declines

2 Declines

12/29/2000

10787.99

11497.12

-709.13

-6.17%

1 Advances

2 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

-34%-+17%

-6%-+15%


I don't see a down bias although the first period had more significant declines.

1 - More of the same but worse. (Wave 3 down.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/31/1931

77.90

164.58

-86.68

-52.67%

 

 

12/31/1941

110.96

131.13

-20.17

-15.38%

 

 

12/31/1951

269.23

235.42

33.81

14.36%

 

 

12/29/1961

731.14

615.89

115.25

18.71%

 

 

12/31/1971

890.20

838.92

51.28

6.11%

 

 

12/31/1981

875.00

963.99

-88.99

-9.23%

 

 

12/31/1991

3168.83

2633.66

535.17

20.32%

2 Declines

2 Declines

12/31/2001

10021.57

10787.99

-766.42

-7.10%

2 Advances

2 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

-53%-+19%

-9%-+20%


I don't see a down bias although the first period had more significant declines.

2 - Amidst a far worse mood, the funds actually bottom out as do prices. However people are badly burned out by the doom & gloom. Few spot it & even fewer trust it. This is the actual market bottom in many assets amid a crisis. (Wave 3 down, turning into Wave 1 up.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/30/1932

60.26

77.9

-17.64

-22.64%

 

 

12/31/1942

119.40

110.96

8.44

7.61%

 

 

12/31/1952

291.90

269.23

22.67

8.42%

 

 

12/31/1962

652.10

731.14

-79.04

-10.81%

 

 

12/29/1972

1020.02

890.2

129.82

14.58%

 

 

12/31/1982

1046.54

875

171.54

19.60%

 

 

12/31/1992

3301.11

3168.83

132.28

4.17%

2 Declines

1 Declines

12/31/2002

8341.63

10021.57

-1679.94

-16.76%

2 Advances

3 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

-23%-+8%

-17%-+20%


I do see an up bias with some down years.

3 - Quietly recovering. Still lots of distrust & very little "feel-good" around. (Wave 1 up.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/29/1933

98.67

60.26

38.41

63.74%

 

 

12/31/1943

135.89

119.4

16.49

13.81%

 

 

12/31/1953

280.90

291.9

-11

-3.77%

 

 

12/31/1963

762.95

652.1

110.85

17.00%

 

 

12/31/1973

850.86

1020.02

-169.16

-16.58%

 

 

12/30/1983

1258.64

1046.54

212.1

20.27%

 

 

12/31/1993

3754.09

3301.11

452.98

13.72%

1 Declines

1 Declines

12/31/2003

10453.92

8341.63

2112.29

25.32%

3 Advances

3 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

-4%-+64%

-17%-+25%


An advancing bias for sure.

4 - Have things really been going UP for the past 1 to 2 years? Quick, buy something!  (Wave 1 up.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/31/1934

104.04

98.67

5.37

5.44%

 

 

12/29/1944

151.93

135.89

16.04

11.80%

 

 

12/31/1954

404.39

280.9

123.49

43.96%

 

 

12/31/1964

874.13

762.95

111.18

14.57%

 

 

12/31/1974

616.24

850.86

-234.62

-27.57%

 

 

12/31/1984

1211.57

1258.64

-47.07

-3.74%

 

 

12/30/1994

3834.44

3754.09

80.35

2.14%

0 Declines

2 Declines

12/31/2004

10783.01

10453.92

329.09

3.15%

4 Advances

2 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

5%-+44%

-28%-+3%


An up bias in the early period with a unchanged to slightly downward bias in the later period.  If the 70 data were removed this would be an advancing group also.

5 - Amid a modest dip & sometimes mild panic that turns into consolidation. (Wave 2 correction [sideways / up] gives way to the strongest wave--wave 3 up.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/31/1935

144.13

104.04

40.09

38.53%

 

 

12/31/1945

192.91

151.93

40.98

26.97%

 

 

12/30/1955

488.40

404.39

84.01

20.77%

 

 

12/31/1965

969.26

874.13

95.13

10.88%

 

 

12/31/1975

852.41

616.24

236.17

38.32%

 

 

12/31/1985

1546.67

1211.57

335.1

27.66%

 

 

12/29/1995

5117.12

3834.44

1282.68

33.45%

0 Declines

1 Declines

12/30/2005

10717.50

10783.01

-65.51

-0.61%

4 Advances

3 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

11%-+39%

-1%-+38%


Nice upward bias with only one year slightly negative.

6 - Now things are really getting hot. Prices are rising rapidly. The media is excited, etc. However, the astute observer sees that, under the hood, cracks are beginning to appear. Tops are being built, etc. (Wave 3 up.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/31/1936

179.90

144.13

35.77

24.82%

 

 

12/31/1946

177.20

192.91

-15.71

-8.14%

 

 

12/31/1956

499.47

488.4

11.07

2.27%

 

 

12/30/1966

785.69

969.26

-183.57

-18.94%

 

 

12/31/1976

1004.65

852.41

152.24

17.86%

 

 

12/31/1986

1895.95

1546.67

349.28

22.58%

 

 

12/31/1996

6448.27

5117.12

1331.15

26.01%

2 Declines

0 Declines

12/29/2006

12463.15

10717.5

1745.65

16.29%

2 Advances

4 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

-19%-+25%

16%-+26%


More advancing years and the later period had all advancers.  Since this work doesn't look at individual stocks, one has to look at patterns that developed during the year.

7 - The public thinks things are never going down again, but in mid-year markets top out &, towards the end, give a violent warning of their wrath to come. (Wave 3 up gives way to wave 1 down.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/31/1937

120.85

179.9

-59.05

-32.82%

 

 

12/31/1947

181.16

177.2

3.96

2.23%

 

 

12/31/1957

435.69

499.47

-63.78

-12.77%

 

 

12/29/1967

905.11

785.69

119.42

15.20%

 

 

12/30/1977

831.17

1004.65

-173.48

-17.27%

 

 

12/31/1987

1938.83

1895.95

42.88

2.26%

 

 

12/31/1997

7908.25

6448.27

1459.98

22.64%

2 Declines

1 Declines

12/31/2007

13264.82

12463.15

801.67

6.43%

2 Advances

3 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

-33%-+15%

-17%-+23%


Statistically neutral to upward, but with recent memory (87 and 2007) markets peaked mid year, 97 rose until mid year and then traded down and up in two cycles.

8 - Armageddon! (Wave 1 down.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/31/1928

300.00

 

 

 

 

 

12/30/1938

154.36

120.85

33.51

27.73%

 

 

12/31/1948

177.30

181.16

-3.86

-2.13%

 

 

12/31/1958

583.65

435.69

147.96

33.96%

 

 

12/31/1968

943.75

905.11

38.64

4.27%

 

 

12/29/1978

805.01

831.17

-26.16

-3.15%

 

 

12/30/1988

2168.57

1938.83

229.74

11.85%

 

 

12/31/1998

9181.43

7908.25

1273.18

16.10%

1 Declines

2 Declines

12/31/2008

8776.39

13264.82

-4488.43

-33.84%

3 Advances

2 Advances

 

 

 

 

 

-2%-+34%

-34%-+16%


This doesn't look like Armageddon to me, if you take out 2008 this year has an upward bias..

9 - Huge relief bounce that eventually rolls over, setting up for the disappointment of a long winter of years ending in 0, 1 & 2. Media is excited, disaster has been averted, depression / recession, etc. is now over. Buy! Buy! Buy! Supposedly this is the year that markets and the economy are finally coming back. Or is it? (Huge wave 2 correction, turning into wave 3 down. Bigger trend still firmly down.)

Trade Date

Close

Prior Close

Change

Percent Change

30's-60's Period Range

70's-20's Period Range

12/31/1929

248.48

300

-51.52

-17.17%

 

 

12/29/1939

149.99

154.36

-4.37

-2.83%

 

 

12/30/1949

200.52

177.3

23.22

13.10%

 

 

12/31/1959

679.36

583.65

95.71

16.40%

 

 

12/31/1969

800.36

943.75

-143.39

-15.19%

 

 

12/31/1979

838.74

805.01

33.73

4.19%

 

 

12/29/1989

2753.20

2168.57

584.63

26.96%

 

 

12/31/1999

11497.12

9181.43

2315.69

25.22%

2 Declines

0 Declines ?

8/14/2009

9321.40

8776.39

545.01

6.21%

2 Advances

4 Advances ?

 

 

 

 

 

-15%-+16%

4%-+27%


I didn't check whether there was a relief rally during the year, but excluding this year the Dow had an upward bias.

I'm NOT picking at the Sir Ten Year Cycle's observations, just giving the year end numbers allowing you to formulate your own conclusion to the theory.

diceman
Posted : Sunday, August 16, 2009 2:00:54 PM
Registered User
Joined: 1/28/2005
Posts: 6,049
From: Don't Sell Stocks on Monday by Yale Hirsch
 
Data from 1885 to 1985
 
Up vs. Down Years
 
YEAR 1) 7U, 3D
YEAR 2) 8U, 2D
YEAR 3) 4U, 6D
YEAR 4) 6U, 4D
YEAR 5) 11U, 0D
YEAR 6) 7U, 3D
YEAR 7) 3U,7D
YEAR 8) 8U, 2D
YEAR 9) 8U, 2D
YEAR 0) 3U, 7D
 
Sum of the returns for the years:
 
YEAR 1) 25%
YEAR 2) 32%
YEAR 3) 27%
YEAR 4) 64%
YEAR 5) 254%
YEAR 6) 47%
YEAR 7) -74%
YEAR 8) 164%
YEAR 9) 41%
YEAR 0) -36%
 
Doesn't look like it bodes well for 2010?
The good news is 2015 is in our future.
 
 
Thanks
diceman
 
bknight
Posted : Monday, August 17, 2009 10:59:26 AM
Registered User
Joined: 12/19/2004
Posts: 415
It looks like the earlier days were more negative for the 0 years.  Thanks for the extension of the data.  Still it doesn't appear that Sir Ten Year Cycle observations don't all hold over a longer time frame.
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