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Technology Ranked #1 For 7th Consecutive Week
Conclusion, Investment Implications, Strategy
The SEAF Model graphic below shows that economically sensitive Technology (XLK), Communication Services (XLC), and Industrials (XLI) are the three top-ranked sectors this week. XLK has been SEAF’s top-ranked sector for eight of the past nine weeks and has outperformed the S&P 500 (SPY) by 12% since Apr 24th. XLC has been a top-three ranked sector for eight of the past ten weeks. XLI is a new addition to Favored status this week, and to a top-three ranking. At the other end of the spectrum, Energy (XLE) and defensive Health Care (XLV) are the two worst-ranked sectors according to SEAF, with XLV being one of the two worst-ranked sectors for the fourth consecutive week.
Beyond The SEAF Model Video: This Week’s Sector Themes
This weekly video by Jack Kosar goes into more detail on the latest SEAF Model data via a heat map that provides more detail on where sector-related assets are going, and where they are leaving, in the 11 Sector SPDR ETFs. Jack also displays and discusses our SEAF “Rainbow Charts” highlighting SEAF’s past 12 months of Favored, Neutral, or Avoid rankings.
From The Video: This Week’s Major Themes
- Money continues to aggressively move into Technology and Communication Services in All time periods.
- Money beginning to aggressively move into Industrials in All periods.
- Money aggressively moving out of Energy and Health Care in All time periods.
The SEAF Model: Current Signals & Related Performance
Editor’s Note: These are the latest specific trading signals generated by our SEAF Model, which also includes a rules-based money management component. The backtested performance data below is based on trading a predetermined amount of assets with an equal allocation of those assets across the top three Rankings. The model is updated once per week, on the weekend, and any rebalancing takes place on the market opening the following Monday morning. This is the recommended way to invest via the SEAF Model. Contact us for any additional clarification.
- Effective Monday 6/30, there is a new buy/overweight signal in the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI).
- The SEAF Model exited it’s June 23rd long/overweight signal in the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) on Jun 20th for a 4.6% outright loss while underperforming the S&P 500 (SPY) by 7.2%.
- Since 4/28 the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) has risen by 20.4% outright while outperforming the S&P 500 (SPY) by 8.2%.
- Since 6/9 the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF Fund (XLC) has risen by 3.5% outright while outperforming the S&P 500 (SPY) by 1.8%.
In the SEAF Model Graphic below, the Ranking column sorts the entire table of 11 sector ETFs according to the sum of rankings in the Trading (weekly), Tactical (monthly), and Strategic (quarterly) categories, from largest inflows to largest outflows. The premise of the model is to invest in the sectors where the money is going and to avoid the sectors where the money is coming out.
The lower the Ranking number, the stronger the trend of asset flows going into that sector. The top two sectors in each category, according to a positive change in inflows, are highlighted in green. The top two sectors in each category, according to a negative change in outflows, are highlighted in red.
Click the table to make it larger
The latest data indicate a multi-timeframe trend of asset inflows into Technology and Communication Services. This is where the money is currently going in the sector space.
The latest data also indicates a multi-timeframe trend of asset outflows from Energy and Health Care. This is where the money is coming from.
SEAF Heat Map
The SEAF Heat Map provides additional insight into the flows of the 11 Sector ETFs. Each time frame is independent, meaning the color spectrum for one period does not affect another. For example, the strongest inflow (dark green) for the trading week is separate from the strongest inflow for the tactical month.
The heat map visually represents the spectrum of inflows and outflows, with green indicating inflows and red indicating outflows. The more extreme the flow, the darker the corresponding color—deep green for strong inflows and deep red for strong outflows. Flows closer to yellow indicate minimal percentage change.
This tool serves as an additional layer of information to help investors not only identify where sector flows are moving but also gauge the relative strength of those flows compared to their peers.
SEAF Model Individual Sector Charts (“Rainbow Charts”)
The charts below display the weekly SEAF Model Ranking Scores over the previous 12 months for the strongest and weakest sectors through September 12th. The line in the upper panel displays these weekly scores within the context of being Favored (3-15, green), Neutral (16-24, yellow), or Avoid (25-33, red) and also displays the trend of asset flows as the money moves in and out of these sectors. The lower panel plots the corresponding weekly relative performance chart of that particular sector versus the S&P 500 (SPY).
Technology: XLK
Economically sensitive Technology (XLK) is again the SEAF Model’s top-ranked sector this week with a Ranking score of 3, which is the best possible score. Technology has been SEAF’s top-ranked sector for eight of the past nine weeks. Chart 1 below shows that Technology moved back into top-three status according to SEAF on Apr 24th (upper panel) for the first time since Feb 20th, and has coincidentally outperformed the S&P 500 (SPY, lower panel) by 12.0% during this period. As long as Technology retains its current Favored status, recent outright strength and relative outperformance versus SPY are likely to continue.
Communication Services (XLC)
Economically sensitive Communication Services (XLC) is the SEAF Model’s second-ranked sector this week with a Ranking score of 9. Communication Services has been a top-three-ranked sector according to SEAF for eight of the past 10 weeks. Chart 2 below shows that Communication Services initially moved into Favored status on Apr 23rd (upper panel) while XLC has outperformed the S&P 500 (SPY, lower panel) by 2.0%. Although Communication Services has not yet outperformed by a meaningful degree, history suggests that the longer this sector retains its current Favored status, the more likely that XLC will generate a significant period of relative outperformance versus SPY.
Industrials (XLI)
Economically Sensitive Industrials (XLI) is the SEAF Model’s third-ranked sector this week with a Ranking score of 10. This is the first time that XLI has risen to Favored status according to SEAF since the May 14th to Jun 10th period, during which XLI had for the most part outperformed the benchmark S&P 500 (SPY, lower panel). However, it would take a sustained period of Favored status by Industrials, which has seldom occurred over the past 12 months, to facilitate a sustained period of relative outperformance by XLI versus SPY.