CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Levels to watch: FTSE 100, DAX and S&P 500

Weakness looks to be the name of the game in early trade, with the FTSE 100, DAX and S&P 500 all turning lower. However, with key support levels to be broken, the confirmation is yet to occur.

IG Analyst

Publication date : 2017-10-17T09:30:52+0100

US traders

Source: Bloomberg

FTSE 100 showing signs of weakness

The FTSE 100 has rolled over this morning, following on from a repeated failure to break through the 7553 resistance level in a meaningful manner. This has brought us into a potential head and shoulders pattern, with a neckline at 7519.

Should we see an hourly close below that level, we could see the index move lower from here. The flip side would be a break up through the overnight highs of 7542, which would point towards another potential challenge of the 7553 resistance.

FTSE 100 price chart

FTSE 100 price chart

FTSE 100 price chart

DAX breaking below trendline support

The DAX is attempting to break below trendline support this morning, following on from a failed attempt to break into new highs both yesterday and today. The key here is whether we see the DAX break below 12,977 support. An hourly close below that point would likely spark a significant sell-off for the index, with the recent swing highs coming into play as near-term support.

Conversely, a failure to break below 12,977, followed by an hourly close back above 13,009, would negate the possibility of a bearish move for the index.

DAX price chart

DAX price chart

DAX price chart

S&P 500 falling back within wedge formation

The S&P 500 is turning lower this morning, following a rally into trendline support. The overall rising wedge formation is a bearish one, which points towards the potential for a bearish breakdown before long.

For that to come to fruition, we would need to see an hourly close below 2552. Until then, short-term downside looks likely, if only to continue trading within this pattern.

S&P 500 price chart

S&P 500 price chart

S&P 500 price chart

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