Are the bears about to wreak market havoc? Our traders are keeping a close eye on the S&P for an important ‘tell.’

And that something is... a double top formation in charts of the S&P 500.

As we first told you Monday technical analysts consider the double top a bearish signal. And chatter is growing that this pattern may be emerging.

If you follow techincals you may know that the S&P 500 has broken through key resistance at 1,130/1,135. The next important area is 1,150-1,160, a range the market has not traded above since October 2008.

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Many chart watchers including Fast Money's Guy Adami don't expect the market to push above the 1150-1160 range -- and if indeed that happens - it generates that tell-tale double top pattern.

But not everybody is negative. Certainly not John Roque of WJB Capital  -- he tells the desk he's cautiously optimistic because the S&P 400 (mid cap), the S&P 600 (small cap), the Nasdaq, the Dow Transports, and Value Line Arithmetic Indexes are all above their Jan 2010 highs.

“The S&P is likely to follow,” he says.

Fast Money trader Pete Najarian isn't quite so optimistic. He feels a lot of the recent market gains have been triggered by short squeezes. The Buckle

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[BKE  Loading...      ()   ] is a good example; it closed higher and has a big short position, he says. Same is true for Gymmboree

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[GYMB  Loading...      ()   ]. It pushed higher but it's likely short covering. Thursday's close at 1150 on the S&P might be close to the bull's last gasp, he adds.

I agree that we’re seeing shorts getting caught in a squeeze, adds Steve Grasso of Stuart Frankel. But as long as the S&P holds 1125 I think it’s safe to buy into the market.

I think the market is frothy, counters Brian Kelly. There’s plenty of time to establish a new position. I wouldn’t rush in here.

For the momentum to extend we need to see if the move higher can transition into a quality rally, says Joe Terranova. I think what we’re seeing right now is investors moving into laggards hoping they will catch up. But the quality names have to join for the gains to hold.

And I think the 'tell' could be if the market settles above 1150 on Friday, adds Terranova. Without 1150 I don't think we see the mutual fund Monday inflows.

 

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Current DateTime: 03:55:03 10 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 26256943

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Current DateTime: 03:55:03 10 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 26256941

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Trader disclosure: On March 11th, 2010, the following stocks and commodities mentioned or intended to be mentioned on CNBC’s Fast Money were owned by the Fast Money traders; Adami Owns (INTC), (GS), (AGU), (BTU), (MSFT), (C), (NUE); Grasso Owns (TSO), (AAPL), (ABK), (ASTM), (BA), (BAC), (BGP), (C), (COST), (CSCO), (PFE), (PRST), (V), (WMT), (FAZ); Terranova Owns (GOOG), (AAPL), (EMC), (MSFT), (DELL), (XLE); Terranova Owns (CAL) April Puts; Terranova Is Short (XLY); Terranova Works For (VRTS); Najarian Owns (AES) Calls; Najarian Owns (BAC) Call Spread; Najarian Owns (BP); Najarian Owns (C) Calls; Najarian Owns (HOLX) Calls; Najarian Owns (MCD) Call Spread; Najarian Owns (RSH) Call Spread; Najarian Owns (YHOO) Calls; Najarian Owns (CAT) Call Spread; Finerman's Firm Is Short (IYR), (IJR), (MDY), (SPY), (USO); Finerman's Firm Is Long S&P Puts; Finerman Owns (AAPL); Finemran's Firm Owns (BAC), (BAC) Leap; Finerman Owns (BAC), (BAC) Preferred; Finerman's Firm And Finerman Own (GOOG), (GGP), (JPM), (WFC); Finerman's Firm Owns (MCD), (OSIP), (XBI); Kellly Owns (ELC) Call; Kelly Owns (GMT) Calls; Kelly Owns (AMZN) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns (AIG), Is Short (AIG) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns (BAC), Is Short (BAC) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns (C), Is Short (C) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns (GME), Is Short (GME) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns (GS), Is Short (GS) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns (JPM), Is Short (JPM) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns (MS), Is Short (MS) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns (WFC), Is Short (WFC) Calls; Jon Najarian Owns Seats On CBOE, CME, NYSE; Edwards Owns (ARO); Edwards Owns (BAC) For Clients; Edwards Owns (GS) For Clients; Edwards Owns (BKE) For Clients; Edwards Owns (JPM) For Clients; Edwards Owns (WFC) For Clients; Karabell Owns (C), (FXI), (JPM), (UYG); Funds Managed By Dennis Gartman Own (F), (CMG), (CGM), (DRI), (PNRA), (AGU), (PNR), (JOYG), (GOOG), (GMCR), (EWZ), (FAX), (PGH); Funds Managed By Dennis Gartman Are Short S&P Futures, (BBD), (AMX), (SPLS), (TM); Funds Managed By Dennis Gartman Are Long Canadian Dollar, Australian Dollar, Gold Futures; Funds Managed By Dennis Gartman Are Short EUR, CHF, British Pound Sterling, Yen

For Joe Terranova
Terranova Is Chief Market Strategist Of Virtus Investment Partners, Ltd.
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of  (EXR)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of  (GOK)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of  (IGE)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLY)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of  (DBV)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLP)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of  (XLB)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of  (XLV)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of  (XLI)

For Steve Grasso
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (ABK)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (CUBA)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (GERN)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (GLG)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (HSPO)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (NWS.A)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (NXST)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (NYX)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (PDE)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (PRST)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (RDC)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (TLM)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (TOL)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (XRX)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Own (SDS)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Are Short (QQQQ)
Stuart Frankel & Co. Inc. And Its Partners Are Short (CL)

For Brian Kelly
Kanundrum Capital Owns (C)
Kanundrum Capital Owns (JPM)
Kanundrum Capital Owns (GE)
Kanundrum Capital Is Long U.S. Dollar
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (FCX)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short Copper
Kanundrum Capital Is Short Treasuries
Kanundrum Capital Is Short Euro
Kanundrum Capital Is Short Yen
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (KRE)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (RKH)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (SLX)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (X)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (AA)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (ACH)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (EWH)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (EWY)
Kanundrum Capital Is Short (AA)

For Brian Stutland
Stutland Equities Is A Market Maker In VIX Futures And Options
Stutland Equities Is A Market Maker In SPX Options

For Gerard Cassidy
RBC Capital Markets Is Providing Fulton Financial Corp. With Non-Investment Banking Securities-Related Services
RBC Capital Markets Has Provided Fulton Financial Corp. With Non-Investment Banking Securities-Related Services In The Past 12 Months
RBC Capital Markets Has Provided KeyCorp With Non-Securities Services In The Past 12 Months
RBC Capital Markets Has Provided Webster Financial Corp. With Non-Securities Services In The Past 12 Months
Royal Bank of Canada And Affiliates Owns 1% Or More Of Regions Financial Corp.
RBC Capital Markets Has Provided Huntington Bancshares With Non-Securities Services In Past 12 Months

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