Today's move was a good start if we've completed 5 waves up from the August low at the high of 1185.53. You'll see from the 60 min counts page that 5 waves up from that low is required on all three Options shown, from the very bearish through to the very bullish, so what 5 waves up from that low means will depend on which of those Options is playing out. To determine that, we'll have to wait and see how far the decline from 1185.53 goes.
In the meantime, here's the 60 min chart (labelled as if Option 1 is playing out) showing the count for a top:
Chart 1: SPX 60 min - 5 waves up from August low complete:
Obviously, we can't now move above the high at 1185.53 if the main labelling is correct.
Here's a close up from the wave (iv) low at 1131.87:
Chart 2: SPX 1 min - 5 waves up from August low close up:
Taking out the 1163.87 wave i of (v) high ruled out the possibility that we might still be in wave iv of (v). So, the count for a top seems OK.
If the alternate labelling is playing out, we have to stay below 1177.49 in wave 2 of (3). If we don't, then, provided the high at 1185.53 holds, the main labelling stands.
However, there remains a bullish count which can't be dismissed until we drop below the low at 1155.71. Its a variation of the count shown in Chart 1 in yesterday's end of day update - I've just streamlined it by removing one set of the ones and twos into the 1184.38 high. Again, its a close up from the wave (iv) low at 1131.87:
Chart 3: SPX 1 min - wave (v) up from August low still in progress:
On the labelling shown, a drop below 1155.71 would invalidate this count since wave [2] of iii can't drop below the start of wave [1] of iii. As long as we remain above that low, however, the risk of further upside remains.
So, the levels I'm watching on the counts that I've labelled are 1185.53 (which has to hold if a top for the rally from the August low is in), 1177.49 (moving above which would rule out the alternate count on Chart 1 above) and 1155.71 (taking that out would rule out the bullish count shown in Chart 3).
