2 Stocks From This Defensive Sector Buck The Trend During Market Selloff

After Federal Reserve meeting minutes pointed to a faster-than-expected rise in U.S. interest rates, the 4 major U.S. indices – S&P 500 (SPX), Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), Dow Jones (DJI) and Russell 2000 (RUT) fell significantly. The volatility similar to the Black Friday’s selloff last year is back.

Despite the market selloff, there are still a few dozen stocks showed up in my screener, which is under beta testing. After further filtering based on the price structure and the relative strength, one defensive sector stands out because there are still quite a number of stocks such as Coca-Cola (KO), General Mills (GIS), Tyson Food (TSN), Pepsico (PEP), etc… in a strong up trend and outperform the S&P 500.

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The following 2 stocks are selected based on the price volume analysis and could still provide decent reward to risk ratio with a relatively low risk trade entry. Consumer staples is one of the well-known defensive sectors and these 2 stocks are under the Food Products industry group.

Hershey Foods (HSY) Price Volume Analysis

From the weekly chart as shown below, HSY has formed an accumulation range lasted 18 months from September 2019 until March 2021. After breakout from the accumulation structure, HSY had a steady rally and a shallow pullback from July-November 2021.

Since December, HSY broke above the resistance at 180 and continued to trend up despite the increasing volatility showed up in the broad market.

It can be observed that the volume within the accumulation structure has been decreasing, suggested that the supply is exhausted, which is a classical volume pattern based on the Wyckoff method. If you would like to find out more on the application of Wyckoff method, watch the YouTube video to find out how I derive the directional bias for the current market.

On the daily chart below, HSY is on a climatic run with the presence of supply, which could be vulnerable for a pullback. Should a reversal happen near the axis line at 192 where the resistance-turned-support, that could provide a decent entry by leaning on the support level at 192.

Flowers Foods (FLO) Price Volume Analysis

FLO has started an accumulation range from September 2020-2021 (refer to the chart below). After the breakout in October 2021 followed by a shallow pullback tested the resistance-turned-support area at 24.5, the markup phase started. So far, FLO is travelling within an up-channel, forming a higher high and a higher low.

It is worth noting the two volume spikes as highlighted in yellow because those two bars containing increasing of supply, which essentially stopped the short term up move. After the spike of volume in the first bar in mid of November, a pullback took place and tested the demand line of the channel.

After an even higher spike of volume in the second bar in mid of December on the breakout, the pullback is mild and shallow with decreasing volume, suggested the supply showed up on the breakout bar has been absorbed.

In the latest 2 bars, there are presence of supply as reflected in the increasing volume together with the rejection tail and the smaller price spread, which could be vulnerable for a pullback. Watch out for a pullback or consolidation before the next rally. A reversal entry or a breakout entry is viable while leaning the support at 27.5.

As the bias for the short term direction of the market is down plus the deterioration of the market breadth, it is essential to monitor how the price of HSY and FLO reacts and wait for a confirmation before execution.