Hurst Cycles Update: SPX, NDX, ASX, Gold, Bitcoin | David Hickson

S&P 500: A 20-week trough formed July 29. Bullish momentum has weakened but is not yet bearish; the key question is whether another 40-/80-day peak forms before an F-category break below the 20-day FLD initiates the decline into the mid-September 80-day trough.

 

NASDAQ: A 20-week trough formed at the end of July, at least 20-week magnitude and potentially higher. The NASDAQ retains stronger near-term bullish potential than the S&P 500, with 30,239 still outstanding and a possible double peak preceding the eventual F-category decline into the 80-day trough.

 

Australian ASX: A 20-week trough formed around the US troughs, but the 20-day FLD has produced unclear signals and the trough did not clearly form below it. A 40-day trough probably formed in the third week of August, although an alternative remains. The ASX is likely approaching its second 80-day peak, but its FLD is unusually unreliable (23% interaction rating), while failure to reach 9,237 provides a stronger bearish warning than in the US markets.

 

 

Gold: A 20-week trough formed in the third week of July. Gold's bullish impetus may have been exhausted at its recent 80-day/possible 20-week peak; the confirmed F-category FLD break favors approximately $4,312 and a mid-September 80-day trough, although larger bullish cycles may remain ahead.

 

 

 
Bitcoin: Bitcoin has finally rallied from the potentially January 2026 18-month trough. A 20-week trough was identified in early July, although it could also represent a better placement of the 18-month trough. Bitcoin has finally produced the expected bullish strength; the 76,753 40-week FLD target has been exceeded, while the 20-day FLD will determine whether the 80-day trough occurred early or remains ahead.

 

 

Reference:

David Hickson (August 31, 2026) - Hurst Cycles Market Update. (video) 

S&P 500 Hits New ATH as Smart Money Starts Bailing

With the S&P 500 reaching a new all-time high in early August 2026, a pronounced contrarian bearish divergence has emerged among market participants. Retail "Dumb Money" Confidence (red line in the chart below) has surged from neutral into optimistic territory at 0.61, while institutional "Smart Money" Confidence (blue line) has dropped into pessimistic territory at 0.31. 

 

Retail sentiment tilts euphoric while institutional positioning turns defensive.

CNN's Fear & Greed Index signals rising greed, though not yet at extremes. 

 

Historically, the most dangerous periods for stocks are when dumb money is high and smart money is low at the same time the index is elevated. It does not mean an immediate crash is guaranteed, but it raises the odds of a meaningful pullback or at least a period of weaker returns ahead. 

 

An alternative experimental S&P 500 composite cycle

projection points to a mid-October major low.

However, having likely printed a nominal 20-week Hurst cycle low on June 30 (17.29 weeks / 121 CD off the late-March 40-week trough), the S&P remains in the rising phase of its second 20-week sub-cycle—part of a broader 40-week (9-month) and 18-month structure targeting a major low in late November (± 8 weeks).

 

Static projection based on the latest 20-week cycle period (17.29 weeks / 121 CD).

 

However, having likely printed a nominal 20-week Hurst cycle low on June 30 (17.29 weeks / 121 CD off the late-March 40-week trough), the S&P remains in the rising phase of its second 20-week sub-cycle—part of a broader 40-week (9-month) and 18-month structure targeting a major low in late November (± 8 weeks).

 
The current rise suggests to extend into early September—interrupted by the 5- and 10-day cycle higher lows of August 5–6 (Wed-Thu) and August 11–12 (Tue-Wed) and a 20-day cycle low around August 24 -28 (Mon-fri)—before yielding a late-September 80-day (10-week) cycle trough. A secondary rally into mid-October—capped below the September peak—is then likely to trigger the final decline into the primary 40-week and 18-month cycle trough in November.

 

Total Solar Eclipse on August 12.

 

Key Turning Dates of the Solar Cycle vs. the DJIA.

 

Q1 rally, mid-year correction, July and October windows for yearly low, rally in Q4.  

Average S&P 500 total-return path (indexed to 100 on midterm Election Day) for all midterm years since 1970 (1970–2022), spanning roughly ±6 months. X-axis centers on Election Day (first Tuesday in November); y-axis tracks cumulative total return. The average line rises in the final ~22 trading days before the election (= October 2, 2026) and continues higher afterward (+14.1% average in the following six months). A separate “Lost Control” series (party loses presidential trifecta) lags the broader average post-election (+10.4% vs. +16.1%).

See also: 

Nicholas D. Savino (August 2, 2026) - S&P 500 Forecast for August 2026.

Jeff Hirsch (July 25, 2026) - August Stock Market Performance in Midterm Election Years.

Seth Golden (July 28, 2026) - Presidential Cycle Sweet Spot: Post-Midterm Election Gains.

 Jack Gillen (1979) - Important Solar and Lunar Degrees for Trading US Stock Indices.

S&P 500 Update: 80-Day Cycle Peak by Late-July | Christopher Grafton

General outlook: US Dollar Small Down (->80D trough). Gold Down (->20D trough). Oil Up (->20D peak). Copper Up (-> 80D peak). USDJPY Small Down (->80D trough). EURUSD Down (-> 20D trough). SPX E-minis Up (-> 80D peak). Nikkei futures Up (20D trough). Bitcoin Up (-> 20D peak). US Treasury Notes Up (20D trough).

  

S&P 500 E–Minis (ES) heading towards the next nominal 80-day cycle peak around late-July. Up.

 

US Dollar (DXY) close to an 80-day cycle trough. Small Down.

 

DXY is closing in on the next 80-day cycle trough. Price has just been rejected at the 20-day VTL, which likely marks the last 20-day cycle peak. Expecting minor pullback to the 40-day VTL and then further price expansion.

Bitcoin looking for the next 20-day cycle trough. Small Down.

 

In Bitcoin, the new 20-week cycle upswing is broadly driving price higher. We are looking for a soft pullback into the next 20-day cycle trough. 

Reference:
Christopher Grafton (July 13, 2026) - The Macro Brief - 13 July 2026.

See also:

Christopher Grafton (July 6, 2026) - The Macro Brief - 6 July 2026. 

Christopher Grafton (2022) - J.M. Hurst's Valid Trendlines (VTLs).
Christopher Grafton (2022) - J.M. Hurst's Future Lines of Demarcation (FLDs). 

Nicholas D. Savino (June 30, 2026) - S&P 500 Forecast for July 2026. 

Wayne Whaley (June 29, 2026) - 25-0 S&P 500 Setup for June 26 to July 15. 

David Hickson (June 29, 2026) - Hurst Cycles Update: SPX, NDX, ASX, Gold, and Bitcoin. 
Jeffrey A. Hirsch (June 25, 2026) - July Stock Market Performance in Midterm Election Years.

S&P 500 Up into Mid-July 40-Day Cycle Peak | Christopher Grafton

General outlook: US Dollar Up (10D trough). Gold SmallUp (80D trough). Oil Pause (80D trough). Copper Up (-> 20D peak). USDJPY Up (80D trough). EURUSD SmallUp (80D trough). SPX E-minis Up (-> 40D peak). Nikkei futures Up (20D trough). Bitcoin Up (-> 20D peak). US Treasury Notes Up (-> 20D peak).

S&P 500 E–Minis (ES) - heading towards the next 40-day cycle peak. Up.

The 20-day cycle trough looks to have formed with the early June 80-day cycle upswing acting as a tailwind. We are looking for a move up into the next 40-day cycle peak.

Reference:
Christopher Grafton (July 6, 2026) - The Macro Brief - 6 July 2026.

See also:

Nicholas D. Savino (June 30, 2026) - S&P 500 Forecast for July 2026. 

Wayne Whaley (June 29, 2026) - 25-0 S&P 500 Setup for June 26 to July 15. 

David Hickson (June 29, 2026) - Hurst Cycles Update: SPX, NDX, ASX, Gold, and Bitcoin. 
Jeffrey A. Hirsch (June 25, 2026) - July Stock Market Performance in Midterm Election Years.

Hurst Cycles Update: SPX, NDX, ASX, Gold, and Bitcoin | David Hickson

This market update focuses on the danger of symmetry in cycle analysis. Across all markets analyzed—S&P 500, NASDAQ, ASX, Gold, and Bitcoin—the central theme is consistent: the risk of symmetrical M shapes forming within a larger bearish cycle context. While not yet confirmed, multiple signals—failed targets, breakdowns below FLDs, and weaker second peaks—suggest increasing downside risk. Confirmation will depend on upcoming price interactions with key FLD levels.

S&P 500: The analysis builds on a major cycle trough at the end of March. In the prior update, the 80-day cycle trough was identified as likely complete. Cycles typically generate M-shaped price structures: an initial rise to a peak, a decline to a mid-cycle trough (e.g., 40-day), followed by a second peak and eventual decline into the larger cycle trough. The recent structure formed a distorted, bullish M shape, where the second peak was not symmetrical but elevated.

 

Topping in symmetrical 20-week M structure, likely heading into 18-month trough around late August. 

[current average cycle periods in stacked, color-coded boxes at bottom right.] 

 

Attention now shifts to the larger 20-week cycle, which is also forming an M shape. The first leg ran from the late-March trough to a peak, followed by a decline into the mid-June 80-day trough. A key analytical risk is symmetry: a perfectly symmetrical M shape typically indicates a neutral market. However, the presence of an upcoming 18-month cycle trough—expected around August—implies a bearish context. When a cycle concludes into a higher-magnitude trough, the resulting M shape is typically bearish, characterized by a lower second peak and a stronger decline.

Following the June 80-day trough, price should rise before eventually turning down into the 18-month trough. The concern is that the current price action may be forming a symmetrical structure, signaling weakness. Price has struggled to rally, reinforcing this risk.

 

Examining interactions with the 20-day FLD (Future Line of Demarcation), price crossed above it after the 80-day trough (an A-category signal), but failed to reach its projected target—a first bearish sign. Subsequently, during formation of the 20-day cycle trough, price broke below the FLD instead of finding support, marking a second bearish signal. While not conclusive, this raises the probability of a bearish cycle. The next confirmation would be a failed attempt to reclaim the FLD. 

 

 

The thick blue dashed composite model line, which reconstructs price behavior based solely on cycle inputs, illustrates the symmetry risk clearly: a period of compression followed by a breakdown into the 18-month trough. This model is not predictive but conditional—if cycles persist as analyzed, this is the expected trajectory. The broader context includes a 54-month trough in October 2023 and an 18-month trough in April 2025, with the next 18-month trough projected for August.

The NASDAQ mirrors this structure. Its 80-day trough formed slightly earlier in June, followed by a move above the 20-day FLD that failed to meet its target and then reversed below it—again producing two bearish signals. A symmetrical M shape is also forming here, with similar downside risk into the 18-month trough.

 

Mirroring S&P with a failed FLD sequence, rolling over toward an August 18-month trough.

 

A remote bullish alternative exists: a triangular consolidation could represent a final base, with price breaking upward and shifting the 80-day trough forward. However, this would imply an extended cycle length (around 87 days vs. the typical 68), weakening the analysis. Confirmation would require a strong upward move through the FLD with target achievement.

The Australian ASX provides confirming evidence through Hurst’s principle of commonality, which observes that global markets tend to form troughs synchronously. The ASX identified the 20-week trough earlier than US markets and also formed its 80-day trough earlier. It now shows a similar setup: a potential bearish M shape with a lower second peak and a projected decline into an 18-month trough around late July or early August.

 

Late-stage M structure with residual strength, direction unresolved but biased down into late July–early August.

 

However, the ASX differs in that it successfully achieved certain FLD targets and even exceeded one, indicating residual bullish strength. Despite this, it later broke below the FLD again, signaling vulnerability. The next expected interaction (E-category) will determine direction: success implies continued strength; failure reinforces bearish symmetry. Notably, the composite model underestimated the recent peak, suggesting more bullishness than expected and raising the possibility of misidentified longer cycles.

In Gold, a major peak earlier in the year has maintained bearish pressure. A potential 80-day trough was identified, but price failed to confirm it by crossing above the FLD. Instead, price repeatedly found resistance at the FLD (GH interactions), leaving the trough unconfirmed.

 

Unconfirmed 80-day trough with repeated FLD rejection, likely weak bounce before continuing lower over the near term.

 

If a trough is forming, it would imply an unusually long cycle (~93 days), which is plausible for Gold. Confirmation requires a clean break above the FLD and target achievement. The composite model suggests a near-term bounce followed by renewed decline.

Bitcoin presents a more complex case. The prior analysis suggested a 20-week trough may have formed in early June, but this remains uncertain due to subsequent lower lows. If that trough is valid, the current 20-day cycle is exceptionally bearish—an early warning of broader weakness. Price initially crossed above the FLD (A-category), but failed to reach its target and then broke below the FLD, producing two bearish signals.

 

Structurally weakening; either already in a bearish 20-week cycle or still topping, with downside 

pressure building into the next few weeks to months within the current 18-month cycle.

 

Alternatively, the 20-week trough may still be forming, in which case the earlier FLD signal was anomalous. Cycle timing supports this ambiguity, as current price action aligns with expected trough timing based on average cycle length (~19.6 weeks).

Zooming out, Bitcoin has followed Hurst cycle rhythms closely. A 54-month trough formed in late 2022, followed by an 18-month trough in August 2024 (~593 days, slightly extended) and another candidate in February (~547 days, near ideal length). If this structure holds, Bitcoin is now in the final 18-month cycle of the current 54-month cycle. The first 18-month cycle was strongly bullish, the second moderately bullish, and the current one is showing early bearish characteristics—raising concern that the broader trend is turning down into the next major trough expected in 2027.

 

Reference:
David Hickson (June 29, 2026) - The Danger of Symmetry - Hurst Cycles Market Update (video)

 

See also:
David Hickson (June 15, 2026) - Hurst Cycles Update: SPX, NDX, ASX, NIFTY, DAX, Gold, BTC.

Christopher Grafton (June 29, 2026) - S&P 500 E–Minis (ES) - heading towards the next 20 day cycle peak. Up.

Hurst Cycles Update: SPX, NDX, ASX, DAX, Gold, BTC | David Hickson

In the prior update, we assessed whether the 80-day cycle trough formed early in mid-May or on schedule in early June. Most instruments pointed to a first-week-of-June trough. The key was a decisive test using Hurst’s Future Line of Demarcation (FLD), which now provides the evidence reviewed here.

S&P 500: Analysis continues to use a shortened nominal cycle model due to persistently compressed cycle lengths in US equities, particularly the SPX, while acknowledging the possibility that true Hurst wavelengths still govern. Under this framework, a potential 18-month trough was inferred on March 31 based on proximity to a 20-week trough, and an 80-day trough was projected for mid-May. 

 

[current average cycle periods in stacked, color-coded boxes at bottom right.] 

 

The validation mechanism was price behavior at the 20-day FLD: holding above it would confirm the trough, while breaking below would indicate it still lay ahead. In early June, price briefly held the FLD but broke below it on Friday, confirming the 80-day trough had not yet formed and signaling a reversion to standard Hurst cycle lengths.

Nasdaq: Expectation was likewise that the 80-day trough remained ahead unless price held above the FLD. Friday’s clean break below confirmed the trough was still pending and invalidated the early-trough scenario. 

 

 

The 18-month trough placement remains uncertain, though Sentient Trader identifies it at the end of March; if correct, the structure is bullish, as the market would be in the second 80-day cycle rather than the final one.

Australian ASX: Initial price action—an A-category move above the FLD combined with a nest of lows—suggested the trough had formed early. 

 

However, a subsequent break below the FLD disrupted that view, and although price later reclaimed the FLD in what is likely another A-category interaction, the structure remains less coherent than in US markets. With the 18-month trough still ahead, the market may still be in a bearish phase depending on its position within the cycle.

German DAX: Break below the FLD confirmed the 80-day trough had not yet formed. A nest of lows suggests it likely formed recently, and price has since moved back above the FLD in an A-category interaction. 

 

Even so, with the 18-month trough still ahead, downside risk remains if this is the final 80-day cycle within that larger structure.

Indian NIFTY-50: Price crossed above the 20-day FLD on Friday, confirming the 20-week trough formed earlier in the week and marking the start of a bullish phase.

 

 

Gold: Repeated failures at the FLD formed a GH interaction pair, confirming the 80-day trough had not yet formed at that time. It likely completed shortly after, around Thursday, June 11. 

 

 

While the near-term outlook is upward, an 18-month trough still lies ahead, implying potential future downside pressure.

Bitcoin: 20-week trough formed in the first week of June. FLD behavior showed a GH interaction followed by an A-category breakout, confirming the trough. Although the composite structure is somewhat atypical, the short-term bias remains bullish.

 

 

Reference:

David Hickson (June 15, 2026) The Power of Hurst's FLD - Hurst Cycles Market Update. (video) 

 

See also:

Christopher Grafton (June 15, 2026) - S&P 500 Up (80D Trough) and Bitcoin Up (20W Trough).

S&P 500 Up (80D Trough) and Bitcoin Up (20W Trough) | Christopher Grafton

General outlook: US Dollar Down (->40D trough). Gold Up (80D trough). Oil Down (->80D trough). Copper Up (40D trough). USDJPY Down (-> 40D trough). EURUSD Up (80D trough). SPX E-minis Up (80D trough). Nikkei futures Up (80D trough). Bitcoin Up (20W trough). Ten Year Notes Up (20W trough).

 

S&P 500 E–Minis (ES) - 80 day cycle trough in. Up. 

[Current average lengths of nominal cycles in stacked, color-coded boxes at bottom right of charts.] 

Bitcoin – 20 week cycle trough in. Up. 

Reference:
Christopher Grafton (June 15, 2026) - The Macro Brief- 15 June 2026.

 

See also:

Jeffrey A. Hirsch (June 2, 2026) - June Stock Market Performance in Midterm Election Years. 

Larry Williams (May 26, 2026) - NASDAQ, DJIA & Bonds: Next Bullish Wave May Be Starting. 

Nicholas D. Savino (May 31, 2026) - S&P 500 Forecast for June 2026.

Hurst 80-Day Cycle Low in SPX, NDX, ASX, DAX, Gold, BTC | David Hickson

The global market stands at a critical crossroads regarding the 80-day (or 20-week) cycle trough. Price action relative to the 20-day FLD (Future Line of Demarcation) serves as the ultimate macro decider across all major indices. Holding support or breaking cleanly above this line confirms the trough is behind us, validating a bullish continuation. Conversely, failing at or breaking below the FLD signals that a deeper cycle decline is still underway.

S&P 500 (SPX): The S&P 500 maintains a strongly bullish bias, with the 80-day trough likely already in place after a brief 49-day run from the March 31 low. While officially phased as a 20-week trough, the immense underlying strength suggests a much larger 18-month cycle trough formed in late March, running significantly shorter than Hurst's nominal model at a recent average of 11.4 months.

 

S&P 500 (daily candles, April-June 2026): The 80-day trough is likely complete,

favoring an immediate bullish advance if price holds above the 20-day FLD this week.

However, at day 62 of a nominal 68-day cycle, the index implies about six days of remaining downside. 

 

This right-translated structure favors an immediate A-category upside continuation. The next minor 20-day cycle trough is due this week, where price must find support at the 20-day FLD to keep this bullish interpretation intact. A clean breakdown below the FLD invalidates the view and opens the door to lower lows.

NASDAQ: Unlike the S&P 500, the NASDAQ analysis relies on Hurst's original nominal model, which indicates the 80-day cycle trough still lies ahead. At day 62 of a nominal 68-day cycle, the index implies about six days of remaining downside, pointing toward an F-category interaction that should drag price below the 20-day FLD. 

 

NASDAQ (daily candles, April-June 2026): The 80-day trough remains ahead with roughly

six days of downside expected, unless price invalidates this by holding above the 20-day FLD.

 

However, because the recent average wavelength is an unusually stretched 89.5 days, this phasing remains under scrutiny. The 20-day FLD is the key tactical level to resolve this model divergence: if price holds above the FLD instead of breaking down, the NASDAQ will pivot to match the S&P 500's bullish "trough-is-in" reality.

Australian ASX: The Australian market provides a clean, textbook cross-check for global commonality. The 80-day cycle trough formed precisely as anticipated, arriving roughly one week earlier than projected near the May 18 window. 

 

ASX (daily candles, April-June 2026):The 80-day trough is locked in, establishing

a textbook bullish advance that eyes a minor 20-day trough support level this week.

 

Price has since executed a flawless bullish sequence, crossing above the 20-day FLD via an A-category interaction, finding exact support on the retest, and resuming its march higher. Cycle projections should now be shifted forward, timing the next 20-day trough for this week—where it should again find support at the FLD—followed by a 40-day trough roughly three weeks later.

German DAX: The DAX confirms a high-confidence shorter-term sequence but offers less macro clarity due to choppy data continuity. The prevailing model suggests a 40-day trough formed in late April and the most recent low was merely a 20-day trough, meaning the 80-day decline has not yet occurred. 

 

DAX (daily candles, April-June 2026): The 80-day trough timing is unresolved, leaving

the directional bias strictly dependent on whether price holds or breaks the 20-day FLD. 

 

However, because the 80-day cycle whisker still encompasses this recent low, a definitive conclusion is impossible based on phasing alone. Just as with the US markets, the fixed-wavelength 20-day FLD will provide the final verdict through upcoming price interaction.

Nifty 50 (India): The Nifty 50 is actively diverging from global commonality, displaying an isolated bearish structure. Following an early-April 80-day trough and a mid-May 40-day trough, the index has already broken cleanly below its 20-day FLD in an F-category interaction. 

 

Nifty 50 (daily candles, April-June 2026): The index has broken below the 20-day FLD, diverging

from global markets as it heads into a major 20-week cycle trough due in two weeks. 

 

Rather than acting as a leading indicator that drags Western markets down, this breakdown reflects weaker-than-usual global synchronization for the Nifty. Price remains on track toward a major, projected 20-week cycle trough expected in roughly two weeks.

Gold (XAUUSD): Gold maintains a neutral-to-slightly bearish broader outlook, capped by a potentially massive, long-term cycle peak. In the near term, a classic GH-category interaction pair against the 20-day FLD strongly indicates that an 80-day cycle trough formed late last week, executing roughly seven days later than the recent average wavelength. 

 

Gold (daily candles, May-June 2026): Neutral-to-sluggish overall after forming an 80-day trough

last week, requiring a break above Friday's high to safely confirm a new upward advance.

 

Price has since teased an A-category breakout but recently slipped back below the FLD line, threatening a double GH interaction. A conservative entry requires waiting for price to clear Friday's high to confirm the new cycle advance and eliminate near-term downside risk.

Bitcoin (BTCUSD): Bitcoin's underlying cycles are rapidly contracting, pulling its macro timeframe forward. Approximately 115 days have passed since the foundational 18-month cycle trough in February. While Hurst's nominal model projects a 136-day wavelength for the 20-week trough, compressed shorter cycles suggest this major nest of lows will arrive ahead of schedule, likely late this week. 

 

Bitcoin (daily candles, April-June 2026): Shorter cycles are compressing toward a major 20-week

nest of lows expected this week, where an FLD breakout will signal a powerful new advance.

 

A recent failure to sustain a breakout above the 20-day FLD confirmed a textbook GH-category resistance pair, proving the trough was not yet in. The next interaction with the 20-day FLD is critical: an aggressive A-category breakout will confirm the 20-week trough is structurally complete and launch a major upward advance.

Reference:
David Hickson (June 1, 2026) - Hurst Cycles Market Update: Was That The 80-Day Cycle trough? (video)

David Hickson (May 18, 2026) - Hurst Cycles Update: SPX, NDX, ASX, DAX, NIFTY, Gold, Bitcoin.  

Namzes (January 10, 2026) - 2026 Hurst Cycles Playbook for the S&P 500.  

 

41-Month Kitchin Cycle in Hurst Method Nominal Market

Cycle Chart by Richard Russell, Dow Theory Letters, 1985. 

 

The S&P 500, NASDAQ, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Russell 2000 bottomed in a 41-month Kitchin

cycle trough in late March 2026, approximately 3.5 years after their previous major low in October 2022.

 

See also:

Edward R. Dewey (1971) - The 41-Month Kitchin Cycle in Stocks. 

Larry Williams (May 26, 2026) - NASDAQ, DJIA & Bonds: Next Bullish Wave May Be Starting.