Non-Farm Payrolls Print at +428k vs. +391k Expected, With Unemployment at 3.6 Percent

The stock market is perhaps the greater issue on many traders' minds this morning. After all, it's been rather dramatic this week, and one of the reasons for the high level of curiosity is the possibility of a huge change.

And, so far, that pattern has continued apace, even through this week's rate boost of 50 basis points.

However, trends do not always price in straight lines, and when a market is over or underweight in one direction too much, a counter-trend move may emerge, as we witnessed surrounding the Fed on Wednesday. However, to the displeasure of bulls, the move was promptly priced-out the next day, raising the risk of an even deeper break.

The S&P 500 is now trading at a major region of support, and the two-week range is impressive.

THE NASDAQ 100

The Nasdaq 100 is a potentially more appealing negative vehicle. High-beta tech stocks typically worsen the performance of the S&P 500's blue chips, which may operate on both sides of the equation, as we witnessed on the way up last year and again this year.

However, as recent events have unraveled, the difference in performance has been noticeable. While the S&P 500 remains above important support levels such as the psychological level of 4000, the Nasdaq 100 has already broken through most of that earlier support structure. Price is still hovering around the Monday low of 12,710. Yesterday, that level was tested and maintained — but sellers are now pressing a third test, and the third test may not be pleasant.