Phyrex|Nov 26, 2025 11:31
Is the current environment a reversal or a rebound? If there is a reversal, will everything be smooth sailing? If there is a rebound, where is the next danger point? (3) CTA (CTA)
In terms of capital flow, there is actually only one main line in the market this week, which is the clearing and rebalancing path of CTA (systematic strategic funds) positions.
The intense volatility that began in early November was almost entirely triggered by CTA, and the quantitative model was forced to engage in a passive sell-off of approximately $100 billion after the volatility increased. This is also the fundamental reason for the rapid rise of VIX in the short term. With the end of this round of structural liquidation, CTA positions have fallen from the previous strong long position to completely neutral, and systemic selling pressure has been basically released.
This means that two things are established simultaneously:
Firstly, the depletion of selling pressure
Secondly, buying in savings
According to the latest model calculations, CTA still has a potential buying power of about $97 billion above the upward trigger line. Once the price stabilizes in the critical range, this portion of funds will be automatically replenished according to the model. And this kind of buying does not rely on emotions, expectations, only prices. It is the most stable and deterministic trend following flow.
Structurally, CTA has transformed from a liquidity killer in this round to a potential liquidity provider. If combined with the seasonal strength in December (historical average inflow of about $70 billion), CTA's replenishment may even have the power to drive a market reversal.
The latest JPM statistics show that in the past decade (excluding election years), December has consistently been the strongest monthly inflow for global stock funds, with an average inflow of over $7 billion, almost more than twice that of other months. This means that while CTA is replenishing, seasonal inflows will also provide additional 'tailwinds' for the rise.
But the premise is that the uncertainty at the policy level cannot further deteriorate in the short term, otherwise the buying trigger range of CTA will be continuously lowered, forming a risk of secondary selling. The path of CTA is now very clear, there is no longer significant passive selling pressure below, and there is huge passive buying power above.
This is also why the market remains volatile in the short term, but the structural bottom is being confirmed. CTA will not create reversals, but will become the largest trend amplifier after the reversal is confirmed by policy.
From a broader perspective of systemic funds, the latest BofA also provides the same signal, with systemic models having a buying power of up to $75 billion to $100 billion during an uptrend, and potential selling pressure of approximately $50 billion to $60 billion during a downtrend.
CTA has the largest contribution and is the most powerful force in amplifying trends within the entire systemic funding system. This further confirms that there is a real trend buying above the structure I mentioned earlier, and there is still passive selling pressure below, with the direction completely determined by policy signals.
Of course, CTA is not entirely positive either. Although the first round of passive selling of nearly $100 billion has been released, model evaluations indicate that there is still about $60 billion of potential downward selling pressure that has not yet been triggered. The key to this part of the selling pressure lies in two factors:
Firstly, if policy uncertainty intensifies and prices fall below the downward trigger line, the model will continue to be forced to reduce positions, forming a secondary selling chain.
Secondly, if the VIX breaks through the critical range again, the increase in volatility will automatically lower the CTA's position limit, causing the previously available positions to be passively liquidated.
Therefore, the market is still in a high volatility range in the short term, where upward is trend replenishment and downward is passive reduction.
So overall, the structure of CTA has shifted from a "one-sided sell-off" to a dual trigger state of "both up and down strength". Above is a trend buying of nearly $100 billion, and below is still a passive selling pressure of $50-60 billion.
The direction of the market will depend more on whether policy signals provide a reason for prices to 'trigger upwards'. If the policy is relatively stable and the path becomes clear, CTA's buying will become the most important bullish force in December. However, if the policy is disturbed again, IEEPA or the Federal Reserve continues to be hawkish, causing VIX or VVIX to quickly break through the key critical point, CTA may be forced to start a downward reduction again, pushing the volatility to a new peak.
CTA plays the role of a 'decisive amplifier' in the current market structure, not determining direction, but amplifying direction. Once the policy signal is positive and the price breaks through the trigger range above it, CTA's automatic replenishment can push the rebound into a trend. On the contrary, if the policy triggers disappointment at a sensitive window, the downward selling pressure on CTA will push the rebound back into a weak oscillation.
That's also why I believe that the current data is just a rebound and has not yet fully entered a reversal.
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