We’ve had our sights trained on a 449.42 rally target for a month. Given MSFT’s premier bellwether status, this was sufficient reason to infer that the bull market as a whole had further to go despite a mounting pile of good reasons for its imminent collapse.  We also said that if the stock corrected down to 401.54, this would present a back-up-the-truck buying opportunity for an implied 48-point ride back up to 449. The first phase of our plan came to pass last week when MSFT plunged 17 points, or 4%, before settling at 401.82 ahead of the weekend. Although the stock initially trampolined $10 after kissing the target in the early morning, it relapsed to end the day, and the week, with an $8 loss. Although this may have been scary for investors who have ridden the stock down from the record 468 achieved in early July, it still looks like a juicy buying opportunity for those who have been waiting for fire-sale prices. Indeed, the ‘reverse abcd pattern’ shown in the chart would appear to offer great odds for anyone buying at the green line. A $16 rally to the red line (p=417.50) seems assured, although a follow-through to D=449.42 can no longer be confidently touted as a near certainty. Even if the stock does achieve D=449.42, that would leave open the possibility of a 1929-type secondary top in both MSFT and the broad averages. Alternatively, if MSFT continues to fall, surpassing the C=385.58 low of the pattern projecting to 449.42, that would be strong evidence that the bear market investors have feared for years has begun. _______ UPDATE (Sep 11, 9:49 p.m.):  MSFT has now rallied $23 from within a hair of the 401.54 correction target flagged above, in my tout, my weekly commentary and the chat room. I have not established a formal tracking position, but I will if a few of you step forward to attest that you bought the bottom. For now, though, predicated on the longstanding rally target at 449.52, it’s okay to take a partial profit.