Or are usually reliable chart patterns working less reliably than in the past?

To be sure, charts are far from fool-proof but they tend to get it right more often than not. Lately though, major patterns in EUR/USD (a well-advertised head and shoulders that failed to pan out) and AUD have put a scare into technicians.

6-23-aud

Overnight, AUD broke through support at 0.7863. breaking 0.7845 and 25 supports along the way and finally reaching 0.7790 only to turn tail and inexplicably rise back above 0.7900 a short while ago. Brutal. Just brutal. Typically, three layers of resistance (0.8825,45, 63) should have been enough to contain any short-covering rebound. Not today.

Call it another Turnaround Tuesday.