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Author:

Paul Schatz, President, Heritage Capital

New Week

The stock market begins the last week of June with the bulls mildly in control. Don’t forget we have end of month and quarter this week along with many people beginning vacations. I won’t be among them although I do wish them a safe and enjoyable vacation. It has been a fun Q2 and great start to 2021 as the halfway mark approaches. As I have written for a while, I do not sense that the stock market is about […]   Read More
Date: June 28, 2021

One Week Later & The Bulls Did Their Job

It has been a good week for the bulls! After four straight days of red ending last week, the bulls stepped up exactly when they should have. While I would have preferred a weaker opening on Monday the market doesn’t always cooperate perfectly. But this time, it was fairly easy to forecast higher prices, especially when Jim Cramer was imploring and begging people not to buy for another week, meaning today, after a big up week. Today, I am a […]   Read More
Date: June 25, 2021

Bounce Came Right on Schedule – Now What?

The four straight days of decline where Jim Cramer implored people not to buy on day four have quietly passed. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying the stock market can’t pull back here, but after four straight days of weakness in a bull market, the odds heavily favor at least a bounce. We got that bounce. That’s why Cramer is paid to be a commentator and entertainer and not a money manager. It’s not a knock. It’s just […]   Read More
Date: June 23, 2021

7 Social Security Strategies Following the Pandemic

The past year has been one of unprecedented upheaval, but now, as we transition to a new normal, it’s time to take a fresh look at our finances. If you are approaching or have reached retirement age, this process should include reassessing your Social Security strategy for the post-pandemic world. Social Security is a major element of most retirement plans; so much in fact that at Heritage Capital, we’ve created this new guide: Understanding Social Security. However, as we move […]   Read More
Date: June 22, 2021

Time for The Bulls to Make a Stand – Cramer Warning More Selling

The stock market has now closed lower for four straight days and three consecutive post-Fed meeting. The pullback has been healthy and relatively modest, so far. On Friday we saw one of the big, quarterly options and futures expirations which usually see prices rally into the day and selloff post. That didn’t happen. Many people are focused on the negative seasonal trend post-June expiration.  However, most people are lazy and do not dig beneath the surface. I am not saying […]   Read More
Date: June 21, 2021

Watch The Reaction Not The News

I lost track of how many times in 32 years I have said, “it’s not what the news is, but how markets react”. On Wednesday the Federal Reserve concluded their two-day meeting. As I wrote about, the Fed did nothing and said nothing. Everything was as expected. That led to an initial reaction that Powell & Company were more hawkish, meaning more skewed towards tightening policy. Stocks sold off. Bonds sold off. Gold sold off. The dollar rallied. One day […]   Read More
Date: June 18, 2021

Fed Meeting Ending – No Fireworks Expected

The Federal Reserve concludes its two-day meeting today. The stock market model is for plus or minus 0.50% until 2pm and then a rally. There are several historical trends which point to higher prices today based on stocks not being at new highs as well as market action so far this week that was not strong. If stocks rally today, especially after the 2pm announcement and Powell’s tea and crumpets with the press, there may a trend calling for mildly […]   Read More
Date: June 16, 2021

Froth & Greed Are Back

Greetings from 38,000 feet as my JetBlue flight to Florida bumps along down the east coast. The markets begin the new week on continued solid footing over the intermediate-term. All market foundations appear to be solid which indicate that there should not be any major changes in trend. However, that doesn’t preclude any market, especially stocks, from seeing modest to moderate weakness over the short-term. Right now, the vast majority of stocks on the NYSE are above their long-term and […]   Read More
Date: June 14, 2021

Inflation Soaring – Bonds Yields Falling – HMMMMM…

As you know, inflation soared in May coming in at the highest level, 5%,  since August 2008. The core rate which removes food and energy because they are so volatile was 3.8% which is the highest since 1992. On the surface that is really hot and very worrisome. But my readers already knew this was coming as I began discussing it 10 months ago. Some of our portfolios introduced commodities in the middle of last year while others added my […]   Read More
Date: June 11, 2021

I Was Wrong – We Have a Problem

I was wrong. Last week, I left you with my opinion that April’s well below expected employment report was just an anomaly or aberration. And that a big upward revision was coming along with a strong May report. Well folks, May was weaker by more than 100,000 new jobs. Thankfully, the unemployment rate came in as expected. Two months is now a nascent trend and there is something structurally wrong with the economy. You know my trifecta. Vaccines + Massive […]   Read More
Date: June 8, 2021