Just two ago, I wrote about the stock market “groping” for a bottom and laid out a scenario for that to begin on Wednesday. The beaten down Russell 2000 was the key as it very quietly had been outperforming the market for three days. That behavior is not what you typically see if a crash was unfolding. Our indicators and systems backed up my own thoughts and our equity strategies went to maximum exposure at the close on Wednesday.
When I woke up Thursday morning and saw the global stock markets in collapse, I thought it was going to be a truly interesting day. With so many things looking good a few hours earlier, I was either very wrong, which has happened before and will happen again, or this sharply lower open was an absolute gift to the bulls. At this point I am very glad I stayed the course and even took what I would classify as personal gambles at the open by buying oil and shorting the VIX.
After the lower open, stocks staged a very impressive comeback and the internals looked much better along with sector leadership. Our own flagship sector strategy has had a very tough month coming in to this week, but as with the Russell 2000, it bucked the market downtrend and closed higher on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For the past week or so, I have strongly suggested that clients add money right away as this correction was nearing an end. And I followed my own advice by making my kids’ college fund additions as well as my 2014 retirement plan contribution into the market weakness.
Time will tell if we just saw “THE” bottom or “A” bottom, but even if stocks don’t go right back to all time highs, the preponderance of evidence suggested a good rally was close at hand. There are two scenarios I am watching now and I will spell those out in the Street$marts edition I am currently writing.
Remember, the largest one day stock market rallies usually occur after a decline. In 2008, we saw 4-8% one day moves many times. The larger the decline, typically, the larger the snapback. If you hated certain stocks, ETFs or funds on the way down, use the strength to rebalance your portfolio the way you want.
I am keenly watching how the plain vanilla high yield (junk) bonds funds act now. They are very stretched to the downside and are supposed to rally smartly. It’s put up or shut up time for the short-term, intermediate-term and perhaps even long-term.
Finally, I mentioned watching Apple and Netflix for signs of leadership. Apple hung in really well and should see new highs this quarter. Netflix announced bad earnings and was bludgeoned. IF this is the final rally of the bull market, IF, I would expect the rally to leave many key stocks behind. In other words, it would be narrow. The rising tide would not lift all ships. Again, IF.
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