Banks Looking for a Bottom Amid General Market Strength
With earnings season in full swing and estimates ramped up by Wall Street, companies will really need to impress for stocks to get a boost. Banks are front and center right now. With the banking index down 10% since the early march peak, I am looking for a bottom in this sector and revisiting of the old highs later this quarter. However, the most important hurdle will be for this group to close above the 93 level, which will effectively […]
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Date: April 13, 2017
Two Favorite Canaries Looking Fine
The final two canaries are probably my favorites because I believe they are the most powerful and predictive. In every bull market of the modern investing era, both of these canaries gave 3 to 21 months notice that trouble was brewing. However, that doesn’t mean that every time these canaries warn, bear markets occur. It just means that they haven’t missed any. The first chart is that of New York Stock Exchange’s Advance/Decline Line which simply measures participation in the […]
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Date: April 12, 2017
Sector Canaries Healthy with Some Small Wounds
Turning to the four key sectors I follow, we don’t have as strong a picture as the major indices, but they are still okay. Semis are first and they have been the strongest for some time, almost too strong, but that’s a topic for a different piece. While they have yet to eclipse their Dotcom bubble high from 2000, they continue to make new highs for this bull market. Banks are next and after a dizzying pace following the election […]
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Date: April 11, 2017
Bulls Not Ready Just Yet
As we head into the holiday shortened week, the bulls don’t seem ready just yet for that next assault higher. Last Wednesday’s reversal still looms and there are small wounds that need to be healed. Don’t forget that our markets are closed on Friday for Good Friday and liquidity may be a touch lower because of the first two nights of Passover on Monday and Tuesday. All of the major stock market indices experienced sharp reversals last Wednesday and while […]
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Date: April 10, 2017
Index Canaries Breathing Nicely
It has a been long while since I last updated the Canaries in the Coal Mine, a semi-regular piece which has a very long-term focus on the health of the bull market. The analysis is only relevant at or near new bull market highs as I look for divergences in the major stock market indices, sectors and two other indicators. While helpful, it does not insulate bull markets from corrections; it just says that the final high hasn’t been made […]
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Date: April 10, 2017
Little Tantrum Beginning
The bulls began Wednesday with high hopes (and higher prices). By lunch time, it looked as if the market was ready to test its early March, all-time highs although the NASDAQ was already at new highs. But a funny thing happened on the way to Dow 21,000; the Fed released their minutes from the last meeting and the market did not like what they had to say. In essence, the Fed was preparing to test the markets on unwinding their […]
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Date: April 5, 2017
Q2 Begins with Higher Expectations
Stocks closed the first quarter without much fanfare and they head into Q2 with a strong seasonal tailwind. The major stock market indices are still not all in gear to the upside, but I expect that to correct itself this quarter with new highs across the board. Semis and discretionary are still very strong and I expect transports and banks to reassert themselves. Junk bonds had a very strong close to the quarter and they will need to continue that […]
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Date: April 3, 2017
Bulls Put Up A Stand
Yesterday, I wrote about the pullback getting a little old and the opportunity for stocks to find a low and rally. I offered that Dow 20,200 to 20,400 could provide some cushion. The Dow hit 20,400 yesterday morning and rallied nicely into the close with some follow this morning. Was that it? Pullback over? I am not certain, but we did do some buying yesterday to take advantage of the biggest bout of weakness this year. And it wasn’t much. […]
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Date: March 28, 2017
Pullback Getting Long in the Tooth
Stocks are set to open sharply lower today as the media and pundits assign blame to the GOP’s failed healthcare bill. I am not sure I really buy that notion as the bill was confirmed as dead during trading hours on Friday, but really, stocks began pulling back four weeks ago and accelerated lower as healthcare reform seemed less and less likely. Remember, it’s not the actual news, but rather how markets react. As I have been writing about this […]
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Date: March 27, 2017
Two Vital Canaries
After Tuesday’s “big” decline, there was some short-term damage done to most of the major indices. Rather than return immediately to new highs, I think we need a period to repair, which is not the worst thing in the world. A likely scenario is to see movement in both directions, perhaps into April, before the next leg higher begins. On the key sector front, semis and discretionary escaped most of the damage and should be poised to lead again. Banks […]
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Date: March 24, 2017
