Mixed Messages to Start the New Week
A new week, more of the same geopolitical news. Terrorist attacks in London. Trump tweeting. Economic mixed messages. Fed to raise rates. Stocks see more new highs. Friday’s market behavior was fine with the Dow, S&P 500 and NASDAQ 100 all adding to their recent new high run, however the S&P 400 and Russell 2000 seemed to run out of gas after lunch. Participation and leadership were solid. Friday’s employment report was also a mixed bag with the economy creating […]
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Date: June 5, 2017
Love or Hate It, Markets Don’t Care about Trump
On Thursday, the Dow and S&P 500 broke to fresh all-time highs to join the NASDAQ 100. The major index trading range since early March appears to be ending in favor of the bulls. I say “appears” because although breakouts are beginning to occur, every now and then they are fake (like news) and immediately reverse and head in the opposite direction. Only the S&P 400 and Russell 2000 are lagging, but I would think they should both follow suit […]
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Date: June 2, 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
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
Key Sectors Holding Up Otherwise Weak Market
Last week, I voiced a little more concern about the stock market as the S&P 400 and Russell 2000 broke to the downside from their trading ranges. So far, they haven’t been able to regain previous levels. Now, we have the S&P 500 and NASDAQ 100 trading at the lower end of their ranges and it looks like stocks have further to go on thew downside before finding more solid footing. As I have said for months, based on market […]
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Date: November 1, 2016
A Little More Concern Creeps In
At least we had one day where stocks closed firmly! As has been the case for more than a week, but really over the past month, sellers continue to snuff rallies that begin the morning. The bears say that this is a market on the verge of collapsing under its own weight. The bulls counter that with all the selling into rallies, stocks remain just a few percent off their recent highs. What I am seeing is my pullback theme […]
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Date: October 27, 2016
Canaries in the Coal Mine Part III – My Two Favorites
Updating the two, and perhaps, most important charts from last week, we can first see the New York Stock Exchange Advance/Decline Line which measures participation in rallies and declines. Before a bear market hits, you will almost always see this line peak well before price does. In other words, the troops were dying in a battle but the officers survived until the bitter end. In today’s case, this indicator still very powerfully supports the bulls. Finally, high yield bonds are […]
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Date: October 26, 2016
The Streak Has Been Broken – Gold Teetering
After four straight afternoon fades in the stock market and one neutral day, the bulls FINALLY were able to overcome a gap down open and closed near the highs for the day on Friday. However, one day doesn’t change the pullback theme of the last six weeks. Today, stocks are going to open higher with help from several deals announced along with Europe on firmer footing. AT&T buying Time Warner for $85 billion certainly is an eye opener, so much […]
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Date: October 24, 2016
