It appears the general theme of the market these days is we have turned the corner in terms of the virus and the self-inflicted damage done to the economy. This is clearly good news. And to be sure, a collective sigh of relief is warranted. In reviewing the slew of economic data that continue to […]
After the fastest decline of 30% off the top in stock market history, which presumably represented the “discounting” of the worst hit to the U.S. economy since, well, ever, stocks have since rebounded sharply. As of Friday’s close, the S&P 500 has gained +32.1% since the March 23rd low. The Dow has risen +31.6%. The […]
I had every intention this morning of having a discussion about the divergence between the messaging the market received last week from the likes of Jay Powell, Dr. Fauci, David Tepper, and Stan Druckenmiller – all of whom expressed sobering outlooks – and, of course, the horrific economic data, versus “the trade” (you know, everyone […]
The question of the day – at least in the popular financial press – appears to be, why are stocks rallying with the economy in free fall? Readers of my oftentimes meandering market missive likely already know the answer here. As we’ve discussed a time or twenty, the stock market is a discounting mechanism for […]
There is an old joke which pokes fun at economists that I think applies to the current state of the stock market. It goes something like this… An economist, a chemist, and a physicist are stranded on an island with nothing to eat but a can of beans. The chemist says, “Hey, there’s a small […]
Stocks technically finished lower last week (the S&P 500 fell -1.3%), but in reality, the market has been moving sideways for the past couple weeks or so. Some will call it a consolidation of the big bounce off the bottom. Others say the market is in search of an equilibrium point. And then there are […]
The S&P 500 enjoyed its biggest bounce in 46 years last week. Which followed the biggest/fastest drop from an all-time high since, well, ever. So, naturally, the question now becomes, where do we go from here? Markets cheered the Fed’s sledgehammer response this past week. To be sure, the monetary and fiscal efforts have been […]
The S&P 500 enjoyed its biggest bounce in 46 years last week. Which followed the biggest/fastest drop from an all-time high since, well, ever. So, naturally, the question now becomes, where do we go from here? Markets cheered the Fed’s sledgehammer response this past week. To be sure, the monetary and fiscal efforts have been […]
The headlines have been awful. The human toll from the virus continues to mount. The economic impact is jaw dropping. And we’re told things are going to get worse this week. Although stocks are bouncing in the early going Monday on the hope that the worst will soon be behind us, it is clear that […]
We’ve talked a lot lately about what I call “The Crash Playbook.” In short, this is a guide developed since the mid-1980’s on how market crashes/crises tend to play out. The premise for the playbook is, as the saying goes, “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” The main reason the market tends to […]
Market analysts love to talk about “the action” that occurs in the markets. Many, including yours truly, believe that the manner in which the market moves – especially after important news – can provide a “message” about the current environment. To be clear, the action definitely does NOT always provide information. No, there is an […]
It is my sincere hope that everyone remains healthy, is being diligent with their social distancing, and is surviving the new virtual work world reality. Since my kids are now all adults and I’ve had a home office since 2001, my days haven’t changed much – well, except for the daily market freak outs, of […]
Well it’s official, we’ve got a full-fledged crisis on our hands in the financial markets. Historic events now occur on a daily basis. Things I have never seen before in my 33-year career as a portfolio manager are now happening with regularity. Safety plays are no longer safe. The tech-ladened QQQ ETF is outperforming the […]
Things were not looking good on Friday afternoon. At 3:00 pm eastern, the major stock market indices were at the lows of the day and falling fast. The yield on the 10-year, which is viewed by many as a proxy for the economic outlook, had plunged again, this time closing the day at 0.706% – […]
For investors of all shapes and sizes, the question of the day appears to be, now what? After the 14% thrashing of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in just seven sessions, one can’t be blamed for feeling a little shell shocked. In short, these types of market panics can leave one disoriented and unsure about […]
Anyone thinking that the stock market would simply ignore the potential economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is getting a wakeup call this morning. Instead of focusing on the bright side and the stimulus plans that have been bandied about in places like China, stocks are now in full-on price exploration mode – to the […]
Greetings from PGA West in La Quinta, CA where it is sunny and warm. However, getting here took some doing and I had kind of a rough travel schedule last week… First I flew from Denver to NYC for meetings Monday through Wednesday. Then after a brief stop/nap in Denver very late Wednesday night, it […]
What a difference a week can make, eh? One minute traders are freaking out (as in the 603 point dive registered by the DJIA on Friday, January 31st) over the potential impact of the Coronavirus on the global economy. And the next week, the major stock market indices are hitting new highs. Makes perfect sense, […]
The excuse du jour for the current pullback/correction/sloppy period is clearly the Coronavirus. But in reality, it could have been anything. As I’ve been saying, stocks had become overbought and investors over believed in the bullish, theme. You know, the idea that we were revisiting 2013 and 2017’s one-way market, where the only decision one […]
You knew it was coming. No, not the Coronavirus. Rather an excuse du jour to create some selling. After an impressive joyride to the upside, which saw the S&P 500 surge +15.3% from the close of October 2, 2019 and the high seen on January 17, 2020, the stock market had become overbought, sentiment had […]
Good Tuesday morning and welcome back. Last week, I took a just-for-fun stab at modeling expectations for what calendar year 2020 might look like in the U.S. stock market. And since stocks seem to only go up these days, the question of the day isn’t whether or not the S&P 500 will advance on the […]
Happy Monday and welcome back to the land of blinking screens. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been intrigued lately by all the projections/prognostications that analysts feel compelled to provide at the beginning of each year. So, just for fun, I thought I’d join in the game this year. To be clear, I do […]
Good morning and welcome to the first real trading week of 2020. It is my sincere hope that everyone enjoyed their holiday break that spanned the majority of the past two weeks (isn’t it great when Christmas and New Year’s fall mid-week!). But with the calendar having flipped to January, it’s time to get back […]
In light of the fact that the vast majority of Wall Street is on vacation this week, I’m going to dispense with my oftentimes meandering market missive and let the indicators and models do most of the talking. However, I would like to share one thought before I move on to finishing my prep work […]
As the clock winds down on what little time remains on the 2019 calendar, I think we can all agree that both the year and the recent joyride to new highs have been impressive. Frankly, I don’t know of anyone who called for stocks to rally 30% at this time last year or for the […]
The gifts addressed to investors just keep coming as it appears Ms. Market is in the holiday spirit earlier than normal this year. Call it the Santa Claus rally, the year-end rally, the sigh-of-relief rally, or just about anything you’d like, but the bottom line is the major market indices are enjoying a nice ride […]
Don’t look now fans, but the number of trading days left in calendar year 2019 are dwindling fast and the holiday season is right around the corner. How the heck did that happen? It’s the time of year when we are supposed to be stepping back from the blinking screens and focusing on the season. […]
Happy Monday and welcome to the final month of 2019, where the bulls will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s epic December collapse and the bears are looking to capitalize on an overbought condition. From a short-term perspective, it looks as if the much-anticipated pullback, correction, or pause is officially underway. The […]
I awoke to learn that there is yet another early-season snowstorm barreling its way toward Denver this afternoon. There is talk of a foot of snow, blizzard conditions and road closures into Tuesday afternoon. As such, our plans to “take Thanksgiving on the road” to be with our daughter, son-in-law, and grandson in St. Louis […]
Happy Monday and welcome back to the game. My wife and I decided to make a quick trip out to Moab, Utah to enjoy a sunny weekend in a truly spectacular place. If you haven’t been, be sure to put it on your bucket list. And for all you testosterone junkies, this is your Mecca […]
I’d like to start this week’s missive by wishing everyone a Happy Veterans Day and hoping that we can all take at least a moment to say a silent thank you to those who have kept our country safe for more than 240 years. Banks and the bond market have the good sense to be […]
Happy Monday and welcome back to the game; a game that must be a bit befuddling for the bears at this time. Think about it. Our furry friends would seem to have an abundance of firepower at their disposal. For example, there is the ongoing trade spat, which seemingly improving with China (or not, depending […]
Good day and welcome back to the land of blinking screens. Breakout or fake out? Despite the impeachment and BREXIT drama, the punk economic numbers, the trade war, the geopolitical issues, the Fed meeting and, of course, the ongoing earnings parade, this is really the only question that matters. In case you don’t spend your […]
Good morning and Happy Monday. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. With all of the issues, headlines, tweets, etc., it is a little surprising to see the S&P 500 sitting within a stone’s throw of an all-time high. Some will argue this is the market climbing a “wall of worry.” Others, such […]
In speaking with folks about the state of the stock market over the past week, it occurred to me that people’s views vary widely and seem to fall into one of three categories: the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly. Those seeing the glass as at least half empty are baffled by the […]
Good morning and Happy Columbus Day. While banks and the bond market have the good sense to take the day off, stock markets are open, and traders appear to be busy processing the latest headlines. In case you haven’t heard, it sounds like the White House may have jumped the gun with their enthusiasm over […]
To be sure, the current stock market is focused on a couple key things. While this can clearly be placed in the Captain Obvious category, first there is the trade war. From a near-term perspective it’s this week’s trade negotiations. And second, there is the upcoming Fed meeting. Yes, yes, the economic data has had […]
Good morning and Happy Monday. The headlines continue to drive the daily action with this morning’s weakness due to (1) news that the Chinese want to limit the scope of trade talks this week and (2) confirmation that there is at least a second whistleblower with a firsthand account of the President’s dealings with Ukraine. […]
Until yesterday, the thinking had been that the majority of the bad news was well worn. And the stuff that was new – i.e. the Dem’s Impeachment Inquiry – wasn’t likely to upset the apple cart to any great degree due to the assumption that a conviction in the Senate is a low probability bet. […]
One of the great things about spending time out in nature is you don’t focus on the intraday machinations of the markets nearly as much as when you are chained to your desk. This allows one to focus more on the big picture “state” of the market as opposed to the latest wiggle and giggle […]
Greetings from the northern reaches of Yellowstone National Park. Although we’ve lived in “the west” for nearly 20 years now, my wife informed me earlier this year that we had never been to the nation’s first national park. “Let’s go this fall!” I replied. Of course this was before the trip to England and Scotland […]
Despite all the worry, fear, and/or uneasiness in the markets these days, the S&P 500 closed Wednesday within spitting distance of an all-time high (0.63% to be exact). Not too shabby for a “hated” stock market, eh? Yep, that’s right, despite the global economic slowdown, the ongoing trade war, the unrest in Hong Kong, the […]
Good Monday morning and welcome back. Although I had every intention of “penning” a market missive last week and have an abundance of topics to comment on, a business trip to LA left me with little time to get anything written. My apologies for anyone missing my subjective take on the state of the markets. […]
Good Monday morning and welcome back to the land of blinking screens. As long-time readers are likely aware, my weekly missive has been comprised of two sections. First, there has been my subjective take on the state and the drivers of the current stock market environment. And second, I have presented a summary of my […]
It’s been a hectic weekend and as such, I’m going to keep my subjective analysis of the market brief and let the indicators and market models do most of the talking this morning. However, since returning from our trip across the pond late last week, I have been asked a few times about my take […]
Greetings from York, England. We’ve just completed our driving tour of Scotland where I learned that a “dual carriageway” sign is a rare and welcome sight from the driver’s seat and that most of the “roads” in the Highlands (and rural England) are merely golf cart paths that aren’t really wide enough for 2 vehicles […]
Greetings from London. My wife and I are spending a couple weeks exploring England and Scotland, which so far has been, as the Brits like to say, “quite lovely.” Our visits to Westminster, Big Ben, Parliament, Buckingham, Kensington, Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover Castle and the local pubs, restaurants and taverns have been simply, “brilliant!” (P.S. […]
After five days of wild, news-driven swings in the stock market, where the action was dominated by escalating trade tensions, the threat of a currency war, and the possibility that the next U.S.-China meeting scheduled for September may not happen, investors can’t be blamed for starting the week with some questions. Not the least of […]
It’s been a hectic travel weekend and I’m still on the road. And with all the news flying around at the moment, I’m spending a lot of time analyzing the situation. As such, I’m going to let the indicators do the talking this morning. Weekly Market Model Review Now let’s turn to the weekly review […]
As a risk manager, I try to find and/or create models for as many different market inputs as possible. For example, we have models for corporate earnings, monetary conditions, interest rates, valuations, the U.S. economy, commodities, the global economy, inflation, volatility, overbought/sold conditions, investor sentiment, market momentum, breadth, volume relationships, trends, cycles, leading indicators, lagging […]
Let’s review. The S&P 500 is just 5 days removed from its most recent all-time high. Central bankers around the globe are either cutting rates or getting ready to cut rates. Economic growth is slowing. Earnings in the U.S. continue to beat estimates (although the bar for the current season appears to be sitting on […]
Good Monday morning and welcome back to the land of blinking screens. While there are many topics to discuss on this fine summer day (earnings, inflation, trade, economic data, etc.) I think we need to recognize that the most important topic and the topic that is driving the action in both the stock and bond […]
To be sure, Friday’s jobs report created some uncertainty in terms of traders’ Fed-expectations. While I can argue that the expectations regarding the degree and speed of anticipated rate cuts had gotten a little out of hand, the question of the day now becomes, what should we expect? As in what should we expect from […]
Let’s review. The Fed is no longer the enemy. There is, at the very least, a cease-fire in the trade war between China and the good ‘ol USofA. Rates are low. Inflation is nowhere to be found. Earnings will likely set a record this year. The U.S. economy continues to chug along. And if one […]
So many inputs, so little time for a Monday morning market missive. For example, there is a new record for the S&P 500. A new record for the amount of global debt sporting negative yields (now $13 trillion according to Barron’s). A new approach for many of the world’s central bankers. A new reason to […]
This week’s big news will likely come from the Fed meeting and/or the ensuing press conference with Mr. Powell. In addition, everyone on the planet is now watching the economic data for signs of weakness/recovery. And of course, any news on the trade front – such as the scheduling of an official meeting between Xi […]
What a difference a week can make in this game, right? Last week at this time, the market was reacting in a rather hysterical fashion, of course, to news that the President was planning to use punitive tariffs in his quest to strike a deal on immigration with Mexico. At the beginning of last week, […]
There can be little argument that the stock market is a slave to the news at the present time. Friday’s surprise pronouncement that the President plans to use tariffs in a new way is exhibit A in this argument. Tweets go out. Threats are made. Uncertainty increases. Stocks are sold. Bonds are bought. Rinse and […]
It’s our last day of exploring the Greek Isles, so I’ll once again keep this brief. If you haven’t visited, I highly recommend a trip to Crete, a simply magnificent island with friendly people, gorgeous land/seascapes and lots to do and see. Oh and the seafood isn’t too shabby either! Looking at the big picture […]
Greetings from Mykonos, Greece. Since I am traveling with my wife and exploring the Greek Isles, I’m going to keep my commentary brief for the next couple weeks. One of the benefits of traveling abroad is you are removed from the daily machinations of the markets, which sometimes makes it a bit easier to focus […]
For those of you keeping score at home, the S&P 500 is in the midst of the second longest stretch without a 3% correction in the last 10 years (source: Ned Davis Research Group). Although the action was certainly exciting at times last week, that streak remains intact as the S& closed Thursday down just […]
It was a very busy week/weekend as I first attended NAAIM’s (National Association of Active Investment Managers) annual conference. The conference was stellar, and it was great to hang out with so many like-minded investment professionals Sunday through Wednesday. I picked up some trading psychology tips from Brett Steenbarger, PhD, who was at one time, […]
I’m not sure who I borrowed the title of this week’s missive from, but I think we all have to admit that this is probably the best recession/slowdown ever! Instead of the economy flirting with negative growth in the first quarter, which, if you will recall, had become the common expectation as the calendar was […]
We’ve been talking lately about the idea that big hedge funds and systematic traders have been caught on the wrong side of the stock market’s recent run for the roses. The thinking is this fact alone could account for the lack of downside volatility and the relentless dip-buying that has been occurring this year. And […]
Last week, we reviewed Marko Kolanovic’s research showing the positioning of hedge funds and systematic traders. The bottom line here is the equity exposure of these managers continues to be at very low levels relative to history. But with the stock market indices a chip shot away from all-time highs, the question is why are […]
Stocks closed at a fresh cycle high on Friday as the S&P 500 has been enjoying a 7-day win streak, which is the longest in 18 months. Don’t look now fans, but the venerable blue-chip index is now just 38 points or 1.3% away from its all-time high. And unless the upcoming earnings season provides […]
One of the first headlines on CNBC.com after Monday’s closing bell read: Stocks gain 300 points, but why? The article implied that markets can’t seem to decide whether rising rates are good or bad. The author opined that just a couple months ago, stocks would have quaked at the idea of rates rising because the […]
One of my favorite sayings on Wall Street is, “Things don’t matter until they do. But then they matter a lot.” For example, the dueling issues of #GrowthSlowing and the flattening yield curve have been with us for quite some time now. In fact, we’ve known that global growth has been slowing for more than […]
Well it’s official. As of Friday’s close (a close that was likely influenced by the quad-witching event and a handful of S&P index rebalances), the S&P 500 is now up +20.05% from the 12/24/18 panic low. Wow talk about a joyride to the upside! Along with the market’s surge higher, which, for the record, has […]
The fact that stocks pulled back a bit last week shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone. The S&P 500 had enjoyed an historic joyride to the upside in a very short period of time. As in +19.2% in just 10 weeks. Along the way, stocks became overbought and sentiment got a little too […]
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, this week, I’ve decided to try and sum up the keys to the current market environment with a series of charts and graphs. I started out looking for five key charts. That quickly turned into ten. And before I knew it; I had […]
It was a busy weekend of birthday celebrations and important family events in my household (our youngest is moving into her first apartment!) and as such, I didn’t take the opportunity to spend a couple hours of quality time at the keyboard. While I’ve got a good start on a missive entitled “Twelve Charts Tell […]
One of the most important lessons I have learned about the business of investing is the drivers of the market action change over time. Sometimes dramatically so. It is for this reason that no one, I repeat, no one, has ever perfected the game for any length of time. You see, like golf, the conditions […]
Each week we do a disciplined, deep-dive into our key market indicators and models. The overall goal of this exercise is to (a) remove emotion from the investment process, (b) stay “in tune” with the primary market cycles, and (c) remain cognizant of the risk/reward environment. In this process, we analyze our big-picture market models, […]
The joyride to the upside in the stock market continued last week as the S&P 500 surged another 2.5%. If my calculator is correct, this means the venerable blue-chip index is now up 10.7% so far in 2019 and has put in a nifty gain of 18% since the December 24th panic attack. Impressive. What […]
On Tuesday, February 5 and again on Wednesday, February 6, the S&P 500 bumped into its 200-day moving average. While I’m not exactly sure why this particular indicator captures the attention of so many (there are a myriad of more effective trend-following tools readily available), the crossing of the 200-day is viewed as a big […]
