S&P 500 Struggle To Lift Off Of 200DMA – Short Put For Premium/To Position For Earnings Bounce

Presently, the state of US trade deficit and how the Trump administration is attempting to address it is front and center. In February, the deficit came in at $57.6 billion, with the 12-month total of $589.6 billion, which was the … Continued

CoT: Peek Into Future Through Futures, How Hedge Funds Are Positioned

Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of April 3, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 375.4k, up 70.2k. Ten-year Treasury yields (2.78 percent) rose from 2.03 percent last September to 2.94 percent this February.  The 30-year fixed mortgage rate … Continued

After Dropping 19% Over 9 Weeks, ITB Bulls Defend 200DMA – Too Soon To Call All-Clear

posted in: Credit, Economy, Equities, Technicals | 0

After a 19-percent peak-to-trough drop, ITB defends crucial support Wednesday.  Is this part of a normal correction or something is amiss in housing? In the last several sessions, tons of stocks as well as equity ETF’s and indices were literally … Continued

S&P 500 Loses 200DMA, But Barely; VIX In Non-Confirmation Mode

The S&P 500 large cap index is testing the lows of February, but VIX acts nowhere near as panicky.  This could be a tell for stocks near term. The ISM manufacturing index dropped 1.5 points month-over-month in March.  February’s 60.8 … Continued

CoT: Peek Into Future Through Futures, How Hedge Funds Are Positioned

Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of March 27, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 305.2k, down 8.1k. For the first time since mid-December last year, 10-year Treasury yields went under the 50-day moving average this week.  On March … Continued

Stocks Once Again Under Pressure, But At/Near Crucial Support – Some Metrics Way Oversold

Stocks are selling off, but major indices are at/near crucial support, testing the will of the bulls. High-yield spreads are tightening.  In Chart 1, the ICE BofAML US high yield BB effective yield is pitted against Moody’s seasoned AAA corporate … Continued

CoT: Peek Into Future Through Futures, How Hedge Funds Are Positioned

Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of March 20, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 313.3k, up 41.9k. Chairing his maiden meeting as Fed chief, Jerome Powell probably could not have asked for more insofar as markets’ reaction was … Continued

Fed Hikes Wednesday, But Several Key Assets Key Off Of Technicals

Wednesday, the FOMC met.  The fed funds rate went up another 25 basis points to between 1.5 percent and 1.75 percent.  One would think this would drive market action.  But looking at a diverse set of assets, technicals played a … Continued

Some Chinks In Tech’s Armor – XLK Credit Call Spread

Post-February 9 reversal, both the Nasdaq composite and the Nasdaq 100 index went on to surpass the late January highs.  Other indices such as the S&P 500 large cap index and the Dow Industrials could not match that feat.  The … Continued

Ten-Year T-Yield Still Trapped In L/T Channel – TLT As Trading Vehicle N/T

posted in: Credit, Derivatives, Economy, Technicals | 0

Once again, 10-year Treasury yields failed at the top end of a long-term channel, although can push higher near term, creating a trading opportunity in TLT. Close, but no cigar! The 10-year rate came very close to breaking out of … Continued