As of Monday this month, XLF (SPDR financial sector ETF) is down 6.3 percent. This followed a 6.6-percent rally in January. Since early September last year through last week’s high of $30.33, it jumped 27.5 percent. Both the weekly and … Continued
Risk happens fast. All of a sudden, no one is buying the dip. Rather, the quest for protection has skyrocketed. In mere six sessions, VIX went from 11.08 to 38.80, closing Monday at 37.32. This was the highest since August … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of January 30, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 215.6k, up 97.7k. Last week, the futures-market odds of a 25-basis-point hike in the March (20-21) meeting in the fed funds rate stood at … Continued
U.S. equity bulls supposedly got the green signal from the January effect, which postulates that as goes January so goes the year. The S&P 500 large cap index was up a strong 5.6 percent in the first month of the … Continued
Spot gold ($1,352.10/ounce) sits at a crucial technical juncture. A breakout would send a loud and clear message. Since bottoming at $1,045.40 in December 2015 through last week’s high of $1,365.40, gold quietly rallied nearly 31 percent. Stocks did better … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of January 23, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 117.9k, up 28.6k. Tuesday, a two-day FOMC meeting begins. This is the year’s first, and will be Janet Yellen’s, the outgoing chair, last. (The … Continued
Here is a brief review of period-over-period change in short interest in the January 1-12, 2018 period in nine S&P 500 sectors. XLB (SPDR materials ETF) On the 16th this month, XLB (63.39) rose to 63.66 intraday but only to … Continued
Homebuilder-focused ETF’s are at/near record highs. Momentum is intact, but builder sentiment – also at multi-year highs – is worth watching. Homebuilding stocks are on fire. XHB (SPDR S&P homebuilders ETF) is already up 5.6 percent for the year. Monday, … Continued
Spot West Texas Intermediate crude, up 54-plus percent since last June alone, is giving out signs of fatigue. Non-commercials have been on the right side of this trade. As they usually are. These traders follow the trend, and the trend … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of January 16, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 89.3k, down 107.6k. A Bloomberg article last week about China beginning to weigh slowing or halting purchases of U.S. Treasurys gave the bond market … Continued