U.S. corporate bond issuance this year bolted out of the blocks in a strong fashion. In January and February, issuance totaled $296.9 billion, versus $252 billion in the corresponding period last year. High-yield, in particular, has had impressive issuance – … Continued
Spot West Texas Intermediate crude had a lousy last week, collapsing 9.1 percent as well as losing both 50- and 200-day moving averages. On a closing basis, it also lost the rising trend line from the lows of February last … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of March 7, 2017. 10-year note: The Janet Yellen-led Fed – and the one led by her predecessor Ben Bernanke – believe in the wealth effect. Since the financial crisis, anytime equities came … Continued
Here is a brief review of period-over-period change in short interest in the February 16-28 period in the Nasdaq and NYSE Group as well as nine S&P 500 sectors. Nasdaq – short interest ↑ 0.5% p/p; Nasdaq composite ↑ 0.1% … Continued
Eight years old! The bull market in U.S. equities, that is. After a harrowing 57-percent collapse that began in October 2007, the S&P 500 large cap index bottomed at an intraday low of 666.79 on March 6, 2009. Tuesday, it … Continued
Chart 1 shows decent relationship between year-over-year change in the S&P 500 large cap index and the ISM manufacturing index. U.S. manufacturing activity has picked up – from 49.4 last August to 57.5 in February. The 8.3-point six-month jump is … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of February 28, 2017. 10-year note: By Friday last week, fed funds futures were putting the odds of a rate hike in the upcoming FOMC meeting (March 14-15) at 34 percent. By Monday, … Continued
Here is a brief review of period-over-period change in short interest in the February 1-15 period in the Nasdaq and NYSE Group as well as nine S&P 500 sectors. Nasdaq – short interest ↑ 1.4% p/p; Nasdaq composite ↑ 3.6% … Continued
The Dow Industrials is on pace to creating history this week. Last Friday, it rose for 11 sessions in a row, for a cumulative gain of 3.8 percent. The longest streak was recorded in January 1987 when it rallied 11 … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of February 21, 2017. 10-year note: Are we in for a March shock? Post-FOMC minutes on Wednesday, fed funds futures were pricing in a 32-percent chance of a rate hike in the March … Continued