Can bulls continue to climb wall of elevated short interest worry?

posted in: Equities | 0

Bull markets need fuel for continued push higher. Money can leave other asset classes, such as bonds, and into stocks.  Or, they can come out of, let us say, money-market funds into stocks.  Foreigners can raise net purchases of U.S. … Continued

Peek into future through futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of February 10 (Tuesday).  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: The 10-year yield tacked on another seven basis points for the week.  Daily indicators are now grossly overbought.  It is also right at … Continued

XLY, RTH break out — will consumers splurge gas windfall?

posted in: Economy, Equities, Technicals | 0

Retail sales soft in Jan – first back-to-back m/m drop since mid-12 Consumers not quite ready to do away with savings from low gas price XLY, RTH break out, betting consumers will end up spending gas windfall U.S. retail sales … Continued

Has margin debt peaked? Can have repercussions for stocks, C&I loans

posted in: Credit, Equities | 0

Sideways movement in margin debt a sign investors’ risk appetite waning? 35-year correlation between stocks and margin debt of 0.95, 2014 was only 0.28 In 2000 and 2007, peak in margin debt preceded peak in C&I loans by one-plus year … Continued

A peek into future through the futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of February 3 (Tuesday).  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: The 10-year yield has risen from 1.65 to 1.94 in five sessions.  But it also dropped 52 basis points in January, and that … Continued

Breakout or fake-out? To find out, oil needs to retreat and find support at 47

Signs late last week WTI itching to move higher play out perfectly Oil as much a physical commodity as it is for investment/speculative purposes After 20-plus-percent move in four sessions, healthy if it retreats and finds support at 47 Some … Continued

With powerful reversal yesterday, stocks’ path of least resistance up N/T

posted in: Derivatives, Equities, Technicals | 0

U.S. stocks shake off early weakness before carving out major reversal Bulls step up to plate, refuse to give away support zones on major indices VIX and ISEE index suggest stocks’ path of least resistance probably up N/T If you … Continued

Onus on bulls to regroup — little margin of error this week

posted in: Equities, Technicals | 0

Major U.S. indices approaching/sitting on/slightly under critical technical levels U.S. indices give back Eurozone QE gains; key would be if European bourses do so U.S. bulls probably swimming against tide for now, but technical damage not irreparable U.S. equity indices … Continued

A peek into future through the futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of January 27 (Tuesday).  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: Can we say squeeze?  Since the end of December, net shorts have dropped 59 percent, even as the 10-year yield has collapsed 50 … Continued

Core PCE inflation struggles to get to 2% despite $4tn expansion in Fed’s balance sheet

Disinflationary/deflationary pressures intensifying globally Fed favorite core PCE inflation persistently under two percent despite three QE’s Bonds do not see inflation as far as eye can see, signal slowdown in activity; stocks continue merry way Monday morning, investors will learn … Continued