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

Nasdaq 100 Getting Oversold – Turning XLK Credit Call Spread Into Iron Condor

posted in: Derivatives, Equities, Technicals | 0

Risks are building medium- to long-term, but the Nasdaq 100 is getting oversold on the daily chart. After major U.S. equity indices reversed on February 9, tech-heavy indices were the only ones to rally to new highs. The Nasdaq 100 … Continued

Long And Short Of Short Interest

posted in: Equities, Technicals | 0

Here is a brief review of period-over-period change in short interest in the March 1-15 period in nine S&P 500 sectors. XLB (SPDR materials ETF) During last week’s selling, XLB (57.17) not only lost the 200-day moving average but also … 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

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

Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of March 13, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 271.4k, down 90.8k. Once again, 10-year Treasury yields are retreating from important resistance.  Caught in a three-decade-old descending channel, the 10-year rate came very … Continued

Corporate Debt Issuance Softens Further In February, Spreads Do Not Signal Stress

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

U.S. corporate debt issuance continued to decelerate in February.  High-yield spreads are not pointing to stress in the system. After January’s $133.7 billion, February issuance slowed down to $84.3 billion.  As a result, the first two-month total, comprised of $184 … Continued

Perfect Timing Tool They Are Not, But Several Metrics Stretched In 9-Year-Old Bull

posted in: Credit, Economy, Equities | 0

The bull market in U.S. stocks is nine years old.  While this alone does not necessarily sound the death knell for this aging bull, this is not a time to remain unambiguously sanguine either. Last Friday, the bull turned nine, … Continued