With Big Gains In Stocks, Major Tech Companies On Schedule To Report 4Q23 Earnings, FOMC Likely To Disappoint Equity Bulls

It is an FOMC week. The meeting is taking place at a time when markets are demanding aggressive cuts this year and the Fed is saying ‘no way’. Financial conditions have eased tremendously, and the central bank probably does not … Continued

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

Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of January 23, 2024. 10-year note: Currently net short 784.7k, down 104.7k. Next week, the FOMC meets. This is the first meeting this year, and seven more – the scheduled ones – remain. … Continued

With Huge Gains In Share Prices Past 3 Months, Leading Tech Heavyweights Report Next Week; Shorts Likely To Get Active

posted in: Economy, Equities, Technicals | 0

Several tech heavyweights, including AAPL and MSFT, report next week. With massive weights in indices such as the Nasdaq 100, their reports will matter. Earnings estimates have held up better than for the S&P 500 index itself. That said, they … Continued

S&P 500 Posts New High, More Gains Likely Near Term; Mid- To Long-Term, Up To If Recent +VE Trends In Margin Debt And Flows Continue

posted in: Credit, Equities, Technicals | 0

The S&P 500 last week joined its peers to break out to new highs. More gains are likely in the near term. Mid-to long-term prospects are dependent on if the recent improvement seen in margin debt and equity flows persists. … Continued

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

Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of January 16, 2024. 10-year note: Currently net short 889.4k, up 102.4k. At an annualized $709.9 billion, December’s retail sales were strong, better than expected and set a record. January’s preliminary count showed … Continued

Post-Pivot Spike In S&P 500-Focused ETF Flows Losing Steam – Bound To Catch Up With US Equity Indices At/Near Highs

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

The December 13th Fed pivot lit a fire under risk assets, leading equity shorts to cover and ETF inflows to jump. Flows, however, began to turn negative as the new year began. This does not help the equity bulls, even … Continued

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

Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of January 9, 2024. 10-year note: Currently net short 787k, down 45.6k. The 200-day moving average (4.06 percent), which coincides with horizontal resistance at 4.1 percent, is standing like a rock. Since this … Continued

Persistently Lowered 4Q23 Earnings Bar Likely To Help S&P 500 Break Out, Bulls Hope This Is Not Used As Opportunity To Lock In Gains

posted in: Economy, Equities, Technicals | 0

The S&P 500 – a stone’s throw away from a fresh high – has gone sideways the past two weeks at just under 4800. Thursday’s CPI-induced selloff was bought. Persistently lowered 4Q23 earnings estimates can act as a tailwind for … Continued

Nasdaq 100 Retreats Shortly After Eclipsing Nov ’21 Record, S&P 500 Comes Within Spitting Distance of Jan ’22 Peak

posted in: Equities, Technicals | 0

Equities stumble out of the 2024 blocks. In the final sessions of December, the major US indices had either just broken out to new highs or were close to doing that. It remains to be seen if the weakness since … Continued