In 1Q16, the S&P 500 large cap index edged up 0.8 percent. Not much. But considering that the year got off on the wrong foot, quickly losing north of 11 percent by January 20th, this was quite a comeback (Chart … Continued
Oil bulls must have breathed a heavy sigh of relief on Tuesday as crucial support held. But would the U.S. dollar poop the crude party? On its way to collapsing 76 percent since June 2014 through the February 11th low, … Continued
The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of March 8, 2016. Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: The FOMC meets next week, and it is a given. They will stand pat on interest rate, but the dot plot likely sees … Continued
In the prior reporting period (Jan 15-29), short interest on XLE, the SPDR Energy ETF, collapsed just north of 17 percent to 40.7 million (Chart 1). During the period, the ETF dropped 8.1 percent through the January 20th intra-day low, … Continued
SPY, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, has essentially gone sideways since January 20th. That was the first low of the year after a 12-session, 11-percent waterfall drop. A subsequent eight-session rally had the ETF rally to $194.58, before it again … Continued
While there are some signs of near-term capitulation in equities – further raising odds of continuation of rally post-Wednesday reversal – it is perhaps also time to ruminate over why markets started the year all jittery and restless. From intra-day … Continued
Traders – the good ones – must be having a field day. Stocks are swinging wildly. IWM, the iShares Russell 2000 ETF, fell 11 percent during August 17-24, then rallied nearly 10 percent by September 17, fell again – nearly … Continued
Gold is anything but golden these days. It has lost its luster. Not the metal, of course; it still glitters. As an asset, however, it is down in the dumps. Since its peak in September 2011 through the low this … Continued
U.S. small-caps have been through a lot in recent months. Chart 1 says it all. Will that change following Tuesday’s huge reversal? Since the Russell 2000 Index (1224.6) broke the mid-October 2014 trend line toward the end of April, it … Continued
When VIX (12.22), the S&P 500 Volatility Index, spiked past 20 nine sessions ago, there was a lot of chatter as to if this time the breakout was real. It was not. In the subsequent eight sessions since that peak, … Continued