S&P 500 companies spent $198 billion in buybacks in 1Q, up 9.3 percent sequentially. Given the uncertainty surrounding stocks and the economy, this must come as a nice surprise. Concurrently, there has been a jump in recent months in C&I … Continued
Unless a coronavirus vaccine is miraculously developed at record time, a V-shaped recovery in the economy is not probable. Yet, stocks seem to be anticipating one. The Fed is flooding the system with liquidity. Stocks have rallied massively off of … Continued
US reliance on debt is growing. Having already just about used up the conventional monetary tool and a massive balance sheet, the Fed is looking for new tools – a la Japan. Stocks’ reaction function to Japanification is key. At … Continued
Amid continued signs of macro deceleration, next year’s estimates for small-caps continue higher. The Russell 2000 index, however, is not quite buying this optimism. Last week, it led its large-cap peers, but remains under crucial resistance. Should small-caps come under … Continued
The S&P 500 is within striking distance of a new high, even as margin debt is substantially below last May’s record high. Concurrently, unlike in the past, VIX refuses to sustainably drop to high single digits/low double digits. Margin debt … Continued
There was a massive drop in money-market assets last week. This is a potential green shoot should this continue, although bulls could not quite cash in on it last week. The mother of all potential green shoots – foreigners – … Continued
The sharp decline in US stocks last October-December forced the Fed to do a 360 as relates to its campaign to tighten monetary policy. The dovish shift apparently wants to unleash animal spirits. Investors have obliged – thus far. Will … Continued
Thursday’s retail sales data likely poured more gasoline into the recession-fear fire. The cycle is getting long in the tooth. Risks are rising. The expansion has lasted for nearly a decade. Contraction is just a matter of when not if. … Continued
As US stocks continue reaching new – and newer – heights, margin debt continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Equity bulls are riding the debt wave, even as bears point to the suffering it will cause eventually. FINRA (Financial … Continued
There are some interesting dynamics in play in the small-cap sector – encompassing both fundamentals and technicals. Post-tax cuts of last December, earnings estimates were sharply revised higher. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was signed into law … Continued