Small-caps have come alive in the past month, with the caveat that the Russell 2000 small cap index is still 1.4 percent from its all-time high of July. The bulls’ best hope near term: squeeze non-commercials. Post-U.S. presidential election last … Continued
The US dollar index (93.44) of late is showing some nice price action. Will it be enough to lead non-commercials to begin to accumulate net longs in US dollar index futures? A sustained rally can reverberate through a whole host … Continued
Once again, XLF (SPDR financial ETF) has been denied at resistance that goes back a decade. In December 2015, for the first time since July 2006, the Fed raised the fed funds rate. It was a 25-basis-point increase to a … Continued
The US dollar index, pretty much dancing to its own tune since peaking early this year, likely sits at a crucial level technically. The U.S. economy added stronger-than-expected 222,000 non-farm jobs in June. Friday, the US dollar index pretty much … Continued
The House pushed through a bill last Thursday aiming at getting rid of many of the Dodd-Frank reforms implemented post-Great Recession. The bill probably does not pass the Senate, but the very idea of less/lax regulations lit a fire under … Continued
U.S. financials are acting lethargic but they have so far managed to cling on to potentially crucial support. Post-presidential election last November, a fire was lit under U.S. financials. Intraday between November 9 and March 2, XLF, the SPDR financial … Continued
U.S. real GDP grew 0.7 percent in 1Q17. This was the weakest quarter since a negative reading three years ago. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model forecasts growth snapping back to 4.1 percent in 2Q17. Irrespective of quarterly swings, growth remains … Continued
After having left the fed funds rate near zero for seven long years, the Fed seemingly has shifted to a tightening bias. In agreement, non-commercials in eurodollar futures are aggressively betting that rates are headed higher. Are they right? Since … Continued
The US dollar index (cash) acts confused. Later today, it is all but certain that the Fed announces a hike in the fed funds rate. This would be the third increase since December 2015, when for the first time since … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of December 13, 2016. 10-year note: With the Fed this week having raised by 25 basis points the fed funds target rate to a range of 0.5 percent to 0.75 percent, its conventional … Continued