The sell-side, as well as equity bulls, have high hopes for S&P 500 earnings next year. Even if they come through, the gap between GAAP and non-GAAP will persist. US corporate profits adjusted for inventory valuation and capital consumption snapped … Continued
With investor sentiment elevated and help from the Fed, margin debt and foreigners, major US equity indexes remain near highs. Bulls are positioning for a Santa rally, followed by the onset of 4Q earnings season in the first half next … Continued
After the sharp contraction in economic activity in the early months this year, inventories are running low. Growth gets a tailwind as they get rebuilt. There is tight correlation between economic growth and corporate profits. Stocks are anticipating this. Home … Continued
Small-caps and tech continue to diverge. Post-vaccine news, longs are gravitating toward the former and leaving the latter. Amidst this, signs of fatigue are also showing up on the S&P 500, while VIX acts like it wants to rally. The … Continued
Stocks increasingly are beginning to price in a possible democratic sweep on November 3. Both small- and large-caps staged important technical breakouts last week. They are liking the prospect of more stimulus, that is rising budget deficit. If this scenario … Continued
US corporate profits collapsed 21 percent in the first half this year. Directionally, this is in line with operating earnings estimates for S&P 500 companies. In the latter’s case, the revision trend has improved the past two and a half … Continued
The recent selloff in equities has come at a time of elevated Fed balance sheet, stabilizing earnings estimates and improving macro data. Either stocks believe these positives are not lasting or they are falling under their own weight, as they … Continued
Economic data are coming in mixed after recent lows. In the aggregate, there is no V as far as the economy is concerned. In contrast, the S&P 500 completed a perfect V, which came about over six months. As things … Continued
Last week, the Russell 2000 jumped 3.6 percent, while the Nasdaq 100 slid 1.8 percent. If investors are indeed moving away from tech toward small-caps, this is no good news for markets as a whole. The five largest US companies … Continued
In the latest period, Nasdaq/QQQ shorts went on an offensive. The index/ETF rallied to a fresh high last Friday. Longs are salivating over the jump in short interest as yet another squeeze opportunity. In the past, zealous bears have repeatedly … Continued