Later this morning, August’s NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business) optimism index is published. July was 95.4, up 1.3 points month-over-month. The index has been under pressure since the recovery high of 100.4 reached last December. The last time it … Continued
The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of September 1, 2015. Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: The IMF is at it again. This week, it reiterated its stance that advanced economies should maintain accommodative monetary policies. By that it … Continued
2134.72. That is the all-time record the S&P 500 Index (1948.86) notched on May 20. It is possible in the annals of stock market history this high will be viewed with the same level of trepidation/respect as 1553.11 (March 2000 … Continued
It is damage control time for small-cap investors. When on August 14 August 21st weekly 119 puts were hypothetically sold for $0.92, IWM, the iShares Russell 2000 Index, was trading at $119.62. If the short put got assigned, it was … Continued
The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of August 25, 2015. Change is week-over-week. (Please keep in mind that these holdings are as of Tuesday. By then, from high to low the S&P 500 was down 12.5 percent. In … Continued
There is a lot going on in the land of volatility. Readings are extreme. On Monday, VIX, the S&P 500 Volatility Index, surged to the highest since January 2009 (Chart 1), and RVX, the Russell 2000 Volatility Index, to the … Continued
Velocity of declines in equities breakneck and unsettling Worse scenario is if oversold bounce/rally gets sold hard near resistance If consumer/CEO confidence is impaired, Fed’s tool box empty to tackle weaker economy Another interesting session in the markets! Stocks picked … Continued
The following are futures positions of non-commercials contained in the Commitment of Traders report as of August 18, 2015. Change is week-over-week. (Please note that these holdings are as of Tuesday. The S&P 500 swooned six percent in the next … Continued
The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of August 11, 2015. Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: How might the renminbi devaluation impact the Fed’s desire to hike rates this year? The devaluation is at least disinflationary as far U.S. … Continued
An options trade may be brewing on IWM, the iShares Russell 2000 ETF. In the July 15-31 period, shorts’ bearish bet on IWM paid off. Short interest went up nearly five percent during the period. The ETF fell 2.1 percent, … Continued