Covered Call On IWM After Bloody Week

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After last week’s bloodbath in stocks, Friday brought a small consolation for small-cap investors.  Maybe. During the week, IWM, the iShares Russell 2000 ETF, lost major support – which is three percent away.  The 118-119 support goes back to March last … Continued

COT: Peek Into Future Through Futures

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

Post-Exercise Of Naked Weekly Short Put, Selling IWM

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Small-caps were big laggards last week.  IWM, the iShares Russell 2000 ETF, lost 2.5 percent, versus drops of 1.3 percent for the S&P 500 Index, 1.8 percent for the Dow Industrials and 1.7 percent for the Nasdaq Composite, among others. … Continued

COT: Peek Into Future Through Futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of August 4, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell told CNBC on Wednesday that he has not made up his mind yet on whether interest rates should … Continued

COT: Peek Into Future Through Futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of July 28, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: The following from the FOMC statement drew a lot of attention: “The Committee anticipates that it will be appropriate to raise the target … Continued

In Wake Of Huge Tuesday Reversal, Short Put On IWM

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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

Peek Into Future Through Futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of July 21, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: Is global growth slowing?  The ongoing slump in commodities seems to suggest that.  In this scenario, it would make sense for investors to … Continued

Volatility’s Volatile Journey Of Late — Where To From Here?

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Of late, volatility has been volatile. In the past month, VIX, the S&P 500 Volatility Index, has done a complete round trip – surging 68 percent in 11 sessions and then giving it all back in the next eight.  As … Continued

Peek Into Future Through Futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of July 14, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: Fed Chair Janet Yellen during her mid-week Humphrey-Hawkins testimony reiterated her desire to hike interest rates later this year, if data cooperate.  On … Continued

COT: Peek Into Future Through Futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of July 7, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: After the June FOMC minutes were released, investors pushed back expectations for the first interest rate hike to March next year.  The minutes … Continued