Peek into future through futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of April 7, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: Interesting times, indeed!  Mexico this week issued a 100-year bond denominated in euros.  This is not the first time that nation has tapped … Continued

Limp signal out of vol of vol, but VIX:VXV probably sides with bulls N/T

posted in: Derivatives, Equities | 0

Both bulls and bears holding on to turf; S&P 500 remains range-bound VIX:VXV pokes head out of oversold zone but unable to make further progress Volatility of volatility jumped to highest four months ago; in no-man’s land currently Bulls and … Continued

Peek into future through futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of March 31, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: At some point, the streak had to end.  For 12 months to February, U.S. non-farm payroll grew 200k-plus month-over-month.  Consensus was for that … Continued

SMH still range-bound short-term, Fib possible roadblock medium- to long-term

posted in: Equities, Technicals | 0

SMH’s latest rally attempt gets rejected at underside of broken Oct 2014 trendline Past 3 months, some semi outfits have seen estimates revised up, some down ETF has retraced 61.8% of Mar 00-Nov 08 decline; may mean pause/stop In the … Continued

Dynamics between margin debt, inventories and C&I loans

posted in: Credit, Economy | 0

Margin debt jumps $20bn in Feb to nearly match all-time high a year ago Interesting, tight correlation between margin debt and U.S. banks’ C&I loans Rise in inventories-to-sales ratio probably suggests imminent slowdown in C&I loans NYSE margin debt shot … Continued

U.S. corporations setting aside fewer profit dollars for software, R&D

posted in: Economy | 0

Share of U.S. corporate profits in national income barely off all-time highs Share of software plus R&D in U.S. private fixed investment falling since 2009 As good a hint as any for corporates to send current margins unsustainable long term? … Continued

Peer into future through futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of March 24, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: After what these traders heard out of the FOMC last week, they decided to step on the accelerator.  Net shorts went up 67 … Continued

Bids show up on SMH on support, asks likely will show up on resistance

posted in: Economy, Equities, Technicals | 0

Semi rout after months of decline in orders for business capX proxy From INTC to TSM to SNDK, semi heavyweights pointing out biz slowdown SMH shorts stand no chance until longs are bothered by worsening earnings scene It is not … Continued

Imminent (?) breakout retest on RUT probably validates bullish small-cap thesis

posted in: Derivatives, Equities, Technicals | 0

Small-caps relative outperformer past several weeks Hard to make fundamental case, but technically RUT acts very well Ideal, and probable, scenario: RUT pulls back for successful retest of recent breakout There is something very interesting going on in the small-cap … Continued

Peek into future through futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of March 17, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: What a week!  In four out of the five sessions, the 10-year yield fell – down 18 basis points for the week.  On … Continued