Retail ETF shows signs of finally catching up to weakening retail sales

U.S. retail sales disappoint again – has not grown four out of last five months Not much correlation between gasoline price and personal consumption expenditures RTH, which had diverged from weakening retail sales, has been weakening past seven weeks U.S. … Continued

Option strategy to benefit from laid-back XLE versus chirpy WTI

Since spot West Texas Intermediate crude broke out of 54 mid-April, it has continued to add to gains, even as XLE, the energy SPDR ETF, has gone sideways/down. Since that major push through four-month consolidation in the middle of April, … Continued

Peek into future through futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of April 21, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: Are bond vigilantes expecting a hawkish tone from the FOMC next week?  The latter meets on 28-29.  For the most part, macro data … Continued

Peek into future through futures

The following are futures positions of non-commercials as of April 14, 2015.  Change is week-over-week. 10-year note: The 10-year yield fell in all five sessions.  Friday could have been different as March core CPI was initially treated as hawkish, but … Continued

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

Pace of energy job cuts slowing, even as hourly earnings holding up, what gives?

posted in: Commodities, Economy, Equities | 0

Energy stocks correlate with oil price; former holding up better in current decline Sector job cuts mediocre; oil and extraction hourly earnings another high in Feb Companies acting as if bottom is in for oil; investors buying into this optimism … 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