Post-Brexit two-session sell-off in stocks was a clear risk-off. The S&P 500 large cap index dropped 5.3 percent in those two sessions. The subsequent four-session, 5.1-percent surge through last Friday was risk-on. Risk-off quickly followed by risk-on! The average investor … Continued
XLP, the SPDR consumer staples ETF, just made a new all-time high on May 10th before backing off, and coming down hard. In contrast, most major U.S. indices peaked last year, and some even earlier, like the Dow Transports, which … Continued
“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” The above remark is often attributed to John Maynard Keynes, the British economist, although some dispute it. Regardless who said it, it is a nice quote. More … Continued
To say that SPY, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, has been volatile in recent weeks is an understatement. Intra-day, between the December 29th high and the January 20th low, the ETF shed nearly 13 percent… in 15 sessions. Like that. … Continued
Since the August 24th low in U.S. stocks and the subsequent rally, some signs of risk-on are visible, but small-caps are substantially lagging large-caps. In Chart 1, a product of XLV (healthcare), XLU (utilities) and XLP (consumer staples) is divided … Continued
Markets tend to be either risk-on or risk-off. For the most part, anyway. One of the ways market participants can keep a pulse on risk-taking – or a lack thereof – is by simply looking at which sectors are outperforming. … Continued
From the mid-May high of $49.75 to the low this Monday of $47.46, XLP, the SPDR Consumer Staples ETF, quickly lost 4.6 percent. In three weeks! Monday produced a doji, right around its 200-day moving average. By that time, daily … Continued
From a bear call spread to now short IWM, the iShares Russell 2000 ETF, a decision time is at hand. Hypothetically on May 26th, a June 5th 125/126.50 bear call spread was opened for a credit of $0.56 (short 125 … Continued
The Consumer Discretionary SPDR ETF (XLY) made an all-time high of 77.89 toward the end of April, and has more or less traded sideways in the past three months – closing Monday at 76.52. This ETF is an important one … Continued
Buy-the-dippers have been a roadblock to shorts’ success. It is probably not an exaggeration to say that the prevailing buy-the-dip mentality in U.S. equities has done to this bull market what oxygen does to a fire. When O is present, … Continued