From trade disputes to declining corporate profits to yield-curve inversion, there is no shortage of issues for worrywarts to worry about. From recent highs, major US equity indices have dropped in the mid- to high-single digits. Medium term, more downside … Continued
Stocks rallied for three months in defiance of deteriorating macro data. By essentially putting an end to the tightening cycle, the Fed is acknowledging this. Stocks could be the next. What just happened? Many are probably asking that question after … Continued
Thursday’s retail sales data likely poured more gasoline into the recession-fear fire. The cycle is getting long in the tooth. Risks are rising. The expansion has lasted for nearly a decade. Contraction is just a matter of when not if. … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of December 18, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 380.8k, down 13k. With pressure growing from diverse quarters, including the White House, to stay pat in this week’s meeting, the Fed went ahead … Continued
The FOMC meets this week. A 25-basis-point hike is expected, so is a shift to a dovish bias. Watch out if stocks, beaten up the past two and a half months, cannot rally on this, and/or shorts quickly show up … Continued
The S&P 500 hurriedly jumped 6.4 percent in seven sessions. Impatient bulls essentially handed out shorts an opportunity to once again show up at 2800. The risk is the downside, but it is likely 2800-2600 remains intact in the next … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of July 3, 2018. 10-year note: Currently net short 500.1k, up 144.8k. Minutes for the June 12-13 FOMC meeting were released last Thursday. The Fed raised interest rates in that meeting. This was … Continued
Ten-year Treasury yields rallied last week to right underneath the top end of a three-decade-old channel. A breakout has to wait for now. The 13-basis-point jump last week was big, and probably took many by surprise. At one point, yields … Continued
The chart below has fodder for both bulls and bears. At least going back to the last three decades – encompassing three recessions, including Great Recession – there have been five occasions in which the spot West Texas Intermediate crude … Continued
While there are some signs of near-term capitulation in equities – further raising odds of continuation of rally post-Wednesday reversal – it is perhaps also time to ruminate over why markets started the year all jittery and restless. From intra-day … Continued