All-Time Highs Leave Bear Cycle Behind With Breadth In Catch-Up Mode

Stock Market Commentary A week ago I pointed out the key signs suggesting the bear cycle was likely already ending. Last week, the S&P 500 (SPY) confirmed the end of the bear cycle with fresh all-time highs. Yet, consistent with this year’s theme, market breadth was left behind in catch-up mode. The momentum on both … Read more

Warnings from Early Divergences in the Oversold Bounce – Above the 40 (July 23, 2021)

Stock Market Commentary The oversold bounce last week exceeded my expectations. I did not expect the week to end with the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ hitting fresh all-time highs. Both indices seemed to offer limited upside for trading oversold conditions.The oversold bounce also disappointed me. I looked to beaten up stocks as the source … Read more

Fades and Breakdowns Contradict The Calm of the S&P 500 – Above the 40 (May 7, 2021)

Stock Market Commentary The stock market is a cauldron of contradictions and divergences. Breakdowns below key support levels abound. Stocks suffer post-earnings fades even after companies report strong results, especially in both beaten up growth stocks and resilient big cap tech. Yet, the S&P 500 just rises above the steady erosion of market breadth with … Read more

The Stock Market Continues to Digest Inflation Fears – Above the 40 (March 19, 2021)

Stock Market Commentary A great stock market divergence continued last week. However, the market overall is looking more and more resilient as it continues to digest inflation fears. Even the biggest victim of the great divergence, the NASDAQ (COMPQX), remains well above its lows for the month. A very dovish session with Federal Reserve Chair … Read more

Micro-Bubbles Slicing Through Overbought Trading Signals – Above the 40 (January 22, 2021)

Stock Market Commentary The stock market gapped up and never looked back in the wake of the Presidential Inauguration. Subsequently, buyers produced mixed follow-through for two days. Big cap tech defied the narrative of a rotation into value and industrial names by delivering the most convincing follow-through. A third drop from overbought conditions in a … Read more

Weakening Overbought Conditions Greet the New Year – Above the 40 (December 31, 2020)

Stock Market Commentary The extended overbought period still looks tenuous. For the second trading day in a row, AT40 (T2108), the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs), broke down below the overbought threshold of 70% before closing at 73.0%. The major indices do not reveal these weakening overbought conditions. The … Read more

An Extended Overbought Rally Moves Into Historic Territory (Above the 40) – December 18, 2020

Stock Market Commentary The Federal Reserve signaled an incremental improvement in its economic outlook by making an allowance for limited stock repurchases and dividends by the country’s top financial institutions. As a result, bank stocks apparently soared in after hours trading. That fresh rally in financials should extend to a positive open on Monday and … Read more

Key Overbought Threshold for the Stock Market In Time for the Holidays – Above the 40 (December 11, 2020)

Stock Market Commentary A week ago, the stock market stretched into an extended overbought rally. The stock market proceeded to relax from that stretch. Yet, the breadth indicators barely budged and allowed the overbought rally to reach a key overbought threshold and test of the extended overbought rally. The overbought period reached 20 days in … Read more

A Gathering Storm of Confirmed 50DMA Breakdowns Fail to Trigger Oversold Signal – Above the 40 (October 30, 2020)

Stock Market Statistics AT40 = 26.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 44.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs (8-month high) VIX = 38.0 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Stock Market Commentary A little over a week ago, the stock market looked poised to launch higher … Read more

A Stock Market Warming Up from A Period of Cooling – Above the 40 (October 23, 2020)

Stock Market Statistics AT40 = 59.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 55.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs (8-month high) VIX = 27.6 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Stock Market Commentary The stock market cooling continued all of last week. After a sharp one-day pullback … Read more