Canadian Dollar Benefits from Economic Rebound But Has Significant Risk

The U.S. dollar versus the Canadian dollar (USD/CAD) closed the week at a 9-month low.

“It would be a difficult place for policy, and my sense is that the markets are not really onto the complexity of it. It seems a little too easy that ‘Oh. Interest rates could decline and that will make everything OK.’ That may be true for the small kind of shocks that we’ve had so … Read more

A Widening Breakout for Home Builders

The iShares Dow Jones Home Construction ETF (ITB) gained 1.7% and broke out to a (marginal) 12-month high.

The breakout for home builders started with M.D.C. Holdings (MDC). MDC raised guidance and put strong emphasis on the positive expectations for its next earnings report. With analysts overwhelmingly bearish on the stock, the stock had plenty of upside surprise potential. The pent-up demand created a tremendous upward surge. Additional home builders are joining what … Read more

M.D.C. Holdings Smashes Through the Seasonal Top for Home Builders

M.D.C. Holdings (MDC) jumped to a 6-year high on the heels of a major earnings guidance surprise.

I have written plenty this year about the seasonal top in home builders. I even drew up a game plan to trade this pattern in a way to pay for the bullish trade that opens up during the period of seasonal strength. That seasonal top took its first good hit with a positive pre-earnings announcement … Read more

The Whiplash from Lennar Q2 Earnings Presents An Opportunity

The Good When Lennar (LEN) reported earnings on June 25th, the stock market responded with the kind of hesitation and whiplash symbolic of the seasonal topping pattern in place for home builders. The first reaction was celebratory as LEN gapped upward and rallied as high 3.6%. The initial reporting on LEN earnings focused on all … Read more

Leadership Change at Turkey’s Central Bank Means Fresh Lira Weakness

The week of trading in foreign exchange began with the shock announcement of a leadership change at the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT). Murat Uysal, the Deputy Governor since June 9, 2016, was promoted to Governor. Uysal replaced Murat Cetinkaya who had been Governor since April, 2016. Cetinkaya actively resisted calls from … Read more