The Surprising Implications of Periods of Extremely Low Volatility – A Year of Records

Trying to chase volatility higher has been like chasing fancy footwork. The S&P 500 (SPY) last completed a drawdown of 5% or more on November 4, 2016. That ended a period of pre-election weakness that began in early to mid-August, 2016. The last drawdown of 5% or more before that occurred around Brexit when the … Read more

ShotSpotter: Bracing for A Bear Raid

ShotSpotter (SSTI) first came to my attention three months ago. After reviewing the company’s first earnings as a public company, I became convinced that the company’s gun detection technology and business had enough potential to be worth a speculative investment. I proceeded to accumulate shares at lower prices and at a higher price ahead of … Read more

Above the 40 (November 17, 2017) – The Stock Market Sharply Switches to A Bullish Divergence

AT40 = 47.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 54.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 11.4 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Commentary The S&P 500 (SPY) failed to follow-through on Thursday’s snapback rally, but a bullish divergence kept the short-term prospects looking good. … Read more

Above the 40 (November 16, 2017) – A Swift Break from the Market’s Downward Drip

AT40 = 45.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 53.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 11.8 (10.4% loss) Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Commentary It was one of THOSE days for anyone or anything standing in the way of the buyers. Source: Twitter … Read more

Above the 40 (November 15, 2017) – A Stock Market That Wants to Drop

AT40 = 41.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 51.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 13.1 (as high as 14.5) Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Commentary The narrowing rally in the stock market has officially resolved into a sell-off. The downward slide is … Read more