Commodities

New Pressures for the Stock Market Despite Fade in Concerning Signals – Above the 40 (September 27, 2019)

AT40 = 61.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs)AT200 = 52.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 17.2Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bearish (caveats below) Stock Market Commentary A Conditionally Bearish Breakdown Friday’s trading action triggered my prime condition for flipping bearish. AT40 (T2108), the percentage of stocks … Read more

A Concerning Set of Signals: Gold, Silver, Bonds, and Currencies

The Australian dollar vs Japanese yen (AUD/JPY) enjoyed just a brief 50DMA breakout and now looks poised to retest recent lows.

The economic data continue to worsen in Europe. While it is difficult to find signs of concern in U.S. markets, wariness is etched in a few key corners of financial markets. Precious Signals Notably, the precious metals gold and silver look ready for a fresh upward push. Gold and silver can perform well in times … Read more

Surging Oil Helps Nudge the Stock Market Into Overbought Conditions – Above the 40 (September 16, 2019)

The United States Oil Fund (USO) soared to a near 4-month high in the wake of a drone strike on Saudi oil facilities.

AT40 = 70.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) (Day #1 overbought)AT200 = 59.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs (13-month high)VIX = 14.7Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary Oil Soars When I wrote my last Above the 40 post, I knew about the drone strike on … Read more

An Obvious Stock Market Breakout Leaves Open Questions – Above the 40 (September 6, 2019)

AT40 = 49.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 48.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 15.0Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary One Obvious Pattern to Another The S&P 500 (SPY) and the NASDAQ (COMPQX) transitioned from an obvious trading range to an obvious … Read more

The 401K Stock Market Loses Some Faith As Divergence Flips – Above the 40 (August 27, 2019)

AT40 (T2108) closed below Friday's precipitous low, making my favorite technical indicator look finally ready to drop to oversold trading conditions.

AT40 = 28.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 39.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs (2-month low)VIX = 20.3Short-term Trading Call: neutral (from cautiously bullish) Stock Market Commentary The 401K stock market’s ugly sandwich just got a bit soggy. My premise for clinging to a … Read more

A Manic Stock Market Leaves Behind An Extreme August Drawdown – Above the 40 (August 9, 2019)

Much ado about nothing? The 15-minute chart of the S&P 500 (SPY) shows the gory details of a manic swoon to a near flat close for the week.

AT40 = 37.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 46.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 18.0Short-term Trading Call: neutral (caveats below!) Stock Market Commentary The S&P 500 (SPY) ended the week almost where it started. In between the bookends, the market gyrated wildly … Read more

Fed Waffling and Trade War Expansion Reject Market from Overbought – Above the 40 (August 1, 2019)

The S&P 500 (SPY) lost 3.1% for the week. Buyers just barely pushed the index off its intraday low to on Friday to close above 50DMA support.

AT40 = 41.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 49.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 17.6 (high of 20.1)Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary A Pause of Recognition I am writing about financial markets at a time when there is renewed pain … Read more

Iron Ore Related Trades Are Looking Toppy All Over Again

The threat of Chinese resistance to sky high iron prices was just enough to put a halt to a parabolic run-up in prices. After a sharp drop, iron ore prices quickly rebounded and have remained relatively flat for about two weeks. The stocks of related iron-ore companies turned around after an initial sharp sell-off. Last … Read more

Iron Ore Stocks, Australian Dollar Fall After Chinese Steel Mills Resist

Iron Ore Resistance Iron ore prices have been on a tear this year, and China’s steel mills are not going to take it anymore. According to Reuters: “…eight steel mills will create an investigation group, led by Baowu and assisted by the others, to look into the pricing methodology of imported iron ore, to coordinate … Read more

From Loitering to Breakout: Stocks Look for Bad News Worthy of Rate Cuts – Above the 40 (June 21, 2019)

AT40 = 53.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 50.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 15.4Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary The stock market is officially in bizarro world. The stock market is breathlessly rallying in anticipation of rate cuts that will come … Read more