Oil Looms Over Everything: Energy Prices Pressure Stocks, Commodities, and Bonds – The Market Breadth

oil looms over everything - the market breadth

The Market Breadth Summary Stock Market Commentary Oil prices loom over financial markets. Oil prices are being driven largely by whether the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed following Iran’s retaliation against attacks by the U.S. and Israel. The inverse correlation over the last two weeks has been clear: oil prices up, stock prices down … Read more

Market Fears Expand: War, Soaring Oil, Lost Jobs, AI Tops Out – The Market Breadth

volatility index (VIX)

The Market Breadth Summary Stock Market Commentary Market fears expanded last week as converging headwinds took their toll on a market that insists on buying every dip. The best example of buying persistence came with the market’s first regular trading session after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. The S&P 500 gapped down at Monday’s … Read more

RAAX: A Real Assets Fund Speaking My Language

The weekly chart for VanEck Real Assets ETF (RAAX) shows a sustained breakout in early 2024 that has recently become nearly parabolic. I am a buyer on dips.

A Case for VanEck Real Assets ETF (RAAX) At the end of 2025 I made the case for buying commodities in 2026. I came into this year already owning a large, core basket of Rio Tinto (RIO), BHP Group (BHP), Freeport McMoran (FCX), and some rare earth stocks and looked forward to further growing these … Read more

Market Relief Is Here. Not Clarity. – The Market Breadth

Market Relief Is Here - Not Clarity - The Market Breadth

The Market Breadth Summary Stock Market Commentary I switched to “risk off” and cautiously bearish in late January. The subsequent bearish trading action unfolded mainly “under the hood” of the major indices from late January through the beginning of last week, before accelerated selling emerged. A major market rotation away from tech stocks started before … Read more

Breakdowns + Pullbacks = Risk Off Again – The Market Breadth

Breakdowns + Pullbacks = Risk Off Again

The Market Breadth Summary Stock Market Commentary The first month of the new year ended in an eventful fashion with significant news both good and bad, sometimes abrupt. The bad news convinced me to go risk off again as breakdowns and pullbacks weighed heavily on individual stocks. The major indices hid the extent of the … Read more