Fresh Troubles for the Turkish Lira

The Turkish lira is in trouble again. Last week, USD/TRY hit an all-time high amid more dire headlines for the Turkish economy and the monetary policy of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT). On April 3rd, Bloomberg reported the following issues: 7.4% GDP growth in 2017 is overheating the economy. Turkish companies … Read more

Above the 40 (April 6, 2018) – Barbarians Posturing At the S&P 500’s Support

AT40 = 37.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 40.2% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 21.5 Short-term Trading Call: neutral Commentary via GIPHY The week ended badly with a 2.2% drop in the S&P 500 (SPY). The week began with the exact same … Read more

Forex Critical: Mexican Peso – A Breakdown and the End of A Trade

When I last wrote about the Mexican peso three months ago, I described the NAFTA-driven context surrounding the breakdown of USD/MXN below its 50-day moving average (DMA). I was still holding onto a long-standing short on USD/MXN. I managed to keep holding this short until Wednesday evening (April 4, 2018). Source: TradingView.com I closed my … Read more

Four Fed Rate Hikes This Year? Still Not Likely.

I heard commentary after the Fed’s proclamation on monetary policy on March 21st that the Fed is “one vote away” from 4 rate hikes this year. Yet, something strange happened along the way to over-speculation on the number of rate hikes in 2018: the traders putting their money on the line on the 30-Day Fed … Read more

Above the 40 (March 16, 2018) – The Stock Market Stumbles Back to A Sharp Edge

AT40 = 49.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 50.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 15.8 Short-term Trading Call: bullish Commentary Another proclamation on monetary policy from the Federal Reserve is just 3 trading days away. Hanging in the balance is the S&P … Read more