ONE-TWENTY TWO: Trading Financial Markets
Exploring the poetry in financial markets for students of money and economy since the year 2000.
Stock Market Commentary After sweeping away bearish signals, the stock market moved right into overbought territory last week. The week started with a small gap up to all-time highs, and the stock market never looked back. More importantly, the volatility index (VIX) hit a new low since the stock market broke down almost a year … Read more
Stock Market Commentary Sellers beat a hasty retreat from the stock market as another bearish signal enjoyed a fleeting existence. The last bearish period lasted about three days. The previous bearish period barely survived a day. The stock market’s ability to quickly wipe away bearish signals is impressive. The buying force over the last week … Read more
Stock Market Commentary After the recent bearish divergence resolved to the downside, the stock market rebounded sharply. Volatility was over-extended and my favorite breadth indicator plunged at an extreme rate. In that context, the stock market’s subsequent bounce made sense as relief from extreme conditions. The sellers followed through on the resolution of bearish divergence … Read more
Stock Market Commentary The recent bearish divergence in the stock market resolved to the downside in a big way. Breakdowns rippled throughout the stock market even as numerous micro-bubbles soared in the opposite direction. A volatility surge clarified the new bearish turn in sentiment. In the “background”, the Federal Reserve rolled out its latest pronouncement … Read more
Stock Market Commentary The stock market gapped up and never looked back in the wake of the Presidential Inauguration. Subsequently, buyers produced mixed follow-through for two days. Big cap tech defied the narrative of a rotation into value and industrial names by delivering the most convincing follow-through. A third drop from overbought conditions in a … Read more
Stock Market Commentary The Presidential inauguration is a hallowed American tradition. The stock market celebrated the incoming Biden and Harris administration with new all-time highs on good trading volume. The start of a new American administration is as good a time as any to back down from my recent short-term bearish call. While this overbought … Read more
Stock Market Commentary A liquidity-driven bounce off support took a small breather last week. The major stock market indices ended the week with a small loss. On the way there, overbought trading conditions ended for a day. As the major indices languished, the stock market dipped in and out of overbought conditions on an intraday … Read more
Stock Market Commentary The weakening overbought conditions finally gave way to a full breakdown. The abrupt end of the overbought period ushers in the bear. Ironically, trading started well with the S&P 500 (SPY) gapping slightly higher at the open. The selling pressure started after the open and did not relent until lunchtime on the … Read more
Stock Market Commentary The stock market quickly moved away from its close call with overbought conditions to pulling off a refresher for extended overbought conditions. The acquiescence of President Trump in signing a heavily negotiated, highly contentious pandemic relief bill seemed to provide the spark for the buying in the major indices. The Stock Market … Read more
U.S. traders and investors often but into or at least largely ignore news of anti-trust actions against publicly traded companies. Alibaba Group Holdings (BABA) was not as fortunate at least for today. Alibaba stock plunged as much as 17.5% before closing with a 13.3% loss in the wake of news that the State Administration for … Read more