The Surprising Implications of Periods of Extremely Low Volatility

The volatility index, the VIX, has closed below 11 for 2 straight days, 3 of the last 6, and 6 of the last 13 days. Source: FreeStockCharts.com These low levels of the VIX seem dangerously low, and I have labelled them as such in my recent “Above the 40” posts. Yet, I have discovered the … Read more

Let 2016 Be the Year The January Barometer Died

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 9, 2017. Click here to read the entire piece.) Two years ago, I wrote “The Problem with the January Barometer.” {snip}… the January barometer failed one more time with 2016 delivering a stellar 9.5% gain. Hopefully, 2016 helps put the … Read more

Watch Out for the Nuances of the Japanese Yen’s Relationship to the S&P 500

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on April 11, 2016. Click here to read the entire piece.) The Japanese yen (FXY) rang in the new year with loud alarm bells. At the time, I wrote about the implications for the surge of strength in “The Japanese Yen Flashes … Read more

The S&P 500’s Latest Breakdown Echoes the Warning Signal From the August Angst

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 19, 2016. Click here to read the entire piece.) For a brief moment on January 15, 2016, the S&P 500 (SPY) looked ready to extend the sell-off that ended with the August Angst of 2015. At 1858, the index was … Read more