Beyond the “Magnificent 7”: How Market Breadth Could Support S&P 500 Performance in 2024

AT50 (MMF), the percent of stocks above their 50DMA, is rebounding sharply away from the oversold threshold.

FactSet’s John Butters laid out a case for the “Magnificent Seven” companies losing the majority of their earnings growth dominance by the end of the year. In “Are the ‘Magnificent 7’ the Top Contributors to Earnings Growth for the S&P 500 for Q1?“, Butters showed how analyst expectations for year-over-year earnings growth for the top … Read more

Can A Bullish Divergence Create A Bottom for Stocks? – The Market Breadth

Can A Bullish Divergence Create A Bottom for Stocks – The Market Breadth (Credit: UnknownNet Photography on Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/110548908@N06/24936496357)

Stock Market Commentary Last week was an intense week of trading. The ever-escalating conflict in the Middle East disturbed markets. However, the initial negative reaction in futures market was mostly erased by the time of the market open on Thursday. The indices even managed to gain ground before getting faded. Thus, the market still fundamentally … Read more

Is the Stock Market Oversold Enough Following Fresh Bearish Milestones? – The Market Breadth

Oversold enough? AT50 (MMFI) is speeding toward the oversold threshold.

Stock Market Commentary April showers have arrived in the form of stockdrops instead of raindrops. After a near relentless push higher every month since November, the S&P 500 is down 4.4% month-to-date. Both the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ have confirmed bearish breakdowns and the ETF of small caps, IWM, is again in a bear … Read more

A VIX Follow-Through Confirms Bearish Signal – The Market Breadth

bear market breakthrough (Credit: Breakthrough by -RobW- from Flickr)

Stock Market Commentary Last week was a week like few other for the volatility index, the VIX. In my last Market Breadth I made the case for the VIX mattering again. A VIX follow-through demonstrated even more strength and resilience. The resulting closing high for the year is a firmer bearish signal for the stock … Read more

Suddenly, the VIX Looks Like It Matters Again – The Market Breadth

surprise (Credit: Surprise!!! 4/365 by Benson Kua from Flickr)

Stock Market Commentary While I watch the tense trading unfold in NVDA, the VIX, the volatility index, has suddenly returned to my radar as an indicator of interest. Thursday’s stock market setback came with a surging VIX that closed at a new high of the year. The regular programming of the volatility faders actually failed … Read more

What Happened to the Housing Market – Positive Builders Greet the Spring | March, 2024

What Happened to the Housing Market - Positive Builders Greet the Spring (credit: Freepik, https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/medium-shot-people-painting-together_13658906.htm)

Housing Market Intro and Summary What happened in the housing market in March, 2024? Home builders grew more positive and greeted the spring selling season with a resurgence in housing starts. In my previous Housing Market Review, I pointed out breakouts in the stocks of homebuilders and a bottoming in existing home sales. Both developments … Read more

Market Breadth Ends Q1 with An Important Breakout – The Market Breadth

Market Breadth Ends Q1 with An Important Breakout - The Market Breadth (Credit: I Get Up and Nothing Gets Me Down! JUMP!, by Guian Bolisay https://www.flickr.com/photos/44312356@N04/6187257947)

Stock Market Commentary The stock market put an exclamation point on the end of the previous week’s statement performance. Market breadth made an important breakout to a 2-month high and almost looks ready to return to overbought conditions. Such a milestone would finally align my favorite technical indicator with the relentless strength in the stock … Read more

A Statement Week for Stocks – The Market Breadth

statement week for the stock market - the market breadth (Credit: Steampunk Fashion Statement by cobalt123 on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/66606673@N00/4668035266)

Stock Market Commentary Stocks quickly invalidated the latest topping signals and recorded a statement week. This regular routine was further boosted by a Federal Reserve that dished out stronger forecasts for the economy and inflation and yet, much to my bemusement, “promised” the stock market three rate cuts are still likely ahead for the year. … Read more

Follow the Trend: The Turkish Lira

brutal failure (Credit: Hands to the head by hernanpba on Flickr)

In early December, I was hopeful that the Turkish lira would finally find its footing. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) was aggressively hiking rates and currency reserves sat at record levels. The high interest rate (40% at the time) made betting on eventual currency appreciation appear worth the risk. While collecting … Read more

A Curious Break in the Trading Action – The Market Breadth

A Curious Break in the Trading Action - The Market Breadth

Stock Market Commentary A curious break in the trading action unfolded as financial markets wrestled with two “disappointing” inflation reports. Both the CPI (consumer price index) and wholesale inflation (the producer price index or PPI) came in slightly higher than “expected” (headline and core). The data just tell me expectations are unrealistic or at best … Read more