As the VIX Plunges to All-Time Lows, Speculators Abort Their Seasonal Gold and Silver Rush

A month ago, I wrote about the near seasonal pattern of speculators accumulating net long contracts in gold and silver from July troughs to October peaks. THIS year, the speculators started up on schedule but aborted the mission as net longs peaked well ahead of October. Source: Oanda’s CFTC’s Commitments of Traders So seasonal patterns … Read more

The Danger in DexCom…and the Opportunity

DexCom (DXCM) is a maker of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. Last week, the stock of the company cratered after Abbott Laboratories (ABT) received FDA approval of its competing FreeStyle Libre flash CGM. It is the first system that allows diabetics to check and monitor glucose levels without sticking themselves. In response to the news, … Read more

Iron Ore Pairs Trade Lags Commodity’s Plunge

The market must be expecting an imminent rebound in the price of iron ore. Almost two weeks ago, I proposed a pairs trade going short Rio Tinto (RIO) versus long BHP Billiton Limited (BHP) as a way to play the top in the price of iron ore predicted by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). … Read more

Axovant Sciences: Betting On An Improved Risk Profile

I took immediate notice when Axovant Sciences (AXON) went public back in late 2015. The promise of a treatment for Alzheimer’s was a huge opportunity, and I immediately had thoughts of my grandfather who struggled with the disease for years before he passed away with a heart attack. Yet, AXON had no revenues and no … Read more

Above the 40 (September 22, 2017) – Apple Falls from the Tree, the Stock Market Bends Without Breaking

AT40 = 63.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 54.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 9.6 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Commentary The stock market stubbornly held onto its bullish positioning despite the tumble of one of its biggest stalwarts: Apple (AAPL). AAPL … Read more