Chart Review – These Giants Are Falling

Near the end of the last oversold period toward the end of June, I identified three stocks that I claimed had to hold support to maintain a bullish outlook for the stock market for various reasons: Proctor & Gamble (PG), Clorox (CLX), and Oracle (ORCL). I titled that piece “Chart Review: These Giants Must Not … Read more

T2108 Update – June 6, 2011 (Market “Oversold”)

(T2108 measures the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages [DMAs]. To learn more about it, see my T2108 Resource Page.) T2108 Status: 30% and Neutral (oversold territory relative to behavior over past two years). General Trading Call: Continue covering shorts. Identify longs for buying IF T2108 gets to official oversold territory … Read more

Even Buyout Rumors Cannot Help RIM

(This is an excerpt from an article I published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) On Friday, briefing.com reported that rumors hit the trading floors that Cisco (CSCO) might make a buyout offer for Research In Motion (RIMM). The rumor was good for a brief 2-hour or so pop before the … Read more

Searching for A Corral for the Silver Stampede

What has changed in the two months it took for silver to stampede its way up $15 (a 43% gain) and back? Did the Federal Reserve raise rates? Did the Federal Reserve threaten the market with rate hikes? Did the housing market rebound sharply, generating an expectation for higher rates? Did inflation expectations adjust sharply? … Read more

TBT Finally Breaks Down, TIP Continues to Grind Upward

I thought TBT’s (ProShares UltraShort 20+ Year Treasury) successful test of the 200-day moving average (DMA) back in March would mark the beginning of a fresh extended run higher. Instead, the declining 50DMA marked the true short-term trend, and, for the second time in a month, TBT failed to break that resistance. At the end … Read more

RIM Warns, Management Holds Firm, and Market Continues to Lose Confidence

(This is an excerpt from an article I published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) After listening to Research In Motion’s conference call explaining the company’s downward guidance Thursday night, I thought I would write a piece just as bullish as management’s insistence that longer-term upside prospects remain unchanged. However, writing … Read more

Google Sits At An Important Valuation Juncture

Excerpt from an article I published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece: Google (GOOG) is down 9.2% since reporting earnings April 14 and now sports a forward earnings multiple of 13. At $525, GOOG is at 7-month lows and is again close to the psychologically significant $500 price level. This combination … Read more

Chart Review: Did Apple Already Start Its Next Sprint Higher?

This is a quick follow-up to my piece three days ago summarizing the pre-earnings technical outlook on Apple (“Apple Teeters On Critical Support Ahead of Earnings…and the Next Sprint Higher?“). I thought I would be writing this commentary AFTER earnings, but it seems Apple (AAPL) may have already started its next sprint to higher prices. … Read more

The OCC’s Enforcement Action May Confirm A Bottom for Lender Processing Services

On Wednesday, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency rendered punishment on Lender Processing Services, Inc. (LPS) and other financial institutions “…for unsafe and unsound practices related to residential mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure processing.” (See OCC Takes Enforcement Action Against Eight Servicers for Unsafe and Unsound Foreclosure Practices). The OCC now requires mortgage … Read more

Following the Charts Instead of the Bad News: Some Lessons from the Past Two Weeks

One of the many interesting features of the stock market since it broke down on March 10th is that the news has often been a distraction to underlying developments in the market. Following the charts has been relatively more effective than following the news in creating a (short-term) trading strategy. T2108, the percentage of stocks … Read more