ONE-TWENTY TWO: Trading Financial Markets
Exploring the poetry in financial markets for students of money and economy since the year 2000.
While many gear up for the elections and the Federal Reserve, I am bracing myself for a barrage of earnings from solar companies. Thursday night, First Solar (FSLR) kicked off the earnings parade in disappointing fashion as the market reacted by taking the stock down 9%. It seems that the market agonized over two main … Read more
The market has essentially maintained a holding pattern while awaiting the results of next week’s trifecta of news: the elections, the Federal Reserve’s announcement on quantitative easing, and the next employment report. So I was quite surprised to realize that for almost three weeks my favorite technical indicator, T2108, has been dropping. On Thursday, this … Read more
Prices soared for solar stocks in September. In October, volume has soared…but prices have swung sharply downward after a very strong start to the month. In most cases, solar stocks have lost all their gains for the month and then some. This trading action is creating buying opportunities, especially where uptrends and/or critical technical support … Read more
Three and a half years ago, I concluded that options for Google (GOOG) should be sold, not bought, ahead of earnings. This advice seemed to generally apply ever since as GOOG tended to move just enough after earnings to devalue near-the-money calls AND puts. Friday’s 11% post-earnings pop was a rare, and impressive, exception to … Read more
Three weeks ago, I generated a list of stocks that demonstrated strong buying volume over the previous five days. During those five days, the S&P 500 finally broke out above the June highs but volume remained anemic and unimpressive. I figured focusing in on the stocks that did exhibit good buying volume during that important … Read more
The post-earnings selling in Intel (INTC) has become uncanny in its consistency. Four out of the last six earnings reports have resulted in selling even as INTC’s headline earnings news has generally been OK to good. Three of the four bouts of selling followed immediately after INTC opened its first post-earnings trading day higher. This … Read more
A fresh buying opportunity may finally be unfolding in the solar sector. In Tech Trader Daily on Friday, Eric Savitz broke news that the U.S. government is launching an official investigation into alleged unfair trade and investment practices by the government of China in green technologies. Across the board, solar stocks were slammed in reaction … Read more
The S&P 500 is now just 5% away from its 52-week highs has remained aloft at overbought levels for 23 straight trading days. T2108, the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) is trading at 86% and is well above the 70% threshold for overbought conditions. It has even traded above … Read more
After solar stocks soared in September, expectations are riding high for solar companies to carry their earnings momentum from the second quarter’s reports into the third quarter’s reports. First Solar (FSLR) made a big step in the right direction by announcing that it received an additional 380 Megawatt in orders from existing customers for delivery … Read more
Short interest in Cisco (CSCO) surged near 52-week highs at the end of August. At the time I noted this move, CSCO had bounced off its 52-week lows, and I suggested it would be a long if it could set a fresh high on the month. CSCO accomplished that move later in the day. I … Read more