ONE-TWENTY TWO: Trading Financial Markets
Exploring the poetry in financial markets for students of money and economy since the year 2000.
Insider buying at First Solar (FSLR) continues to mark a near-term bottom in the stock, but the recovery from February’s post-earnings losses has unfolded much more slowly than I expected. FSLR is up 18% since printing a bottom on February 25, the day before FSLR’s CEO and EVP of Marketing & Product Management purchased a … Read more
Research In Motion (RIMM) reported no share repurchase activity in its latest earnings report. The amount spent on this program remains at $775M of the $1.2B total authorized. Perhaps it makes sense that RIMM has saved its powder given the stock has trended upward since last quarter’s repurchase activity. Although RIMM provided guidance that remains … Read more
Over the past two months or so, analysts have rolled out a series of positive commentaries on the prospects for Research In Motion (RIMM) and its upcoming earnings announcement (March 31). The table below shows the wide range of upgrades and bullish price targets from various analysts. In addition, at least four analysts have issued … Read more
Just over a month has elapsed since I concluded that S&P 500 was reaching a short-term bottom but would not challenge its 52-week highs (set in January) for “many months to come.” On Thursday, the S&P 500 printed a new 52-week closing high by one penny. On Friday, the index made a new intra-day high … Read more
Although the S&P 500 almost touched its high for the year on its eighth up day out of the last nine trading days, the VIX (the volatility index) increased almost 4%. So, as the S&P 500 scrapes at fresh 18-month highs, the VIX is bouncing from 21-month lows. The chart below shows the current action … Read more
It took a lot of patience, but Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) finally broke out yesterday above the $72 resistance level. The chart below summarizes the bullish technical set-up. *Chart created using TeleChart: RIMM fascinates because it is one of those stocks that attracts what I call “passionistas” – people with extremely strong and adamant … Read more
The stock market’s bounce from oversold conditions has been as impressive as almost all other such bounces over the past year. I noted in early February that several technical indicators were pointing to a buying opportunity. One of those indicators, the percentage of stocks trading above their 40-day moving averages (also known as “T2108“), is … Read more
Google (GOOG) has had a rough 2010. While the NASDAQ is up 1% for the year, GOOG is down 10%. Buyers have finally flocked to GOOG in the past week as the stock hit oversold levels, and the stock has perked up for the first time in 2010. (GOOG was one of several stocks I … Read more
Major resistance has broken and trends are turning back up on the major indices, so it is time to consider more seriously the prospect of the market printing fresh highs on the year sooner than later. Yesterday, I examined Cummins (CMI) as one of several stocks that may indicate the market has sufficient buying power … Read more
Ever since I speculated that the market had finally reached a (near-term) top in January, I have been tracking signals confirming this top. Every once in a while, I stumble upon a significant stock that flashes a contrary sign and gives me pause. Cummins, Inc. (CMI) is a company with such a stock. Cummins, Inc. … Read more