Swiss Franc Refuses To Confirm Fresh Euro-Optimism

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on July 1, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) On Thursday, June 28th, Swiss National Bank (SNB) vice chairman Jean-Pierre Danthine repeated a claim made consistently by the SNB: at 1.20 the Swiss franc is overvalued relative to the euro. … Read more

The Dollar’s Tumble Accompanies A Host of Critical Currency and Commodity Trades

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on July 1, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) Thanks largely to the surging euro, the U.S. dollar index (UUP) took one of its nastiest one-day tumbles since last October, falling 1.3%. I believe this drop all but confirms staunch … Read more

T2108 Update (June 25, 2012) – Follow-Through Selling

(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. You can follow real-time T2108 commentary on twitter using the #T2108 hashtag. T2108-related trades and other trades are posted on twitter using the #120trade hashtag) T2108 Status: 33.4% VIX Status: 20.4 … Read more

Chart Review: A Cautious Eye on Cyclicals – Materials and Industrials

Cyclical stocks continue to worry me even as the S&P 500 treads water. Charts across a wide swath of related stocks show inabilities to break critical resistance and in some cases, are outright breaking down. Here are several representative charts along with brief commentary. The Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) and the Industrial Select Sector … Read more

T2108 Update (June 1, 2012) – Oversold Again; What To Expect Going Forward

(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. You can follow real-time T2108 commentary on twitter using the #T2108 hashtag. T2108-related trades and other trades are posted on twitter using the #120trade hashtag) T2108 Status: 18.6% (Day #1 of … Read more

Chart Review – JPMorgan Chase Ends the Week Where It Began: Flatline for The Year

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) began the week with all of its gains for 2012 erased in the wake of news of its hedging losses. JPM ended the week in the same place after having dropped as much as another 3.9%. The brief rally from the lows carried strong buying volume. This action looks like a temporary … Read more

Chart Review: Apple’s Revenge Part Two

It seems Friday’s stalemate was indeed a demonstration of Apple buyers finally putting up a fight. Apple’s stock is still in a short-term downtrend, but the trading action has been electrifying almost the entire way down. The wild swings and near symmetry of the move downward are the kind of “art” that only a chart … Read more

Chart Review: Apple Buyers Finally Put Up A Fight – For Now

After gaining as much as 55% this year, sellers have peeled Apple (AAPL) back to a year-to-date gain of 31%. Certainly much better than the average stock, but it still represents a large loss from the highs. An index that falls this much from highs is considered to be in a bear market! In my … Read more

Chart Review: Apple Breaks First Critical Support As Downtrend Continues

On Friday, May 4, Apple, Inc. (AAPL) essentially filled its post-earnings gap up. It took another week for AAPL to retest support that had held in the days before earnings. The selling into that test formed a downtrend in April that Apple has yet to shake. This downtrend has been so persistent that Apple has … Read more

Chart Review: J.C. Penney Bouncing Off 200DMA Support Ahead Of Earnings

A little over a week ago, I pointed out that shorts are increasing along with a drop in the put/call ratio on J.C. Penney Company (JCP). At the time, I said that I was done buying puts on JCP. Since then, I decided to buy calls. The stock is now bouncing off 200DMA support. It … Read more