ONE-TWENTY TWO: Trading Financial Markets
Exploring the poetry in financial markets for students of money and economy since the year 2000.
Bitcoin versus the U.S. dollar
Stock Market Commentary The stock market indices enjoyed an impressive year. However, weak and declining market breadth produced numerous exceptions to the strong performance of indices and ETFs. A number of important and well-known individual stocks corrected, collapsed, and crashed in 2021. For some, the tailwinds of the pandemic ran out. For others, investors tired … Read more
Stock Market Commentary The stock market rebounded out of oversold trading conditions but ended the week in ugly fashion. The combination produced fascinating snapshots of an ugly oversold bounce. Expensive growth stocks are rapidly falling out of favor while a convergence of negative headlines and uncertainties is painting plenty of ugly all over the stock … Read more
The Bitcoin bottom from a month ago continues to hold. However, the latest bounce off the Bitcoin (BTC/USD) bottom is dangerously different than the last one and the bottoms prior. Once again, Google search trends for “Bitcoin” is the key signal. Unlike the bottom in May where the Google Trends Momentum Check (GTMC) provided another … Read more
Google trends provides a measure of the popularity of Google search terms. The data can indicate relative popularity and interest in a topic. I use the search on “Bitcoin” as a trade indicator called the Google Trends Momentum Check (GTMC). During my checks on the GTMC, I noticed for quite some time the African nations … Read more
As someone who watched too much of this year’s crypto run-up from the sidelines, I welcome the recent implosions of Bitcoin (BTC/USD) and Ethereum (ETH/USD). These top cryptocurrencies are inherently extremely volatile, so sharp and deep corrections are features not bugs for crypto traders. As long as these assets enjoy a broad fan base of … Read more
I am late to the resurgence of Microstrategy (MSTR), but I am finding some valuable lessons in the technical story. MSTR caught fire from an aggressive decision to protect cash reserves with investments in Bitcoin (BTC/USD). As a result, Microstrategy has enjoyed significant price appreciation from the current Bitcoin rally. Along the way, the uptrend … Read more
“…the CBN [ Central Bank of Nigeria ] has no comfort in cryptocurrencies at this time and will continue to do all within its regulatory powers to educate Nigerians to desist from its use and protect our financial system from activities of fraudsters and speculators..” The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), “Response to Regulatory Directive … Read more
My first “test” trade on Ethereum (ETH/USD) succeeded. I took profits on ETH/USD as it faded from $700 and a 2 1/2 year high. I wanted to hold on, but the clincher triggered with Bitcoin (BTC/USD) fading sharply from its latest all-time high. The fade appeared to signal the beginning of the end of this … Read more
Bitcoin Sentiment Riding High The Google Trend Momentum Check (GTMC) is staring down another test with Bitcoin (BTC/USD). A run-up in Google search interest in Bitcoin accompanied the run-up of Bitcoin to all-time highs. Google search interest is a proxy for sentiment. Accordingly, Bitcoin sentiment is running at extremes relative to recent levels. Per the … Read more
Bitcoin Price Failure In late May, a “price failure” in Bitcoin (BTC/USD) sent me to the sidelines. I decided to retreat to wait for a breakout and accumulate a new position on the way up. Two months later the moment arrived. The U.S. dollar (DXY) broke down and Bitcoin broke out. As a result, I … Read more