Chart Review: Dollar Index Surges Back Above the 200 AND 50DMAs

Surprise! The dollar’s relief rally is not quite over as I had suspected last Thursday (October 27) when the dollar plunged with resounding force below its 200-day moving average (DMA). On Monday, the dollar index surged back above its 200DMA as all of last week’s booming enthusiasm over a deal on Greek sovereign dealt rapidly … Read more

T2108 Update – October 31, 2011 (Revenge of the VIX)

(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: 82% (sixth day of … Read more

T2108 Update – October 20, 2011 (Beware the Swiss Franc)

(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: 56% VIX Status: 35 … Read more

A Relief Rally for the U.S. Dollar As “Safe” Alternatives Get Expensive

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) It took a whole month before the dollar finally launched into the relief rally I thought would soon follow the S&P’s downgrade of U.S. government debt. Even after the Swiss franc’s rein as a “safety” … 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

Skeptical the British Pound Can Sustain A Breakout Versus the U.S. Dollar For Now

After scanning through the latest quarterly release of the “Statement of Monetary Policy” from the Reserve Bank of Australia, I was reminded that currency traders are trying to prepare for eventual rate hikes from the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England (BoE): “While financial markets continue to expect the US federal funds … Read more

U.S. Markets Keep Grinding Higher As Europe Snaps Back

A month ago, I laid out the case for the S&P 500 sustaining its upward momentum. I pointed to 1300-1310 as the next point of strong resistance. As the S&P 500 nears that point (half of a percent away now), I marvel at how quickly this test has come. T2108, the percentage of stocks trading … Read more

The Dollar’s Relief Rally Gains Steam as the Stock Market Clings to Support

Nothing like some geo-political drama to throw in some extra uncertainty into carefully laid out trading plans. After North and South Korea exchanged pleasantries early Tuesday, the dollar’s relief rally continued in dramatic fashion with a 1.3% gain. I am now even more convinced that the dollar will, sooner than later, retest the resistance at … Read more

Dollar Clings to (Life)Support, Pound Maintains Upward Trend

Ahead of last week’s big events, I suggested that the market was setting up for a surprise reaction. So far, the biggest surprise has been the timing of the market’s big rally reaction after the election and the Federal Reserve’s announcement of quantitative easing and before the unemployment report. But that is not the surprise … Read more

Will the Real Safety Currency Please Stand?

In “The Dollar Is Headed Lower“, Randall W. Forsyth wrote in Barron’s that “The dollar’s trend now is unequivocally lower. And that’s apparent whether you look at fundamental factors or the technical picture on the charts.” He does a good job of summarizing the current condition of de facto competitive devaluation that is increasing the … Read more