A U.S. Dollar Check-In: A Grinding Descent

I finally have to release my long-standing bullishness on the U.S. dollar index (DXY0) even as the dollar recently managed to bounce off its critical, uptrending 200-day moving average (DMA). Source: FreeStockCharts.com Looking at this chart, I get the feeling of something that is biding its time for a definitive catalyst that pushes it down … Read more

A Fresh Burst of Euro-Optimism Ahead of the French Presidential Election

The French people will make a final decision on a President in less than 24 hours from the time of writing. Financial markets are in a much different place now than they were two weeks ago ahead of the initial round of voting. Thanks to the “French Fly” optimism is riding high and all assumptions … Read more

Above the 40 (April 26, 2017) – A Stretched Stock Market Loses Bid for Overbought Status

AT40 = 68.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 65.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 10.9 (volatility index) Short-term Trading Call: bullish Commentary AT40 (T2108), the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs), pushed into overbought territory today with … Read more

Above the 40 (April 24, 2017) – The Stock Market Breaks Out With A French Fly

AT40 = 61.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 63.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 10.8 (volatility index) Short-term Trading Call: bullish Commentary Going into the first round of the French Presidential election, I figured the best case scenario was the absence of … Read more

Forex Critical: Speculators Hold Positions Even As Backdrops Shift

In my last posts on the euro (FXE), the Canadian dollar (FXC), and the British pound (FXB), I noted significant trading moves by speculators in foreign exchange as reported by the CFTC’s Commitments of Traders (CoT). The latest CFTC CoT report shows more of the same for these currencies but the backdrops may be shifting … Read more

Above the 40 (March 31, 2017) – Synched Junctures In Financial Markets As A Bullish Divergence Tries to Shine

AT40 = 49.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 63.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 12.4 (volatility index) Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish (see caveats below) Commentary On Thursday, March 30 (2017), the S&P 500 (SPY) closed above its downtrending 20-day moving average … Read more

Above the 40 (March 24, 2017) – Small Caps Fight for the Bulls, Euro Presses Higher

AT40 = 37.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 57.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 13.0 (volatility index) Short-term Trading Call: bearish Commentary In my last “Above the 40“, I noted how the stock market took a pause in deference to the growing … Read more

The U.S. Dollar Fails To Benefit From Expectations for An Earlier Fed Rate Hike

Perhaps the shift was not large enough. Perhaps it was the magnetism of the 50-day moving average (DMA). After the Federal Reserve released the minutes from its last meeting on monetary policy, the U.S. dollar index (DXY0) promptly weakened. The dollar closed the day marginally lower after trading for a small gain in the morning. … Read more

Forex Critical: Yen Bears Take Over, Euro Bears Continue Shrinking

A little over two weeks ago, I wrote “Yen Bulls Finally Back Down” to mark an important milestone: for the first time in a year, currency speculators went net short the Japanese yen (FXY). I closed out my long USD/JPY position and waited for the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting as well as confirmation of the … Read more

A Euro Flush: Buyers Take Back Control For Now

By now, traders should know the drill on these highly anticipated events that promise dire potential consequences… Traders build positions in anticipation of or to hedge against the potentially “adverse” outcome of the highly anticipated event. An outcome interpreted as adverse occurs and markets respond accordingly. The expected response to an adverse outcome turns out … Read more