ONE-TWENTY TWO: Trading Financial Markets
Exploring the poetry in financial markets for students of money and economy since the year 2000.
The Market Breadth Summary Small cap stocks led a market breadth breakout, then faded just short of overbought, leaving me encouraged by momentum but wary of a near-term pullback. The S&P 500 ground to fresh highs, while the NASDAQ lagged by stalling at prior peaks. A clean breakout still awaits for the NASDAQ. CES-driven leadership … Read more
The bearish to bullish reversal ended for home builder stocks with a return to bear market territory. Today, October 9, 2025, the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) dropped under the threshold that defines a bear market: 20% below the all-time high (see chart below). The 2.6% slide on the day is part of a … Read more
Stock Market Commentary In a flashback to August’s opening trading salvo, September trading started with a sharp pullback. The decline fit the standard theme of “professional” traders and investors returning from summer vacations to take profits from a market levitating on low volume vapors. However, sensing redux price action, the market’s persistent buyers jumped right … Read more
Stock Market Commentary The stock market last week was full of a nervous calm. Fed Chair Jerome Powell seemed to muffle the market’s mood after warning that meaningful inflation is yet to come as a result of tariffs. The expiration of the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs looms over the market with just one major … Read more
Stock Market Commentary The stock market fell into chaos all over again as the U.S. retaliated against China’s tariff retaliation, hiking tariffs up to 104%. This escalation halted a rally that started as solid follow-through from the bullish engulfing bottom from the previous trading day. The whipsaw action underscored the fragility of technical setups in … Read more