ONE-TWENTY TWO: Trading Financial Markets
Exploring the poetry in financial markets for students of money and economy since the year 2000.
AT40 = 38.2% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 50.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 18.8Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bearish Stock Market Commentary Last week, I switched from neutral for the first time in, I believe, months. I downgraded to “cautiously bearish” because … Read more
In recent weeks, the trade in the stocks of home builders provided timely reminders in the limited meaning in price action. The market periodically makes key “mistakes” that provide buying (or selling) opportunities. A Fresh Turning Point At the end of December, I described a “precarious divergence” between the stocks of home builders and the … Read more
Housing Market Intro/Summary {Note a rough draft of this post was inadvertently posted on January 20, 2020} When I wrote the Housing Market Review for December, I described a “precarious” divergence between the performance of the iShares US Home Construction (ITB) and the S&P 500 (SPY). In late December, dour commentary from JP Morgan (JPM) about … Read more
AT40 = 58.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs)AT200 = 59.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 12.6Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary The bearish signals are growing, but they are still not impeding this resilient stock market. The ever so shallow selling acts like a … Read more
Housing Market Intro/Summary When I wrote the Housing Market Review for November, the stocks of home builders were on the edge of conquering their moment of truth. The iShares US Home Construction (ITB) soon rolled over and confirmed a breakdown below support at its 50-day moving average (DMA). ITB is now in a precarious position where … Read more
The seasonally strong period for home builders begins in November. For this period, home builders tend to outperform the S&P 500 (SPY) which is also in its own period of seasonal strength. So far, home builders have lagged significantly in what I continue to call the moment of truth for home builders. Since November, the … Read more
AT40 = 59.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs)AT200 = 56.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 13.6Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary Looking for buying opportunities paid off. A week that started with selling into trade troubles ended with the celebration of an exceptionally strong … Read more
During its earnings call, LGI Homes (LGIH) projected strong performance ahead. The company’s December home closings report delivered. LGI Homes closed 748 homes last month. The 49.6% year-over-year growth contributed to an 18.0% year-over-year overall growth rate in home closings for the first eleven months of 2019. The stock market responded positively by sending LGIH … Read more
Housing Market Intro/Summary When I wrote the Housing Market Review for October, the stocks of home builders were failing their moment of truth. The iShares US Home Construction (ITB) soon rebounded, including a near picture-perfect test of support at its 50-day moving average (DMA). Last week, ITB actually printed a fresh 21-month high before pulling back. … Read more
The ETF Performance The 2019 seasonal trade for home builders was a dramatic one that departed from the typical script. The iShares US Home Construction (ITB) suffered greatly in the late 2018 sell-off. The housing market softened as one of the most notable features of the sell-off in the stock market. Several home builders made … Read more