A Widening Breakout for Home Builders

The iShares Dow Jones Home Construction ETF (ITB) gained 1.7% and broke out to a (marginal) 12-month high.

The breakout for home builders started with M.D.C. Holdings (MDC). MDC raised guidance and put strong emphasis on the positive expectations for its next earnings report. With analysts overwhelmingly bearish on the stock, the stock had plenty of upside surprise potential. The pent-up demand created a tremendous upward surge. Additional home builders are joining what … Read more

M.D.C. Holdings Smashes Through the Seasonal Top for Home Builders

M.D.C. Holdings (MDC) jumped to a 6-year high on the heels of a major earnings guidance surprise.

I have written plenty this year about the seasonal top in home builders. I even drew up a game plan to trade this pattern in a way to pay for the bullish trade that opens up during the period of seasonal strength. That seasonal top took its first good hit with a positive pre-earnings announcement … Read more

Stock Market Trades Near Overbought As the Good Equals Bad Formula Blurs – Above the 40 (July 5, 2019)

Overbought conditions loom as earnings season approaches, and the stock market eagerly anticipates rate cuts.

AT40 = 68.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 55.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs (essentially matches the 2019 high and is a new 10-month high)VIX = 13.3Short-term Trading Call: neutral (caveats below) Stock Market Commentary Good news is bad news….oops, nevermind The search for … Read more

Housing Market Review (June, 2019) – An On-Going Push Against the Seasonal Top

Housing Market Intro/Summary After writing the last Housing Market Review, I was convinced a triple top had appeared in the iShares US Home Construction ETF (ITB). The May sell-off in the stock market pushed ITB into a breakdown below its 50-day moving average (DMA). Immediately after that post, ITB rebounded right through its 50DMA and … Read more

A Trade War Truce Defies the Bad News Narrative for Rate Cuts – Above the 40 (June 28, 2019)

AT40 = 60.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 52.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 15.1Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary Trade War The search for news bad enough to convince the Federal Reserve to cut rates continues. The weekend began with news … Read more

From Loitering to Breakout: Stocks Look for Bad News Worthy of Rate Cuts – Above the 40 (June 21, 2019)

AT40 = 53.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 50.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 15.4Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary The stock market is officially in bizarro world. The stock market is breathlessly rallying in anticipation of rate cuts that will come … Read more

Stock Market Indices Loiter While Awaiting News On Rate Cuts – Above the 40 (June 14, 2019)

AT40 = 42.2% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 46.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 15.3Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary After two bearish fades to start the week, the stock market dribbled along. Now the market waits for word on news bad … Read more

Rate Cut Promises Rescued A Stock Market Near Oversold – Above the 40 (June 7, 2019)

AT40 = 38.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 44.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 18.9Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Stock Market Commentary From opening at the edge of oversold trading conditions to closing on near panic buying, last week was a wild week! … Read more

FANG Without A Bite: A Market With A Bullish Divergence and Still Not Oversold – Above the 40 (June 3, 2019)

AT40 = 24.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 37.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 18.9Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary “The stock market might turn at lower levels.” Jim Cramer, CNBC’s Mad Money, June 3, 2019 This truism is a bit silly, … Read more

Housing Market Review (May, 2019) – A (Seasonal) Top Unfolds Amid Rising Confidence and Mixed Demand

Housing Market Intro/Summary In several posts on the housing market, I made the case for a top in the stocks of home builders and pointed out the parallel weaknesses in the housing data. Last week, the iShares US Home Construction ETF (ITB) appeared to confirm what looks like a triple top in the index. Not … Read more