New Display of Strength Dares Fed’s Hawkishness – The Market Breadth

display of strength (Credit: Boston Library on Flickr)

Stock Market Commentary: On a weekly basis, the stock market seems to flip its abiding theme. One week after I accused the stock market of sleepwalking, buyers roused the major indices out of their slumber with a new and sudden display of strength. A 13.9% post-earnings surge from Meta Platforms, Inc (META) seemed to set … Read more

Wake Me Once the Market’s Sleepwalking Ends – The Market Breadth

sleepwalking (Credit: Photocapy on Flickr)

Stock Market Commentary: The no worries stock market is sleepwalking its way through April. The major indices are stuck in tight ranges near or at key technical resistance and support levels. Yet, market breadth remains relatively low as many of the big market leaders hold up the tent. Meandering economic data induces some of this … Read more

An October Extreme Sets Up A Bullish Start to the Market’s Strong Season – The Market Breadth

Stock Market Commentary The S&P 500 (SPY) bounced back from September’s woes for a 6.9% gain for the month of October. While the gain is extreme, I am even more interested in a different October extreme. Somehow, the index managed to skate through October without a notable drawdown. The maximum drawdown in October for the … Read more

Stock Buyers Break Important Downtrend Only to Get Stymied Again – Above the 40 (April 30, 2021)

Stock Market Commentary Last week featured an intense barrage of earnings reports. The collective response on the major indices was a major yawn. The S&P 500 finished flat for the week. The NASDAQ and the iShares Trust Russell 2000 Index ETF both softened by 0.4%. Financials were a notable exception as the Financial Select Sector … Read more

Stocks Wind Back Up – Above the 40 (July 31, 2020)

Stock Market Statistics AT40 = 51.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 35.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 24.5Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary Major League Baseball (MLB) may be forced to wind back down, but stocks look like they are winding … Read more

A Two-Speed Stock Market Downshifts Into A Bearish Divergence – Above the 40 (July 10, 2020)

Stock Market Statistics AT40 = 43.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) (hit a 2 1/2 – month low the previous day at 34.9%)AT200 = 26.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 27.3Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary A strange and two-speed market got even … Read more

Above the 40 (April 26, 2019) – Stock Market Highs Continue Cradling Bearish Divergence

AT40 = 61.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs)AT200 = 53.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 12.7Short-term Trading Call: neutral (change from bearish) Stock Market Commentary The week ended with a U.S. GDP report for Q1 2019 that represents well the state of the stock market: … Read more

Above the 40 (September 14, 2018) – Stock Market’s Unenthusiastic Rebound from Stretched Conditions

AT40 = 51.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 54.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 12.1 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Commentary I flipped cautiously bullish last week. As I suspected, the prospects for a bounce were not as good as the previous … Read more

Above the 40 (September 7, 2018) – A Shaky and Stretched Stock Market Redux

AT40 = 48.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 53.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 14.9 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Commentary Almost a month ago, the stock market was in a similar technical position to the one it is in now. At … Read more

Above the 40 (February 2, 2018) – Janet Yellen Exits As Oversold Market Conditions Loom

AT40 = 38.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 54.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 17.3 (28.5% increase!) Short-term Trading Call: bullish Commentary “We cannot tolerate pervasive and persistent misconduct at any bank and the consumers harmed by Wells Fargo expect that robust … Read more