Above the 40 (April 20, 2018) – The Stock Market Swings From Bullish Signs to Stop Signs

AT40 = 55.2% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 46.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 16.9 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bearish Commentary The stock market faded from bullish undertones and back into the resting position. Now we can just look back at what … Read more

Maximum Bearishness For Silver?

For the first time since at least 2008, speculators flipped bearish on silver. Source: Oanda’s CFTC’s Commitments of Traders Speculative net contracts have trended downward for about a year and approached zero in December around the time the Federal Reserve last hiked rates. Yet, I did not think it was “possible” for positioning to go … Read more

Silver and Gold In Retreat

Maybe it is fear of the Fed, maybe it is the distraction of cryptocurrencies reaching for infinity. Whatever the issue, speculators in precious metals are in rapid retreat as net long contracts dropped to levels not seen in 4 to 5 months. Source: Oanda’s CFTC’s Commitments of Traders This decline represents the climax of October’s … Read more

As the VIX Plunges to All-Time Lows, Speculators Abort Their Seasonal Gold and Silver Rush

A month ago, I wrote about the near seasonal pattern of speculators accumulating net long contracts in gold and silver from July troughs to October peaks. THIS year, the speculators started up on schedule but aborted the mission as net longs peaked well ahead of October. Source: Oanda’s CFTC’s Commitments of Traders So seasonal patterns … Read more

Above the 40 (September 26, 2017) – Stocks Knock On Overbought’s Door

AT40 = 68.2% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) (high of 69.4%) AT200 = 57.2% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 10.2 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Commentary In my last Above the 40 post, I noted how the stock market bent but stubbornly refused to … Read more

Above the 40 (September 11, 2017) – The S&P 500 Hits Fresh All-Time High On Tension Relief

AT40 = 53.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 51.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 10.7 (down 11.5%) Short-term Trading Call: neutral (see below for caveats) Commentary I had no idea that the previous tensions in the stock market fully priced in the … Read more

Above the 40 (September 5, 2017) – A Different Kind of Volatility and Fizzle for the Stock Market

AT40 = 44.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 48.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 12.2 (was as high as 14.1) Short-term Trading Call: neutral Commentary Another North Korean nuclear power move caused more rattling in financial markets. The last time the market … Read more

Speculators Add to Expectations for Higher Gold and Silver

The SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) accomplished a major milestone in the past week: it fully reversed its entire post-election loss in what looks like a major breakout. Source: StockCharts.com Speculators have been rushing back to gold likely in anticipation of these much higher prices. Source: Oanda’s CFTC’s Commitments of Traders Since 2008, here are the … Read more

Above the 40 (August 15, 2017) – The Retail Wreck Runs Over Strong Data

AT40 = 39.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 50.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 12.0 Short-term Trading Call: bullish Commentary Urban Outfitters (URBN) notwithstanding with its 19.5% after hours surge, Tuesday, August 15, 2017 was a signature day for the weakness engulfing … Read more