Above the 40 (March 9, 2018) – Stock Market Returns To Its Originally Scheduled Programming

AT40 = 48.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 52.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 14.6 (11.5% drop) Short-term Trading Call: bullish Commentary The (expected) plunge in the volatility index, the VIX, says it all…the stock market is ready to return to its … Read more

Above the 40 (March 7, 2018) – A Lagging S&P 500 Stops Short Even As Trade War Tripwire Defuses

AT40 = 39.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 49.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 17.8% Short-term Trading Call: neutral Commentary “Dear President Trump: We are writing to express deep concern about the prospect of broad, global tariffs on aluminum and steel imports. … Read more

A Busted Seasonal Trade for Home Builders

The seasonal trade on home builders for 2017/2018 showed its first sign of trouble when the iShares US Home Construction (ITB) fell sharply off its 10+ year high in January on the same day the S&P 500 (SPY) set a new (and its last) all-time high. Almost two weeks later, in early February, the under-performance … Read more

Above the 40 (March 2, 2018) – Trump Pulls the Trade War Tripwire

AT40 = 27.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 44.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 19.6 Short-term Trading Call: neutral (caveats below!) Commentary President Trump has been talking about taking unilateral trade actions since he was campaigning in 2016. The rhetoric heated up … Read more

Above the 40 (February 28) – An S&P 500 Breakdown Helps Drag Market to Edge of Oversold

AT40 = 25.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 43.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 19.9% Short-term Trading Call: neutral (caveats below!) Commentary As I feared was likely, the S&P 500 (SPY) wasted no time in breaking its 50-day moving average (DMA) support. … Read more

Above the 40 (February 27, 2018) – The Bulls’ Steamroller Abruptly Runs Out of Gas

AT40 = 31.2% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 48.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 18.6 (17.7% gain) Short-term Trading Call: bullish (caveats below!) Commentary During the thick of the sell-off earlier this month, I stated with tongue-in-cheek that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome … Read more

Above the 40 (February 23, 2018) – Bulls Warm the Steamroller Right Back Up

AT40 = 36.2% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 50.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 16.5 Short-term Trading Call: neutral (awaiting confirmation of bullish breakout) Commentary Something woke the bulls and buyers back up enough to get the steamroller warmed up again. The … Read more

Above the 40 (February 21, 2018) – Exhausted Buyers Fail to Break Through the S&P 500’s Cloud

AT40 = 28.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 47.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 20.0 Short-term Trading Call: neutral (downgrade from cautiously bullish) Commentary Buyers are starting to look exhausted. Based on the topsy-turvy reaction to the minutes from the last meeting … Read more

Above the 40 (February 20, 2018) – A Stubborn Cloud Over the Stock Market’s Recovery

AT40 = 28.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 48.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 20.6 Short-term Trading Call: cautiously bullish Commentary In the last Above the 40, I noted some warning signs developing on the S&P 500 (SPY). The trading week started … Read more

Above the 40 (February 15, 2016) – S&P 500 Passes A Key Post Oversold Test

AT40 = 31.6% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 49.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 19.1 Short-term Trading Call: bullish Commentary The S&P 500 (SPY) joined the NASDAQ and PowerShares QQQ ETF (QQQ) by closing above its 50-day moving average (DMA). The move … Read more