A Rush for Safety Slashes Odds for Fed Rate Hikes and Spikes Volatility

The odds of getting four total rate hikes from the Federal Reserve this year are about as low as ever now. Even the odds for just 3 total rate hikes for 2018 are ominously converging upon 50/50. Source: CME FedWatch The chart above shows a 14.8% chance that rates will get to at least the … Read more

Above the 40 (May 25, 2018) – A Loitering Stock Market

AT40 = 64.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 52.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 13.2 Short-term Trading Call: neutral Commentary The churn continues on the S&P 500 (SPY) while AT40 (T2108) loiters around just under its overbought threshold of 70%. The lethargic … Read more

Above the 40 (May 15, 2018) – Buyer Reluctance and Stock Market Exhaustion

AT40 = 59.7% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 49.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 14.6 Short-term Trading Call: neutral Commentary Here we are again…again. In the last Above the 40 I observed “the stock market looks like it is breaking free, but … Read more

Higher Interest Rates Pound Home Builders Into Bearish Territory

The Housing Market Index (HMI) for May increased to 70 and is just 4 points off its post-recession high set last December. Just don’t tell investors home builders are as confident as ever despite rising rates. Today, the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond soared to its highest level in 7 years and settled … Read more

Financially Vulnerable: A Critical Test for Financial Stocks

This week, I blithely accumulated call options on Goldman Sachs (GS) ahead of and after the Federal Reserve’s latest declaration on monetary policy. I assumed that the Fed’s calming influence would remind market participants that the economy is fine and the prospects are good. Under that scenario financial stocks would do well as long-term interest … Read more