Realtors Rebound Despite Housing’s Supply Shortage

I heard this tweet referenced twice in the financial media: the first time unsourced and the second time sourced. I must assume that the bizarre data points of the U.S. housing market from Glenn Kelman, Redfin’s CEO, went viral. Redfin’s commentary and observations on the housing market are typically astute and insightful, but this particular … Read more

Animal Spirits in Housing Stocks Trampled by Virus Panic – Housing Market Review (February, 2020)

The iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction Index Fund ETF (ITB) dropped 13.4% in a week but managed to bounce off its 200DMA support.

Housing Market Intro/Summary The short-term outlook for the housing market is clouded by the current global turmoil generated by the coronavirus. The housing data discussed below were all collected before the virus came to the forefront of the minds of Americans. While demand for housing in the U.S. should remain strong (and certainly times like … Read more

Housing Market Review (December, 2019) – A Precarious Divergence

Housing Market Intro/Summary When I wrote the Housing Market Review for November, the stocks of home builders were on the edge of conquering their moment of truth. The iShares US Home Construction (ITB) soon rolled over and confirmed a breakdown below support at its 50-day moving average (DMA). ITB is now in a precarious position where … Read more

Real Estate Pairs Trade Refresh: Long Redfin, Short Zillow Group

The ratio of Redfin (RDFN) vs Zillow Group (Z) (ZG) is bouncing off its well-supported historic lows.

My last pairs trade going long Redfin (RDFN) calls versus long Zillow Group (Z) (ZG) put options did not work out as I over-extended my stay on RDFN. A fresh opportunity for a pairs trade has arrived with RDFN neatly testing key support after reversing most of its post-earnings gains and with Zillow Group in … Read more

A Manic Stock Market Leaves Behind An Extreme August Drawdown – Above the 40 (August 9, 2019)

Much ado about nothing? The 15-minute chart of the S&P 500 (SPY) shows the gory details of a manic swoon to a near flat close for the week.

AT40 = 37.3% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 46.5% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAs VIX = 18.0Short-term Trading Call: neutral (caveats below!) Stock Market Commentary The S&P 500 (SPY) ended the week almost where it started. In between the bookends, the market gyrated wildly … Read more

Realogy and Amazon.com Partner Up But Does It Matter?

Realogy (RLGY) is struggling to avoid a resumption of its vicious downtrend.

Two weeks ago I threw up a chart of Realogy (RLGY) just to have something bearish to show among a group of bullish charts. I wondered why this company of real estate agents and brokers was in a persistent decline while housing-related stocks were generally holding up well. On July 23, Realogy rolled out what … 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

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

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

Above the 40 (May 15, 2019) – Stock Market Flips from Bullish Support to Bearish Resistance As Signals Compete

AT40 = 43.8% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs)AT200 = 47.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 16.4Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary Over the weekend, I wrote about a “constructive stock market” as a reference to the stock market’s consistently positive responses to U.S. vs … Read more