Stocks In 2014: How'd We Get Here and What Does It Mean?

Thirty-five trading days into the new year, the S&P stands just about where it started. But to say that nothing has happened in the market so far this year would certainly be misleading. In case you haven't been paying close attention, it is important to remember that the S&P expe…

Next Move: Blow-Off or Blow Up?

Spending copious amounts of time in cars, airports, and airplanes generally provides the opportunity to take a step (or three) back from the blinking screens (although to be honest it is pretty easy to check in on the market via an iPhone these days) and regain a feel for the big picture.…

Eight Bullish Factors To Consider

At the end of January and into the first week of February, we penned a handful of articles which focused on the question of whether or not the stock market was facing a new crisis or merely a garden variety pullback. Since the market has been dealt more than its fair share of cris…

Five Ways to Deal With the Changing Environment

While the world waits to hear what Janet Yellen has to say about Fed policy this morning, it is probably a good time to expand on the idea that the character of the stock market has changed and look at what investors can do about it. Last week, it was suggested that moves in the m…

Sometimes Reading is Required

The talk in the markets on Friday was all about the jobs report. For the second month in a row, the headline nonfarm payrolls number was a big surprise - and not in a good way. For the second month in a row, the number of new jobs created in the U.S. came in well below expectations. And y…

Has The Next Worry Arrived?

You've got to love the stock market game. Just about the time you think you've got it figured out, boom - it changes. Or maybe it doesn't, who knows. Frankly, there are times when it is very hard to tell why Ms. Market is doing what she is doing. But since that's the stated objective or o…

The Key Question in the Market Remains...

One constant in investing is the game is always changing. One minute the focus is on Europe. The next it's on an earthquake in Japan, then the Fed, unrest in the Middle East, the economy, QE, earnings, commodity prices, inflation/deflation, the state of the economy, emerging markets, and …

Is It Time To Move Into Crisis Mode?

The title of yesterday's missive was, "Is There Really a Crisis in Emerging Markets? Or..." The primary point made was that although stocks are off their recent highs and things have become much more volatile this year, the charts of the greenback, gold and bonds did not seem to confirm t…

Emerging Markets Mess: Blame It On The Fed?

It is yet unclear as to whether or not the current mess in the emerging markets will morph into a full-fledged crisis (remember the fun of 1998?). However, it is safe to say that the focal point of the stock market remains the currencies, economies, and equity markets of places like China…

Will the Worries Stick?

What a difference a day makes! In Friday morning's market missive entitled "Is It Time To Worry?" the argument was made that the chart of the DJIA (NYSE: DIA) was not representative of the state of the overall market. While the vene…