State of the Markets
Will the Market Be Bullied By the Fed?
While the vast majority of investors probably don't have the time nor the interest in watching the stock market on a minute-by-minute basis, one can learn an awful lot about what is actually driving prices by doing so.
Granted, it isn't important to watch every tick, every moment …
Has The Much Ballyhooed Correction Begun?
While the situation in Iraq continues to intensify on both the political and military fronts, yesterday's out-of-the-blue decline in the stock market took many investors by surprise. The retreat in prices ended a string of relatively weak advances and has a lot of folks once again calling…
Is Sentiment Flashing A Warning To Investors?
To be sure, correctly analyzing investor sentiment and then acting accordingly in one's portfolio can be challenging over the long-term. Everybody knows to be wary of the crowd when everyone sees the same thing and/or everyone is expecting the same thing to happen in a given market. Yet a…
2014: Macro Crowd Getting It Wrong, Again
So, are we having fun yet in this year's stock market? If you followed the crowd's "consensus" view on what was supposed to happen this year, the answer is probably a resounding "No!"
For those keeping score at home, this is the second consecutive year in which the self-proclaimed…
What Does History Teach Us About Markets and Middle East Crises?
The turmoil and violence in Iraq continued unabated on Monday as ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) militants continued on their quest to acquire additional strongholds in northern Iraq.
But from the market's perspective, the question of the day is whether the situation i…
Iraq is Back - Is It Time To Panic?
In case you've been out on the golf course, vacationing with the kids, or simply otherwise occupied, the situation in Iraq has become the primary focal point of the markets over the last few days. Thus, the question of the day is if geopolitics in Iraq will become the next "crisis" the st…
Has The VIX Issued An Important Sell Signal?
Back in March, we spent some time exploring how investors could use the VIX in order to help them determine safe entry points in the market after corrections. We looked at a couple of different buy signals that were tied to the VIX. As we
The Next Decline Will Tell Us...
Even the most ardent bulls will have to admit that the current joyride to the upside might be getting a little out of hand. For example, the S&P 500 has finished higher 13 of the last 16 days and 11 of the last 13. And since David Tepper made his comments about not being "too frickin …
Confused? The Current Market Environment Is...
Much to the chagrin of those residing in the glass-is-half-empty camp (who, by the way, felt that May was definitely going to be their time), stocks have embarked on a new leg higher. The breakout to the upside, and then more importantly, the follow-through and confirmation by multiple in…
Is The Wall of Worry Crumbling?
With the stock major averages improving almost daily, the mood of the market is definitely on the mend. But think back... How long ago was it exactly that just about everyone on the planet was absolutely, positively sure that the stock market was going to take a dive? Remember all the tal…