State of the Markets
Holiday Break?
With the holiday season upon us, things will likely start to slow down considerably for the next two weeks. So, be advised that volatility can pick up when nobody's home.
But with that said, let's start the week with a review of our major stock market indicators. To review, the go…
Buy The Rumor, Sell The News, And...
As expected, the Fed announced that the Fed Funds Rate, the Discount Rate, and the rate paid on funds on deposit at the Federal Reserve bank all increased yesterday. As expected, each was bumped up by 25 basis points (aka 0.25%), putting the median target for Fed Funds at 0.625%. As expec…
Good News is Good Again!
Don't look now fans, but good news appears to be good news again. And for investors trying to make sense of Ms. Market's game, this is also a good thing.
For years, investors have had to endure the concept of bad economic news being good for stock prices and vice versa. This seemi…
Is This For Real, Or...
In the old days, when a stock or a market index broke out of a trading range accompanied by some "oomph," it was good thing. In fact, such an event was considered to be a strong signal that the move would continue and that it was time to jump on board the bull train. "Buy high, sell highe…
Year-End Romp, But...
Good Monday morning and welcome back to the land of blinking screens. With the Fed meeting on tap this week and traders possibly on hold until then, let's start the week with a review of our major stock market indicators. The goal of this exercise is to set aside our subjective views of w…
Well That Was Interesting!
Well that was interesting. Just about the time that folks started calling for the top in the "Trump Rally," stocks exploded higher, leaving many scratching their heads as to why.
In fact, a topic of conversation on my afternoon calls yesterday was the question of why the Dow was s…
Technical Talk: The Trend is Easy To See When...
One of the major tenets of my belief system for the markets is that it is vital to stay in tune with what a market "is doing." I learned a very long time ago that Ms. Market doesn't give a hoot what I think should happen next in the markets. And since no one has been able to consistently …
Is The Economy Seeing Green Shoots?
To be sure, the impetus for the stock market's most recent joyride to the upside, (a move that pushed the S&P 500 up by 6.2% in less than 3 weeks after the surprise election outcome) has been the so-called "Trump Trade." From my seat, one of the major components of this trade has been…
Indicator Review: Seasonal Winds Now Favor...
Good Monday morning and welcome back. Let's once again start the week off right with a review of our major stock market indicators. To review, the goal is to set aside our subjective views of what we think might be happening in the markets and focus on a disciplined, unemotional review of…
Six Ways To Deal With The Bond Dilemma
As financial advisors, money managers, and investors alike all begin to plot portfolio strategy for 2017 and beyond, one of the biggest questions is what to do about the bond market. For those of you keeping score at home, note that the Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index had its worst m…