State of the Markets
A Reprieve, But For How Long?
Good morning. Given all the excitement we've seen this week, I personally find it remarkable that this is only the fifth trading day of 2016! And after the worst 4-day start to a new calendar year ever, it looks like today is going to be another wild one. Only this time, it looks like the…
We Need To Understand The China Situation
Good morning. Well, here we go again. Just when you thought the market was focused primarily on oil, the game changes. Make no mistake about it fans, China is now front and center and it is important to understand what the heck is going on over there.
Let's start with the latest u…
Three More Reasons to Worry
Good morning. It looks like it will be another very bumpy ride on Wall Street today as U.S. stock futures are down again in the early going. There are three issues in play this morning that warrant your attention: The Chinese yuan, a successful hydrogen bomb test in North Korea, and oil.
Understanding What The Game Is About Here
Well that was harsh. Just when you thought that maybe, just maybe, the algo-induced intraday violence that had dominated the market action in 2015 might abate and that maybe, just maybe an actual trend lasting more than a month might begin, the 2016 opening bell rang. And before you could…
Putting 2015 in Perspective and Looking Ahead
It is my sincere hope that everyone enjoyed the holiday season and took some time to get away from the blinking lights for a week or two. But now it is to time to hit the reset button and get to work, for 2016's game is about to begin!
As we enter another new calendar year (which,…
Don't Be Fooled, All Is Not Right With This Market
With a Holiday season upon us, it is a good bet that most folks have their attention focused on more important things than the stocks market right now. As such, I'll cut to the chase this morning. The big thing I'd like to get across in today's missive is that this is no time to be compla…
Will Oil Be the Grinch That Steals the Santa Rally?
I'd like to start this morning by once again asking, are we having fun yet? In looking back at my 28+ years of being responsible for other people's money in the markets, I am not sure I can recall a time that has been so consistently difficult to manage.
Well, to be fair, there ha…
Does Fed Move Really Change Anything?
In what has to be considered the most telegraphed move in financial history, Janet Yellen's Federal Reserve announced an increase to the Fed Funds and Discount Rate targets yesterday. And while the mandatory moronic algo-games whipped stock prices back and forth for a few minutes followin…
Let's Be Careful Out There...
Since we've got some time on our hands this morning before Yellen & Co. do something they haven't done in nine years - raise interest rates - I thought it would be a good idea to pick up where we left off on our run-through of the important market indicators.
If you will recal…