Stock Market Blog -Oct 27th

The market rally continued this week, with the S&P500 chart approaching the upper end of the price range. The delayed monthly jobs report again showed less jobs created than were expected. On the earnings front, AMZN, BA, F, MSFT, and NFLX all reported great numbers.  Gold rallied, Oil finally dropped under $100, Bonds were up, and the US Dollar dropped.

The debt clock (on the left) is now over the $17,000,000,000,000 mark!

New all time highs:    IWM, SPY -AXP, AMZN, BA,CMCSA , COP, DAL, DIS, CMG, FDX, GILD, GOOG, LOW, V, XLY, and more...
All time lows:  ... 

Pops:  AAP, AMZN, GLW, MSFT, ZNGA   Drops:  AKAM, CREE, CAT, NFLX,

Next week: Economic reports   Fed meeting!
 Earnings next week:

Mon - AAPL, BIIB, MRK

Tue - AET, BP, BIDU, PFE, LNKD

Wed - FB, GM, V

Thu - AAP, COP, SBUX, MA, NEM, XOM

Fri - CVX

Market Commentary

The rally continues, but we are approaching the high end of the range in this wide 'up-channel'. A flood of earnings reports will help fuel market direction, and possibly news from the Fed  meeting. AAPL reports earnings on Monday, and could move the NASDAQ as well. Look for FB on Wednesday too.

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -All time high!
10yr Interest Rates
Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil dropped, closing near $97.85 -finally under $100!
Natural Gas dropped a bit, closing near $3.70
Gold rallied, closing at $1352
The 30 year Bond rallied, closing near $135.35
The US Dollar dropped, closing near 79.24

NEWS:

Wall Street Week Ahead: Focus on Facebook, Apple and the Fed
Stock-market bulls face hurdles in the week ahead
Apple is Monday’s stock to watch as results loom
Why the S&P 500 is beating the Dow
Five warning signs that stocks could be getting too bubbly

$3.5 trillion so far, and more ahead for buybacks
Amazon Stock May Be Up, but the Company Still Doesn’t Make Any Money
Oil rebounds as traditional fundamentals reassert themselves
iPad mini with Retina display nearly double the cost of Google Nexus 7

Stock Market Blog -Oct 20th

The market rallied this week after the Debt Ceiling and the Government shutdown issues were resolved (for now). A huge rally in GOOG helped the NASDAQ as well. Both the S&P500 and the small-cap Russell 2000 (IWM) closed at all time highs! Bonds and Gold rallied too -interesting! Oil dropped.

AMZN, BIDU, CMG, FB, GOOG, and NFLX  hit new all time highs. IBM and UNH dropped after reporting earnings  (This was the sixth quarterly decline in a row for IBM’s revenues ).

New all time highs:    IWM, SPY -AXP, AMZN, BIDU, CELG, COP, CMG, GILD, GOOG, FB, NFLX, SBUX, V and more...
All time lows:  JCP, 

Pops:  AAP, AMZN, GOG, CMG, SNDK   Drops:  ARIA -again, UNH

Next week: Economic reports   Tuesday -overdue monthly jobs report
 Earnings next week:

Mon -DFS, MCD, NFLX, TXN, VMW

Tue - AMGN, TRV, UTX, FCX

Wed - T, BA, CAT

Thu - AMZN, F, MSFT, MMM,

Fri - PG, UPS, SPG

Market Commentary

We got another big rally this week with the S&P500 now hitting all time highs. Next week will be another big week for earnings. As volatility drops back to the low end, maybe we'll see  a setup for another pullback, and a time to book some profits. Some of the DOW stocks are very richly valued too. The gold mining stocks started to lift from a long sell-off this week so keep an eye on them too (or the ETFs like GDX, GDXJ).

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -All time high!
10yr Interest Rates
Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil dropped, closing near $100.81 -still over $100
Natural Gas dropped a bit, closing near $3.76
Gold rallied, closing at $1314
The 30 year Bond rallied, closing near $134.09
The US Dollar dropped, closing near 79.72

NEWS:

S&P breaks record, Google's stock tops $1,000 on earnings
Will Earnings Season Kill the Stock Market Rally?
Google tops $1,000 after blowout quarter
Apple's iPad problem: A 27% sales drop
Buckle up: Here come the economic data
JPMorgan close to $13 billion mortgage settlement

Is Nike A Decent Long-Term Buy?
Why Are Solar Stocks Taking Off?
Gas Prices Could Dip Below $3 by Year-End: Lutz
China logs best growth so far this year

Stock Market Blog -Oct 13th

This week we saw a 'V' reversal in the market -let's see if it holds up next week. Gold dropped below $1300 this week, and Oil looks like it wants to dip below $100 finally. The government shutdown continues, and the debt ceiling comes to a head this week. Stay alert!

New all time highs:    AMP, CTSH, COP, STZ, SAVE, WFM

All time lows:  

Pops:  --   Drops:  ARIA, CTXS, MU, YUM

Next week: Economic reports   -Options expiration on Friday -Debt ceiling issue?
 Earnings next week:

Mon -

Tue - C, INTC, KO, JNJ, YHOO

Wed - AXP, BAC, EBAY, IBM

Thu - GOOG, GS, LVS, UNH, VZ

Fri - GE, MS

Market Commentary

Lots of action next week -debt ceiling debacle, earnings reports, and option expiration. We will probably see more volatility. The market saw a strong rally over the past two days -we could see more, or the exact opposite. There really is no way to assess the next move from here, so use the high volatility to your advantage and maybe sell both sides of the market with Iron Condors.

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -what's next?
10yr Interest Rates 
Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil dropped, closing near $101.84 -still over $100
Natural Gas rallied, closing near $3.83
Gold dropped below $1300, closing at $1270
The 30 year Bond was mostly unchanged, closing near $132.84
The US Dollar was up a bit, closing near 80.38

NEWS:
Which Stocks Look Ready to Surge or Sink After Earnings Next Week?
Is The Equity Market's Day Of Reckoning Beckoning?

What’s happening in the Treasury bill market today should terrify you

Stock Market Blog -Oct 6

The market was down slightly for the week, as the government shutdown continues. Bonds were mostly unchanged, so was Gold, while Oil rallied a bit. Looks like we're in wait & see mode.  FB is holding up above $50 so far.  TSLA dipped, but rallied back on Friday.  PCLN is holding up above $1000 per share.

DG and DLTR are at all time highs -a reflection of the economy?

New all time highs:    CELG, DG, DLTR, DAL, MYL, STZ, 
All time lows:  JCP

Pops:  --   Drops:  JCP

Next week: Economic reports   
Earnings:  AA kicks off earnings this week. Also COST, YUM, JPM and WFC.

Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Market Commentary

We're at a support level here in the S&P500 so we could bounce up from this recent sell-off. October could be a volatile month, especially with earnings around the corner, so be careful. The longer term trend is still up, and we're holding just above the 50MA on the S&P500.

Options Implied Volatility is on the rise, so it's a good time to sell options or option spreads.

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -rally up next, or breakdown?
10yr Interest Rates 
Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil was up, closing near $103.84 -still over $100
Natural Gas dropped, closing near $3.50
Gold was down slightly, closing at $1310
The 30 year Bond was mostly unchanged, closing near $132.97
The US Dollar dropped a bit, closing near 80.22

NEWS:
Stocks bounce back after steep slide
Trading Radar: Prepare for Third Quarter Earnings Next Week!
Wall Street digs in for a debt default
Companies are stashing away billions overseas
Forget Apple, Google…this is Nasdaq 2.0
Five years after crisis, families are hoarding cash

Stock Market Blog -Sep 22nd

The market was up this week as the Fed surprised everyone by announcing that they would not begin tapering the monthly $85 billion money printing program.  We will have a new DOW as of Monday when GS, NKE, and V replace 3 of the non-performing components. My money is on Visa! (long term).

Meanwhile Amazon, Facebook, Netflix,  and Tesla hit new all time highs on Friday, and Blackberry continued its downward move. Apple's new iPhone went on sale Friday.

New all time highs:    ADBE, AMZN, AN, COP, CELG, FB, HIMX, NFLX, TSLA, UPS, V, and more...
All time lows:  -- 

Pops:  FDX,   Drops:  BBRY

Next week: Economic reports  
Earnings:  

Market Commentary

The up-trend continues, and continues.... We hit new all time highs in the market again this week. Trend followers should stay in until we see some kind of signal indicating a change (like a moving average maybe). I think we'll stay at these levels at least until the end of this month/quarter.

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -upper end of the range
10yr Interest Rates 
Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil dropped, closing near $104.75 -still over $100
Natural Gas was unchanged, closing near $3.69
Gold regained some ground, closing at $1332
The 30 year Bond rallied, closing near $131.69
The US Dollar dropped, closing near 80.55

NEWS:
Dow posts 185-point drop but still ends higher for 3rd-straight week..
Did the Fed just pop the stock market bubble?
Apple iPhone 5C orders 'not overwhelming', but inventory is still low
Microsoft boosts dividend by 22%, sets $40 billion buyback
BlackBerry ends down 17% on massive loss; cutting 4,500 jobS (vid)

Stock Market Blog -Sep 15th

The market rallied for a second week, as Facebook touched an all time high, while Apple dropped after announcing the new iPhones.  Changes were announced to the DOW: out are AA, BA, HPQ, in are GS, NKE, V -markets are heading higher! Also, DELL finally closed the deal to go private.

This Sunday night markets are rallying as Larry Summers took himself out of the running for the new Fed Chairman position.

New all time highs:    AET, APC, BA, COP, CMI, DNKN, MYL, STZ, ULTA, WFM
All time lows:  -- 

Pops:     Drops: 

Next week: Economic reports   FED meeting!
Also, Options expiration, monthly & quarterly.
Earnings:   FDX, ORCL

Market Commentary

Well, the market spoke and it said 'up'. It could keep going and take out the previous high from the beginning of August. Of course the rally could also fail near this level. The economy is somewhat lackluster, but the market keeps going up -stick with it till it turns if you are trying to trade the down-side.

If you trade Gold, we saw a big drop this week -the long term down-trend in gold is still intact, though the 50MA has turned back up. With any luck, this pullback might reverse here.

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -moving back up!
10yr Interest Rates 
Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil was up, closing near $108.21 -still over $100
Natural Gas was up, closing near $3.68
Gold plummeted, closing at $1308
The 30 year Bond was up a bit, closing near $129.81 
The US Dollar was down, closing near 81.45

NEWS:
Birinyi says we’re heading to S&P 2000
Stocks seen taking Fed taper in stride this week
There's no stopping September, at least not yet
Big Changes Come to the Dow
Investors in Europe See a Glass Half Full and Rising
Foreclosure crisis is drawing to a close
Does America's Shrinking Private Sector Signal Capitalism's Unmaking?

Cheap money or not, the Fed can't win
5 Years Later, We've Learned Nothing From the Financial Crisis
Kass: Google/Android Is an Apple Eater
Apple's Most Boring iPhone Event Ever
Joe Granville, Whose Bearish Calls Moved Stocks, Dies at 90
Insight: Changing China set to shake world economy, again

Stock Market Blog -Sep 8th

The market rallied this week, in the face of a weak monthly jobs report, rising interest rates, rising Oil prices, and the ongoing situation in Syria. September can sometimes be a volatile month so be prepared. It's also the end of the 3rd quarter, and next week also marks the 911 anniversary.

New all time highs:    APC, BLOX, COP, KMX, LNKD, NVS, OCN, STZ, UNH, YELP
All time lows:  -- 

Pops:   FB   Drops: 

Next week: Economic reports

Market Commentary

The charts show indecision in the market right now, and there is plenty of news to move it in either direction, so it's tough to trade right now, unless you use Option Spreads. If Gold resumes its uptrend, the gold mining stocks might be a good buy (or GDX, GDXJ). Also, Bonds are trending down very nicely (TLT).

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -moving back up for now
10yr Interest Rates
Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil was up, closing near $110.53 -now over $110!
Natural Gas was mostly unchanged, closing near $3.53
Gold was mostly unchanged, closing at $1386
The 30 year Bond dropped again, closing near $129.03 -freefall?
The US Dollar was mostly unchanged, closing near 82.16

NEWS:
Why Everyone is Freaking Out About the Jobs Report
An alarming jump in 'job losers'
Microsoft swallows Nokia's phone business for $7.2 billion
Apple's innovation problem is real
IBM: Is It Cheap Or In Trouble?
Our Ultimate Stock-Pickers' Top 10 Buys and Sells

Stock Market Blog -Sep 1st

The market pulled back again this week amid rising concern about the Syria situation, so the recent down trend continues.

New all time highs:    CRM, KORS, JAZZ
All time lows:  -- 

Pops:   CRM, GES   Drops: 

Next week: Economic reports Monthly jobs report on Friday!

Market Commentary

The market may attempt a rally as it appears to be oversold at this level.

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -still in a short term down trend
10yr Interest Rates
Labor Force Participation Rate (10yr chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil was down a bit, closing near $107.65 -still over $100.
Natural Gas was up, closing near $3.58
Gold was mostly unchanged, closing at $1396 (briefly popped over $1400)
The 30 year Bond was up a bit, closing near $133.34
The US Dollar was up a bit, closing near 82.14

NEWS:
Investors brace for a jam-packed September
Easy come, easy go: Summer markets go out on a flat note
Where did earnings go? Profit outlook gets gloomy
Traders nervous about an attack on Syria, despite Kerry's speech
Even the King of Bonds Can't Escape the Carnage
Five Years After Chaos, Shares of Many Big Banks Are Still Struggling

Nasdaq takes some responsibility for 'flash freeze'
Automation and Nasdaq's trading glitch
Indian rupee extends slide to fresh record low
Emerging markets: The comeback kid of 2014?
Just what will stop the emerging market carnage?