The smart money is selling, writes Ukarlewitz, commenting on the plummeting Smart Money/Dumb Money Confidence Index from SentimenTrader. The measure has a reasonable track record over the last few years at pointing out market tops and bottoms, and it's screaming "top" right now. Whether it's a 5% correction or something worse remains to be seen, but insiders see something bad coming and they're bailing out. [View news story]
The smart money is Benanke and his friends (banks). The dumb money is all those suckers listening to the talking heads. For the record I went short the market last week. I guess I was feeling too dumb.
One would expect lower crude inventories to result in higher prices, but that didn't happen yesterday as WTI slid below $87. Walter Kurtz's four possible reasons to explain crude's downside moves: weaker than expected growth in China has sparked a negative sentiment in commodity markets; hedge funds unwinding positions; lower U.S. demand for gasoline; North American production continues to surprise. [View news story]
Is an overbought market reason to sell? The S&P 500 (SPY) actually outperforms across a range of periods following a move 10% above its 200-day moving average, writes Ryan Detrick. Still he notes, the last 2 times the S&P was this overbought brought nasty corrections - the index nearly 10% lower 6 months later in each instance. [View news story]
It still comes down to valuations. Current P/E is roughly 15 times. Forward trailing P/E is 13. That is, if companies show earnings growth. If they do, then the market will move higher. If not, look out below. The tax cut, sequester cuts and the low GDP in the 4th q, does not help. Also, the rise in the $US will hurt exports. Time will tell. It also doesn't take much to raise the fear index. Look at those idiots in Cyprus. Taxing savings? I understand that there may be dirty $ over there, however fix that, don't tax the honest savers. That $ has already been taxed. The mattress is looking a lot better these days.
Brent crude oil futures extend losses below $110/bbl and WTI crude slips toward $91 after U.S. payrolls data indicates labor markets are on a path toward sustained job creation. The restart of the North Sea pipeline system, no change in policy from either the Bank of England or ECB, and indications of increased OPEC exports also are keeping a lid on Brent prices. [View news story]
The Big Boys (Banks), the Fed and the large producers (OPEC). You know as well as I do, that they can manipulate supply versus demand. Every time Oil gets near $100, we get an Oil shock. The Fed reminds me of a high wire act. "How do I balance jobs, interest rate, $ value, Gas Price, stock market" so that the majority of the people will feel good and go and spend. The problem today, is that we are in uncharted waters. When the Fed started QE, Gas was in the $2.75 range. Today it is $3.75 or a 35% increase. Unless you work for one of the bank fraudsters, I am sure most have not seen their incomes grow by that amount. So, if they want the markets higher, Oil and Gas have to go up. Should be interesting.
Brent crude oil futures extend losses below $110/bbl and WTI crude slips toward $91 after U.S. payrolls data indicates labor markets are on a path toward sustained job creation. The restart of the North Sea pipeline system, no change in policy from either the Bank of England or ECB, and indications of increased OPEC exports also are keeping a lid on Brent prices. [View news story]
Pure manipulation. The Fed is worried about Oil heading towards $100 and Gas to $4.00. For every penny that gas rises, billions are taken out of the economy to buy on other stuff. Thus, the catch 22. In order for the market to keep rising, Oil has to rise too as it normally leads. If it does, it puts the recovery in jeopardy as less and less $ to spend. Thus, the dilemma. Oil will stay above $90 and most likely with trade sideways for awhile. If it starts to move up along with Gas as Spring approaches, we may see a top in April / May.
Despite today's closing hiccup, the S&P 500 is up in January and February this year. This has occurred 26 times since 1945, notes Bob Pisani, and each time the S&P finished green for the year, with an average gain of 24%. [View news story]
During those other 25 times, how many were juiced by the Fed? There is no comparison anymore when you have a rigged market. It's Ben and the bankers who have pushed this market higher. For how long - who knows. Whenever inflation rears its ugly head they change the method on how to compute CPI. It will get them in the end. I long for the days when you invested based upon fundamentals. Alas, it is what it is until it isn't.
"I am as bearish on stocks as I have been in some time," writes Doug Kass. "Much of the current investor optimism expressed in a rising stock market is not consistent with the underlying economic and profit data," he continues, saying the exact same thing David Einhorn said on the GLRE earnings call yesterday. [View news story]
I also agree. Printing $ should be in line with GDP each year. I am amazed that the Fed which is owned by Private Banks is allowed to affect billions of people for the sake of a few. This is insane. We elect leaders to represent us and yet we get the Fed who really runs the show.
SPY -0.6%, QQQ -0.8% following numerous economic releases this morning showing any financial market froth from the Fed's QE isn't spilling over into the economy. Long-term Treasurys add to gains, the 10-year yielding 1.97% and TLT +0.7%, TBT -1.4%. [View news story]
SPY -0.6%, QQQ -0.8% following numerous economic releases this morning showing any financial market froth from the Fed's QE isn't spilling over into the economy. Long-term Treasurys add to gains, the 10-year yielding 1.97% and TLT +0.7%, TBT -1.4%. [View news story]
Why not give QE to every person instead of the banks? All it has done is juice the market and made a few bankers rich. Unemployment has not changed, goods are getting more expensive despite the Fed claims, and are debt keeps growing. At least if they divided up the loot, we could have a party before the collapse.
Even as the price of benchmark Brent crude surges to nine-month highs above $118/bbl, OPEC's Persian Gulf members are not inclined to increase production to help ease prices. In fact, Platt's says the Saudis cut production again in January. But if Brent hits $120, thoughts of demand erosion might start to creep in; with Europe's economy still on its sick bed, higher oil prices could prove too much to bear. [View news story]
Of course they don't care if it hits $120. More profits even if they sell less. Work less and make more $. It keeps the masses at bay in the Arab world while the elite bask in their wealth. With all this printing of $, Oil will continue higher until the public in Europe and North America say enough. Over $100 a barrel in WTI will take the US down. Occupy Wall Street may become "Storm the barricades".
Soaring optimism from investment newsletter writers means losses ahead for stocks, writes Jason Goepfert. Going back to 2000, there have been 9 other times when sentiment rose to these levels, he says, and in each of those cases the S&P was lower a month later, with the median loss 3.1%. In 8 out of 9 cases, the S&P was lower 6 months later, with the median loss 4.25%. [View news story]
Pros and Insiders are selling, and retail are buying. Classic case of Pump & Dump. Every time the market starts to slide, Uncle Ben gets his banking cronies to buy. When everyone is greedy (newsletters), time to be fearful. For the record, I am long Oil (since Dec), just bought Gold miners, and bought the VIX as a hedge. As soon as the last Joe steps off the platform, we should see a move lower, until the printing presses start again.
Brave or foolhardy? Francisco Blanch, BofA's head of commodities research, reckons West Texas crude could temporarily fall to $50/bbl in the next two years, as the U.S. and Canada between them are set to increase output by more than 800K bbl/day thanks to surging shale oil production, and the global demand picture also doesn't look rosy. [View news story]
You have got to be kidding me. Obama has as much impact on the price of Oil as I do. New jobs? Yeah we need some to counter those we keep sending to China.
Let's see. We spend $1.2 Trillion more than we take in and unemployment is still 7.5%. If they count it properly, it is more like 14%. We will need to spend $2.5 Trillion more. That's the Obama way.
Up 5.31% so far this month, the S&P 500 is on track for its best January since 1997 - happy news for the "as January goes, so goes the year" crowd. Maybe of more interest: Apple - the S&P's highest-weighted member - is also the worst-performer, -14.3%. Has there ever been an instance when the index has done so well while its largest holding did so poorly? [View news story]
The big guys are setting this up again to suck every last buyer standing on the train station. The time to buy was last week in December. The time to sell is now. Wait for the correction to get back in again. Profits are good. Don't be lulled into the classic "Pump & Dump".
Apple may be down and trading a single digit P/E. But we have Amazon trading at 3,000 plus. Go figure.
Right now, the talking heads are ignoring the bad news (GDP, Consumer Confidence, PMI, etc.) and hyping the good news. It amazes me how they dissect the bad into good, and the good into better. Greed is at a high. We all know what happens when fear hits and it will. It's tough to go against the trend, however that is where the big $ is made. Remember the market moves up on the escalator and down on the elevator. Time will tell.
"The bears are gone, extinct, vanished," writes John Hussman, with the only ones remaining being permabears or nutcases. "And yet, the historical evidence for major defensiveness has rarely been stronger." Capitulation is everywhere, he says, with even Alan Abelson telling investors to let profits run until stocks start to go the other way. [View news story]
I am always amazed when so many move to one side of the boat. It takes guts to go to the other side, however that is where the true gains are made. Next week will indicate a great deal with macro reports due. I bought the VIX last week as insurance and am taking gains throughout this week. I remember well 2007/2008. This reminds me a great deal of that time.
The smart money is selling, writes Ukarlewitz, commenting on the plummeting Smart Money/Dumb Money Confidence Index from SentimenTrader. The measure has a reasonable track record over the last few years at pointing out market tops and bottoms, and it's screaming "top" right now. Whether it's a 5% correction or something worse remains to be seen, but insiders see something bad coming and they're bailing out. [View news story]
One would expect lower crude inventories to result in higher prices, but that didn't happen yesterday as WTI slid below $87. Walter Kurtz's four possible reasons to explain crude's downside moves: weaker than expected growth in China has sparked a negative sentiment in commodity markets; hedge funds unwinding positions; lower U.S. demand for gasoline; North American production continues to surprise. [View news story]
Is an overbought market reason to sell? The S&P 500 (SPY) actually outperforms across a range of periods following a move 10% above its 200-day moving average, writes Ryan Detrick. Still he notes, the last 2 times the S&P was this overbought brought nasty corrections - the index nearly 10% lower 6 months later in each instance. [View news story]
It also doesn't take much to raise the fear index. Look at those idiots in Cyprus. Taxing savings? I understand that there may be dirty $ over there, however fix that, don't tax the honest savers. That $ has already been taxed. The mattress is looking a lot better these days.
Brent crude oil futures extend losses below $110/bbl and WTI crude slips toward $91 after U.S. payrolls data indicates labor markets are on a path toward sustained job creation. The restart of the North Sea pipeline system, no change in policy from either the Bank of England or ECB, and indications of increased OPEC exports also are keeping a lid on Brent prices. [View news story]
Brent crude oil futures extend losses below $110/bbl and WTI crude slips toward $91 after U.S. payrolls data indicates labor markets are on a path toward sustained job creation. The restart of the North Sea pipeline system, no change in policy from either the Bank of England or ECB, and indications of increased OPEC exports also are keeping a lid on Brent prices. [View news story]
Despite today's closing hiccup, the S&P 500 is up in January and February this year. This has occurred 26 times since 1945, notes Bob Pisani, and each time the S&P finished green for the year, with an average gain of 24%. [View news story]
"I am as bearish on stocks as I have been in some time," writes Doug Kass. "Much of the current investor optimism expressed in a rising stock market is not consistent with the underlying economic and profit data," he continues, saying the exact same thing David Einhorn said on the GLRE earnings call yesterday. [View news story]
SPY -0.6%, QQQ -0.8% following numerous economic releases this morning showing any financial market froth from the Fed's QE isn't spilling over into the economy. Long-term Treasurys add to gains, the 10-year yielding 1.97% and TLT +0.7%, TBT -1.4%. [View news story]
SPY -0.6%, QQQ -0.8% following numerous economic releases this morning showing any financial market froth from the Fed's QE isn't spilling over into the economy. Long-term Treasurys add to gains, the 10-year yielding 1.97% and TLT +0.7%, TBT -1.4%. [View news story]
Even as the price of benchmark Brent crude surges to nine-month highs above $118/bbl, OPEC's Persian Gulf members are not inclined to increase production to help ease prices. In fact, Platt's says the Saudis cut production again in January. But if Brent hits $120, thoughts of demand erosion might start to creep in; with Europe's economy still on its sick bed, higher oil prices could prove too much to bear. [View news story]
Soaring optimism from investment newsletter writers means losses ahead for stocks, writes Jason Goepfert. Going back to 2000, there have been 9 other times when sentiment rose to these levels, he says, and in each of those cases the S&P was lower a month later, with the median loss 3.1%. In 8 out of 9 cases, the S&P was lower 6 months later, with the median loss 4.25%. [View news story]
Brave or foolhardy? Francisco Blanch, BofA's head of commodities research, reckons West Texas crude could temporarily fall to $50/bbl in the next two years, as the U.S. and Canada between them are set to increase output by more than 800K bbl/day thanks to surging shale oil production, and the global demand picture also doesn't look rosy. [View news story]
Let's see. We spend $1.2 Trillion more than we take in and unemployment is still 7.5%. If they count it properly, it is more like 14%. We will need to spend $2.5 Trillion more. That's the Obama way.
Up 5.31% so far this month, the S&P 500 is on track for its best January since 1997 - happy news for the "as January goes, so goes the year" crowd. Maybe of more interest: Apple - the S&P's highest-weighted member - is also the worst-performer, -14.3%. Has there ever been an instance when the index has done so well while its largest holding did so poorly? [View news story]
Apple may be down and trading a single digit P/E. But we have Amazon trading at 3,000 plus. Go figure.
Ignore plunging consumer confidence at your peril, suggests SoberLook, as stock prices are pretty well tethered to it (or is it the other way around?). In any case, divergences don't seem to last for very long. [View news story]
"The bears are gone, extinct, vanished," writes John Hussman, with the only ones remaining being permabears or nutcases. "And yet, the historical evidence for major defensiveness has rarely been stronger." Capitulation is everywhere, he says, with even Alan Abelson telling investors to let profits run until stocks start to go the other way. [View news story]