I am not even sure what to say here, almost 1000 points in 7 trading days? After closing above the 25,000 mark for the first time ever on January 4th, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart below) is now closing in on the 26,000 mark in a matter of days. I simply do not understand how this bellwether index can notch 1000 point gains in such a short period of time. In fact most of the major averages are continuing to set records almost daily. How long can this go on? Without question we are on the brink of the strongest bull market in recorded history. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) closed the week at a record 25,803.19, the S&P 500 (chart) closed at a record 2,786.24, the Nasdaq Composite (chart) closed at a record high of 7,261 and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) closed the record setting week at 1,591.90. The market was boosted on Friday in part by the strong quarterly earnings results of JP Morgan Chase.
Speaking of earnings reporting season, this week truly is the start of earnings reporting season in which most analysts expect strong top and bottom line growth from corporate America. Over the past few years the markets did witness strong bottom line growth in which a lot of that growth was due to improved efficiencies and reductions of the workforce. Now the opposite is occurring. The economy is expanding as is the job market. This should bode well for not only company earnings but for the continuation of the bull market. That said, I would think that a pullback of any kind is in the cards and I would also expect that investors and traders would be there in support of a retracement.
From a technical point of view equites are clearly overbought according to the relative strength index also referred to as the RSI. However, this favorite technical indicator has not provided the guidance and reliability as it usually does simply because these markets have remained overbought for one of the longest stretches I can remember. There will be a time where the RSI will become more reliable as it once was, but in my humble opinion you will need a “normal” market environment for this to be the case. Good luck to all 🙂
~George