Soft Month For Stocks…

August was a soft month for stocks across the board. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) closed the month of August down 2.4%, the S&P 500 (see chart here) fell a modest 1.8%, the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) gave up 2.2% and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart here) fell by over 5%. All things considered, not too shabby considering August historically is one of the weakest months of the year for stocks.

The market performance in August did snap a 5-month winning streak for the S&P 500 and the overall volatility in the stocks also picked up some steam. However, I do think the bulls will take such a modest pullback considering how strong the markets had been since early June. It appears some profit taking occurred in August while overall trading volumes were relatively lower. Now that summer is almost behind us, I expect trading volumes to increase along with the possibility of bigger market swings as we head into fall.

Now that we are in September the question becomes can the market weakness in August turn around in September? I typically look for catalysts to see if market direction will turn and as we head into September overall bullish sentiment has decreased. As contrary as this may sound, bullish sentiment decreasing is usually a bullish sign for the markets. I don’t like participating in markets where the sentiment is overly bullish and this has been the case all summer long, especially with how AI stocks went on a tear over the summer. The Artificial Intelligence sector lifted most indexes and if it wasn’t for the AI craze we have witnessed, I am not so sure if the markets would have enjoyed a multi-month bull run.

I always like to look at the technical shape of the markets as another potential catalyst for market moves. There is nothing really standing out either bullish or bearish. From the relative strength index aka the RSI, to where the moving averages are currently positioned, there is nothing too glaring one way or the other. Not a surprise considering how low the trading volumes were in August and the modest pullback that did occur.

Good luck to all πŸ™‚

~George

Is A Soft Landing Ahead?

For months now stock market pundits have been calling for a recession. Now it appears that a soft landing is ahead. You name it from Wall Street analysts to the media, not a day goes by without hearing the word recession. Well folks the economic data that has been coming out lately is showing just how strong ourΒ  economy remains. The latest gross domestic product (GDP) report Β that was issued last week showed that in the second quarter of this year our economy grew by 2.4% which surprised the street. What’s more is that this the fourth straight quarter of economic expansion. This sure doesn’t sound like a recession to me. Our economy is growing despite the Federal Reserve continuing to raise interest rates. As of now it sure does look like the Federal Reserve is managing these rate hikes to perfection.

The stock market sure likes what it is seeing from the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) continues to remain above its recent breakout. The same can be said for the S&P 500 (see chart here), the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart here). As I alluded to in my July blog, it appeared that stocks were on the verge of breaking out. Sure enough, the month of July was a very bullish month not only on the economic front but also for the stock market. One thing I now want to look for now is if stocks are becoming overbought?

As I look at some of the key technical indicators such as the RSI and the Moving Averages technical indicators nothing too alarming there from a technical standpoint. The exception here is both the Dow Jones Industrials (see chart here) and the S&P 500 (see chart here) are flirting with becoming overbought based on the relative strength index aka the RSI. That said, this is no surprise due to how strong the markets performed in month of July. Let’s see if there is a pullback of some sorts here in August or the continuation of this bullish action.

Wishing everyone the best of luck πŸ™‚

~George

Have We Bottomed Yet?

The million-dollar question that is populating the airwaves right now is “have we bottomed yet”? I think the answer lies in two things, first and foremost, the Federal Reserve and whether they will pull back some on their interest rate hikes. And the second question that comes to mind is how corporate earnings perform as this year continues to unfold. Well, the bull case is inflation will continue to ease which should slow down the Fed’s interest rate hikes. The bear case is inflation is still high and that it is going to take time for 2% inflation which is the Federal Reserve’s target. Needless to say, volatility should be in play for the foreseeable future.

The markets did close out the month of January on a high note. Yesterday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) closed up 368 points closing over the 34000 level. The S&P 500 (see chart here) finished the month of January up 59 points, the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) closed up 190 points and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart here) closed up 46 points on the last day of January.

Technically speaking these key indexes also appear ready to run some more. Each of these key indexes are finding support at their respective 20-day, 50-day, 100-day and 200-day moving averages. As I look at the relative strength index aka the RSI, there is yet another technical indicator thatΒ  appears to favor stocks for a continuation to the upside. After a slight retracement of the RSI there are no overbought conditions yet as defined by the RSI.

All in all, I think the stock market is performing quite well considering the headwinds that are currently present. From high inflation to corporate earnings compression, to the ongoing geopolitical backdrop, I think the bulls will take the markets performance so far this year. And as mentioned above, I would not be surprised to see volatility in stocks for the foreseeable future.

Good luck to all πŸ™‚

~George

Best Monthly Performance In Decades!

We just witnessed the best monthly performance for stocks in the Dow in decades. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) closed the month of October up almost 14%. The S&P 500 (see chart here) finished the month up 8% while the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) rose 4% and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart here and below) closed the month of October out up over 10%. Quite the performance considering how much pressure the markets have been under over the past several months. The one index that is standing out to me right now is the tech centric Nasdaq. Technology stocks remain under pressure as earnings reporting season for the tech sector has disappointed analysts and investors alike. Earnings out of Facebook, Amazon and Google underscores the pressures that the tech sector is currently facing. My feelings are that we are simply in the midst of coming out of an unsustainable bull market that got out of control and into a more balanced and fair valued market. By no means am I suggesting that the market is now at fair value, but it is certainly adjusting to more reasonable levels.

That being said, the Federal Reserve is not done with raising interest rates and inflation also remains at highs not seen in 40 years. Both factors may continue to put pressure on stocks. In fact, there are analysts coming out and projecting another meaningful leg down for the markets. Whatever the case may be, opportunities do present themselves in bear markets however, patience is also required and scaling in is always a good fundamental approach when entering stocks in this type of market environment.

From a technical analysis standpoint, I do see the aforementioned indexes approaching or at their respective 200 and 100-day moving averages could be a sign of pause in this powerful rally we just experienced or a continuation of the current rally.

Good luck to all πŸ™‚

~George

 

 

Technically Speaking…

The sell-off in the markets accelerated in the month of April and technically speaking it appears there could be more selling pressure ahead. On the year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) is down nearly 10 percent, the S&P 500 (see chart here) is off over 13%, the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) is down over 21% and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart here ) year to date is down 17%.

I am not surprised of the market weakness due to all the factors at play right now. From the war in Ukraine, to the highest inflation rates we have seen in over 40 years, the ongoing Covid backdrop albeit this dynamic appears to be improving and finally, interest rates. The Federal Reserve now has woken up to the fact that this low interest rate environment that we have lived in for over a decade is over. Runaway inflation has now become a major concern for the Fed, and they are now being beyond vocal of their intentions. A 50-basis point increase appears to be the hike here in May and hikes throughout the year are in play. In my view, this is the top catalyst as to the sell-off but let’s keep things in perspective. Last year and previous years for that matter have been a boon for stocks and pretty much every other asset class out there. Record after record have been set for years on asset classes and this is simply not sustainable. A healthy correction is beyond needed and it seems like we are in that mode now!

Now let’s look at the technical shape of the aforementioned key indexes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here), the S&P 500 (see chart here), the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) and the Russell 2000 (see chart here) all closed the month of April out below their key moving averages. The 20-day, 50-day, 100 and 200-day have all been breached while the Relative Strength Index aka the RSI have not yet breached an “oversold” condition. The RSI is a technical “momentum indicator” that has two values of importance. The 70-value level for potential “overbought” conditions and the 30-value level and below is a level that is considered “oversold. All the above indexes are currently hovering around the 35 level. Please remember “technical indicators” are there as a guide and a tool when assessing the technical backdrop of any given stock or index and is not 100 percent perfect.

Good luck to all πŸ™‚

~George

 

 

 

Record After Record!

The U.S. stock market notched record after record in 2021! What a year for all asset classes from stocks, to real estate, to the crypto markets!

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) finished 2021 up 18.7%. The S&P 500 (see chart here) closed the year out up a whopping 27%. The Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) closed up 21.5% and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart here) closed 2021 up 13.7%. How counterintuitive are these results as our country and the world for that matter continues to face and deal with Covid-19. Covid is now entering its 3rd year with the latest variant taking the world by storm. The omicron variant are causing infection rates to soar. However, scientists are hopeful that this variant could be the catalyst to ending this pandemic due to how less virulent this variant is at least to the fully vaccinated. It’s still early but the way omicron has now seemingly and abruptly reversed its course in South Africa, there is hope that this will be the case everywhere else.

Back to the markets. As we enter 2022 the big question and maybe the only question the markets have is how aggressive will the Federal Reserve be in hiking interest rates. No question in the new year interest rates will begin to head north. Inflation is soaring and impacting almost everything, which is part of the reason why we are seeing all-time highs across the board. This is not sustainable and with interest rates on the verge of increasing, stocks will face their first true test as the tightening rolls out. That said and because the pandemic is still wreaking havoc, I do not expect the Fed will be too aggressive out of the gate.

Let’s look at the technical shape of the aforementioned indexes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) is comfortably trading above its 100 and 200-day moving averages as is the S&P 500 (see chart here) and the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here). The small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart below) is trading at it 100 and 200 day MA so let’s see if these support lines hold for the Russell. The other technical indicator that I prefer is the relative strength index aka the RSI and none of the aforementioned indexes are in overbought territory according to the RSI. The 70 value level of the RSI is considered overbought and the 30 value level is considered oversold and each index is trading right around the middle of that range.

Happy New Year!

~George

Record After Record! - Paula Mahfouz

 

New Variant Spooks Markets…

A new Covid variant has spooked the markets enough to spike the VIX almost 50% (see chart here). The VIX aka the fear index took off on Friday after news out of South Africa that a new variant has emerged. The CBOE volatility index is a measure of price action in the S&P 500 options chain over the next 30 days. Investors and institutional investors alike pay attention to how investor sentiment is going at any point in time through the CBOE vol index. Historically when the markets are at work with no real headwinds or threats, the VIX in the 10-15 value range. Yesterday the VIX closed north of 27. No question over the past few days the VIX is revealing a bit of investor anxiety.

So now the question becomes is this a short-lived dynamic or is there more selling pressure in the offing? My feelings are this is a normal knee jerk reaction to yet another potential obstacle our economy and markets face. From what I have read we are weeks away to understanding the severity of this new variant or lack thereof. In the meantime, I think patience is key and to not act in haste. For all we know the vaccines could protect the population from this latest variant and if so, the markets could snap right back. However, if this becomes as severe and contagious as the Delta variant, then there is a strong chance the markets would continue to adjust accordingly.

Let’s look at the technical backdrop of the major averages starting with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here). The Dow sold off over 650 points yesterday to close just above its 200-day moving average. The S&P 500 (see chart here) closed lower by 88 points approaching its 100-day moving average. The Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) closed the month of November down 245 points while breaching its 20-day moving average. Last but not least, the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart below) closed down sharply as well yesterday, however, technically the Russell broke its 100 and 200-day moving averages in a meaningful way which does not bode well for this particular index as we enter the last month of the year.

One final note, no matter what happens in the market here in the short term, please take care of yourselves and your loved ones. We are approaching the two-year mark of this pandemic and everyone should take this serious, put the politics and conspiracy theories away and come together once and for all.

Wishing everyone a safe and healthy holiday season πŸ™‚

~George

New Variant Spooks Markets - Paula Mahfouz

Strong Earnings – Record Highs!

Last month I asked “Is this a healthy correction or something more?” and based on how strong earnings have been along with record highs, I think it is fair to say last months action was more of a healthy pullback than anything else. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) is at an all-time high trading above the 36000 mark, the S&P 500 (see chart here) has also hit an all time high today, the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) has also joined the all-time high club and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart here) is within striking distance of its all-time high.

The most recent catalyst for stocks and indexes hitting their all-time highs are earnings. 80 percent of the companies on the S&P 500 that have reported their Q3 earnings so far have beat Wall Street expectations. There are still 1000’s of companies set to report over the coming weeks but if trend continues we could very well be seeing more records set. Along with a strong earnings reporting season no question the Fed continues to encourage all investors to participate due to how low interest rates remain. For most investors there are not many options right now to generate meaningful returns other than the stock market or the high flying crypto space which remains incredibly volatile and extremely risky.

Now let’s take a look at the technical backdrop of the aforementioned indexes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) is trading comfortably above its key moving averages and not quite overbought according to the relative strength index (RSI) and the same can be said for the S&P 500 (see chart here) and the Russell 2000 (see chart below). However, the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) has just breached the 70 value level of the RSI which is the pure definition of a stock or index becoming overbought. Note, stocks and/or indexes can remain overbought for extended periods of time before a turn.

One of the oldest adages on Wall Street is the trend is your friend and it is clear where the trend has been and where it will most likely go. That said, it is always best to consult with your certified financial planner/advisor if you are considering any portfolio additions, deletions or adjustments.

Good luck to all πŸ™‚

~George

Strong Earnings - Record Highs - Paula Mahfouz

Nowhere Near Raising Rates…

In the words of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell “the Fed is nowhere near considering raising rates”! Last Wednesday the Federal Reserve held its FOMC meeting where it kept interest rates essentially at zero. This despite inflation seemingly everywhere along with a strengthening economy. So, what gives? Without question the most recent spike in Covid cases across our country continues to keep the Fed at bay pertaining to rates. I do get the thinking and strategy; however, I am a bit concerned of inflation overheating and the continuation of record setting asset prices.

Last week three of the four major averages hit all-time record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here) hit an all-time high of 35171. On Thursday the S&P 500 (see chart here) notched a record high of 4429 and the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) booked a record high of 14863. The small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart below) is the one index that is lagging a bit but the uptrend there remains intact.

As mentioned above, I am a bit concerned as to the non-stop record setting ways with asset prices. There seems to be a growing concern on the street about the potential ramifications of easy monetary policies that have been in place for over a decade and counting. There is no question interest rates need to go up and the money printing needs to abate. Yes, we are in a once in a century pandemic and there has been no choice other than to flood the markets with stimulus and support. However, this cannot go on forever.

That said, as I look at the technical shape of the aforementioned key indexes, there are currently no problems there. Three of the four indices that just set records last week all remain above their respective 20-day, 100 and 200-day moving averages. Also, these indexes are not yet overbought according to the relative strength index aka the RSI. So, folks it appears the record setting ways of our markets should continue in the near term. Make sure to always consult with a certified financial advisor(s) before making any decisions and/or adjustments to your investment strategies.

Good luck to all πŸ™‚

~George

Nowhere Near Raising Rates - Paula Mahfouz

Risk On Remains On!

Risk on in the markets remains on as we approach the second half of the year! It’s truly remarkable to me how stocks, crypto, real estate and other asset classes are still trading at or near all time highs. I do get that the ongoing accommodative policies provided by our Federal Reserve and from central banks across the globe is the main reason why asset prices continue their bullish ways.

That said, I do think it is time to start considering how things could look once the Federal Reserve in our country starts backing away from its accommodative monetary policies and as interest rates begin to normalize. This is not a question of if, it’s a question of when. Tell tale signs of inflation are now seemingly everywhere which is what the Federal Reserve is paying close attention to and could be the catalyst for the Fed to act. It is at this point our markets could be adjusting to align with real interest rates and normalized price to earning multiples. To that end, we have and continue to witness the most unique market conditions ever seen. So I am not calling a top here and I do respect the power of the Federal Reserve, however, I am just suggesting that we may see a healthy and overdue adjustment in asset prices which may not be such a bad thing. There are many investors that are on the sidelines and would be more than happy to step in should we see asset prices adjust to a lower entry point.

Let’s take a quick look at the technical shape of the major averages. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart here), the S&P 500 (see chart here), the Nasdaq Composite (see chart here) and the Small Cap Russell 2000 (see chart below) all are trading above their 20, 100 and 200 day moving averages. This alone is a strong technical backdrop and what’s more is none of the aforementioned indexes are currently overbought according to the relative strength index aka the RSI. So technically speaking things look pretty good right now.

Good luck to all πŸ™‚

~George

Risk On Remains On - Paula Mahfouz