Russell 2000

Trade War Back On!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Here we go again, the trade war is back on! Donald Trump yesterday once again fired up the trade war this time including the EU, Mexico and Canada. How is an investor supposed to confidently invest when the message and policies of our government change almost daily. Stocks all week have been whipsawed around which is great for the trader, but no so much for the investor. Now we have countries from around the world retaliating with their own tariffs on our goods. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) finished the week at 24635, the S&P 500 (chart) closed the week out at 2734, the Nasdaq Composite (chart) closed at 7554 and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart below) showing its incredible resilience finishing the week out near an all-time high.

The chop action that we are seeing in the markets along with the unpredictably of our government gives me more reason now to focus in on the technical trading patterns of stocks and indices. Whether it is support or resistance levels vis à vis moving averages (click here) i.e. the 20-day, 50-day, 100-day, 200-day or outright overbought or oversold conditions using the Relative Strength Index (click here) or the Bollinger Bands (click here) which can also provide a technical look into extreme conditions. With Q1 earnings reporting season essentially wrapped up, there is no real apparent catalyst to move the markets in a meaningful way. Which is why I will be paying much closer attention to the technical make up of the markets to identify opportunities.

One of my favorites are the moving averages (click here) especially the 200-day moving average. For example, just take a look at the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) and the S&P 500 (chart). You’ll see over the past few months each time these indexes gravitated to their respective 200-day MA, they found support and proceeded higher. There is no guarantee that moving averages will always hold and provide support, but in many instances it indeed acts as a short term floor to selling pressure. There are many resources on how technical analysis can work and I would recommend studying the dynamics of TA before including it in your investment or trading strategies. Good luck to all 🙂

~George

Russell 2000 - Paula Mahfouz

 

 

Strong Earnings Results Buoy Stocks!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Q1 strong earnings results buoy stocks! Corporate profits for this past quarter have exceeded expectations. On average corporate earnings growth surpassed 20 percent for the quarter however, it appears that the markets have priced in this impressive growth. For the most part stocks have had a muted response to their earnings results so far this year. The S&P 500 (chart) is barely up on the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) finds itself essentially flat with the Nasdaq Composite modestly up (chart), however, the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) quietly hit an all time high today. Interestingly enough when small-cap stocks are outperforming the other bellwether indexes, it’s usually a good sign for a rest of the market. We will have to see if history repeats itself here.

Yes the markets as a whole may not be up that much this year, but I am impressed with how the overall landscape has held up. The pending trade war with China, the on again and off again tensions with North Korea and rising interest rates have yet to really take hold of these markets in a negative manner. Yes we did experience a 10% sell-off in February but only to be met with support and a resumption of the upward bias towards stocks. That said, I do feel the markets are teetering on the potential of another pullback. Let’s take a look at the technical shape of the aforementioned indexes.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) closed just under its 100-day moving average at 24714, S&P 500 (chart) is on the other side of that coin closing just above its 100-day moving average at 2720, the Nasdaq Composite (chart) closed at 7382 and as previously mentioned, the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) notched an all time high today breaking out of a triple top closing at 1625. So technically speaking these key indexes are not in any type of extreme condition either overbought or oversold and we will have to see how the balance of earnings reporting season plays out and whether or not we break out to the upside or have another retracement. Good luck to all 🙂

~George

A Sell The News Environment?

Posted on by George Mahfouz

We are almost at the midway point of earnings reporting season and it appears that we are in a “sell the news” type environment. Amazon (Symbol: AMZN), Intel (Symbol: INTC), Bank of America (Symbol: BAC) JP Morgan Chase (Symbol: JPM) are amongst other high profile companies that have smashed it out of the park with their latest quarterly earnings reports and yet the market does not seem to care. At best stocks have gone sideways with breakout moments only, only to find themselves priced back where they started before their earnings reports. One could say that stocks have already priced in their respective growth and the markets seem to agree. To close out the month of April, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) closed at 24,163, the S&P 500 (chart) finished the month at 2648, the Nasdaq Composite (chart) closed at 7066 and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) settled at 1542.

As mentioned above, we are around the mid-point of the season and there are still hundreds of companies that are set to report their earnings this week which includes the likes of: Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL), Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN), Gilead Sciences Corp. (NasdaqGS: GILD), Snap Inc (NYSE: SNAP), Avis Budget Group (NYSE: CAR), Caesars Entertainment Corp (NYSEL CZR), CVS Health Corp. (NYSE: CVS), Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE: EL), Holly Frontier Corp. (NYSE: HFC), Mastercard Inc. (NYSE: MA), MetLife Inc. (NYSE: MET), Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM), Avon Product Inc. (NYSE: AVP), CBS Corp. (NYSE: CBS), Ferrari NV (NYSE: RACE), Kellogg Co. (NYSE: K), Shake Shack Inc. (NYSE: SHAK), Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (NasdaqGS: SFM), Weight Watchers International Inc. (NYSE: WTW), Celgene Corp. (NasdaqGS: CELG) and Cheniere Energy Corp (NYSE: LNG). These are just a few of the names that report this week and as you can see there is a wide variety of companies that could potentially move the market from its most recent sideways action. Good luck to all 🙂

~George

 

Risks Abound!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

As we enter into Q1 earnings reporting season there are risks abound! Whether it’s the brewing trade war with China, rising interest rates here at home or geopolitical tensions in the middle east, the risk profile of this market has certainly increased in recent weeks. Money center banks such as JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Citigroup (NYSE: C) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) kicked off earnings reporting season and all reported solid earnings numbers only to see their stocks falter on Friday. So we could be setting up for a better than expected earnings reporting season and the markets won’t care due to the aformentioned risks that are present. We will certainly find out this upcoming week as hundreds of companies are set to report their quarterly results. We kick off the week with earnings from Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), Charles Schwab Corp (NYSE: SCHW), Netflix (NasdaqGS: NFLX) followed by Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Intuitive Surgical (NasdaqGS: ISRG), United Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL), United Healthgroup (NYSE: UNH), Abbot Labs (NYSE: ABT), American Express (NYSE: AXP), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), United Rentals (NYSE: URI), Etrade Financial Corp. (NasdaqGS: ETFC), General Electric (NYSE: GE) Honeywell International (NYSE: HON), Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) and Transunion (NYSE: TRU) just to name a few.

Let’s take a gander at the technical shape of the markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart below) has bounced off of its 200-day moving average multiple times over the past couple of weeks and is now hovering at its 20-day, the same can be said for the S&P 500 (chart), the Nasdaq Composite (chart) is right on its 20-day and 100-day moving averages as is the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart). So all of the key indices are at or slightly above key support levels and just maybe between earnings reporting season and key support levels in play, stocks can withstand the risks that are currently present. Good luck to all 🙂

~George

Dow Jones - George Mahfouz Jr

 

Tech Stocks Under Fire!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Despite a modest rebound on Friday tech stocks remain under fire. From Facebook (NasdaqGS: FB) to Tesla (NasdaqGS: TSLA) and now even Amazon (NasdaqGS: AMZN) are all under pressure for a variety of reasons. This is spilling over into the overall tech sector (see chart below) and even into the overall marketplace. Facebook is facing significant scrutiny regarding user privacy while Tesla continues to trip up with deliveries and debt issues and now even Amazon is under pressure due to President Trump’s direct attack on the online retailer’s sales tax structure. This was enough to send the major averages down to close out the quarter at or in negative territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) finished Q1at 24103, the S&P 500 (chart) closed the quarter at 2640, the Nasdaq Composite (chart) closed at 7063 and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) finished the first quarter of the year at 1529.

What was also obvious in Q1 was how volatility came back to life. For years the market was in a lullaby state melting up and setting record after record. Well the first quarter has swiftly reminded us on how markets can and should behave. Investors that placed money into mutual funds or passive funds over the past several years made out like a bandit with not a worry in the world. Abnormal stock market gains were in vogue especially after the election. Now with rising interest rates, the Federal Reserve reducing its debt load and the daily drama out of Washington DC, I think it is safe to say the melt up mode and daily records being set are in the rear view mirror. That said, market corrections are very normal and healthy and so is volatility at least for traders that is 🙂

Looking ahead and with earnings reporting season right around the corner, let’s see how corporate America fared in the first quarter of the year. This could be the catalyst that calms things down a bit but in the same breath should there be any slippage in earnings growth, we could be in for more even more volatility. Good luck to all 🙂

~George

Nasdaq - george mahfouz jr

Red Week For Stocks, Technicals In Play…

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Stocks had a tough week pressured by the prospects of rising interest rates and political turmoil out of Washington D.C. On the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart below) closed lower by 1.5%, the S&P 500 (chart) closed the week down 1.2%, the Nasdaq Composite (chart) finished lower by 1% and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) ended the week down around 1% as well. Despite a choppy and red trading week, all of the aforementioned indexes are still up on the year.

As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day we find ourselves in a period of no real short term catalysts to steer the market in either direction other than the FOMC meeting next week. I don’t expect the Federal Reserve to surprise the markets with a larger than expected interest rate hike or change their view on interest rate policy this year. The inflation data continues to remain tame although the labor market is heating up. So what is going to drive stocks between now and Q1 earnings reporting season in April?

When we find ourselves in a period such as the one we are in, I focus in on the technical shape of the markets. And as you can see in the charts of the major averages, all of them are at their moving averages support. Whether it’s the 9 day, 20 day, 50 day, 100 or 200 day moving average, stocks and indexes typically respect and is supported by moving average support lines with the 200 day moving average being the most reliable out of all of them. This doesn’t mean that this favorite technical indicator of most market technicians is infallible, but it sure has a history of being an effective tool when navigating the markets. All things considered, including the seasonality of the markets, I do expect that these support levels should hold at least until Q1 earnings reporting season. If the moving averages don’t hold, then I would not be surprised if we revisit the early February market correction lows. Good luck to all and Paula and I wish everyone a safe and Happy St. Patricks Day 🙂

~George

Dow Jones Industrial Average - Paula Mahfouz

Stocks In Whipsaw Action!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Volatility makes a comeback as stocks get whipsawed to end the month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) closed out the month of February with a 380 point loss, the S&P 500 (chart) retraced 30 points, the Nasdaq Composite (chart) dropped 57 points and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) closed the last day of February down 24 points. This two-day pull back comes off the heals of a sharp V shape bounce from the market correction that occurred in early February. During the bounce off of the most recent bottom it sure started to feel like the good ole days of lower vol and melt up mode. Not this time and at least not yet. What was abnormal was how volatility was virtually non existent over the past few years. Seemingly passive investing was the only place to be and in hindsight that was indeed the only place to be. During the multi-year melt-up we watched hedge funds underperform and in some instances close shop. There was simply no volatility for hedge funds hedge. It was a one way ticket up.

So what has changed you may ask? I think it is safe to say that the shift in the Federal Reserve’s policy albeit a delicate one is as far as you have to look. Since the financial crisis of 2008, the Federal Reserve has provided its entire war chest of financial accommodation to get the economy and banking system not only of its feet, but thriving again. So now that all systems are a go the Fed is unwinding its balance sheet and raising interest rates. Yes that sounds like a pretty simple answer but it’s also pretty clear to see. With that being said, I do not expect the Federal Reserve to act too quickly unless inflation abruptly takes off. In the meantime I believe volatility will be remain prominent in the marketplace which is putting a smile on traders faces and creating opportunity both long and short. 🙂 Good luck to all!

~George

Finally A Tradable Market!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

After years of essentially low to no volatility, traders finally get what they have been wishing for and that is a tradable market! In 2017 the markets witnessed the longest stretch of low vol in recent memory. In fact the VIX (see chart below) which is the ticker symbol for the Chicago Board Options Exchange volatility index traded in the 10 zone for most of 2017. The 10 level on the VIX (chart) is beyond abnormally low especially lasting for the better part of a year. Fast forward to today and the VIX is hovering around 20 after spiking to over 50 over the past two weeks. We haven’t seen the VIX (chart) at the 50 level in years. Call it long overdue, call it the market needed to correct, call it higher interest rates, call it what you want but finally we seemingly have more of a normal market environment. Not to say it wasn’t gut wrenching watching 1000 point Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) intra-day swings over the past couple of weeks compared to the slow melt-up investors have enjoyed for years. Traders on the other hand have underperformed the markets during the melt-up because there simply was not enough or no volatility to be able to trade.

Stocks have indeed bounced sharply from the early February market correction. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) closed the day up 307 points, the tech focused Nasdaq Composite (chart) closed up on the day 113 points, the S&P 500 (chart) closed up 32.5 points and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) finished the trading session up 15 points. Going forward I am certainly going to respect the technical make up of the aforementioned indexes and select stocks. Moving averages such as the 20-day, 50-day and 200-day tend to provide reliable support and resistance marks and now that we are out of the no vol environment, these moving averages tend to be more accurate and can be used to determined entries and exits in positions you hold and or trade. As I write this blog the key indexes have now rebounded to their 50-day moving averages so we will see if this technical indicator will act as resistance or if the markets can hold, breakthrough and proceed higher. Of course there is much more to consider when entering or exiting any position or strategy but when volatility comes back into the markets, most professional traders key in on the moving averages. Good luck to all 🙂

~George

VIX - Paula Mahfouz

An Earnings Bonanza!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Earnings reporting season is now in full swing and so far the numbers are not too shabby. A couple of earnings standouts so far are Netflix (NasdaqGS: NFLX) and Boeing (NYSE: BA). Netflix saw subscriber and revenue growth both exceed analyst’s expectations and their stock has skyrocketed since their earnings release last week. Boeing which reported before the bell yesterday also knocked the cover off the ball as the company nearly doubled its net income from the prior period a year ago. A company doubling its net income may not sound like a lot, but when you go from $1.63B in net income to $3.13B that is clearly moving the needle in a fascinating way. Boeing shareholders were also rewarded yesterday as the stock traded north of $350.00 per share hitting all-time highs. I am just highlighting a couple of standouts so far with hundreds of companies set to report over the coming days and throughout the next few weeks.

After a 2 day mini sell-off to start the week the key indexes did bounce back yesterday and resumed its  uptrend. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) closed the month of January above 26,000, the S&P 500 (chart) closed out the month at 2823.81, the Nasdaq Composite (chart) closed at 7411.48 and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) closed at 1575. Even with the first noticeable sell-off earlier in the week the aforementioned indexes did have a stellar performance in January gaining more than 5% on the month.

I will say this, earlier in the week and for the first time in almost 2 years the market did feel vulnerable and the sell-off felt a bit different than recent pullbacks. Pundits are suggesting that interest rates may be playing a role in the volatility for the first time in years. I have been tracking the yield on the U.S. 10 year Treasury Note (Symbol: TNX) and for the first time in a long time the yield exceeded 2.7%. A break above 3% for an extended period of time could cause volatility to continue in stocks and may be the very first catalyst to put the brakes on this almost decade long bull run. Let’s see how the rest of earnings reporting season plays out and how interest rates fare in February before we can draw any type of conclusion. Good luck to all 🙂

~George

1000 Points In 7 Trading Days?

Posted on by George Mahfouz

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

dow jones - george mahfouz jr