S&P 500

Solid Gains In Q1!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

The major averages closed out the first quarter of the year posting solid results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) closed up 4.6%, the S&P 500 (chart) closed up 5.5%, the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) gained 2.1% and the technology focused Nasdaq (chart) finished out the first quarter of the year up an eye-popping 10%. It’s no surprise how well tech did in Q1 considering how much this sector sold off after Trump won the election.

Although stocks continue to outperform, there has been some uncertainty coming into backdrop. The GOP’s inability to pass Trumpcare was the first sign of the potential breakdown of the new administration’s policies. Investors are beginning to wonder whether or not there will be more divide amongst republicans and how that could affect the upcoming tax reform bill. If there are any snags there or if that reform does not pass, some market pundits believe a 10-20% correction could occur.

Here are my thoughts about that. I do agree that if the proposed Trump tax reform does not go through, there indeed could be an immediate market reaction to the downside. How much, who knows? The markets are seemingly priced to perfection and then some. So if corporate tax rates are not reduced as Trump and his administration has outlined, why wouldn’t stocks be affected? Of course we will not know until late summer how the administration’s new tax policy will look like in its final state or whether or not it will even pass.

That said, there is plenty of runway between now and then for stocks and this starts with first quarter earnings reporting season. April is the month in which companies begin to report their earnings results to their shareholders. Corporate profits appear to be growing along with the economy. This my friends is where investors should be valuing stocks. So much emphasis has been put on the new administration’s economic and tax reform policies that we need not to forget about what really matters and that is corporate profits. That is not to say that government polices including the Federal Reserve don’t matter, but at the end of the day and when all the votes are in, growth and profits to me is what truly matters when valuing and investing in stocks.

Good luck to all 🙂

~George

 

Markets Cheer Fed Rate Hike!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

As expected, the Federal Reserve raised short term interest rates by one quarter point and indicated that they will keep raising rates throughout the year albeit gradually. I do think what helped the markets yesterday was the language of only two more rate hikes this year. The economic data coming out so far is stronger than expected including the February jobs report which confirmed how the job market is continuing to expand and this had some pundits thinking three more rate hikes were in the cards for 2017, not just two. Markets rallied once again on the news and quite frankly the market is seemingly rallying on anything that hits the tape. That said, the Federal Reserve is doing a masterful job with how it is handling the change of guard so to speak from accommodation to raising rates and how they are communicating each message.

So what does this mean to the markets going forward? I gotta tell you as much as I have been expecting volatility to increase, my expectations now are as long as the Fed remains in its current position, volatility may just stay in hibernation until further notice. I have not seen a market to where vol has been and remains this low. As I write this blog the CBOE Market Volatility Index also know as the VIX remains historically low and even when there is pressure on stocks, the VIX does not move very much, just look at the chart below.

Taking a look at the four major indices, The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart), the S&P 500 (chart), the Nasdaq (chart) and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) all are within striking distance of their record highs. The question now becomes will valuations be able to support the continuation of this bull market or will this be the catalyst to bring pause into this historic bull run. We won’t have to wait too much longer as the first quarter of 2017 winds down and companies prepare to report their earnings results beginning in April. Paula and I wish everyone a very safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day 🙂

~George

VIX chart - Paula Mahfouz

 

 

 

Dow 21,000 Are You Kidding?

Posted on by George Mahfouz

This market is unbelievable! As I am writing this blog the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) has eclipsed the 21,000 mark. This after President Donald Trump’s first speech to the joint session of Congress. Not only has the Dow breached 21,000, the Nasdaq (chart) has also set a new record this morning at 5,875, the S&P 500 (chart) has set a new record of 2,384 and counting, the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) has hit a new record high and even the Dow Jones Transportation Average (chart) has set a new record high this morning at 9567.

It’s been exactly one month since the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) topped the 20,000 mark and now catapulting through 21,000! It’s inconceivable that the Dow has tacked on yet another 1,000 points in a month. The bears must be in shock! I am not exactly sure what President Trump said last night that is any different from what he has already promised during his campaign and during his inaugural speech in January. One would think that the markets have already priced in the “huge” corporate tax cuts Trump has promised. Also, I thought that the markets have also priced in the proposed $1 trillion dollar infrastructure spend. One thing for sure, right now the markets don’t care about valuations or the fact that it will take time for the Trump administration to figure out if the tax cuts or infrastructure spend as promised will even occur as designed?

I like to close my blogs out with the current technical take of the indexes. Quite honestly, the technicians are also baffled about this tape. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) remains in extremely overbought conditions as does the S&P 500 (chart). The Nasdaq (chart) just re-entered overbought territory according to the relative strength index and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) is heading in that direction. We are witnessing one of the strongest bull markets in history!

Good luck to all 🙂

~George

 

Simply On Fire!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Stocks continue to set records and now on a daily basis! As I am writing this blog the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) is now trading north of 20440, the S&P 500 (chart) is trading well above 2300, the Nasdaq (chart) is trading above 5750 and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) set an all time high yesterday at 1398! I continue to be amazed on how resilient the markets have been and continue to be. Earlier this month it appeared that the Trump rally stalled out and it was becoming a wait and see environment. Well now the Trump rally has seemingly reignited. Trump last week announced he has major news forthcoming on his tax plan and that was apparently the cue for the markets to rally yet again. However, one has to ask how many more tweets, news conferences or headlines can take the markets higher? Without question the above key indices are becoming overbought and especially pertaining to the relative strength index also know as the RSI. Let’s take a look.

Currently the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s RSI (chart) is trading at a 73, the S&P 500 (chart) RSI is also currently at 73, the Nasdaq (chart) is even higher at 77. The only laggard pertaining to the relative strength index and being in an “overbought” condition is small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) in which its RSI is currently at the 60 value level. Remember the relative strength index is a widely utilized technical indicator that certain institutional traders include in their models along with a variety of algorithm trading platforms. The RSI is a momentum indicator that tracks the size of gains and losses over a given period of time with the 70 value level and above as overbought and the 30 value level and below as oversold. One of the concerns certain market technicians have is that these all time highs and overbought conditions have been occurring on relatively light volume. Without trying to call a top here, I suspect that the aforementioned indices and some of the overbought stocks within these indexes are due for a pullback.

Good luck to all and Paula and I wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day 🙂

~George

 

Dow 20,000!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

There has been plenty of chatter over the past month or so as to whether or not the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) would surpass the 20,000 mark and what that would mean for the markets going forward. Well lo and behold, it did it! For the first time in its history, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) breached the 20,000 milestone mark last week thanks in part to earnings reporting season. The Nasdaq (chart) also continues to set record highs although this week this particular index has recently been challenged by Donald Trump’s commitment to altering the H-1B visa rules which in turn could effect the tech industry in a meaningful way. The S&P 500 (chart) also remains near its all-time highs while the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) is hovering around its 50-day moving average.

While earnings reporting season remains a key focus for investors, one cannot ignore the constant daily flow of news out of Washington D.C. President Donald Trump like no other has signed double digit executive orders in his first week of office alone fulfilling part of his campaign pledges. These executive orders range from loosening regulations in a variety of industries, to border security, to withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations agreement and to the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, just to name a few. Without question Donald Trump means business and is acting swiftly about it. We know how the American public feels about this and most recently how corporate America is beginning to speak out, and it’s a mixed bag to say the least.

The question now is how will the markets ultimately react to the new norm, the protectionism posture of the new administration and the swift policy changes that are occurring? Well for the first time in a while market volatility (see chart below) has spiked as investors and traders alike try to digest the ultimate outcomes of such dramatic changes. In my humble opinion, vol is just getting started. Good luck to all 🙂

~George

Dow 20,000 George Mahfouz Jr

Earnings Take Center Stage…

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Earnings reporting season begins in earnest this week which could play a role in determining whether or not the bull market has more room to run. This past Friday the money center banks kicked off the reporting season as JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) recorded eye popping profits while Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) continues to deal with the aftermath of the “fake-accounts” debacle that rocked the bank last year.

As I look at the charts of the key indexes, I do see a potential technical catalyst looming. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart), the S&P 500 (chart) and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) all share similar and current chart patterns. Over the past month or so, these key indices have been consolidating and trading in a tight range and when you have a looming catalyst such as earnings reporting season, most likely this pattern will breakout or breakdown. The Nasdaq (chart) does not fit this consolidation profile yet as it has been making new highs and leading the pack so far this year. Another technical set-up I look for is overbought or oversold conditions. Seemingly we have been in overbought conditions since the election but technically we are not according to the relative strength index also known as the RSI.

In my previous blog I did write about my expectation of increased volatility as we headed into January and earnings reporting season and how to hedge yourself against such volatility. To my surprise, vol has remained relatively low so far, however, there are catalysts looming as described above. As far as protecting a portfolio against any future volatility, there are many ways to do so but the most effective and simplest way is to buy S&P 500 puts. Especially while vol is low and premiums are relatively cheap. So if you have a “long only” portfolio buying some protection in the form of S&P 500 put options might not be a bad idea. Of course it is always best to consult a certified financial planner(s) before making any investment decisions or any adjustments to your current portfolio. My goal is to bring light to strategies that can be helpful to you that certain managers might not cover.

Good luck to all 🙂

~George

 

 

Happy New Year!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Happy New Year to all and what a year of celebration for the bulls in 2016. The major averages last year notched very impressive gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (see chart below) finished the year up 2,337 points or 13.42%, the tech focused Nasdaq (click here for chart) closed up on the year 376 points or 7.5%, the S&P 500 (click here for chart) closed up 194 points or 9.54% and the small-cap Russell 2000 (see chart below) finished out 2016 up a whopping 221 points or almost a 20% gain outperforming most benchmarks. This eye-popping rally really kicked into high gear after the stunning upset victory Donald Trump pulled off over Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. So that was last year, now let’s take a look at 2017 and what lies ahead.

I begin with the obvious. Markets are certainly overbought and have been since the November 8th election results. Then in December, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in a year and then added language for an additional rate hike in 2017 to bring the total projected rate hikes this year to at least three. Historically a rising interest rate environment puts pressure on equities and in particular the high beta names. Consensus has it that the Fed will move slowly to avoid any shocks to the economy or the markets. However, with Donald Trump’s proposed economic pro-growth policies, debt and inflation should rise. So I am sure the Federal Reserve will be keeping a close eye on how inflation ticks up as 2017 unfolds. Should inflation rise faster than anticipated this too could be a challenge for the Fed and our stock market.

So based on our current market environment it is my view that volatility will not only pick up in January but the recipe described above signals potential elevated volatility throughout the year. We also will begin to hear from corporate America this month as we head into earnings reporting season. I would expect earnings from multi-national companies to be a bit challenged due to the continuing and significant strength that the U.S. dollar has been exhibiting. That said, there will be opportunities abound in this new year but I am preparing to embrace volatility and hedge my positions going forward. In my next blog I will talk about hedging strategies in order to offset the impact of potential increased vol. Until then, both Paula and I wish everyone the happiest and healthiest new year to all. 🙂

~George

Dow Jones chart Paula MahfouzRussell 2000 post george mahfouz jr

 

As Expected, The Fed Raises Rates…

Posted on by George Mahfouz

To no surprise, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates 1/4 point today citing stronger economic growth and a pick-up in inflation. A stronger job market also played a role in the decision of the Fed. What wasn’t quite expected was the language of an additional anticipated rate hike from the projected two hikes in 2017 to now three. This might of caused the slight sell-off yesterday in the markets with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) falling 118.68 points, the S&P 500 (chart) was lower 18.44 points, the Nasdaq (chart) fell 27.15 points and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) retraced by 17.51 points.

With all things considered, this pullback was long overdue. In fact, I am surprised that the markets held up like they did yesterday. Especially considering the rip roaring rally most equities have enjoyed since the presidential election. Markets have been on fire with the Dow Jones Industrials (chart) gaining almost 1,600 points, the S&P 500 (chart) ripping 125 points, the Nasdaq (chart) catapulting about 300 points and the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) up a staggering 170 points. What a breathtaking rally in such a short period of time.

So what can we expect between now and year end? Let’s think about this for a minute. If you are an institutional investor, fund manager, hedge fund or the like would you be taking profits into year end? Or would you wait until we get into the new year knowing that capital gains taxes and corporate taxes are coming down? I think it is fair to say the latter would make the most sense. Add into the mix the rotation that continues out of the bond market and into equities in which certain pundits believe we are in the fourth or fifth inning of that rotation, one has to ascertain that this bull market has more room to run.

Whatever the case I think pullbacks will be bought as momentum continues into year-end. Paula and I wish everyone the happiest and healthiest holiday season 🙂

~George

OPEC Adds Fuel To The Rally!

Posted on by George Mahfouz

For the first time since 2008 the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed to cut output sending oil prices and oil stocks soaring. Oil (see chart below) had one of its best days in years soaring over 10% which helped propel the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) and the S&P 500 (chart) to set yet another record high yesterday before a late day sell-off. Nonetheless, stocks have been on fire since Donald Trump won the election. Seemingly every sector other than the gold sector is overbought. All you have to do is look at the financial sector Symbol: XLF (chart), the materials sector Symbol: XLB (chart), the industrials sector Symbol: XLI (chart) and the energy sector Symbol: XLE (chart) to see how overbought this market is. That said, stocks and or indexes can remain overbought or oversold for that matter for extended periods of time. Add into the mix Trump’s pledge to spend over $1 trillion on infrastructure here in the U.S. and the pledge to cut corporate and capital gains taxes and why would anyone think this rally could not continue?

It is easy to get caught up in the current euphoria of this breathtaking rally in the stock market and the promises of the incoming administration. However, let’s not forget what has been promised has to actually occur and if there is any back peddling by the new administration, the markets could react just as aggressively to the downside as they have to the upside. I am not suggesting that this will happen but we have all seen politicians make promises before they are elected only to change their tune after they take their respective seats. Which is why I do my best to tune out the noise and focus on overbought and oversold conditions. And this is where we find ourselves today. A very overbought market that I would expect will revert to the mean at some point in time.

Good luck to all 🙂

~George

oil chart George Mahfouz Jr

The Trump Rally Continues…

Posted on by George Mahfouz

Caught off guard! I think this phrase wraps it up. After Donald Trump won the presidential election both voters and markets were caught off guard. The polls all but had Hillary as a shoe in for the oval office. Instead the exact opposite occurred not only with the election but how wrong the markets had it if Donald Trump pulled it off. Not only did the markets not crater, (although last Tuesday evening when the voting results were coming in the futures were tanking) stocks are back to setting records. Since the election, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) hit an all-time high of 18,934, the S&P 500 (chart) is within striking distance of its all-time high, the small-cap Russell 2000 (chart) also hit an all-time high, however, the tech focused Nasdaq (chart) is lagging a bit due to the uncertainty of the new Trump administration policies on trade and how this could affect the technology space.

It has been quite a while since the markets have responded in such a bullish manner. Today marks the 7 straight day of gains for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (chart) led by industrials and banks. The banking index has exploded due to the hope that the Trump administration will relax or reverse the Dodd-Frank act which places overbearing regulations on the financial industry as a whole. Check out one of the most widely held bank exchange traded funds Symbol: XLF (chart). This ETF has moved up over 10% in the past week alone, simply unheard of. Other benefactors to the Trump presidency is anything and everything in infrastructure and materials. Trump pledges to spend over $1 trillion dollars rebuilding America’s infrastructure to include highways, roads, bridges, airports etc. It’s no wonder the markets are setting records once again.

Now what? Without question Trump winning the election is seemingly good the for the economy and so far for the stock market. However, as with any rally or sell-off for that matter, “reversion to the mean” typically occurs. I would be very careful chasing this rally or deploying any new capital. My preference is to wait until the inevitable pullbacks occur and look at the aforementioned sectors to consider any new positions. Of course it is always prudent to consult with a certified financial planner(s) before making any investment decisions. Good luck to all 🙂

~George