Still no change: Just a sell signal set-up

Preface: Explaining our market timing models We maintain several market timing models, each with differing time horizons. The "Ultimate Market Timing Model" is a long-term market timing model based on the research outlined in our post, Building the ultimate market timing model. This model tends to generate only a handful of signals each decade.   The Trend...

Bessent’s challenges in 2025 and beyond

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared in an interview with Fox Business a surprising target. Bessent and the Trump Administration were mainly focused on lowering the 10-year Treasury yield and Trump is not calling the Fed to lower short-term rates. He also reiterated the Trump Administration’s objective of raising energy output and the extension of the...

Waiting for the next market catalyst

Mid-week market update: What should investors make of the market reaction to the trade war drama? The S&P 500 remains range-bound. The bulls will argue that the index is on the verge of an upside breakout from a bull flag (dotted lines), which is a bullish continuation pattern. The bears will argue that momentum is...

Can the stock market vigilantes save the bull?

Preface: Explaining our market timing models We maintain several market timing models, each with differing time horizons. The "Ultimate Market Timing Model" is a long-term market timing model based on the research outlined in our post, Building the ultimate market timing model. This model tends to generate only a handful of signals each decade.   The Trend...

A long-term sell signal?

I warned last week about a possible long-term sell signal from my market timing indicator, but I wasn't willing to front run my models as the month hadn’t ended yet. Now it’s happened. A long-term sell signal has been triggered.   As a reminder, this long-term timing indicator buys when the monthly MACD (bottom panel)...

Waiting for the gaps to fill

Mid-week market update: I know that I expected market volatility, but I didn't expect the immediate source of volatility to be anxiety over DeepSeek. I should have known better when my physiotherapist, who didn't know I worked in finance, started to talk about NVIDIA this week.   You can tell a lot about the character...

Tips on navigating the post-inauguration rally

Preface: Explaining our market timing models We maintain several market timing models, each with differing time horizons. The "Ultimate Market Timing Model" is a long-term market timing model based on the research outlined in our post, Building the ultimate market timing model. This model tends to generate only a handful of signals each decade.   The Trend...

The Trump Put lives!

Mid-week market update: Trump promised a flurry of executive orders to implement his campaign promises on the first day he took office. Amidst the flurry, the market breathed a sigh of relief as there were no major risk-off catalysts. The market is apolitical and it doesn't care about the reversal of DEI policies, or whether...

What a changing of the guard means for stocks

Preface: Explaining our market timing models We maintain several market timing models, each with differing time horizons. The "Ultimate Market Timing Model" is a long-term market timing model based on the research outlined in our post, Building the ultimate market timing model. This model tends to generate only a handful of signals each decade.   The Trend...

Trump 2025 market = Reagan 1981?

There are many remarkable similarities between the 1980–1981 stock market pattern and today. Ronald Reagan was elected in November 1980 amidst a wave of partisan enthusiasm and ushered in a revolution, much like Trump. Reagan entered office with a foreign policy win, which was the release of the American hostages held by Iran. Trump enters...

What an actual bond market catastrophe looks like

Mid-week market update: Is the bond market tantrum over?   Here is the good news. In the wake of tame PPI and CPI reports this week, the 30-year Treasury yield retreated while in a resistance zone (top panel). In addition, there is nothing worse than a failed breakout. The second panel shows the inflation factor...

A focus on financials

The Q4 earnings reporting season kicks off Wednesday with reports from major banks and financial companies. This is a good opportunity to review the outlook for the financial sector.       What election rally? Let's begin with the bad news. The post-election gains for financial stocks have completely evaporated (top panel). The good news...

What’s rattling the stock market?

Preface: Explaining our market timing models We maintain several market timing models, each with differing time horizons. The "Ultimate Market Timing Model" is a long-term market timing model based on the research outlined in our post, Building the ultimate market timing model. This model tends to generate only a handful of signals each decade.   The Trend...

A failed Santa rally, now what?

Preface: Explaining our market timing models We maintain several market timing models, each with differing time horizons. The "Ultimate Market Timing Model" is a long-term market timing model based on the research outlined in our post, Building the ultimate market timing model. This model tends to generate only a handful of signals each decade.   The Trend...

Contrarian bargains among Santa’s discards

Preface: Explaining our market timing models We maintain several market timing models, each with differing time horizons. The "Ultimate Market Timing Model" is a long-term market timing model based on the research outlined in our post, Building the ultimate market timing model. This model tends to generate only a handful of signals each decade.   The Trend...