The market has spoken!

Mid-week market update: Today's market action should be a lesson to me to change model rankings based on overnight futures prices, which trades in a thin and volatile market (see What now?). To set the record straight, the Trend Model did not move to a neutral, or risk-off reading based on today's market action. The...

What now?

As I write these words, there is pandemonium in the markets. ES futures are down about 4%. My 16 year-old (Canadian) daughter received an offer of marriage over the internet from an American. I recognize that a lot of people view a Trump presidency with horror, but it's time to assess the investment implications of...

Don’t be fooled, Election 2016 isn’t the Brexit referendum

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...

Bulls and bears wait for Godot

Mid-week market update: Several readers wrote me this week with similar comments, which went something like, "I concur with your bullish fundamental reasoning, but the stock market is trading little 'heavy' and I am concerned." I agree 100%. Despite the bullish fundamental and technical tailwinds (see Six reasons why I am still bullish), the market hasn't...

Silver linings in Europe’s political dark clouds

As the American elections approach their final denouement in two weeks, it's time to look ahead to a number of political dark clouds forming in Europe. FT Alphaville recently highlighted research from Barclay's showing the collapse in support of establishment parties around the world.   The support for anti-establishment and protest parties and candidates have been...

When does the Fed remove the punch bowl?

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...

An sentimental embrace of risk

Mid-week market update: When traders refer to "institutions" in the context of sentiment analysis, often the impression is that institutions represent some monolithic entity. Nothing could be further from the truth. I tend to analyze institutional sentiment by segmenting them into four distinct groups, each with their own data sources: US institutions, whose sentiment can...

Q3 earnings season: Stud or dud?

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...

Six reasons why I am still bullish

Mid-week market update: I wrote on the weekend to buy Yom Kippur, which ends today (see Buy Yom Kippur! SPX 2500 by Passover?). My inner trader sent out an email to subscribers yesterday indicating that he had added to his long position by buying a high-beta small cap position.     I would like to outline...

Peak robo?

We all know about how the business model of the robo-advisor works. First, determine the appropriate asset mix based on the risk, return, tax regime and other specific needs of the client. Then, build the portfolio and rebalance it on a periodic basis. The typical investment process can be summarized by the following steps: Determine...

Buy Yom Kippur! SPX 2500 by Passover?

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...

My September Non-Farm Payroll guess

This Friday will be another potentially market moving Employment Report day, even though the release is based on noisy data with a high margin of error. The latest Fedspeak indicates that Non-Farm Payroll (NFP) would have to see a big downside miss before the Fed would change its plans to hike rates in December. Even...

If Deutsche = Lehman, then Greek banks = ?

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...