Comparing the S&P 500 today to the October bottom

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 Asset...

Time to reconsider the equity bull case?

I highlighted a long-term buy signal in late July and early August when the monthly MACD of the NYSE Composite turned positive (see On the verge of a long-term buy signal and Trust (the bull), but verify (there’s no recession)). Historically, such buy signals have resolved in a bullish fashion with no bearish episodes and...

Bull-bear battleground at S&P 4200

Mid-week market update: On the weekend, I stated that my base case was the S&P 500 decline would stop at August low support of 4350, but there was a 25% chance that it would test the next trend line support at roughly 4200, or the 200 dma. Now that we are nearing that level, what’s...

Has the VIX lost its use as a fear gauge?

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 hawkish pause, but don’t panic

Mid-week market update: It was a hawkish pause. The Fed’s decided to leave rates unchanged, but in the Summary of Economic Projections (SEP), it acknowledged that the economy is strong than its June projections. More importantly, the Fed Funds target for the end of this year remains unchanged, indicating that FOMC members expect another quarter-point...

A battle royale for control of the tape

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...

EM contrarian and momentum opportunities

Mid-week market update: Instead of just focusing on the U.S. market, I offer these two mystery charts of EM markets. One is a contrarian play, the other a momentum play.       Mystery charts revealed The top chart, the contrarian play, is MSCI China relative to MSCI All-Country World Index Ex-US. The latest BoA...

Tripwires to a deeper correction

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...

Can the S&P 500 overcome negative seasonality?

Mid-week market update: While I give seasonality only passing importance in trading, it is well known that September is seasonally negative for S&P 500 returns, which Callum Thomas recently documented.     Can the stock market escape the negative seasonal pattern in 2023?     More downside potential Looking under the hood, market internals are...

Vulnerable to a setback

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 point and figure tour around the world

Sometimes it’s useful to step back and look at the big picture by ignoring the daily or weekly squiggles of the market. One useful technique of filtering out market squiggles is the point and figure (P&F) chart, which StockCharts describes this way: Point & Figure charts consist of columns of X’s and O’s that represent...

Is the relief rally over?

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...

How far can the relief rally run?

Mid-week market update: I have been calling for a relief rally, followed by a deeper correction (see Why I am both bullish and bearish). The relief rally seems to have arrived as the S&P 500 breached the upper trend line of a falling channel while exhibiting improvements in new 52-week high breadth.     How...

Why I am both bullish and bearish

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...

Poised for a rebound

Mid-week market update: The S&P 500 became extremely stretched in mid-June when its 14-week RSI exceeded the 90 level. The last two times this happened, the market eventually pulled back and the initial decline was arrested with RSI reached a neutral reading of 50. That 50 target was reached this week, which I interpret as...

Will NASDAQ weakness unravel 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...

Buy or sell this resilient stock market?

Mid-week market update: I have been calling for a period of consolidation and pullback and that phase of the market seems to have arrived. As the S&P 500 weakened and the VIX Index spiked above its upper Bollinger Band, indicating a short-term oversold condition, this stock market has been remarkably resilient. The 5-day RSI traced...

How to spot the correction bottom

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...

Trust (the bull), but verify (there’s no recession)

 It’s finally happened. The monthly MACD of the NYSE Composite turned positive at the end of July. This has been a reliable long-term buy signal in the past. The sell rule in this model is a negative 14-month divergences.     In the words of Ronald Reagan when he was negotiating an arms control treaty...