How to Trade the AI Panic

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...

Is it all over for growth stocks?

Is it all over for artificial intelligence-related plays? AI market leader NVIDIA reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, and CEO Jensen Huang characterized demand for its Blackwell chip as “off the charts”. The stock staged a brief reflex rally but the price faded the next day to close in the red. Even as the market adopted a...

Why I am hoping for an NVIDIA wipeout

Mid-week market update: I am publishing the mid-week market update early for two reason. I wanted to respond to the recent market turmoil. And I have a dental appointment just after the market close so this will be in your inbox early.   The markets have taken a sudden risk-off tone in the last few days....

Buy the Dip For the Year-end 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...

Can the Bulls Survive a “Let Them Eat Cake” Economy?

There has been increasing concern about the K-shaped economy. Fed Chair Powell specifically addressed this issue at the last post-FOMC press conference: To start with the layoffs, you’re right, you see a significant number of companies either announcing that they are not going to be doing much hiring, or actually doing layoffs, and much of...

With flying colours?

Mid-week market update: My market analysis publication published on the weekend ended with the following:   The S&P 500 ended an upper Bollinger Band ride last week and weakened to the 50 dma support level. Past pullbacks in the most recent bull trend have ended when the 5-day RSI became oversold. Next week’s market action...

The Challenges of Narrow Breadth

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 Real Reason the Market Skidded Yesterday

Mid-week market update: I noted on the weekend that the S&P 500 was at the end of a upper Bollinger Band ride, and such instances usually resolve in consolidation or pullbacks. In the past, the pullback usually ended at the 20 dma, which is roughly where the market is today. In other cases, market weakness continued...

Prepare for the Year-End 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...

One Down, Two to Go

Mid-week market update: My former Merrill Lynch colleague Fred Meissner of The Fred Report wrote on the weekend that “the yearend rally has started, and a trend following indicator…we primarily use for risk management to show that trends have turned positive on key indexes”. From a purely technical perspective, I agree. The S&P 500 has begun...

Time to Sound the All-Clear?

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...

Drawing Lines in the Sand

Mid-week market update: As the bulls and bears battle it out during this phase of consolidation, it's time to set out some lines in the sand to see which side has the upper hand. The accompanying chart shows the S&P 500, the equal-weighted S&P 500, and the Russell 2000, along with their respective rising trend lines...

A Fragile Bull

While I am intermediate-term bullish on stocks, I am also increasingly concerned about the narrowness of market leadership. Market leadership continues to be concentrated in the Magnificent Seven, as the equal-weighted S&P 500, which represents the average stock, lags the index.     Here is what this means from top-down macro and a chartist’s viewpoints....

Are the Bulls Back in Town?

Mid-week market update: The stock market has seen a remarkable recovery. After a -2.7% wipeout on Friday, the S&P 500, the equal-weighted S&P 500, and the Russell 2000 all recovered back above their rising trend lines.     Are the bulls back in town?     The Bull Case Here is the bull case for a...

The Return of Tariff Man

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...

It’s a little too quiet out there

Mid-week market update: As the stock market grinds upward, I am seeing different variations of "it's a little too quiet out there" warnings from market analysts. One example is the growing gap between the implied volatility (IV) of the S&P 500 and the historical realized volatility (HV).     Eventually, something has to give. It usually...

The Valuation Challenge to Stock Prices

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...

Waiting for the Next Market Shoe to Drop

Mid-week market update: Even as the equal-weighted S&P 500 touched another all-time high today, it was a marginal upside breakout.     Here are the bull and bear cases for the near-term outlook.     Bull Case Risk appetite indicators are confirming the stock market advance. Credit market risk appetite, as measured by the relative performance...

Get Ready to Buy the Dip, But Not Yet

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...