Peak fear, or Cold War 2.0?

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...

Tariff Man vs. Dow 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...

Bottoming

Mid-week market update: There are numerous signs that the US equity market is making a short-term tradable bottom. Firstly, the market is washed out and oversold. While oversold markets can become more oversold, we saw some bullish triggers in the form of positive divergences on the hourly SPX chart. Even as the index fell, both...

Why investors should look through trade tensions

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...

Some lessons on trading market surprises

Mid-week market update: When the news of the Trump tweets broke, I wrote: When it comes to unexpected news, my tactical inclination is to stand aside and let the market tell the story, and then reassess once the dust is settled. In a very short time, the market has gone to a full-blown panic.  ...

How to navigate Trump’s trade gambit

President Trump surprised the market on Sunday with a tweeted threat:     Notwithstanding his misunderstanding that tariffs are not paid by the Chinese, but American importers, this tweet sounds like an effort to put pressure on China, just as Vice Premier Liu He is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Wednesday with a large...

Green shoots, rotten roots?

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...

A resilient advance

Mid-week market update: It is always a challenge to make a technical market comment on an FOMC announcement day. Market signals are unreliable. The initial market reaction can be deceptive, and any move reversed the next day after some somber second thought. In addition, today is May Day, and a number of foreign markets are...

Sell in May? The bull and bear debate

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...

A Healthcare rebirth? And broader market implications

It is Easter Monday, a day when Christians focus on the theme of rebirth and resurrection, Healthcare stocks just underwent a near-death experience when the market panicked over the prospect of a Democrat victory in 2020, and the potential negative effects of the implementation of a Medicare-For-All policy. To be sure, there are costs to...

Will a volatility collapse lead to a market collapse?

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...

Debunking VIXmageddon and other bear myths

Mid-week market update:  I would like to address a number of bearish themes floating around the internet in the past few weeks, they consist of: A low volume stock market rally Extreme low volatility (remember the VIXmageddon of early 2018) The closing stock buyback window during Earnings Season, which removes buyback support for stocks  ...

Can the market advance continue? Watch China!

The US equity market has risen more or less in a straight line since the Zweig Breadth Thrust buy signal of January 7, 2019 (see A rare "what's my credit card limit" buy signal). Technically, breadth thrusts are extremely rarely long-term bullish signals. How far can stock price rise from here?     Chris Ciovacco...

How “patient” can the Fed be?

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...

Selections for a new bullish impulse

-week market update: Numerous signs of a new bullish impulse are appearing. The American economy has sidestepped a recession; Sentiment is not excessively bullish; and Price momentum is strong. It is a truism in investing that you should buy when blood is running in the streets. The latest update of NDR's Global Recession Model shows...

A “green shoots” rally ahead?

Mid-week market update: Even as the slowdown gloom overtook the market in the past few weeks, stock prices did not break down. Now, the storm seems to be passing as green shoots of growth are starting to appear. For equity investors, the most notable change was the reversal in forward 12-month EPS estimates, which bottomed...

Could a unicorn cull tank the US economy?

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...

Some clarity from a “show me” week

Mid-week market update: I had characterized this week as a "show me" week for the market, though I had a slight bullish bias (see How the market could melt up). While I remained tactically bullish, a number of unanswered questions remained in light of the yield curve related sell-off that began late last week. Some...