Gentle Glide

Gentle glide.  Stocks rose marginally yesterday in a low volume session on a benign economic number.  In the quiet before the earnings storm, traders cautiously drove the S&P and NASDAQ Composite indexes to new highs. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 1)  Consumers are consuming.  According to a Bureau of Economic Analysis number released yesterday, Personal…

Exceed Expectations

Exceed expectations.  Stocks rose moderately on Friday with some indexes hitting new highs after an exceedingly good economic number.  Stocks climbed on Friday because the economy is doing well while bonds also climbed because traders are projecting rate cuts.WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:1)  The economy is doing well… on the surface.  On Friday, the Bureau…

Mixed Bag

Mixed bag.  It was a mixed bag of information that led industrials lower and technology higher in yesterday’s session.  Earnings misses and weak forward guidance led to a punishing session for some shares while others rallied on small beats and upbeat guidance. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 1)  The US economy continues to chug on….

Take in the View

Take in the view.  Traders paused to take in the view from up here in yesterday’s trade, easing back on stocks, just one day after making new all time highs.  It was a day of rest and uninspiring earnings, prompting stocks to pull back slightly.   WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:   1)  Earnings are…

Popping Bottles

Popping bottles.  Stocks propelled to new all time highs yesterday riding a positive wave of earnings. The S&P landed back on top with a record high close as earnings exceeded a low bar for expectations. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 1)  The S&P500 closed at an all time high 145 days after its last record…

Crude Behavior

Crude behavior.  Stocks closed mixed yesterday as traders awaited the earnings onslaught over the next two weeks.  A jump in crude oil prices gave investors a reason to drive up energy shares and question treasury yields. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 1)  Crude oil is still important.  The price of crude oil shot up yesterday…

Nowhere to go but up?

Nowhere to go but up?  Equities continued their upward momentum on Friday, spurred by some good earnings and some surprisingly good economic figures.  Stocks bounced around during the session, the last trading day of an abridged low volume week, but fundamentals won the day resulting in a positive close for equities. WHAT YOU NEED TO…

One Inch at a Time

One inch at a time.  Stocks advanced slightly yesterday without any real stimulus as earnings roll in and beat low expectations.  With earnings season in full swing, traders are unsure about how to deal with earnings buying some beats but selling others. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 1)  China’s economy is getting stronger.  WHILE YOU…

Going Nowhere Fast

Going nowhere fast.  In another low volume day, the market appeared lethargic as traders tried to make sense of mixed earnings releases yesterday.  Stocks halted their slow climb yesterday in the absence of any new positive news. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 1)  Cost cutting is good but not enough to inspire investors.  Yesterday, both…

New Fronts

New fronts.  Equity markets sold off yesterday on news that Trump was proposing new tariffs on the EU and a lowered global economic growth outlook by the IMF.  With the possibility of a new front in the trade war looming stocks gave up their winning streak in a day of selling. WHAT YOU NEED TO…