The NightCap
The Market: We expected to see a tight trading range until the FOMC statement but instead we saw buyers in advance of the statement as the S&P 500 (SPY) pressed higher. The the announcement came and there was a sharp sell-off but buyers came right back and all 4 major market indices on the WSC Scoreboard finished above the pre-FOMC announcement highs. As was expected by many, the FOMC left the Fed Fund Rates unchanged but, based on the comments, it appears a rate hike is on the table for December if the data warrants. We also saw the committee…
Russell 2000 lags all other Indices
The Market: The Russell 2000 (IWM) was the only index on the WSC Scoreboard to finish lower on the session which was led by the Dow (DIA). Most of the indices on the WSC Scoreboard finished the session higher but HeathCare (XLV) was hit hard finishing –1.33% lower. XLV remains only one of two sectors still up YTD but was hurt today by comments from Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton who, after a privately held company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, announced a 5,000% price increase in its treatment for toxoplasmosis, called specialty drug prices “outrageous” and vowed to lay out a plan to…
Dollar giveth and taketh away
Index & Sector performance 3/19/15 The Market: It was noted in last night’s write-up that where the S&P 500 (SPY) decided to stop yesterday gave us pause and left the door open for a pullback. We still see risk in the S&P in the short-term but a move back over yesterday’s high would force us to revisit that view. Oil reversed much of yesterday’s gains but has managed to remain above yesterday’s lows. We noted in last night’s commentary that the risk/reward in the USO looked favorable with a stop below $15.61 and we would continue to use that as…
Week in Review
DJIA -40.86 (-0.28%) to 14,565.25; S&P 500 -6.70 (-0.43%) to 1,553.28; NASDAQ -21.12 (-0.65%) to 3,203.86 The March unemployment data came in well below expectations (88K vs 198K expectations) which send the market gaping lower and down over 1% in early trading. This took the S&P 500 toward the 50 day SMA and into a range of support which is used to rally off the lows ultimately only closing down slightly for the day. Big loser on the day was F5 Networks (FFIV) which lose over 19% after announcing Q2 earnings that were below analyst expectations. The company blamed the lower results on decreasing telecom and…
Daily Wrap
DJIA -5.69 (-0.04%) to 14,572.85; S&P 500 -7.02 (-0.45%) to 1,562.17; NASDAQ -28.35 (-0.87%) to 3,239.17 Today started with a small move higher in the morning as the 2nd quarter got its start but that optimism soon waned and after a weak ISM number we saw a quick swoon lower in the broad markets with the small caps and techs leading the way lower. I think today’s action had more to do with the upward bias into the holiday and quarter end finally being over than with the ISM number itself but as much as this market has rallied and I noted over…
Daily Wrap
DJIA -98.99 (-0.74%) to 13,251.97; S&P 500 -10.98 (-0.76%) to 1,435.81; NASDAQ -10.17 (-0.33%) to 3,044.36; Today started off like it was going to be a tight, low volume consolidation day that held the 76% fib but slightly after the lunch time lull the market started to move toward the lows of the day and then after 2pm est really picked up speed to the downside. We closed just above the prior resistance and now theoretical support of 1434. General Motors (GM) is a stock of the day today reminiscent of a previous stock of the day AIG because GM…