March 19, 2024

Market bounces but finishes where it started

The Market: An initial gap higher in the morning was quickly sold as it appeared traders were hesitant before the FOMC Rate decision and statement.  After the announcement, the market pressed to new intraday lows but then quickly turned and rallied to new intraday highs before closing at the opening print. Utilities (XLU) led the WSC Scoreboard sectors finishing up 0.84%.  The XLU reached our target support region and is making a move off that support after a long decline but still has a lot of resistance above and will need to show this is indeed a bottom and not…

XLU stands out in today’s action

Index & Sector performance 2/18/15 The Market: A choppy session overall which ended up finishing flat.  Some negative divergence is building on the S&P 500 60 minute chart but, even when it leads to a pullback, the divergence can exist for many day.  We wouldn’t be surprised to see the index continue to meander and drift higher for the remainder of the week into Options expiration. In individual sectors it was the Utilities (XLU) leading the way and by a wide margin finishing up 2.37%.  We would be watching the XLU closely here to see if it can build on…

Oil trades below $50 & leads market lower

Index & Sector performance 1/5/15 The Market: The market was again led by Oil’s decline as we closed below $50 per barrel for the first time since 2009.  In the Analyst Comments below you will see a downgrade for Caterpillar (CAT) by JP Morgan.  In the note the analyst commented that up to 30% of CAT’s revenue could be under pressure due to lower oil prices.  Similarly, Evercore downgraded Terex (TEX) to Hold with an $26 target and United Rentals (URI) to Sell with a $87 target citing concerns that oil’s sharp decline will hurt energy investments and thus construction…