Major market indexes have posted four consecutive weeks of gains, and are now more than seven percent above their February lows. What inspired the turnaround – was it an economic reversal, or a sign that revival was in the air?  Truth be told, it was actually more bad news. Weak global demand continued to plague...Read More

The stock market continued to tremor last week. The driver this time was the employment situation; the new jobs report was to be released Friday morning. Early in the week it was all speculation, and again the first four trading days sensed bad news with negative returns. But unlike last week there would be no...Read More

Scuttlebutt regarding the probability of an impending recession is swirling. Even I chimed in with last week’s blog, Take It From Her, “If you join the millions who believe the stock market is a leading indicator of economic output you have to believe recession is on the horizon.” Since that post several Wall Street Journal headlines crossed the wire...Read More

Friday, January 29, 2016, was anticipated to be a big day from the very beginning. That’s the day investors would get a first look at Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures for the 4th quarter of 2015; they were to be released at 8.30am. In anticipation of the GDP release stocks were sensing bad news. All major...Read More

Stocks continued their downward slide again last week, as all major stock market indicators ended down another 2%. This is the second time in just a few short months that stocks have made a sharp downward move into the 15,000’s – and again, the scuttlebutt is about China and the price of oil. Every time...Read More

Stock market strength was humming along when December began; the 15-51 Indicator was up 9.5% for the year and at an all-time high (113,993). But then Janet Yellen raised interest rates and Santa Claus failed to deliver a rally. Though the 15-51 Indicator posted a respectable year-end gain (+6.3%), the other major market indexes ended...Read More

The investment markets moved backwards like a rocket in the first week of 2016, prompting even the casual follower to consider: Is this a sign of things to come? All major stock market indicators lost six percent in the week, and yields lost 7%. Gold gained 4%. See below. Metaphor aside, the week’s activity sure looks...Read More

November unemployment held steady at 5%, as 211,000 jobs were added in the month. The scuttlebutt now is that the “strong” jobs performance paves the way for the Federal Reserve to finally make a move and raise interest rates during their December ’15 meeting. If we are to believe the mass media’s spin on this...Read More

Stock market strength has fully recovered from the corrective shortfall it experienced in August. The S&P 500 is still off 446 points, or 2.5% from its previous high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (just an abysmal performing portfolio, see: WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE DOW — AND HOW TO FIX IT, for more info) remains 846...Read More

Not much has changed since START SPREADING THE NEWS was posted. The U.S. economy remains weak and uneven and the stock market reflects it. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is still off 10% from its all-time high (18,312) reached on May 19, 2015.  The Dow is down 8% so far this year and the S&P 500 has...Read More