Weekend Notes

Sign of the times?  Three hundred thirty-three new lows yesterday and one new high.  The stock?  Sturm, Ruger (RGR), the country’s largest manufacturer of hand guns.  Shares were up 3.5% on double the average volume. Purusing the list of new lows on Friday I was …

Bank Stock Capitulation

At least for Citi.  When I looked at today’s volume for C I had to say it out loud.  One-billion-eight-hundred-million shares. Of course, most of that traded below $1.50. Two years ago Citi was $50, a year ago $26 and today $1.40, down 40% on …

No good news. Sorry.

Zanax needed.  There simply is no good news.  Revenues, earnings, oil, GDP….all down, down.  Oh, gold it up. Guess the only good part of this day is the flush.  Stops that were set to protect equity owners will be triggered and that will lead to …

The bulls succumbed to the bears in the last hour with the last fifteen minutes ugly.  The Russell 2000 was down almost 2% while the S&P 500 was off about 1.5%.  The sell offs during the last few minutes are troubling. Are we headed here?  …

Markets weakening every minute. Oil up, gold bouncing off lows.  Suspect this is a good time to add to GLD, the gold ETF. Am trying to go along with the banks stock wave.  Last night bought FAS, the 3X supercharged financial ETF.  Would love to …

Futures are strong but off much higher levels.  It will be most interesting to see just how long the market stays strong.  After yesterday’s teeter totter there is no telling. Oil is up and gold is down.  Gold’s decline over the last three days is …

An amazingly difficult day. Fifty, eighty, hundred point swings as everyone tried to find their way.  The last half hour was brutal.  No one wanted to go home long. This is no market for investors.  If you are investing, get out.  Wait until things sort …

Can’t Find my Way

The only thing that works today is a market straddle or strangle.  Gotta be long and short then lift one leg as it goes in the opposite direction.  Small change. The Bernanke testimony before an all but vacant committee room is not having the impact …

A disappointing morning as there appears to be little follow through of yesterday’s rally. Oil is up as is gold, both modestly. Reading the newspapers recently is a depressing event.  There is very little good news apart from Tiger Woods returning to the tour. Dividends …

Asia is up on the back of rousing US rally and of the Japanese government’s proposal to buy shares with public funds.  An unprecedented idea that could still come unwound this audacious plan could have legs.  One wonders, however, what will happen when the government …