erikrkolodny
ET Sponsor
Not so long ago, markets were paralyzed whenever a certain âeventâ occurred- (cue âTwilight Zoneâ music): The Fed meeting. Even yesterday, although the markets chalked up some hefty gains before the 2:15 announcement, everything was relatively quiet with the lone exception of the steady march forward of Goldman Sachs (GS). In the eras of Volcker and Greenspan among other prominent Federal Reserve chairman, these one or two-day meetings were watched with baited breath by most traders. With the advent of the financial crisis and the almost surreal drop in bond yields, the market is ostensibly doing the Fedâs work for it and making it a near non-entity. As discussed in this space frequently, what will truly take the markets to snap out of it is, well, the markets to snap out of it. It is psychology. If I am given a top-of-the-line jumpsuit and free lessons for jumping out of a plane, it wonât help if I have a fear of heights in the first place. Second, it becomes a numbers game particularly in coordination with the aforementioned tenet. Interest rates are so low as is that it will take an external event or a palpable reduction in fear to spur interbank-lending. The credit markets have become much âeasierâ with the decline in LIBOR to below 2%, but bank activity still has not augmented yet. And of course whenever nobody really pays attention to the Fed as was the case yesterday, they come out with violent surprises. This happened yesterday. The number behind the interest slashing yesterday has very little true meaning. However, the signal the Fed gave was extraordinary. Namely, the Fed indicated itâd keep rates this low for the foreseeable future and that they saw the economy worsening. What this does is show that the Fed will do whatever it takes to get things going. Stimulus package? No problem. Zero interest rates? No problem. Tarp? Yes, please. GM bailout? Sure. Now, the long-term consequences of all of these actions can potentially be very bad: inflationary and government meddling as this clearly smacks of desperation. Yet, in the immediate-term, this is indeed a shot of desperation but also an indication of âall-inâ action by the government which could totally change the tone to a bullish environment. For day traders, what it tells you today, right now, immediately is to contemplate all of this because what has worked for months on end possibly will not anymore as risk takers buy a few shares of some banks, brokers, and other financials much less the broader market. This is what the Fed is trying to will everyone to do. Indeed, this incredible Fed action may well be the clarion call which is the anecdote to the risk aversion problem in the immediate-term.
Overnight, strength in Asia gave way over concerns about the weakness of the U.S. dollar and the breathtaking rise of the U.S. bonds. After opening strongly higher, markets in Asia closed mixed with prices across Europe down slightly across the board. State-side, the futures are indicated to give back a bit of yesterdayâs gains. With the momentum to the upside the sell-off likely wonât gain many legs on the open so we should bounce off of the open. From there, the strength of the expected initial rally will indicate the rest of the day; if it is powerful, the trend will be higher. If it is a weak rally formed mainly from short covering on light volume, the averages will turn back down and then chop around aimlessly much of the afternoon thereafter.
Reiterating-If the whole story is not there -
If something is good, assume either a short thru unchanged or an A-B-A2 based on direction of the market unless specifiedIf something is bad, assume either a buy thru unchanged or an A-B-A2 (preferably to the downside in a downside market and the upside in an upside market) based on direction of the market unless specified-
Good- The following stocks have good news and/or a strong technical pattern
SAY- the deal they made yesterday was cancelled
ADBE- great earnings
PAY- good earnings
CETV- closed near a high; looking at a buy thru 22.80 on an A-B-A2 in particular
RVI- continues its stunning momentum; using 2.84 as a key numberâ¦if it opens down, using Tuesdayâs close as a entry and if it opens higher yet reverses, short it
RIMM- looking for A-B-A2 thru yesterdayâs 40 high
SPG, VNO â among strong REITâs which closed near a high; looking for follow-through
PRU, MET, TRV, AFL- among big insurers closing near their highs; looking for more follow-through
USB, WFC, JPM, BBT- among big banks very strong yesterday; looking for more upside follow-through
HIG- closed at 17.28 on its high; looking for more follow-through in some fashion as shorts cover this thing particularly after its great news last week
GILD, GENZ, CELG- leaders in one of the bets sectors yesterday- biotech. Could be more momentum today.
HSNI- its recent run continues; if it opens below yesterdayâs 3.25 high, likely a buy at 3.25
ARSD- more than doubled yesterday; closed just off of 1.50 high. Looking to buy it thru 2.50 if it gets there.
SNH, MAC, DRE- small REITâs the best performing sector yesterday; looking for more momentum today
AEM- among the stronger miners; looking to buy thru Tuesdayâs 46.50 high.
CAG- good earnings
GIS- great earnings
Bad-The following stocks have bad news and/or a weak technical pattern
LEG- warned on its outlook
SLAB- warned, but had a decent reaction after-hours last night
AAPL- pulling out of MacWorld, but more notably, Steve Jobs not delivering keynote address at MacWorld in three weeks thus starting rumors about his health anew
CLWwi â closed near a low yesterday; looking to short it thru yetserdayâs 17.20 low.
JOYG- beat on quarter, but warned on year
WDC- revised guidance
SCHN- warned on earnings
NWL- warned on earnings
LNN- missed earnings
MS- missed earnings by a lot
Earnings:
WED DEC 17 BEFORE
CAG CMC GIS
JOYG LNN MS
WED DEC 17 AFTER
NDSN NKE PAYX TTWO
Good luck today.
Erik R. Kolodny
Overnight, strength in Asia gave way over concerns about the weakness of the U.S. dollar and the breathtaking rise of the U.S. bonds. After opening strongly higher, markets in Asia closed mixed with prices across Europe down slightly across the board. State-side, the futures are indicated to give back a bit of yesterdayâs gains. With the momentum to the upside the sell-off likely wonât gain many legs on the open so we should bounce off of the open. From there, the strength of the expected initial rally will indicate the rest of the day; if it is powerful, the trend will be higher. If it is a weak rally formed mainly from short covering on light volume, the averages will turn back down and then chop around aimlessly much of the afternoon thereafter.
Reiterating-If the whole story is not there -
If something is good, assume either a short thru unchanged or an A-B-A2 based on direction of the market unless specifiedIf something is bad, assume either a buy thru unchanged or an A-B-A2 (preferably to the downside in a downside market and the upside in an upside market) based on direction of the market unless specified-
Good- The following stocks have good news and/or a strong technical pattern
SAY- the deal they made yesterday was cancelled
ADBE- great earnings
PAY- good earnings
CETV- closed near a high; looking at a buy thru 22.80 on an A-B-A2 in particular
RVI- continues its stunning momentum; using 2.84 as a key numberâ¦if it opens down, using Tuesdayâs close as a entry and if it opens higher yet reverses, short it
RIMM- looking for A-B-A2 thru yesterdayâs 40 high
SPG, VNO â among strong REITâs which closed near a high; looking for follow-through
PRU, MET, TRV, AFL- among big insurers closing near their highs; looking for more follow-through
USB, WFC, JPM, BBT- among big banks very strong yesterday; looking for more upside follow-through
HIG- closed at 17.28 on its high; looking for more follow-through in some fashion as shorts cover this thing particularly after its great news last week
GILD, GENZ, CELG- leaders in one of the bets sectors yesterday- biotech. Could be more momentum today.
HSNI- its recent run continues; if it opens below yesterdayâs 3.25 high, likely a buy at 3.25
ARSD- more than doubled yesterday; closed just off of 1.50 high. Looking to buy it thru 2.50 if it gets there.
SNH, MAC, DRE- small REITâs the best performing sector yesterday; looking for more momentum today
AEM- among the stronger miners; looking to buy thru Tuesdayâs 46.50 high.
CAG- good earnings
GIS- great earnings
Bad-The following stocks have bad news and/or a weak technical pattern
LEG- warned on its outlook
SLAB- warned, but had a decent reaction after-hours last night
AAPL- pulling out of MacWorld, but more notably, Steve Jobs not delivering keynote address at MacWorld in three weeks thus starting rumors about his health anew
CLWwi â closed near a low yesterday; looking to short it thru yetserdayâs 17.20 low.
JOYG- beat on quarter, but warned on year
WDC- revised guidance
SCHN- warned on earnings
NWL- warned on earnings
LNN- missed earnings
MS- missed earnings by a lot
Earnings:
WED DEC 17 BEFORE
CAG CMC GIS
JOYG LNN MS
WED DEC 17 AFTER
NDSN NKE PAYX TTWO
Good luck today.
Erik R. Kolodny