The market shifted toward the biggest, bluest of the big-cap names at the expense of smaller companies, as stocks closed a volatile session with a positive reversal Wednesday. Stocks again traded in an uneven pattern Thursday, as another round of late-day gains lifted stocks fueled by a final-hour surge that sent the major indexes into the black.
The marketâs stronger finishes were an encouraging sign. But donât get ahead of yourself. For now the best course of action remains the same. Reduce your exposure by getting off margin. Sell your laggard stocks, both the ones that are down from your buy price and those that have managed only meager gains. Remember that every stock eventually will get hit if a correction lasts long enough - even those with the strongest fundamentals and the most robust technical action.
A fresh round of credit market fears whacked stocks Friday, sending the major indexes down sharply in broad selling. The Nasdaq dived 2.5%, the Dow industrials 2.1%. The S&P 500 plunged 2.7%, the NYSE composite 2.6%, as both those indexes sliced through their 200-day moving averages. Volume swelled across the board, adding another round of distribution to a market beset by selling lately. Fridayâs action confirmed what has been evident for more than a week: The market is in a correction.
The safest place to be during a market correction is in cash and out of stocks. Taking stock of your capital and your confidence levels can help inform your decisions. If you want to hold, make sure youâre only doing so with the highest-quality stocks. But even highly-rated stocks have had a tough time holding up under the marketâs increasing pressure - with fear sending stocks tumbling. If a winner flashes sell signals - it might make sense to take profits off the table, rather than watch your gains wither away.
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Week in Review: Market Analysis
The major market indexes delivered a modest reply to last weekâs sell-off, grabbing some price gains in lower volume Monday. The stock market started the day lower. But the Nasdaq rebounded to close up 0.8%. The Dow industrials rose 0.7%, the S&P 500 1%, the NYSE composite 1.2%. Volume receded across the board.
Although volume waned, the major indexes did recover Monday after hitting new near-term lows in the morning. While it was encouraging to see the stock market firm up after a tough start, you never know how deep or long a correction may progress. Let the market itself answer that question. Elsewhere, Treasury prices fell, hoisting the yield on the 10-year note up to 4.81% from 4.75% on Friday. Investors rushed into the bond marketâs safe haven in the previous week amid stocksâ sharp decline.
A fresh round of worries over the faltering credit market sent stocks reversing sharply lower Tuesday, dragging down a number of leading stocks in the process. The Nasdaq gapped up at the opening bell and was up 0.9% about 30 minutes into the session. But that rally proved short-lived: Selling intensified as the day wore on, as volume swelled across the board. The technology-laden index closed down 1.4%, at the bottom of its intraday range. The major NYSE indexes showed similar action.
Mortgage lender American Home Mortgage Investment fanned the marketâs credit fears, saying its borrowing pipeline had dried up and that it was considering liquidating assets. The stock, already in a nose dive this year, crashed 90% in gigantic volume.
A late-day reversal hoisted stocks into the black Wednesday, with the Dow leading the way. Buoyed by a big reversal in the sessionâs final minutes, the industrial average finished up 1.1%. The S&P 500 gained 0.7%, the NYSE composite 0.2%. The Nasdaq rose 0.3%. Nasdaq volume picked up compared with Tuesdayâs level, while NYSE volume eased.
Wednesdayâs action continued the marketâs recent volatile trend. The Dow swung from positive to negative multiple times during the day before jumping back above break-even late in the day. That index ultimately bagged the biggest gain, as investors moved into blue chips.
Top-rated stocks didnât benefit from bargain huntersâ late surge. The IBD 100 picked up just 0.1%, which wouldnât be surprising if program trading was indeed behind the last-minute buying binge as some on the Street speculated. Meanwhile, the CBOE volatility index, or VIX, spiked briefly to 26.22, its highest level since April 2003. The put-call ratio, which measures the amount of bearish puts vs. bullish calls bought by options traders, hit 1.26.
Stocks notched their second-straight gain in lighter volume, Thursday. Even still, at XxxxxxxXxxxxxx.com we train members to exercise patience. Donât try to anticipate a market upturn or a follow-through before it happens. Let the price and volume action of the major indexes and leading stocks guide your hand. Follow their lead, instead of trying to predict what they might do.
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