How worried should we be about the Ukraine crisis? Last week some regular readers whom I respect asked why I did not mention the Ukraine situation. It was a fair question, given the attention from the financial media. My answer was that it was an important story on many fronts – defining the future Putin […]
Can positive economic trends overcome the weight of market seasonality? We all love simple rules, especially when supported by data. Throw in a rhyme or some alliteration and you have the makings of a powerful slogan. “Sell in May and go away” fits the bill. Despite the biggest flow of fresh news and data we […]
Some weeks feature a contrast between past and future — a possible inflection point. Here are the current elements: Important economic data with a forward look; Earnings news from major companies reporting on Q114; Corporate conference calls explaining the outlook for future earnings; and finally Economic implications for improved economic growth and business conditions worldwide. […]
This week brings the makings of an explosive volatility cocktail: Important economic data; Key Q1 earnings reports; Options expiration; A short trading week; and An edgy market environment. This is a very unusual combination, and the various elements will compete for attention. Prior Theme Recap Last week I expected the theme to test the divergence […]
I planned to take tonight off since it is my Birthday and Mrs. OldProf is preparing my favorite dinner. On the other hand, I like to post whenever there is a market development that will get a lot of media buzz and contribute to investors being Scared Witless (TM OldProf). Please check out last year’s […]