Right now the SP 500 is selling off hard to 1126 down 40 points on the day in response to Fed’s remarks yesterday. While they see the weakness in our economy and the growing risks in Europe they’re willing to do little at this point. I must admit to feeling much better hanging on to our SDS hedges and not getting sucked into the rally last week, as this is a moment I’ve anticipated.
The SP500 is near the bottom of its trading range of 1100 to 1230 and this morning I’ve sold our SDS hedge for $25.41.
While the economy is weak the consensus opinion is that the US is already in recession, but this may not be the case: The Conference Boards leading economic index (LEI) rose .3% for the fourth straight month, expectations were for a .1% gain. The Conference Board put the chances of a recession at less than 50% but also suggested risks were rising.
The Ned Davis Economic Timing index has dropped but still remains at a level consistent with modest economic growth.
In addition, the FHFA purchase only housing price index rose .8% in July and while it remains 3.3% below its reading of a year ago it could be showing early signs of stabilization since this is the highest reading of 2011.
Investor sentiment is dismal, no doubt there but one must keep an objective eye on the data. While many consider the Fed’s lack of action as a negative, in my opinion the ball is really in the court of our political leaders. Fiscal policies are likely to have a greater impact on our economy than monetary policy. Monetary policy in balance sheet deleveraging economies is essentially pushing on a string since there is little loan demand. Individuals and corporations are saving capital rather than spending, hence you could drive rates down to 1% across the board and still see little ripple effect.
Lastly, from a technical viewpoint the early August low saw over 1200 stocks on the NYSE make new annual lows. At present the number is 735 which is a positive divergence and an early sign that selling could be exhausting itself.
While this smells acts and trades like a Bear Market, the news is not completely awful, just partially disgusting. Hence, based on my short term trading models we’re at a short term extreme and a bounce should be expected. Till proven otherwise we remain in a 1230 to 1100 trading range.
Brad
No positions
A short while back I decided to return to writing on the blog as a way to encapsulate my thoughts and review tactics and strategies. With the noise that exists within our culture and data driven industry we can lose ourselves to the impulses caused by the most recent data points.
The talking heads on TV uniformly speak with such clarity and conviction but are never held accountable to the results of their recommendations. Do they eat their own cooking the way I do? I doubt it very much. So while you the reader may consider that this blog is for your benefit please consider its also for my benefit at well.
What do we know:
The political leadership existent within the US and Globally lacks the political will and savvy to solve the debt and currency crisis. There is a continual sense that their intentions are to “kick the can down the road” for future leaders and tax payers. The lack of cross the aisle cooperation between parties is pathetic. The Republican’s lack of cooperation, even at the cost of benefit to the country in order to gain the White House appears to be the game plan. Speaker Boehner is even disagreeing with the proposed short term tax credits proposed in the jobs bill.
If you’re a country that cannot print money then you are crashing. Why this is lost upon the tea party, I have no idea.
There is a global race to devalue currencies. PIMCO predicts the Euro will fall to 1.20 USD within three to six months. When Janene and I were in Paris this May the Euro was 1.45 USD.
2012 estimated earnings for the SP 500 are coming down in deliberate fashion. In August the estimate for 2012 was $112, now they are at $110 and falling.
Most European stock markets are down 15%-20% while the US is down 2% for the year. Macroeconomic data continues to deteriorate. Last night Goldman Sachs lowered their end of the year target for the SP500 to 1250 down from 1400.
Investors are extremely bearish. AAII figures show 40% bears against 30% bulls. This is an uncomfortable status in light of my hedged positions. The issues of Greece, the Euro, our budget impasse, US debt, falling currencies and high odds of recession appear to be largely baked in the cake of many share prices.
Shares of dividend paying stocks look very attractive relative to bonds.
Contrary to Bernanke’s talk: US money supply is rising. Rising money supply frequently has a steroid effect in the short term for stock prices to move higher.
With Peyton Manning on the sidelines is there is no doubt that Tom Brady is simply the best at his position.
What I don’t know:
How low will SP 500 earnings estimates fall before they bottom? The average recession cuts earnings by 25% from the previous peak or in our case $75 a share.
While a Greek default is inevitable, can Europe handle a Greek default in an orderly fashion, and then an Italy default, followed by a Portugal default……..rinse and repeat.
Will the Chinese support the Euro to allow multiple currency options for its growth.
Can the European banks reduce their systemic risks and raise gigantic amounts of capital they require?
One potential cure-all would be for the Chinese to let the Yuan trade freely on its own merits? Is this just pie in the sky hopin and wishin?
Will investors finally purge Treasuries en masse and allow yields to rise?
Is our unemployment issue systemic (see Doug Kass) or cyclical (Paul Krugman)?
Can the opinions expressed by Tim Geithner in stating there will be no Euro Lehman’s be trusted?
How can Duane Allman and BB King be ranked higher than Eric Clapton in the Rolling Stone Top 100 guitarists of all time. I’ve adored Live at the Fillmore East since I was a kid and Riding with the King is superb but shouldn’t the breadth of work by Clapton be considered?
Long Clapton
After a major market pullback the natural reaction might be to just hang in their for the follow up rally, but not so fast. Market bottoms are a process not a point in time. What I mean is that we may have made a bottom in equities on Monday but the odds are very high that we’re going to have a period of at least a few months to finally exhaust all the sellers. Markets will likely be whipped around like a puppy’s chew toy and I’d rather keep volatility to a minimum.
In the meantime scenes we’re likely to see:
Failure of a major European bank – Its not like they’re going to give a heads up notice. When you start banning short selling you know you’re in a losing battle.
2012 US earnings estimates: They haven’t budged at all. They stand now at $111 for 2012. Despite a plethora of weak economic stats the numbers haven’t moved down at all. They must come down to reality before they can be trusted. The downward revision process will likely be painful if you’re heavily invested in equities.
Commencement of QE3: So far the QE process has been a complete bust. But thats about the only arrow the Fed has in its quiver to aid the economy and its a loser……unless you own precious metals and then its manna from heaven.
While risk at the moment may not be very large, the prospects for Intermediate term gains in equities isn’t rosy either. This is not the time to be excessively bullish or bearish for equities. In the meantime we have lots of cash on hand and in many accounts the long equities are balanced by Gold, Silver, Swiss Franc’s and the SDS.
Gold and Swiss Franc’s still too hot for new money and needs to cool off. Silver is frustrating but could rally.
Happy Friday
Long SDS, GLD, SLV, FXF
Not since 2009 have I purchased an Inverse Exchange Traded fund but with this absurd volatility I see the opportunity for a trade in the SDS at $24.71.
We may have been up 500 points in the afternoon but nothing is resolved and the Presidents press conference was as politically biased as ever, not what we need. I still think this is part of the bottoming process assuming a bottom is in place which is in doubt.
Long SDS
Brad
Stocks are trading down heavily this morning with the Dow currently down 330. Despite this we’re not having a bad day as our hedges remain in parabolic mode with rumors of a potential European bank failure.
GLD a new all time high of $174 corresponding to $1800 Gold. Laggard hedge SLV trading higher up $1.65 to $38 and the Swiss Franc ETF FXF trading dow $1.21 to $135 after hitting $140 yesterday.
We remain steadfast in holding a great deal of cash as I used yesterday’s bounce to trim more equity holdings. I have yet to deploy cash in any meaningful way towards equities, the timing just isn’t right yet.
If we had seen a strong opening in the US I likely would have added Inverse Exchanged Traded Funds “SDS”, but the weak opening does not make that a smart trade. Hence a better opportunity to play the downside will present itself eventually.
Market bottoms tend to be a process, not a specific point in time. Stocks will fall to a meaningful low then stage a significant bounce that could recapture 30% or 40% of the decline before selling off once more to retest the previous low. This process can repeat itself several times, in successful bottoming action each selloff has less and less intensity.
Buying the retest is a much better option than trying to be the hero and pick the bottom. Early rallies fail almost every time and its devastating to the psyche to think you may have bought the low only to find that a month or two later you’re right back where you started. In 2008 the climactic low was in November but the best investable low came months later in March 2009.
Brad
Long GLD, SLV and FXF
