Market Insights
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Is Inflation Making a Comeback as the Fed Looks to Cut Interest Rates?
The stock market has been optimistic about inflation since late 2023, but price pressures may be returning as the Federal Reserve considers interest-rate cuts. The price of energy, shelter and materials have quietly risen in the last month. The increases follow months...
Breakout or Breakdown? Stock Movement Grinds to a Halt as Investors Wait and See
Stocks have stopped moving as investors wait for more news on corporate earnings and interest rates. The S&P 500 slid 0.1 percent between Friday, April 14, and Friday, April 21. If that percentage change sounds small, consider that the index fluctuated less than...
Inflation Fades, Earnings Beat and Stocks Push Higher
Stocks keep pushing higher as inflation fades and earnings beat expectations. The S&P 500 rose 0.8 percent between Friday, April 7, and Friday, April 14. It was the fourth gain in the last five weeks. Several data points suggested further slowing of inflation, the...
Technical Analysis: Merck Could Be Breaking Out
Merck surged in late 2022 and consolidated during the first quarter. Now the drug maker could be breaking out. The first pattern on today’s chart is the rally between mid-October and early January, which included a breakout to new record highs. MRK then pulled back...
Technology Rallied in March as Interest Rates Eased and Outlooks Improved
Technology stocks are rallying again as interest rates fall and fundamentals improve. The S&P 500 rose 3.5 percent in March, while the Nasdaq-100 surged 9.5 percent. That 6 point lead by the Nasdaq was its widest margin of outperformance since early 2009,...
S&P 500 Challenges Falling Trendline: Market Trends This Week
Downloads available here and here. Anchored VWAP and Keltner pullback here. Also: multidata crossover strategy. Register for Market Trends here. Next session is Thursday, May 4. Sizing Up the S&P 500 S&P 500 holds rising trendline, tries to...
Chart of the Day: Apple Pulls Back After a ‘Golden Cross’
Apple clawed to a six-month high last week. Is it done or will prices continue higher? The first pattern on today’s chart is the price level around $156. AAPL peaked there on March 6 and bounced there yesterday. Some chart watchers could think ... For more,...
Technology & Communication
Chart of the Day: Is Oracle Attempting a Breakout?
Oracle has performed better than most technology and software companies, and now it may be attempting a breakout. The first pattern on today’s chart is the triangle that took shape in December. Prices ended 2022 slightly above the top, and buyers jumped in yesterday....
Apple Could Be Squeezing Toward a Breakout With New Features Unveiled at WWDC
Apple has been a frustrating stock for most of the year, but now it may be squeezing toward another rally. The first pattern on today's chart is its super-tight Bollinger bandwidth, which yesterday was the narrowest since December 2019. That could suggest price is...
Technical Alert: Death Cross in Netflix
The economy is reopening. People are going back to work. It's great news for a lot of stocks, but Netflix isn't one of them. Today, the streaming-video giant's 50-day simple moving average (SMA) closed at $513.97, or $0.53 below its 200-day SMA. That "death cross" may...
Junior Nasdaq Beating QQQ Again as Low Volatility Draws Risk Takers Away From Apple
Big-cap technology stocks like Apple are lagging again, even as investors start buying smaller companies on the Nasdaq. The chart below compares the Invesco Nasdaq Next Gen ETF (QQQJ) with the Invesco QQQ (QQQ). It shows percentage change, with hourly bars, since the...
Options Activity Is Rising in ‘Meme’ Stocks Like AMC and GameStop
Heavily shorted stocks like AMC exploded higher in January. Now they may be moving again, with options traders jumping on board. The theater chain rallied 19 percent yesterday, following a 20 percent gain on Tuesday. AMC is up 62 percent since last Friday, its biggest...