Stock Market Lifted By Positive Economic Data

Hello traders everywhere. The S&P 500 and NASDAQ are on the rise for a third straight day, wiping out last weeks losses. The S&P 500 reached a four-month high as it held above the key 2,800 level that it has struggled to breach in recent weeks. Crude oil rose toward $58 a barrel in New York.

Economic Data

The Commerce Department announced today that the nondefense durable goods orders posted their largest increase in six months in January, rising 0.8%. Overall durable goods orders also rose 0.4% while economists polled by Refinitiv expected a decline of 0.5%. The economic data overshadowed a weaker-than-expected print on the producer price index. Continue reading "Stock Market Lifted By Positive Economic Data"

Stocks Fall On Weak Jobs Report

Hello traders everywhere. The three major indexes fell Friday, on pace for their worst week since December, after data showed hiring growth slowed significantly in February. The declines came after data from the Labor Department showed U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose a seasonally adjusted 20,000 in February, missing economists' expectations of 180,000 new jobs.

Still, the report wasn't all doom and gloom. The unemployment rate ticked down to 3.8% from 4% a month earlier, while wages rose 3.4% from a year earlier, the strongest pace since April 2009.

Jobs Report

For the first time since December, all three indexes will post weekly losses over -2.6%. The DOW did finish last week with a slight loss of -.02%, the s&P 500 had a weekly loss of -.22% in January, but this will be the first weekly loss for NASDAQ, breaking a 10-week winning streak. Both the S&P 500 and NASDAQ issued green monthly Trade Triangles recent, but the DOW remains in a sideline position with a red monthly Trade Triangle. Continue reading "Stocks Fall On Weak Jobs Report"

Current Market Mood; Wait and See

Hello traders everywhere. The stock market has entered into wait and see territory with stocks falling for the third straight day after a positive open to trading on Monday morning. What are traders waiting for, the next set of clues in the U.S. - China trade talks?

Earlier this week, sources told CNBC that the U.S. and China were in the "final stages" of trade talks, with the two sides planning a Mar-a-Lago summit for the end of the month. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said Monday he thought Washington and Beijing were "on the cusp" of reaching a deal. So now, we wait and see.

Wait and See

The S&P 500 finally issued the new green monthly Trade Triangle that we've been waiting for at $2,813.49 in early trading Monday. However, that move higher was short lived as the S&P 500 closed lower for the day. But keep in mind that The S&P 500 has risen about 11% this year. That only leaves us with the DOW in a sidelines mode. Will we get that new monthly Trade Triangle soon or are in for a bit of a wait? Continue reading "Current Market Mood; Wait and See"

Best Start To The Year Since 1991

Hello traders everywhere. That's right, the stock market is of off to a roaring start to the year and it is, in fact, the best start for the S&P 500 since 1991. The S&P 500 posted a gain of +2.9% for February following a gain of +7.9% in January. That's helping put December in the rearview mirror for many traders.

Not to be outdone the NASDAQ closed out the month with a 10-week winning streak, it's longest such weekly streak since 1999. On a monthly level, it posted a positive gain of +3.4% for February, backing up the +9.7% gain in January.

Then we come to the DOW which opened March trading up about 270 pts before backing off that high. The DOW posted a monthly gain of +3.6% in February continuing its positive momentum from January where it posted a +7% gain.

monthly gain

The U.S. Dollar will end the week in negative territory losing -.13%, but on a monthly level, it was able to post a gain of +.73% erasing the January loss of -.49%. Continue reading "Best Start To The Year Since 1991"

China, North Korea And The Fed Weigh On Market

Hello traders everywhere. The week had started on high note extending last weeks gains and pushing the NASDAQ high enough to trigger a new green monthly Trade Triangle at 7,566.93. In fact, both the DOW and S&P 500 were close to getting their respective monthly Trade Triangles in early trading before they started to slide lower in Monday afternoon trading.

Stocks fell Wednesday as traders grappled with key testimonies on U.S.-China trade relations, Federal Reserve monetary policy and a host of geopolitical issues.

Stocks fell to their lows of the session as U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer hinted that a trade deal was not yet certain, saying that any agreement would need to be more than just purchases by China. The deal would need to be specific and include a matter of enforcement, he said. Lighthizer also noted that it would be a "long process" to implement any deal agreed upon in March. Lighthizer was testifying in front of the House Ways and Means committee. Trade relations between the U.S. and China lowered this week after President Donald Trump pushed back a deadline on adding additional tariffs on Chinese goods. Continue reading "China, North Korea And The Fed Weigh On Market"