The four-week average of new claims for state jobless
benefits dropped to 335,500, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The reading
has not been that low since November 2007, just before the United States fell
into a calamitous recession.
… Thursday's data still pointed to only modest economic
growth. Last week, initial jobless claims edged 5,000 higher to 333,000, a
little less than expected.
‘The overall economy and the labor market are improving
at a moderate pace,’ said Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at brokerage Sterne
Agee & Leach in Chicago.” Full story
at….
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/08/us-usa-economy-idUSBRE9770K220130808
POSSIBLE SHORT TERM TOP; NO BEAR MARKET (Chris Puplava)
"We are starting to see weakening in breadth data that is
suggestive of a possible short-term correction in the market. With the highly
anticipated upcoming September 17-18 FOMC meeting, we could be in store for
some volatility and market weakness.” Story at Advisor Perspectives at…http://advisorperspectives.com/dshort/guest/Chris-Puplava-130807-Market-Forecast.php
ART CASHIN: WATCHING LATE DAY ACTION AND MARKET INTERNALS
(CNBC)
“The key thing for investors to watch is whether strength
early in the trading day carries through to the end of the session’, he said. ‘What happens late in the session is often more important
than what happens early,’ Cashin said. ‘Early, you've got time to bluff. You
can faint or do whatever, but when the clock is running out, you've got to do
what you've got to do.’ Because the yield on the 10-year Treasury is declining,
he said, market moves are ‘less about tapering talk and more about market
internals.’”http://www.cnbc.com/id/100949174
LATE DAY ACTION – SMART MONEY
I started tracking this because I thought following the
“smart-money” might give some clues about the future. Over the last 10-days, the trend has been
down in the last hour of trading, but not by much. In the last 10-days the S&P 500 index has
traded down less than 1%, so it is not a very strong indicator at this point. Today the index was down about 0.1% in the
last hour of trading.
MARKET INTERNALS (NYSE DATA)
The 10-day moving average of stocks
advancing on the NYSE is UP slightly to 46%.
Usually a value below 50% signals additional trouble for the markets.
66% of stocks on the NYSE were advancing today - not surprising for the up-day.
New-highs new-lows reversed today. No way to know if that trend will continue,
but the internals are not giving a consistent signal regarding the market’s
direction.
MARKET REPORT
Thursday, the S&P was up 0.4% to 1697 (rounded).
VIX was down 2% to 12.73. Thursday, the S&P was up 0.4% to 1697 (rounded).
The S&P 500 is again 10% above its 200-dMA – corrections frequently
start at this level. Chart-wise, the
S&P 500 is now at its prior, lower trend-line. I think a newer trend line has been
established and the index is presently at its upper trend-line. The charts aren’t helping too much, but the
answer should be clear soon.
NTSM
Thursday, the overall NTSM analysis was HOLD
at the close.
MY INVESTED POSITION
I remain about 20% invested in stocks as of 5 March (S&P 500
-1540). The NTSM system sold at 1575
on 16 April. (This is just another
reminder that I should follow the NTSM analysis and not act emotionally – I am
under-performing my own system by about 2%!)
I have no problems leaving 20% or 30% invested. If the market is cut in half (worst case) I’d
only lose 10%-15% of my investments. It
also hedges the bet if I am wrong since I will have some invested if the market
goes up. No system is perfect.
I am committed to this course of action for some
time. Now; I think I just need to be
committed!
