An All-Time High is Within Reach For The S&P 500

Hello traders everywhere. For the first time this year, the S&P 500 posted its fifth straight weekly gain as traders shrugged off worries about the trade war between the U.S. and China. Strong corporate earnings have helped to push the index near its all-time of $2,872.87.

Berkshire Hathaway and Tyson Foods are helping to propel the S&P 500 higher after a weak opening. Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK.B) rose +3.7% after reporting a +67% surge in quarterly operating profit while Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN) gained +3.8% after the meat processor beat analysts' quarterly profit estimates due to strong demand for beef.

Of the 413 S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings so far, 79.2% have topped earnings estimates. That is well above the average of 72% for the past four quarters.

S&P 500

Facebook Inc. (FB) and PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) have led the NASDAQ into positive territory after opening lower on the day. Facebook gained +3.7% after the Wall Street Journal reported the company had asked large U.S. banks to share detailed financial information about their customers, as part of an effort to offer new services to users. PepsiCo rose +1.5% after the company said Ramon Laguarta, a company veteran with experience in international markets, would succeed Indra Nooyi as the chief executive officer. Continue reading "An All-Time High is Within Reach For The S&P 500"

Lackluster Jobs Report and Rising Trade Tensions

Hello traders everywhere. The stock market is ending the week just like it has spent most of the week, mixed. The NASDAQ is down on the day but will end the week in positive territory overall having bounced off support by way of the 50-day moving average and eeking out a gain of +.66%. The S&P 500 is following suit by gaining +.44%, and the DOW has fallen just short posting a weekly loss of -.23%.

Jobs Report

The Labor Department announced that The U.S. economy added 157,000 jobs last month vs. an expected gain of 190,000. While the headline jobs growth number for July missed expectations, June's figures were revised substantially higher up to 248,000 from 213,000. Plus, wage growth met expectations growing by +2.7% in July on a year-over-year basis. Continue reading "Lackluster Jobs Report and Rising Trade Tensions"

Trade Tensions Overshadow Apple Earnings

Hello traders everywhere. The stock market started out the day in positive territory mostly due to positive earnings for Apple Inc. (AAPL), which hit an all-time high of $201.32 and still trading +5% higher on the day. However, trade tensions between the U.S. and China have taken control of the market action and pushed stocks lower.

The Trump administration's unpredictability on trade has been in the spotlight in the last 24 hours after reports that talks between Washington D.C. and Beijing were set to resume were quickly overtaken by a threat to raise tariffs by 25%, instead of the initially proposed 10%, on $200 billion worth of imported Chinese goods. Of course, China vowed to retaliate if the United States slapped further tariffs.

Trade Tensions Overshadow Apple Earnings

The Fed decision, which is due at 2 pm EDT today is also weighing on traders minds. While a rise in interest rates is not expected today, discussion on trade or where the Fed is thinking of heading could be on the table and might provide clues as to their future moves. Will they still act on the two remaining rate hikes that they had mentioned earlier in the year? Continue reading "Trade Tensions Overshadow Apple Earnings"

NASDAQ Breaks Through Key Technical Support

Hello traders everywhere. The NASDAQ has broken through a key technical support level at $7649.58 where the 50-day moving average stands trading -1.3% lower on the day. The fall lower comes on the heels of a lackluster Friday trade where we saw the NASDAQ fall -1.5% to close out the week. We'll have to watch and see if the index continues lower or if it will bounce off support and head higher having tested the 50-day MA twice in the last two months before bouncing off it and heading higher. Will the third time prove to be different?

Key Technical Support

The reason for the sharp sell-off can be directly attributed to the FAANG stocks as they continue to be put under selling pressure. The leader of the tech sell-off continues to be Facebook Inc (FB) as it sheds another -3.7% on the day continuing its historic three-day drop. Not to be outdone though Netflix Inc. (NFLX) is down -4.7%, Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) -1.6%, Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) -1.5% and Apple Inc. (AAPL) -.6%. Continue reading "NASDAQ Breaks Through Key Technical Support"

DOW Triggers New Monthly Trade Triangle

Hello traders everywhere. Close to the end of the trading day on Wednesday the DOW finally triggered a new green monthly Trade Triangle at $25,402.83 letting it join both the S&P 500 and NASDAQ on the long/bullish side of the market. However, the DOW still has some work to do to break out of the sideways trend that it has been trapped in.

The last time we got a new green monthly Trade Triangle was on December 5, 2016, at $19,225.29 and that uptrend stayed in place hitting an all-time high of 26,616.71 on January 26, 2018, before falling a new three month low of $23.344.52 and triggering a new red monthly Trade Triangle signaling that the long bull run had run its course. But as you can see the monthly Trade Triangle can be a powerful signal when it changes. Are we set for another long run to the upside?

Monthly Trade Triangle

On the flip side, Facebook Inc. (FB) is having the worst trading day in its history losing nearly 20% a day after its quarterly revenue missed expectations. Global daily active users, a key metric for the social media giant, also disappointed investors. Additionally, Facebook said it expects its revenue growth rates to slow down from last year. Facebook's earnings per share, however, topped Wall Street estimates. Continue reading "DOW Triggers New Monthly Trade Triangle"