Obama’s Victories

It may be over the top  to call the events of yesterday Obama victories (credit/blame should be spread), so lets call them birthday presents.

Bottom line -  We should have done better, but it could have been a whole lot worse.

• The BP oil gusher in the Gulf looks to be completely capped. Also, victory for oil industry who now proves they can stop leak at 5,000+ feet.
• SEC gets record settlement against shadow bank GS, legislation to prevent what GS did is included in financial reform legislation, but GS wins by preventing a whole lot of bad PR by going to trial.
• The biggest birthday present is the Financial reform bill passes congress. (Senate, 60 -39)
• Another big victory is Republican leadership, like in health care, promising to repeal it all instead of saying well keep this part because its good and eliminate that.

Here’s the lead NYT editorial on Financial Regulation. Some relevant points.

• “Since January 2009, the financial sector has spent nearly $600 million to weaken reform” – they scored many victories.
• “the margin of victory was really about partisan politics and not the bill’s content.” Majority of blame here is on Republicans, but NYT does not mention Democrats are not without partisan transgressions.

Investors 411 has beat the drum for a tougher bill and it to be more inclusive of transparency in government agencies. However, we got more out of this than we did out of health care legislation. Both are steps in the right direction that need amending.

The next big battle is who heads and is on the board of resolution authority and consumer protection. Geithner is opposing Elizabeth Warren as the new head of Consumer Protection Agency. Warren is perhaps the #1 hero in the accountability, transparency and reform of Wall Street.

YOUR Comments

Sorry I’ve run out of time. However Ewanapat has a fabulous link to a controversial article on Ron Paul/David Stockman . This continues the debate over Barney Frank & Ron Paul stated by SE

KISS & Stocks (Keep It Simple Stupid)

If you don’t understand a term look in up at Investopedia.com dictionary

AS ALWAYS, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE INVESTING!

Investors411 record – 5 years of beating benchmark S&P 500 and almost all major US indexes

Technicals, Fundamentals & Analysis

Mantra for week “Earnings Season begins this week. - How markets react to news has usually been the key. If a stock shrugs and goes nowhere on good earnings news you know there’s trouble ahead. Remember Black Box algorithms  dominate even more as volume declines.”

• 2nd Weak volume flat day in a row = Mildly bearish
• Stocks rallied into close = Bullish
• BP seems to have fully cap oil spill = Bullish
• GS settles with SEC, pays record $550 million fine, but avoids prolonged bad PR = Bullish
• GE reports lowers forecast. Down @2% in pre market trading - Bearish
• GOOG reported earnings and was down @4.5% in pre market trading (7:45 EST) = Bearish
• BAC reports and is down @4.5% this AM = Bearish
• Fin/Reg is over. No ore questions what will legislators do. = Bullish

You can check pre market trading here – Just type in ticker symbol

Significant Indexes-

• McClellan Oscillator (MO) fell to +43.48 [+60 or above = Overbought = sell. -60 or below = Oversold = buy]. StockCharts has a better version of the McClellan chart ($NYMO) LINK. –  & Investopedia on –  How the MO works. The Black Boxes have not allowed the MO to rise above 80 since 3/09.  Now close to overbought position = mildly bearish
• US Dollar –  The dollar fell a massive -1.04% yesterday [Anything over +/- @0.50 is significant.] The dollar is important  to stocks – Dollar up = stocks down and visa versa. The Black Box traders, have used the inverse relationship of the dollar as a key part of their trading system. This inverse relationship is part of their algorithmic system. There was a delayed reaction the last time the dollar fell over 1.00% – The next day we had an almost 3% rise in stocks.  For stocks =BULLISH
• BDI - The  Baltic Dry Index (Measures cost of shipping – Higher costs good = more being shipped = Bullish. Also good proxy of China. BDI is in free fall from a high of @4200 to 1700 yesterday. This is a huge -60% drop in almost 8 weeks.  Often a leading indicator for stocks. Here’s a 3 year chart of BDI for context. The BDI fell a much decreased -0.53% yesterday. The decrease could be the start of the BDI finding a bottom – a bullish sign, but too early to tell. Fundamentally the 60% drop is very BEARISH

Reading Tea Leaves

From yesterday “is Black Boxes push markets slightly higher. Reasons – dollar probably continues to fall  & momentum higher at close yesterday.”

Today – Yesterday’s huge drop in the dollar gives bulls something to rally on. See analysis of events above. Is the BDI turning? – another sign of hope. The MO is at 43 and there is some wiggle room till 60 and a lot of distance to major resistance at @80. Bad earnings news from giants GE, BAC & GOOG will hurt budding rally.

Wow  - an enormous amount of cross currents impact US stocks differently. Looks like a roller coaster rally. Watch UUP the ETF for the dollar – if it keeps falling stocks go higher.

Positions

The  Positions Section link to latest & former buys and sells  - These are positions I actually own

Updated over weekends Investors411 holds ONE position at this time

Same strategy still holds. Our one small short position SH seems to be in some danger today. Short term  traders may  get in trouble with short positions today.