Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Stars Align for Markets Amid Super Tuesday March Madness

While the Dems and Reps fight in various primaries for the right to represent as a party leader of the USA, US equity markets calmly said adieu at the opening bell and never gave a backward glance.

Tuesday's advance was one of the top three of the year, pushing off from the 50-day moving average on the Dow, which may well have been the anointed starting point for this leg of the extended rally. The close today was at the best level in nearly two months, something of a needed salve for banged-up bulls.

While there was little in the way of encouraging news for stocks to sound off so vociferously, there was certainly no absence of chart-wise subjectivism from which to spark.

As for a relationship to Donald Trump's or Hillary Clinton's seemingly unstoppable rise to become the nominee of their respective parties, there is probably none, though wiser people have made dumber bets that Hillary will be the eventual next president and further take out the case that she will be good for the economy. That happens to be the confirmed thinking of the status quo, which sees more Clinton-esque policies as somehow good for Wall Street (note: big hitters on the street have given heartily to her campaign and to the Clinton Foundation, whereas Mr. Trump has been largely self-funded).

Even bonds were in alignment with the general mood, the 10-year note closing at a multi-week high of 1.83%.

S&P 500: 1,978.35, +46.12 (2.39%)
Dow: 16,865.08, +348.58 (2.11%)
NASDAQ: 4,689.60, +131.65 (2.89%)

Crude Oil 34.39 +1.90% Gold 1,236.60 +0.18% EUR/USD 1.0871 -0.12% 10-Yr Bond 1.83 +5.40% Corn 356.00 -0.28% Copper 2.15 +0.63% Silver 14.92 +0.01% Natural Gas 1.74 +1.46% Russell 2000 1,054.49 +1.99% VIX 17.70 -13.87% BATS 1000 20,677.17 0.00% GBP/USD 1.3950 +0.17% USD/JPY 113.9270 +1.32%

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