Stocks Take A Breather As Tariff Talk Toughens; Underground Economy, Self-Employment Rising Rapidly

This was not completely unexpected.

Markets have been absolutely on fire the past two weeks, and a pullback was inevitable. The culprit, as usual, will be Donald Trump, and his threat to slap tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports.

While the additional revenue will no doubt aid the fiscal formula of the federal government, the merger impact will be in the form of higher prices, though the effect will be spread out among America's 325 million populace.

Another way of looking at it is that $200 billion worth of Chinese goods spread among roughly 200 million adult Americans comes to $1000 per person. If you whack the goods another 25% with tariffs, it's another $250 per person. Over the course of six months or a year, it's not much, say five to 10 bucks a week.

Chump change... or maybe, Trump change.

An article that caught the eye today focused on the burgeoning self-employment movement in the United States, which has been growing at three times the rate of regular employment over the past three years.

Credit American ingenuity. Work is changing and more than a few people are trading in the nine-to-five grind for making their own hours, especially among Millennials and older, healthy retirees or semi-retired folks. With the burden of Obamacare taken off the backs of Americans, the workforce is free to follow the money, be it as a Uber driver, seller of goods on eBay, pushing online services, or a myriad of other self-employment opportunities, many of which are unregulated, untaxed, and unreported.

The so-called "underground economy" which the US government gave up trying to track in the mid-seventies, is enormous. Its presence and size puts to shame all the government employment statistics, especially the low "persons in the labor force" numbers that plagued the Obama years. Americans come in all stripes and flavors, from welfare recipients who do side jobs, to baby boomers who mow lawns for cash. Most of all, Americans are resourceful and many of them are overtaxed and seeking ways to increase their incomes without notifying the IRS or state governments.

It's working, and the money generated goes all through the economic powerhouse that is the US domestic economy. Governments - local, state, and federal - are all too big and they all waste people's time and money. The US population moved on years ago. Only now, it's getting to be so large that it's hard not to notice.

There probably aren't too many people who remember the years of Prohibition (1920-1933), when government over-reached, outlawing the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages. By the mid 1920s, the "underground economy" of the day had exceeded the "official" government-tracked economy. We're on the same path today. People want more control of their lives and their money, and they're taking both back, with a vengeance.

No pension? No problem. Little league umpires make $30-60 per game and most of it is paid in cash. That's just one example.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16
8/21/18	25,822.29	+63.60	+414.76
8/22/18	25,733.60	-88.69	+326.07
8/23/18	25,656.98	-76.62	+249.45
8/24/18	25,790.35	+133.37	+382.82
8/27/18	26,049.64	+259.29	+642.11
8/28/18	26,064.02	+14.38	+656.49
8/29/18	26,124.57	+60.55	+717.04
8/30/18	25,986.92	-137.65	+579.39

At the Close, Thursday, August 30, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,986.92, -137.65 (-0.53%)
NASDAQ: 8,088.36, -21.32 (-0.26%)
S&P 500: 2,901.13, -12.91 (-0.44%)
NYSE Composite: 13,039.93, -92.23 (-0.70%)

S&P, NASDAQ Set Fresh Records, Dow Higher 4th Day In Row

The gains are beginning to become monotonous.

As the second estimate of 2Q GDP came in hot, at 4.2%, investors were encouraged to buy even more stocks, sending the S&P and NASDAQ to all-time closing highs, pushing the Dow closer to it's January 26 mark of 26,616.71.

There seems to be nothing in the way of this current hot streak. The Dow is up four straight days and has tacked on nearly 1000 points since August 15.

There's likely to be some kind of pullback this week, though it's probably going to be temporary. With Labor Day upcoming, market professionals will be back to business on Tuesday of next week without much worry.

All signs point to an extension of the record market run.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16
8/21/18	25,822.29	+63.60	+414.76
8/22/18	25,733.60	-88.69	+326.07
8/23/18	25,656.98	-76.62	+249.45
8/24/18	25,790.35	+133.37	+382.82
8/27/18	26,049.64	+259.29	+642.11
8/28/18	26,064.02	+14.38	+656.49
8/29/18	26,124.57	+60.55	+717.04

At the Close, Wednesday, August 29, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 26,124.57, +60.55 (+0.23%)
NASDAQ: 8,109.69, +79.65 (+0.99%)
S&P 500: 2,914.04, +16.52 (+0.57%)
NYSE Composite: 13,132.16, +47.36 (+0.36%)

Stocks Add Marginally To Upside Awaiting 2nd 2Q GDP Estimate

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tacked on modest gains, as did the NASDAQ and S&P 500. It was the seventh day in the last nine trading session in which the Dow has posted gains. The index is up 900 points since August 15.

On the downside was the NYSE Composite, losing 17 points.

Investors were on hold in advance of Wednesday's second estimate of second quarter GDP. The prior estimate, released in late July, saw the economy rowing at a 4.1% annualized rate.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16
8/21/18	25,822.29	+63.60	+414.76
8/22/18	25,733.60	-88.69	+326.07
8/23/18	25,656.98	-76.62	+249.45
8/24/18	25,790.35	+133.37	+382.82
8/27/18	26,049.64	+259.29	+642.11
8/27/18	26,064.02	+14.38	+656.49

At the Close, Tuesday, August 28, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 26,064.02, +14.38 (+0.06%)
NASDAQ: 8,030.04, +12.14 (+0.15%)
S&P 500: 2,897.52, +0.78 (+0.03%)
NYSE Composite: 13,084.80, -17.23 (-0.13%)

Dow Gains 259, NASDAQ, S&P Set New Record Highs

Since June 27, the NASDAQ has made a strong advance of 572 points, a nifty 7.68% return in two months.

The S&P 500 has tacked on 196 points over the same span, a 7.26% gain.

The Dow has galloped ahead 1933 points in the past two months, 8.02%, topping both index rivals and closed above 26,000 on Monday for the first time since February 1. Overall, investors are piling into stocks, unconvinced that the Fed's now-quarterly interest rate hikes will slow down US production in major industries. Income creation has been a duopoly since the Trump tax cuts became effective after the start of the year and stocks shook off the shocks of February and March.

With the Dow posting gains in six of the last eight sessions, the industrials have added nearly 900 points since August 16. With a three-day holiday dead ahead, the positive vibe may extend through Friday.

There is no other way around it. This rally is real, and has legs. The next FOMC meeting and widely anticipated 25 basis point rate hike is still a month off, on September 25-26.

Along with the NASDAQ and S&P closing at record highs on Monday, the Dow is a mere 600 points from its previous high from January 26 of 26,616.71.

Summertime... and the profits are easy.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16
8/21/18	25,822.29	+63.60	+414.76
8/22/18	25,733.60	-88.69	+326.07
8/23/18	25,656.98	-76.62	+249.45
8/24/18	25,790.35	+133.37	+382.82
8/27/18	26,049.64	+259.29	+642.11

At the Close, Monday, August 27, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 26,049.64, +259.29 (+1.01%)
NASDAQ: 8,017.90, +71.92 (+0.91%)
S&P 500: 2,896.74, +22.05 (+0.77%)
NYSE Composite: 13,102.03, +102.59 (+0.79%)

Despite Deep State and Media Trump Hatred, US Economy Continues Expansion

Stocks made steady advances through the week and were especially profitable on Friday, as the NASDAQ and S&P 500 reached all-time closing highs.

The week also marked an historic moment on Wednesday, when the current S&P 500 became the longest bull market in US history, though the celebration was largely muted and overshadowed by fake news concerning President Trump.

While Washington and the mainstream media remains focused on unseating a duly-elected president, Wall Street is making hay while the sun shines, living large in the light under Trump's easy fiscal and tough trade policies which have put more money in the pockets of American workers, upset the global status quo, and spurred a delightful rally since he won the presidency in November, 2016.

Many deep state politicians and the loathsome mainstream media seem to be on another planet when it comes to politics and the economy. While middle America is flourishing after years of mismanagement under presidents Bush and Obama, they look the other way when it comes to Trump, refusing to acknowledge his various successes, instead plowing ahead with false narratives that run the gamut from colluding with Russia during the 2016 campaign to steamy affairs with a porn star and a Playboy playmate.

Politicians on the left and even many so-called RHINO Republicans seem content to spend most of their time fomenting fear and hatred. At the same time, Wall Street remains unimpressed and without concern over the political hijinks and wasted efforts to impeach or impair the Trump presidency.

It's a sad state of affairs when the dominant media can only produce stories that are shakily superficial and barely believable. If anything unsettles markets, it would likely come from the swamp creatures in DC and the media, though as of yet, investors and the general US population aren't buying it.

Approaching the final week of unofficial summer, markets are robust but heavily overvalued. Profits since the last recession and the 2008-09 financial crisis have been all too easy. Market veterans know just how quickly good times can turn bad, although since the downturn in February and March there's been little thought or discussion about booking profits, moving to cash positions, or consolidating gains in any concerted fashion.

Bonds have been stable, precious metals have gone into a long, deep reversion, and inflation is not overwhelming. Outside of high valuations and the constant attacks on President Trump, the US economy appears as healthy as it has been in the past 20 years.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16
8/21/18	25,822.29	+63.60	+414.76
8/22/18	25,733.60	-88.69	+326.07
8/23/18	25,656.98	-76.62	+249.45
8/24/18	25,790.35	+133.37	+382.82

At the Close, Friday, August 24, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,790.35, +133.37 (+0.52%)
NASDAQ: 7,945.98, +67.52 (+0.86%)
S&P 500: 2,874.69, +17.71 (+0.62%)
NYSE Composite: 12,999.44, +65.98 (+0.51%)

For the Week:
DOW: +121.03 (+0.47%)
NASDAQ: +125.65 (+1.66%)
S&P 500: +24.56 (+0.86%)
NYSE Composite: +91.18 (+0.71%)

Stocks Take A Break, All Major Indices In Red

The S&P just set a record as the longest bull market in US history, the Dow has been on a tear and the Dow Transportation Index just set a new all-time high two days ago, so, it's perfectly natural for stocks to take a breather here.

It is, after all, the 23rd of August, the proverbial dog days of summer. Plenty of people needed to take a break, look things over, calm down, have another mai tai by the pool and relax. Markets have been running at breakneck speed thanks to the Trump hate, tariffs, emerging market slide, Turkey's currency crisis, Italy's break away government, et. al.

Thursday's trading differed from previous session in that all four of the major indices finished lower. Lately, the pattern has been for split markets, with the Dow and NASDAQ moving in opposite directions. Though the losses were not significant, the fact that the direction was similar may signal something more ominous.

Of course, the way markets have been consistently, over time, moving to higher ground, going short here would seem to be a rather risky proposition.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16
8/21/18	25,822.29	+63.60	+414.76
8/22/18	25,733.60	-88.69	+326.07
8/22/18	25,656.98	-76.62	+249.45

At the Close, Thursday, August 23, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,656.98, -76.62 (-0.30%)
NASDAQ: 7,878.46, -10.64 (-0.13%)
S&P 500: 2,856.98, -4.84 (-0.17%)
NYSE Composite: 12,933.46, -57.05 (-0.44%)

Of The Long Bull Run And The Short Bear

Today, the S&P 500 set a new mark as the longest bull run in stock market history, surpassing the bull market record that ran from October 1990 to March 2000.

On Wednesday, the bull market that began on April 8, 2009, reached 3,453 days. The nearly 9 1/2 year run without a decline of 20% has seen the S&P rise from its low of 815.55 on April 7, 2009, to yesterday's closing high of 2,862.96, a gain of 2047.41, an average annual return of 26.4%. It's been quite a decade for Wall Street after the financial crisis had put the world on edge.

Unlike anything seen before, excepting possibly the expansion during the 1990s dotcom boom, investors have been showered with profits from virtually all sectors. There is no denying that the bull market of the 20-teens will go down in economic history as one of the more bizarre experiences ever, fueled by unlimited free-spending by central banks in global coordination, slashing interest rates at times, in some countries, to negative yields.

Adding to the hyper activity in the markets were stock buybacks by nearly every major corporation, financed by ultra-low interest rates. Buybacks reduced the number of shares outstanding, thus boosting earnings-per-share calculations beyond normal ranges.

While many still argue that this bull market was mostly smoke and mirrors, enhanced by the Federal Reserve and of benefit to only the richest one percent of the population, anybody who invested during this period made money. That's an undeniable fact that serves to silence even the grizzliest of bears.

Shortest Bear Market?

Adherents to Dow Theory (Money Daily being of that disposition) saw the end of the bull market earlier this year, when the Dow dropped precipitously from its January 26 all-time high close of 26,616.71 to 23,533.20 on March 23. The primary trend change (bull to bear) was confirmed when the Transportation Index closed on 10,119.36 on April 9. Since then, the Dow has come back, though it has not surpassed its previous high, which would signal another primary trend change from bear to bull. However, yesterday, August 21, the Transports set a new record closing high, finishing the session at 11,436.36 and well beyond its previous record close of 11,373.38, reached on January 12, 2018.

While the Transports have been leading (without much notice) the charge to new highs, it will take another spurt higher of nearly 900 by the Dow Industrials to surpass its own all-time high. If that scenario develops, the Dow will confirm the trend change that the Transportation Index has suggested. According to Dow Theory, the two have to react in tandem, confirming the primary trend direction.

The Dow demands close scrutiny in the weeks and possibly months ahead, because, despite the larger universe of pundits and analysts celebrating the longest bull run ever, until the Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 26,616.71, theoretically, this is still a bear market and the recent activity since late March of this year has been nothing but speculation and noise.

For all the hoopla over the bull market record, today's action was noticeably subdued. Of the four major indices, only the NASDAQ returned a winner, as investors waded back into the tech-soaked speculative morass.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16
8/21/18	25,822.29	+63.60	+414.76
8/22/18	25,733.60	-88.69	+326.07

At the Close, Wednesday, August 22, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,733.60, -88.69 (-0.34%)
NASDAQ: 7,889.10, +29.92 (+0.38%)
S&P 500: 2,861.82, -1.14 (-0.04%)
NYSE Composite: 12,992.05, -4.71 (-0.04%)

Stocks Continue Rally, S&P 500 Reaches New All-Time High

There was cause for celebration on Wall Street and around America on Tuesday as the S&P 500 reached a new all-time record close, gaining 5.91 to finish the day at 2,862.96, four-and-a-half points beyond the previous high set just two weeks ago, on August 7th.

While the S&P and NASDAQ have surged to new records after the February correction, the Dow is still 800 points shy of its all-time mark, though, with the economy booming, there's little to no apprehension among investors. The widespread belief is that the Dow will push forward, despite the warnings from Dow Theorists who insist a bear market on the Dow Jones Industrial Average had commenced earlier in the year. Clearly, recent data disputes the veracity of any argument made by the venerable Dow Theory.

On Wednesday, stock pickers will be in a celebratory mood once again, marking the longest bull run in US market history, surpassing the dotcom run from 1990 to 2000. According to this LA Times story there is some disagreement, but there are few who argue that this bull run has been outstanding, starting on April 9, 2009, without as much as a 15% decline throughout the duration of the run.

Tomorrow it is, then. Another record.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16
8/21/18	25,822.29	+63.60	+414.76

At the Close, Tuesday, August 21, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,822.29, +63.60 (+0.25%)
NASDAQ: 7,859.17, +38.17 (+0.49%)
S&P 500: 2,862.96, +5.91 (+0.21%)
NYSE Composite: 12,996.76, +31.66 (+0.24%)

Dow Reaches Higher, S&P Closing In On Record As Bull Market Extends

Same song, different day.

The Dow led the major indices higher on Monday, while the NASDAQ languished near the unchanged mark most of the session, finishing with a small gain. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 improved to within a point of its all-time closing high. The previous record was 2,858.45 on August 7.

Despite the ongoing, beneath-the-surface currency crisis in Turkey and a full-blow economic collapse in Venezuela, the high rollers on Wall Street seem to have little sympathy as the Dow now stands at its high-water mark since February 25th.

According to most metrics, the US economy is cruising right along, with low unemployment and only slight hints of inflation. America's prosperity may be coming at the expense of the emerging nations of the world, though that's not a concern for those seeking gains in equity markets.

The Dow Industrials are less than 1000 points from the January 26 all-time high of 26,616.71 and the general markets are one day from becoming the longest bull market in US history.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79
8/20/18	25,758.69	+89.37	+351.16

At the Close, Monday, August 20, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,758.69, +89.37 (+0.35%)
NASDAQ: 7,821.01, +4.68 (+0.06%)
S&P 500: 2,857.05, +6.92 (+0.24%)
NYSE Composite: 12,965.10, +56.83 (+0.44%)

Change of Sentiment; Something Bad In Tech-land

As of a week ago, the leading index was the NASDAQ, up more than 11 percent on the year, as opposed to the Dow Industrials, which had been lagging. Prior to this week, the Dow was up less than four percent and it was down for the year much of the time between February and early July.

Something snapped in the minds of investors this week. Maybe it was the high valuations on some of the more speculative stocks sporting the NASDAQ. Perhaps, in the search for yield, investors sought the safety of dividend producers on the Dow. Whatever the case, the Dow, this past week, was up 1.41%, while the NASDAQ shed 0.29%. It was a radical shift that appeared, magically, Wednesday morning, when the Dow was trading below 24,000.

In a matter of less than three trading session, the Dow tacked on a whopping 687 points, much of it at the open on Thursday, when the Dow popped higher and stayed well into the green the rest of the day.

Skeptics of the market will point to the radical rise on Wednesday and Thursday as proof of manipulation, or even - everybody's favorite word this season - collusion, by central banks and their ancillary brokers, to boost the share prices of the staid and steady heavy industrials. Such speculation cannot be bought off easily in this environment. It's apparent to just about everybody that the Federal Reserve and their counterparts in Japan, China, and the European Union will not stomach a severe downturn, at least not at this time. The bull market is just a few trading days from becoming the longest in American history, something the head honchos at the Fed wish to pin on their beanies before they ride triumphantly into some economic sunset.

The shifting sentiment was stunning, however. As the Dow soared, the NASDAQ soured. Many of the grand tech bonanza stocks like Netflix (NFLX) and Telsa (TSLA) were down hard for the week. Netflix dropped nearly 10%, from 345 per share to 316 at the close of business Friday. From its peak just a month ago (July 11), Netflix is down more than 100 points.

Tesla is another story altogether. The darling little electric engine that could is rapidly approaching bear territory, down to 305 at the close Friday from 379 on August 7, a span of just nine trading sessions.

Facebook, everybody's favorite ranting and raving lunatic asylum, is already in bear territory, dropping from a high of 217.50 on July 25, to a close of 173.80 Friday afternoon. That's precisely a 20.1% decline. Be sure to post to your friends, family, and anybody who gives a hoot, rat's behind, or beaver dam.

None dare call is collusion, so maybe collision is the correct word for what happened on Wall Street this week. It was nothing short of a collision of rational thinking and emotional yield-chasing.

Next week may be more or less intriguing, but after Labor Day, this market is going to become very interesting indeed.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20
8/17/18	25,669.32	+110.59	+261.79

At the Close, Friday, August 17, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,669.32, +110.59 (+0.43%)
NASDAQ: 7,816.33, +9.81 (+0.13%)
S&P 500: 2,850.13, +9.44 (+0.33%)
NYSE Composite: 12,908.26, +66.98 (+0.52%)

For the Week:
Dow: +356.18 (+1.41%)
NASDAQ: -22.78 (-0.29%)
S&P 500: +16.85 (+0.59%)
NYSE Composite: +64.77 (+0.50%)

Dow Surges Nearly 400 Points Even As Turkey Crisis Deepens

Apparently, those mystery buyers who emerged Wednesday after the Dow was down 360 points were not quite finished with their stock buying spree. On Thursday, blue chips were all the rage, with the Dow soaring nearly 400 points on the day, it's best one-day performance since a 428-point advance on April 10.

So, that's more than 750 points in less than two days. The message is clear: buy stocks. Buy stocks with dividends. Disregard the price you are paying.

Obviously, something is afoot, though it seems that these recent buys are wrong-footed, at the least.

Friday will open lower, though there's no telling where stocks will go after that. Turkey's currency crisis is not going to improve in a day or two, or even in a few weeks or months. The economy of the crossroads nation is going to be a basket case for years. The same is true of Argentina, which is suffering through another crisis, something that occurs on a regular basis in South America. Venezuela's economy is dead, Brazil is devolving into widespread chaos, and the rest of the so-called EM (Emerging Market) economies are being clubbed to death by a strong US dollar.

Now, perhaps the rest of the world suffering is good for the advanced nations such as the US and in Europe, but that should be viewed as a short-sighted point of view in the long run.

Eventually, between their currencies deteriorating and President Trump piling on tariffs and sanctions, most of the world's emerging market nations will not be very emergent at all. Rather, their economies will suffer, their populations will grow increasingly restive, and trade with them will decline.

The silver lining for the United States is that such conditions should drive more domestic innovation and jobs. Eventually, the smaller nations will adjust to the new normal and maybe the US will muddle through. However, this is not the kind of environment that necessitates massive investment in well-entrenched industries.

Or, maybe it is. Maybe these dip-buying professional traders really do know it all.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12
8/16/18	25,558.73	+396.32	+151.20

At the Close, Thursday, August 16, 2017:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,558.73, +396.32 (+1.58%)
NASDAQ: 7,806.52, +32.41 (+0.42%)
S&P 500: 2,840.69, +22.32 (+0.79%)
NYSE Composite: 12,841.28, +118.19 (+0.93%)

Stocks Down Sharply Before Mystery Buyers Catch Falling Knife

The Dow was down 335 point early in the day, but some investors who apparently know more than anybody else stepped in and cut those losses by nearly 200 points by the close of trading.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Who are these savvy speculators? Why did they choose to buy this particular dip at this moment in time. Surely there have been better buying opportunities in the recent past.

Central banks run the markets and can ruin the markets at their own whim.

Keep that in mind always, but especially on days when losses are trimmed inter-day.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61
8/15/18	25,162.41	-137.51	-245.12

At the Close, Wednesday, August 15, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,162.41, -137.51 (-0.54%)
NASDAQ: 7,774.12, -96.78 (-1.23%)
S&P 500: 2,818.37, -21.59 (-0.76%)
NYSE Composite: 12,723.09, -112.22 (-0.87%)

Stocks Post Gains As Turkey Currency Crisis Moves Off Front Page

Stocks rebounded sharply on Tuesday, ending a series of lower closes which saw the Dow drop four straight sessions.

Gains were made in response to the Turkey story moving off page one and onto the list of disturbing problems in the global economy. For what it's worth, thanks to the widespread use of computer algorithms, 21st century stock markets have become more a kind of knee-jerk referendum on current financial and political news, as opposed to the 20th century model with discounted future earnings.

Thus, measurements such as p/e ratios are shunned in favor of more momentum-style observations and manipulations and old models for valuations are routinely disregarded as old hat. In conjunction with the dominant 24-hour news cycle, trading in robust markets such as are available in the US and other developed countries has become a day-to-day operation for many of the greater brokerages.

No longer content with 10-20% annual returns, the proliferation of options, futures, ETFs and other market-distorting, derivative opportunities offer potential for hedging, pair trades, and a myriad of other exotic strategies, schemes, and systems.

Thus, when a currency fails, such as happened in Venezuela and is currently underway in Turkey, markets are prone to react with immediacy before returning to the status quo.

That's the story with today's gains, though the larger issue remains unresolved. The markets have had their say and now move on to the next big thing. This manner of shoulder-shrugging complacency is what makes markets more and more fragile, as, with each big event that has an initial response but no resolution, the underlying morass of problematic financial issues piles higher and higher.

Since the financial crisis of 2008-09, markets have increasingly operated inside a vacuum, fitted with appropriate blinders to geo-political changes and financial disruptions. It's assumed that central banks, which now control almost all of global finance, can handle any issues that may pop up, either with massive buying, interest rate adjusting, or soothing words from the top-most chiefs.

It's an odd way to make a buck, but that's the norm, for now.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83
8/14/18	25,299.92	+112.22	-107.61

At the Close, Tuesday, August 14, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,299.92, +112.22 (+0.45%)
NASDAQ: 7,870.89, +51.19 (+0.65%)
S&P 500: 2,839.96, +18.03 (+0.64%)
NYSE Composite: 12,835.31, +71.65 (+0.56%)

Stocks Extend Losses on Stormy Monday

As severe thunderstorms raged across parts of the Northeast causing flooding, Wall Street had a storm of its own brewing as stocks stumbled, the Dow losing ground for the fourth consecutive day.

What has caused most of the recent turmoil in stocks emanates from half a world away from the US financial center, as Turkey's lira has crashed, panicking banks with investments in the nation of 80 million, disrupting markets globally.

The Dow Industrials' four-day losing streak has ripped 440 points off the index, turning an August gain of 221 points into a 219-point loss for the month.

While the move has not been large by percentage terms, Turkey's problems are far from being resolved. In addition to the currency failure, Turkey's stock market (^XU100) has also fallen sharply (down more than 25% since late January) and US tariffs imposed by President Trump are exacerbating the unruly conditions.

Treasury yields have bounced around, with the 10-year note hitting three percent on August 1, but has backed down 12 basis points, quoted at 2.88% Monday. The 30-year bond peaked at 3.13% on the first of August and has since fallen to 3.05%, leaving the spread between 10s and 30s at 17 basis points, a widening of four bips since August 1.

With the two-year note yield dropping from 2.67 to 2.61 in the month, the yield curve seems to be better behaved than in the early months of 2018. The spread on 2s-30s has remained somewhat steady. The latest quote showed a 44 basis point spread.

The remainder of the week may prove costly to bullish speculation. July was a banner month for stocks, the best since January, but the euphoria has faded.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39
8/13/18	25,187.70	-125.44	-219.83

At the Close, Monday, August 13, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,187.70, -125.44 (-0.50%)
NASDAQ: 7,819.71, -19.40 (-0.25%)
S&P 500: 2,821.93, -11.35 (-0.40%)
NYSE Composite: 12,763.66, -79.83 (-0.62%)

Weekend Wrap: Dow Slammed, Wiping Out August Gains

Against the backdrop of news that Turkey's lira was crashing against foreign currencies, stocks were hammered lower in nearly every market around the world Friday, the hardest hit regionally being Germany's DAX (-1.99%), Brazil's Ibovesta (-2.86%), and Japan's NIKKEI 255 (-1.33%).

The lira, Turkey's official currency fell 20% on Friday, a dramatic move seldom seen in FX markets.

The American bourses being the last to finish out the week, the results were expectably negative, though not nearly approaching the levels seen in Europe and Asia.

The decline was, however, significant enough to send three of the four major US indices to weekly losses. For the Dow, S&P, and NASDAQ Composite, this week ended a string of five consecutive winners. The NASDAQ posted its fourth gain in the past six weeks. Even though Friday's 52-point loss on the NAZ was harrowing, the tech-laden index still closed within 100 points of its all-time high.

The issue of Turkey's lira crashing is made all the more intriguing by its geographical location, at the nexus of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. With a population of 80 million, the diverse ethnicity of its population has trended more toward Islam in recent years, troubling to the visionaries of the greater world's economies, especially since it is a NATO ally and member of the European Union, though it does not share the common euro currency.

Some European banks with heavy exposure may be at risk from the turmoil in the crossroads nation, though the financial concerns run side by side with political and military issues.

While stocks took a hit, the US dollar was bolstered, rising to 96.27, its highest level in over a year. That reaction translated to lower prices for crude oil. Gold and silver, along with other commodities, trended lower. Gold closed out the week at 1,219.20. Silver ended at 15.28, trending at levels not seen in two years.

In a general sense, the week served as a reminder to traders that despite optimistic sentiment, troubling, nettlesome issues are bubbling up just beneath the superficial veneer of global economies.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70
8/10/18	25,313.14	-196.09	-94.39

At the Close, Friday, August 10, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,313.14, -196.09 (-0.77%)
NASDAQ: 7,839.11, -52.67 (-0.67%)
S&P 500: 2,833.28, -20.30 (-0.71%)
NYSE Composite: 12,843.49, -113.17 (-0.87%)

For the Week:
Dow: -149.44 (-0.59%)
NASDAQ: +27.10 (+0.35%)
S&P 500: -7.07 (-0.25%)
NYSE Composite: -109.85 (-0.85%)

Stocks Stall Out, Dow Down Second Straight Day; Turkey Sparks Global Sell-Off

Things began turning ugly late on Thursday as the Dow - for the second day in a row - fell sharply nearing the close of the session.

Stocks had been trading nearly unchanged heading into the final hour, but dropped deep into the red to end the day down nearly 75 points. While the drop is hardly more than a rounding error (0.29%), the pattern of losing ground at the end of the session is troubling.

Notice has been taken by market participants. As of Friday morning, Asian bourses closed lower and European indices were off significantly, with the German DAX off by two percent.

In the US, futures are pointing to a large sell-off at the opening bell. The culprit appears to be the currency crisis in Turkey, where the Lira was down more than 12% on the day against the US dollar and is down 66% on the year.

It appears that Turkey is on the verge of a major collapse as President Erdogan defies his critics by refusing to raise interest rates in order to stave off incipient inflation.

The Dow is up just over 40 points for the week. A negative close could end a streak of five straight winning weeks for the 30 blue chip stocks.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22
8/9/18	25,509.23	-74.52	+101.70

At the Close, Thursday, August 9, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,509.23, -74.52 (-0.29%)
NASDAQ: 7,891.78, +3.46 (+0.04%)
S&P 500 2,853.58, -4.12 (-0.14%)
NYSE Composite: 12,956.66, -31.25 (-0.24%)

A Glitch In the Bull Matrix; Crude Dives To Six-Week Low

If anyone can call today's range of 70 points - top to bottom on the Dow - trading, they'd need to be making it up on volume, as the old misnomer suggests. Today's market saw neither opportunity nor volume, so, the traders made the day up. After a quick dip to the lows of the day just after the first hour of trading (10:40 am EDT), the Dow and other indices went choppy, but without significant movement (welcome to late summer).

Nearing the end of the session, the Dow stood almost where it ended the previous day and made all of the losses into the close in the final half hour (welcome to day-trading).

Most of the action was inconsequential, as it has been the past few weeks.

Taking a quick look at the past four weeks (20 sessions) on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 11 of the 20 saw gains or losses of less than 100 points. For perspective, a move of roughly 125 points would equate to 1/2 percentage. In other words, more than half of the sessions in the past month have been mostly range-bound and more noise than substance.

Today was no exception. Even though the Dow was the biggest percentage mover of the major indices, it only registered a move of -0.18%. The others closed at less than one tenth of a percent from where they started.

So trading? Hardly.

The only people making money in this market are the brokers, and they aren't making that much.

Commodities are perplexed. Crude futures fell dramatically.

Investing.com - WTI crude oil prices settled at six-week lows Wednesday after data showed U.S. crude stockpiles fell less than expected and U.S.-China trade tensions intensified.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange crude futures for September delivery fell 3.2% to settle at $66.94 a barrel, while on London's Intercontinental Exchange, Brent fell 3.26% to trade at $72.22 barrel.

Precious metals have become an afterthought for now. Gold and silver have been trading below where they were two years ago, trending in a tight range and looking likely to collapse into an even deeper abyss. An ounce of gold today will not even purchase a high end cell phone. It's looking pretty dismal for the gold and silver bugs, who have managed to hold onto the most abused financial assets for far too long. Their day may come, but that day may be a long way off.

Trading baseball cards or comic books might be more exciting and profitable than the current regime of stocks, bonds, and commodities. Those markets are too well-known and over-saturated. However, they are the backbone of global commerce, and, as such, will not be discarded lightly.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38
8/8/18	25,583.75	-45.16	+176.22

At the Close, Wednesday, August 8, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,583.75, -45.16 (-0.18%)
NASDAQ: 7,888.33, +4.66 (+0.06%)
S&P 500: 2,857.70, -0.75 (-0.03%)
NYSE Composite: 12,987.91, -11.68 (-0.09%)

Stocks Charge Ahead; Dow At Highest Level Since February

With the bull market less than three weeks from being the longest ever in US financial history stocks moved forward as the main indices ramped higher in tandem.

The S&P 500 closed at its highest level since January while the Dow finished the session at a six-month high. The last time the Dow was higher was February 26 (25,709.27) as the industrials snapped back from a wicked decline earlier in the month.

The NASDAQ, which recently has taken on losses due to companies like Facebook (FB) and Tesla (TSLA), gained to within 50 points of its all-time high, set on July 26, at 7932.34.

All of this is happening against a backdrop of a vacationing congress, a booming economy, low unemployment, and the third rate hike of the year by the Federal Reserve on schedule for late September. The FOMC meets September 25-26, and is widely anticipated to raise the federal funds rate by another 25 basis points, to 2-2.25%.

Investors are taking an approach to stocks that is largely ignoring high valuations on the back of impressive recent returns.

While warnings that stocks are overpriced have been circulating since mid-2014, the market seems content to add to gains relentlessly, without regard to underlying fundamentals.

The wild card for stocks is the political front. On the one hand, President Trump's policies seem to have ushered in a fresh era of confidence in the US economy, while on the other, his opponents on the left continue to harass and harangue his administration.

To his credit, Mr. Trump has continued to implement policies he promised during his 2016 campaign of "Make America Great Again," while his Democrat opposition has largely been engaged in pure obstructionism against his positive message.

Where markets go from here are, naturally, unpredictable, though there's little doubt that most of the betting is on higher equity prices in the near term.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65
8/7/18	25,628.91	+126.73	+221.38

At the Close, Tuesday, August 7, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,628.91, +126.73 (+0.50%)
NASDAQ: 7,883.66, +23.99 (+0.31%)
S&P 500: 2,858.45, +8.05 (+0.28%)
NYSE Composite: 12,999.59, +35.32 (+0.27%)

Bull Market Lulling Investors To Sleep; Set to Be Longest in US History

All the major averages posted gains on Monday.

Boy, is this getting boring.

The bull market, which began on March 9, 2009, has lasted longer than all but one long term rally in US economic history. In less than three weeks, the bull market will become the longest ever.

Ho-hum. Money. It's so easy.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05
8/6/18	25,502.18	+39.60	+94.65

At the Close, Monday, August 6, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,502.18, +39.60 (+0.16%)
NASDAQ: 7,859.68, +47.66 (+0.61%)
S&P 500: 2,850.40, +10.05 (+0.35%)
NYSE Composite: 12,964.27, +10.93 (+0.08%)

Weekend Wrap: Dow Goes Positive For Week On Friday Ramp

Logicians need not apply.

Following the disappointment of the BLS August Non-Farm Payroll data, the general assumption was that stocks would sour, as also presaged by the index futures on the Dow Mini, et. al..

Such was not the case. Stocks rose throughout the day, based upon algorithms interpreting all news as positive, giving the Dow Industrials its best gain since July 25th.

The NASDAQ ended the week with both the best point and percentage gains, +74.60, and +0.96%, respectively.

One very prescient observation is that while volume has all but dried up the past few weeks, it's much easier for stocks to find bids than otherwise.

A resumption of the more serious selling seen in February and March is unlikely to occur until after Labor Day.

These are certainly dog days, a period in which short-side players should exercise extreme caution.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03
8/3/18	25,462.58	+136.42	+55.05

At the Close, Friday, August 3, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average, 25,462.58, +136.42 (+0.54%)
NASDAQ: 7,812.01, +9.33 (+0.12%)
S&P 500: 2,840.35, +13.13 (+0.46%)
NYSE Composite: 12,953.34, +55.27 (+0.43%)

For the Week:
Dow: +11.52 (+0.05%)
NASDAQ: +74.60 (+0.96%)
S&P 500: +21.53 (+0.76%)
NYSE Composite +32.00 (+0.25%)

Stocks Split As NASDAQ Soars; Jobs Report Disappoints

Stocks shrugged off a slow start on Thursday after Wednesday's sluggish session and finished split for the second straight day, with the NASDAQ and S&P posting gains while the Dow and NYSE Composite were held to small losses.

With the US congress mostly out of town for the month and earnings season winding down, the market is prone to swings in either direction at the slightest rumor or data dump.

The Dow has fallen back into the trading range that was prevalent after the February and March drop-off, while the NASDAQ gravitates near recent record closes.

The big news for Friday is the July non-farm payroll report from the BLS. Analysts were expecting 191,000 new jobs per the data, but had to settle for 157,000, well below the estimate. The unemployment rate fell one tenth of a percent to 3.9%.

Released at 8:30 am EDT, the jobs report comes as a disappointment for the bullish case. Stock futures had been strong and trending higher until the release, but fell sharply leading into the opening bell.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37
8/2/18	25,326.16	-7.66	-89.03

At the Close, Thursday, August 2, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,326.16, -7.66 (-0.03%)
NASDAQ: 7,802.69, +95.40 (+1.24%)
S&P 500: 2,827.22, +13.86 (+0.49%)
NYSE Composite: 12,898.07, -4.32 (-0.03%)

Dow Backtracks As Fed Holds Rates Steady

The two probably aren't related, but the Federal Reserve held the federal funds rate steady at 1.75-2.00 percent and the Dow lost 81 points.

On the other hand, the NASDAQ gained 35 points, also likely unrelated to anything.

With the FOMC set to meet again September 25-26, there's nearly two months for the market to grasp what's happening in the global scheme of things. There's nearly unanimous opinion that the Fed will increase rates another 25 basis points at that time.

Dow Jones Industrial Average August Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
8/1/18	25,333.82	-81.37	-81.37

At the Close, Wednesday, August 1, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,333.82, -81.37 (-0.32%)
NASDAQ: 7,707.29, +35.50 (+0.46%)
S&P 500: 2,813.36, -2.93 (-0.10%)
NYSE Composite: 12,902.39, -60.89 (-0.47%)

July Best Month Since January for Dow Industrials

Ending the month of July with a spirited, sugar-coated, window dressing rally, the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted the best month of gains (+1143.78) since January (+1430.17).

While that number may be pleasing to the buyers of stocks in much of 2018, longer term holders will note with interest that the close on July 31 is lower than the close on January 31 and significantly lower than the all-time high reached on January 26, 2018 (26.616.71). It is 1201.52 points lower than that January 26 close, or nearly four percent off the high point.

Five percent may not sound like much, but, in the perspective of a six month time frame, it's impact become clearer. From February to June, stocks languished in what could be seen as equity limbo. They were worth less than they were in January and still are.

In real terms, a $100,000 portfolio in January would be worth about $95,000 today. Optimists might see the glass as half full, adding that the very same January $100,000 portfolio was worth only about $90,000, when the Dow bottomed out at 23,533.20, on March 23, a dip of more than 10% from the all-time high.

Year-to-date, the Dow has gained 695.97 points, or, less than three percent. In monthly terms, that's a gain of less than one-half of one percent. Nobody's calling their mother to tell her how great they're doing in the market. Neither is anybody crying in their beer over any loss.

Stocks, and the global economy, remain at a significant crossroads.

Dow Jones Industrial Average July Scorecard:

Date	Close	Gain/Loss	Cum. G/L
7/2/18	24,307.18	+35.77	+35.77
7/3/18	24,174.82	-132.36	-96.59
7/5/18	24,345.44	+181.92	+85.33
7/6/18	24,456.48	+99.74	+185.07
7/9/18	24,776.59	+320.11	+505.18
7/10/18	24,919.66	+143.07	+648.25
7/11/18	24,700.45	-219.21	+429.04
7/12/18	24,924.89	+224.44	+653.48
7/13/18	25,019.41	+94.52	+748.00
7/16/18	25,064.36	+44.95	+792.95
7/17/18	25,119.89	+55.53	+848.48
7/18/18	25,199.29	+79.40	+927.88
7/19/18	25,064.50	-134.79	+793.09
7/20/18	25,058.12	-6.38	+786.71
7/23/18	25,044.29	-13.83	+772.88
7/24/18	25,241.94	+197.65	+970.53
7/25/18	25,414.10	+172.16	+1142.69
7/26/18	25,527.07	+112.97	+1255.66
7/27/18	25,451.06	-76.01	+1179.65
7/30/18	25,306.83	-144.23	+1035.42
7/31/18	25,415.19	+108.36	+1143.78

At the Close, Tuesday, July 31, 2018:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 25,415.19, +108.36 (+0.43%)
NASDAQ: 7,671.79, +41.78 (+0.55%)
S&P 500: 2,816.29, +13.69 (+0.49%)
NYSE Composite: 12,963.28, +59.85 (+0.46%)