It took the forces of nature to do what the SEC, government or any other "higher" power couldn't: shut down Wall Street.
Hurricane Sandy, a category 1 hurricane due to make landfall around Atlantic City New Jersey around 6:00 pm EDT, caused the NYSE and NASDAQ to shut down on Monday without even opening. Futures closed at 9:15 am EDT, with the major indices showing moderate, though not devastating, losses.
In New York, Mayor Bloomberg ordered the closure of all subway systems, and evacuated roughly 375,000 residents from lower Manhattan.
Though the storm did not reach landfall until markets would have already closed, high winds and storm surge were expected to cause damage in lower Manhattan, while most of the Eastern seaboard was inundated throughout the day with high surf and damaging winds.
Later in the day, the exchanges decided to remain closed on Tuesday. It is the first time since 1888 that stock markets were closed due to weather for more than one day in succession.
Also in question are various corporate earnings reports. Many which were due out on Monday have been rescheduled for release and there is a rumor circulating that Friday's non-farm payroll report for October would also be delayed. It is the final jobs report before the election next Tuesday.
Other exchanges, for bonds, Forex and commodities were open or closed or offered limited sessions and some plan to open on Tuesday while others will not. The situation is rather - pardon the pun - fluid.
WTI crude oil: 85.54, -0.74
Gold: 1,708.70, -3.20
Silver: 31.74, -0.291
Monday, October 29, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Flat, Nowhere to Go, Markets Stall
It's really difficult to put into words just how... searching... searching... searching for the right word... inconsequential (?) this stock market is.
Following today's non-action - up, down, up and then flat at the close - one can only assume that the machines are fully in charge, skimming nickels and dimes off trades for their human masters, the Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynchs of the world.
For the rest of us, nothing. If the market really does hate indecision, how much does it hate not being able to adequately define itself.
Ponder that over the weekend while hurricane Sandy gets ready to pound the East coast. It should arrive on Wall Street just in time for Tuesday's opening bell. Nothing like a major natural disaster to get those "animal spirits" flowing. Should be good for 10 or 12 points on the Down Jones Industrials (no, that was not a typo).
Have a happy weekend. This blogger is headed for happy hour, because nothing beats being happy. LMAO
Fiscal Cliff. Just in case any bots are looking.
Dow 13,107.21, +3.53 (0.03%)
NASDAQ 2,987.95, +1.83 (0.06%)
S&P 500 1,411.94, -1.03 (0.07%)
NYSE Compos... 8,190.17, -21.74 (0.26%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,766,343,750
NYSE Volume 3,233,096,000
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 2267-3160
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 102-92
WTI crude oil: 86.28, +0.23
Gold: 1,711.90, -1.10
Silver: 32.04, -0.042
Following today's non-action - up, down, up and then flat at the close - one can only assume that the machines are fully in charge, skimming nickels and dimes off trades for their human masters, the Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynchs of the world.
For the rest of us, nothing. If the market really does hate indecision, how much does it hate not being able to adequately define itself.
Ponder that over the weekend while hurricane Sandy gets ready to pound the East coast. It should arrive on Wall Street just in time for Tuesday's opening bell. Nothing like a major natural disaster to get those "animal spirits" flowing. Should be good for 10 or 12 points on the Down Jones Industrials (no, that was not a typo).
Have a happy weekend. This blogger is headed for happy hour, because nothing beats being happy. LMAO
Fiscal Cliff. Just in case any bots are looking.
Dow 13,107.21, +3.53 (0.03%)
NASDAQ 2,987.95, +1.83 (0.06%)
S&P 500 1,411.94, -1.03 (0.07%)
NYSE Compos... 8,190.17, -21.74 (0.26%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,766,343,750
NYSE Volume 3,233,096,000
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 2267-3160
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 102-92
WTI crude oil: 86.28, +0.23
Gold: 1,711.90, -1.10
Silver: 32.04, -0.042
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Dull Trading Session, But Apple, Amazon Ignite After-Hours Fireworks
The wall of worry the market climbed all summer is quickly turing into a slippery slope of dissatisfaction, mostly with corporate earnings, and, over the past few days, the accelerating pace of layoffs, something the market hasn't dealt with in any size since 2010.
Stocks opened gap up, quickly decelerated and spent the majority of the session hugging the flat line. Only in the final 15 minutes did all of the indices turn sharply positive, if gains of 0.30% or so can be called sharp, though considering the growing number of earnings misses, is probably the best that could be expected.
There was a definite expression of waiting and hoping in the sentiment today, with few traders staking out new positions in advance of earnings releases by tech giants Amazon (AMZN) and Apple (APPL), both due out after the bell.
Amazon reported just minutes after the close of markets, putting up some god-awful numbers, short on revenue at 13.81 billion when the street was looking for 13.92, and a 23 cent loss ex-items on expectations of an eight-cent dip. Including one-time charges, Amazon's loss was 60 cents per share. Investors were not pleased and immediately sent the stock careering down seven percent in after hours trading.
Shortly thereafter, Apple reported earnings of $8.67 per share for its fiscal fourth quarter, less than the consensus estimate of $8.75. Revenues came in at $35.96 billion, above the $35.8 billion that analysts had sought. Share traded about one percent lower in extended trading.
Weakness in the two tech retailers was not entirely unexpected, though in Amazon's case, the loss was quite a bit on the downside, setting up for an interesting day Friday on the NASDAQ where both Amazon and Apple trade.
Dow 13,103.68, +26.34(0.20%)
NASDAQ 2,986.12, +4.42(0.15%)
S&P 500 1,412.97, +4.22(0.30%)
NYSE Composite 8,211.87, +32.61(0.40%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,846,098,130
NYSE Volume 3,447,291,500
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 3231-2256
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 141-98
WTI crude oil: 86.05, +0.32
Gold: 1,713.00, +11.40
Silver: 32.08, +0.458
Stocks opened gap up, quickly decelerated and spent the majority of the session hugging the flat line. Only in the final 15 minutes did all of the indices turn sharply positive, if gains of 0.30% or so can be called sharp, though considering the growing number of earnings misses, is probably the best that could be expected.
There was a definite expression of waiting and hoping in the sentiment today, with few traders staking out new positions in advance of earnings releases by tech giants Amazon (AMZN) and Apple (APPL), both due out after the bell.
Amazon reported just minutes after the close of markets, putting up some god-awful numbers, short on revenue at 13.81 billion when the street was looking for 13.92, and a 23 cent loss ex-items on expectations of an eight-cent dip. Including one-time charges, Amazon's loss was 60 cents per share. Investors were not pleased and immediately sent the stock careering down seven percent in after hours trading.
Shortly thereafter, Apple reported earnings of $8.67 per share for its fiscal fourth quarter, less than the consensus estimate of $8.75. Revenues came in at $35.96 billion, above the $35.8 billion that analysts had sought. Share traded about one percent lower in extended trading.
Weakness in the two tech retailers was not entirely unexpected, though in Amazon's case, the loss was quite a bit on the downside, setting up for an interesting day Friday on the NASDAQ where both Amazon and Apple trade.
Dow 13,103.68, +26.34(0.20%)
NASDAQ 2,986.12, +4.42(0.15%)
S&P 500 1,412.97, +4.22(0.30%)
NYSE Composite 8,211.87, +32.61(0.40%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,846,098,130
NYSE Volume 3,447,291,500
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 3231-2256
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 141-98
WTI crude oil: 86.05, +0.32
Gold: 1,713.00, +11.40
Silver: 32.08, +0.458
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Dead Cats Don't Bounce; No Joy in Fraudville; Stocks Continue Slide
Maybe, as the movie title suggests, white men can't jump, but Wall Street proved today that dead cats don't bounce... at least not very high.
Stocks got a little bit of a boost from futures pumping prior to the opening bell, but the dismal nature of earnings for the third quarter made any gains transitory, fleeting and utterly disappointing (much like a lot of people in this author's life).
It is as it should be, perhaps. Fed policies do not a market make, so the major indices are now well below the levels encountered when the Chairman, the pseudo-salubrious Ben Bernanke, announced QE3, or, rather, QEtc. or QEternity on September 13.
The prescription the good doctor of economics gave the markets was unlimited buying of mortgage-backed securities (MBS), those ubiquitous instruments of mass financial destruction that essentially started the whole financial and economic mess in the first place, and which will, almost without doubt, end up worth less than what the Federal Reserve pays for them.
With any luck, the Fed's foray into economic wonderland, replete with diamond-farting unicorns and frogs that belch profits, will end in tears and anguish for not only the lower and middle classes, but the rich and self-appointed masters of the universe as well. We wish them no luck, because tactically, they have erred in their assessment of the global economy, not once or twice, but repeatedly since the advent of the crisis in 2007 or 2008, take your pick.
Today's FOMC rate policy decision was another non-event, the Fed reiterating that it would stick to its plans until 2015, which would be long after the chairman has departed, ostensibly in early 2014, should he even last that long.
The market is more interested these day in politics and earnings, each of which offering a mixed bag of blessings or banes, so precarious is the global outlook. Fears are rising that President Obama will win re-election, though the real fears are over the poor earnings reports pouring into the street like so many viperous snakes ready to bite the legs of impudent investors standing still.
Layoff announcements from Ford, Dow Chemical and Volkswagen were only whispered on Wall Street today. In the coming months, workforce reductions will be major headlines as all attempts to revive the economy the banks destroyed will ultimately fail. Europe is sinking steadily deeper into a black hole of debt and deflation, with Asia following soon, and the US - the last bastion of relief in a sea of declining opportunity - to join them in the hell of destroyed currencies and wrecked economies within short order.
Stocks have levitated for months, but the handwriting is clearly written and the game is nearly up. The US elections of November 6 mark a turning, a reckoning that will be absolute and without reprieve. All of the Merkels, Bernankes, Legardes and Draghis of the world cannot resurrect that which was already dead when they first took notice.
While there may be a few days of brightness ahead in the near future for stocks, to outlook continues to deteriorate and today's market action verifies the quietly-held beliefs of the skeptics: all is lost.
There is no joy in Fraudville; mighty Bernanke has struck out.
Dow 13,077.34, -25.19 (0.19%)
NASDAQ 2,981.70, -8.76 (0.29%)
S&P 500 1,408.75, -4.36 (0.31%)
NYSE Composite 8,179.26, -16.05 (0.20%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,965,715,000
NYSE Volume 3,346,029,500
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 2404-3120
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 97-94
WTI crude oil: 85.73, -0.94
Gold: 1,701.60, -7.80
Silver: 31.62, -0.173
Stocks got a little bit of a boost from futures pumping prior to the opening bell, but the dismal nature of earnings for the third quarter made any gains transitory, fleeting and utterly disappointing (much like a lot of people in this author's life).
It is as it should be, perhaps. Fed policies do not a market make, so the major indices are now well below the levels encountered when the Chairman, the pseudo-salubrious Ben Bernanke, announced QE3, or, rather, QEtc. or QEternity on September 13.
The prescription the good doctor of economics gave the markets was unlimited buying of mortgage-backed securities (MBS), those ubiquitous instruments of mass financial destruction that essentially started the whole financial and economic mess in the first place, and which will, almost without doubt, end up worth less than what the Federal Reserve pays for them.
With any luck, the Fed's foray into economic wonderland, replete with diamond-farting unicorns and frogs that belch profits, will end in tears and anguish for not only the lower and middle classes, but the rich and self-appointed masters of the universe as well. We wish them no luck, because tactically, they have erred in their assessment of the global economy, not once or twice, but repeatedly since the advent of the crisis in 2007 or 2008, take your pick.
Today's FOMC rate policy decision was another non-event, the Fed reiterating that it would stick to its plans until 2015, which would be long after the chairman has departed, ostensibly in early 2014, should he even last that long.
The market is more interested these day in politics and earnings, each of which offering a mixed bag of blessings or banes, so precarious is the global outlook. Fears are rising that President Obama will win re-election, though the real fears are over the poor earnings reports pouring into the street like so many viperous snakes ready to bite the legs of impudent investors standing still.
Layoff announcements from Ford, Dow Chemical and Volkswagen were only whispered on Wall Street today. In the coming months, workforce reductions will be major headlines as all attempts to revive the economy the banks destroyed will ultimately fail. Europe is sinking steadily deeper into a black hole of debt and deflation, with Asia following soon, and the US - the last bastion of relief in a sea of declining opportunity - to join them in the hell of destroyed currencies and wrecked economies within short order.
Stocks have levitated for months, but the handwriting is clearly written and the game is nearly up. The US elections of November 6 mark a turning, a reckoning that will be absolute and without reprieve. All of the Merkels, Bernankes, Legardes and Draghis of the world cannot resurrect that which was already dead when they first took notice.
While there may be a few days of brightness ahead in the near future for stocks, to outlook continues to deteriorate and today's market action verifies the quietly-held beliefs of the skeptics: all is lost.
There is no joy in Fraudville; mighty Bernanke has struck out.
Dow 13,077.34, -25.19 (0.19%)
NASDAQ 2,981.70, -8.76 (0.29%)
S&P 500 1,408.75, -4.36 (0.31%)
NYSE Composite 8,179.26, -16.05 (0.20%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,965,715,000
NYSE Volume 3,346,029,500
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 2404-3120
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 97-94
WTI crude oil: 85.73, -0.94
Gold: 1,701.60, -7.80
Silver: 31.62, -0.173
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Stocks Socked Again on Earnings, Revenue Misses
Today's decline had no end-of-day rally from which to save itself. Stocks were down from open to close, and hard, owing mostly to a continuing spate of earnings disappointments and negative guidance outlooks.
Today's main culprits were a trio of Dow components, DuPont (DD), 3M (MMM) and United Technologies (UTX), though DuPont was clearly the worst of the bunch, recording a third quarter profit of just one cent per share, far below analyst estimates of 46 cents per share.
That report, early in the morning, hours before the market opened, sent futures crashing, so that the Dow opened with a triple digit loss in the first minutes of trading. Stocks could not recover, as it is quickly becoming clear that corporate earnings and revenues are lacking - 60% of companies reporting thus far have missed revenue estimates, many of which have been radically lowered. Meanwhile, Europe's woes continue to weight on markets globally, as the bourses across the continent showed heavy losses again.
The race for president also added to investor dismay, the predominant thinking that President Obama clearly outclassed challenger Mitt Romney in Monday night's final debate, focused on foreign policy, an obvious weak spot for the Republican. According to the best guesses on investor sentiment concerning the election, an Obama victory would be bad for stocks, because Obama favors more regulation and higher taxes for high wage earners, while Romney would likely favor policies which generally leave the status quo alone, allowing the abuses of the rich to continue and the wealth gap to widen.
All politics aside, it is actually fundamentals - for a welcome change - that are driving the most recent declines. Companies are reporting an assortment of earnings misses and sour outlooks for the remainder of 2012 and 2013, based almost entirely on current conditions, which have consumers strapped, governments broke and debt levels for all, unsustainable.
Where stocks will go from here is unknown, though all of the major indices have broken below their 50-day moving averages, generally a sign of more bad days to come.
Additionally, the advance-decline line has deteriorated badly over the past week, as has new highs-new lows, finally capitulating, with new 52-week lows outpacing new highs, 129-53
Dow components reporting on Wednesday include AT&T (T) and Boeing (BA), just a pair in a slew of over 400 companies that will be reporting throughout the day. Both of the Dow components report prior to the market open.
The silver lining in the recent declines is the slump in oil and gas prices. Motorists are already seeing 12-15 cent reductions in the price of a gallon of regular gas, with more easing to come, as crude oil is in the midst of a severe mean reversion, which could bring the cost of a gallon of gas to below $3.00 in some areas.
A reduction in the price of gas could be just what the market needs in time for the holidays, critically important to markets and, well, kids.
Dow 13,102.53, -243.36 (1.82%)
NASDAQ 2,990.46, -26.50 (0.88%)
S&P 500 1,413.11, -20.71 (1.44%)
NYSE Composite 8,197.14, -132.05 (1.59%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,780,896,750
NYSE Volume 3,233,623,000
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 1709-3814
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 53-129
WTI crude oil: 86.67, -1.98
Gold: 1,709.40, -16.90
Silver: 31.79, -0.459
Today's main culprits were a trio of Dow components, DuPont (DD), 3M (MMM) and United Technologies (UTX), though DuPont was clearly the worst of the bunch, recording a third quarter profit of just one cent per share, far below analyst estimates of 46 cents per share.
That report, early in the morning, hours before the market opened, sent futures crashing, so that the Dow opened with a triple digit loss in the first minutes of trading. Stocks could not recover, as it is quickly becoming clear that corporate earnings and revenues are lacking - 60% of companies reporting thus far have missed revenue estimates, many of which have been radically lowered. Meanwhile, Europe's woes continue to weight on markets globally, as the bourses across the continent showed heavy losses again.
The race for president also added to investor dismay, the predominant thinking that President Obama clearly outclassed challenger Mitt Romney in Monday night's final debate, focused on foreign policy, an obvious weak spot for the Republican. According to the best guesses on investor sentiment concerning the election, an Obama victory would be bad for stocks, because Obama favors more regulation and higher taxes for high wage earners, while Romney would likely favor policies which generally leave the status quo alone, allowing the abuses of the rich to continue and the wealth gap to widen.
All politics aside, it is actually fundamentals - for a welcome change - that are driving the most recent declines. Companies are reporting an assortment of earnings misses and sour outlooks for the remainder of 2012 and 2013, based almost entirely on current conditions, which have consumers strapped, governments broke and debt levels for all, unsustainable.
Where stocks will go from here is unknown, though all of the major indices have broken below their 50-day moving averages, generally a sign of more bad days to come.
Additionally, the advance-decline line has deteriorated badly over the past week, as has new highs-new lows, finally capitulating, with new 52-week lows outpacing new highs, 129-53
Dow components reporting on Wednesday include AT&T (T) and Boeing (BA), just a pair in a slew of over 400 companies that will be reporting throughout the day. Both of the Dow components report prior to the market open.
The silver lining in the recent declines is the slump in oil and gas prices. Motorists are already seeing 12-15 cent reductions in the price of a gallon of regular gas, with more easing to come, as crude oil is in the midst of a severe mean reversion, which could bring the cost of a gallon of gas to below $3.00 in some areas.
A reduction in the price of gas could be just what the market needs in time for the holidays, critically important to markets and, well, kids.
Dow 13,102.53, -243.36 (1.82%)
NASDAQ 2,990.46, -26.50 (0.88%)
S&P 500 1,413.11, -20.71 (1.44%)
NYSE Composite 8,197.14, -132.05 (1.59%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,780,896,750
NYSE Volume 3,233,623,000
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 1709-3814
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 53-129
WTI crude oil: 86.67, -1.98
Gold: 1,709.40, -16.90
Silver: 31.79, -0.459
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