September, not October as conventional wisdom wrongly believes, is the worst month of the year for the stock market. This September is no different. However, in 2019 it was growth that felt the greatest damage. The proximate cause, in my opinion is the IPO market. In the glory days of IPO markets, new companies would […]
August is usually a quiet month, except when some exogenous event occurs. This August however, people were trying to create exogenous events. Frankly, this is disconcerting to me and many market professionals. On August 14, the equity markets took a steep dive – about 3% – when the yield curve on the short end briefly […]
The equity markets tanked on Monday after China devalued its currency, the Renminbi (sometimes called the Yuan), to its lowest level in over a decade. That was in retaliation for President Trump raising tariffs by 10% on $300 billion in goods. The latter was insignificant as it only amounts to a maximum of $30 billion […]
It is always a bit of a balancing act, as markets rise to new highs, to decide whether to, as we say in Las Vegas, “let it ride” or “take some money off the table.” There are of course many factors to consider such as: how individual stocks measure up against their own price targets; […]
It is hard to believe but fifty years have passed since the “miracle” Year of 1969 and particularly, the summer of that year. Here is some nostalgia and investment thoughts. In June, the Stonewall riots took place in New York City. That was considered the beginning of the modern gay rights movement in the US. […]
Since the current bull market began in 2013, the stock markets have experienced a series of panics: In 2013, the “Taper Tantrum” as markets feared the removal of policy accommodation by the US Federal Reserve FOMC In 2014, the “Great Ebola Scare” when we were all supposed to perish from the deadly disease imported from […]
One of the reasons I have not penned My Gut Feeling for three weeks is that I was scheduled for my annual eastward drive for the summer from Nevada to New Jersey. Originally, my son Adam and I, together with our two dogs, Scooter and Carson (who are too big to safely fly) were going […]
There is plenty of media coverage focused on the continuing trade negotiations between the USA and PRC (Peoples Republic of China). The markets got all flustered the last few days (and likely today) as no trade agreement was reached and President Trump set forth addition tariffs on $200 million of goods across several thousand products […]
Bull and bear markets are cyclical in nature; lasting on average 10 – 15 years; some longer and some shorter. The current bull market began in 2013, not 2009. While 2009 was a bear market bottom, it did not mark the beginning of a bull market. More sophisticated investors know that the bull market began […]
We made it to Tax Day, April 15 and survived. I celebrated the end of the two-month torture period with my wife by going to a chocolate taste testing at Ethel M. Overall, I was so busy the last two to three weeks that I had to take a break from writing this commentary. Plus, […]
