Back door

A nice way to kick off ’11, but still something to be wary of as the 1^st trading day in 09/’10 produced even better results.  Still, despite the >6% rally of December the market hadn’t seen a >1% day since the first days of that month.  As pointed out last week, all the ‘illiquid’ action was irrelevant in respect to inability to cross SPX 1260 “R” and not seeing conviction off eco data to help for that to occur. Today, 1260 was crossed easily as the market rode to 1276 highs until volumes fell off later in the day.

• Catalysts- as noted last week watch for a China PMI, if lower M/M it may wake up the market on ‘coolin’ factors. Importantly, inflation sub group of number fell 7 pts.  Also, Euro/US ISM came in strong signalling a synchronized global acceleration.  The ‘back door’ flow helped as well with most global markets closed.

Shadowlist

• Momentum/earnings/ winners of ‘10 – woke up,  led by an article saying FFIV >3%  RVBD >7% APKT >9% were M&A targets spread to traders chasing other higher beta names for first time in a month.
• Commodities-   Although Ag’s links lost steam after 3 days late in the day, the analysts are raising estimates/tgts on names as we had been looking for.  AGU  on Friday, today MOS (reports Tues.).  Coals , WLT, CLF >4% outperforming on Australian floods.  Steels  should also benefit from floods.  Precious metals, copper rolled over in PM. The ‘rare’ metals stepped up again as Dahlman Rose following in their own footsteps with another outrageous target of >80 on MCP >15%(did this with AUMN late last year, a gold stock we had up). AVL up >20%, REE >6%.   Looking further into OSN, it’s actually a nice growth stock with a ‘Rare’ connection, but notably a ‘steel’ stock that has to do with every China infrastructure aspect from highways to railways etc.  It’s also cheap and a fresh IPO importantly.  Still, it has issues as little China co’ are being exposed to fraud noise since December.  Everything else like CHGS CDII is definitely considered ‘junkyard dogs’ stuff here. 
• NCH's- GTLS, JOYG, VMW, ROVI, HOLI, QLIK, ARB ARUN are just more Shadows putting in new highs intraday.
• Financials- continuing December streak into earnings,  GS  breaking out
• Consumer- Casino  sub group had very good Macau numbers and WYNN  finally got over 105.

Don’t pay much attention / trading decisions based on Global markets, thus the ES to start the day as most markets will be playing ‘catch –up’.  SPX 1280 as next ‘R”

RUT of a day..

A few things to be wary of heading into today’s trade played out.  One was not getting overzealous off the 1st day rally as it’s been the case the past 2 years, this coincides with not chasing the open based on Global markets that would be up playing ‘catch-up’ and finally, the real market ‘noise’ today was the steep rollover continuation of…”..Precious metals, copper rolled over in PM”,  down 3% on the day.   The open was the high 1274SPX and it was all downhill to last week’s highs for ‘dip buyers’ to come in.   The 1260-1263 support might be thin ice as it was generated through the ‘illiquid’ holiday market, so 1254 might the real support test (approx.between 9ma -20ma gauge).  The probability of a need to test 1254 is due to a wary and it wasn't the precious metals selling.

• Wary-  the ‘big’ underperformance today of the “RUT”, which had been the leader during December’s grind higher.  Something to watch, but, maybe just a natural performance spread narrowing between RUT/SPX. Interestingly, the Shadowlist which is comprised of mostly smaller caps held up much better(with reason).

Shadowlist

• Momentum/earnings/“winners of ‘10 –  held up (reason) due to anticipation of “CES Vegas” and possible news flow.
• Commodities-  Our list unaffected by the steep commodity ($CRX) decline due to our focus on AG’s/ Coals (75% AUS. Mines halted).  Favorites in the groups such as MOS, POT, CF, CLF> 4%, WLT  all outperformed. LNN (irrigation) >4% had a noticable bid to any dip.  MOS’s earnings AMC should generate more of the sector upgrades we’ve been noting.
• Consumer-  WYNN, LVS  >3-4% continued to move off…(Casino sub group had very good Macau numbers and WYNN finally got over 105)

All in, the trading notables off our list held up with reasons, any further broad market hiccup would be buying situations.

Waiting..

An important end-game in trading is not to overthink, contemplate every whipsaw intraday.  This is the ‘space’ we are in (SPX 1260-1280) and a 6bln ES trade that supposedly spooked the market quickly intraday is really just a boring market looking for an ‘excuse’ to sell…”As 1280 invokes ‘R’ for the past week, the market impulsively sells off here and will continue to find an excuse to take some profits”. DJIM#2.   Don’t look too far into reasons for a swing intraday such as today’s unless there is a worthy newsflow headline.   It is what it is….. as seen by the volume decrease from last week and that is a market awaiting earnings and/or a bad sovereign bond auctions coming up (shorts futile hope).    An illiquid market will exaggerate any move, so look at Shadowlist if individual stocks are moving with the SPY/ ES to gauge the significance.  Up or down.   Clearly, today single stocks did not follow the steep drop.   Add the ‘blizzard’ for Wednesday in NY + long weekend ahead and nothing will likely be decided till earnings get rolling post-holiday.

In all,  if some profit taking around 1280 is the game,  get cash ready to use for new earnings plays in the coming weeks instead.  This is also one way to avoid any correction, if one comes in 2H January.

Shadowlist

• Momentum/earnings/“winners of ‘10 –   No noteworthy flow, EQIX  added 2.5 intraday, but a squeeze never materialized.  Action was better on Monday.  Previous DJIM,  ININ  was the notable winner off an earnings guide, but this one has a history of gapping and not doing much for weeks after.
• Commodities-   A thin tape is when a WSJ journal story/ DB group upgrade creates exuberance.  Still, WLT  being DJIM’ fave coal for ages was the biggest beneficiary +6pts, so let it be.. USDA coming up for Ag’s space.
• Consumer-   Retail group still lagging as TIF’s  guide did nothing except get the stock faded off a good open, no follow through…yesterday..(Retail looked better. Our list includes TIF, PVH, FOSL to trade if this has any follow through). LULU  upped  guidance AMC and it will be interesting to see if it holds its gains tomorrow for the whole group.
• Miscellaneous-  a nice guide from a Med-tech HTWR, under consideration to add to list

Oily patch

Once again buyers showed their new found disdain for stocks as the selling picked up in individual stocks.  Our Shadowlist has provided all the clues since intraday Monday to this continuing as it showed in an uptick in individual stock selling unlike the Egypt sell off which was purely ES driven.  Anything high beta (momo), anything with healthy earnings this Q is seeing money being pulled out slowly generating >5% daily losses across the board.

Yesterday, noted the sell off was only half of the 3% dip in January.  Well, today that was quickly matched as supports fell quite easily and brings up the possibility of 50MA as buyers are in ‘No Rush’ as titled yesterday.  This dip is looking more like the November one to 50ma eventually instead of the January one.  Short term- Saudi Arabia is the wildcard noisemaker here, if this turmoil doesn't spread there, SPX 1295-1300 cluster of support may hold.

Shadowlist

• Commodities –  Since noise is around $100 crude, it is surprising plays around coal are not being used.   Look for trading opportunities here on the energy play as this quiet reaction should change. (CLF, WLT, ANR ).  After peeling back sharply since mid-Feb, Ag’s Ferts were the first to see a buy interest reversal.
• Momentum/earnings/“winners of ’10-   Last week…".While some momo’10 names notably lag today in a melting up market, (maybe something to monitor for broader mkt)".  This has turned to not only lagging, but selling in 2010 ‘winners’ this week and now this Q’s winners are hitching a ride.  Hope is PCLN  EPS reaction AMC generates some buy interest on this pullback.

..Prove it

Following the early week slide, we noted…”Considering very good eco data is irrelevant as today showcased, anything more than a bounce into a probable good NFP# can’t be expected”.  Well, we might have to rethink the ‘irrelevant’ part following today’s ‘bounce’ right to this week’s highs,( if ) the whispers of 250k-300k jobs are hit or not!.  Will it bring conviction buying if hit or will we continue sideways trading going forward.  Guess we’ll see soon enough and so take it a step at a time.   Anyways as discussed yesterday again, a ‘bounce’ possibility existed thanks to the combination of a big sell off day w/ the chance crude would ease off following a big >2% day would generate optimism into the jobs #.  Truthfully, it might have generated a little too much optimism putting aside everything (crude >100, Libya, Saudi Arabia etc. ) for the day.

Shadowlist

• Q4 earnings update-  some of the best action was from this DJIM shadowlist sub group. TDSC >10%,OPNT >9%.  On the less volatile’safety’ side, SXCI, TBL  traded in NCH(new closing high) territory.
• Consumer- life coming back here today and maybe a good sign forward…WYNN (nch) and FOSL,UA,TBL 4-5% higher.
• Commodities –  many sources as per Briefingcom/CNBC all over ‘coal’ today. What took you so long?. CLF  tacked another ~4pts climbing back over $100. WLT,ANR  also put in ~4% days
• Momentum/earnings/“winners of ’10-   A few like RVBD  had decent gains, but overall still sloppy considering the huge rally as the NFLX,FFIV,CRM  hardly showed up.   Opticals were mixed, some like OPLK, FNSR, FN  performed ~4%.

Dollar store rally day...

Maybe today’s rally will make "SPX 1250 hit, could be low for awhile” hold and stabilize things some, but overall it was a disappointing underlying tape.  It can simply be summarized as a ‘bargain hunters’ bounce as our primarily high beta Shadowlist didn't do much away from commodity linked stocks ( notably coals, GTLS,CRR).   The ‘risk on’ trade was back, but not exactly everywhere you’d like to see it.  Just by glancing at the list, you can decipher easily that investors were looking for value off the consecutive days of selling instead of buying with conviction growth stocks. Considering Friday is OPEX day and macro headlines seem to point to a positive market bias, the bounce may hold and/or continue. Otherwise, we’d say the market is prone to a red day off a tape like today's on any other day.  Hopefully, if today’s tape is seen as some stabilization (a first step), it will bring some confidence for investors to buy higher beta names.

Shadowlist

• Commodities-   The lead into coals past few days carried over as coals outperformed. (WLT ANR CLF  >4-5%).  Tonight good ole' Cramer jumps on the bandwagon.  It’s probably best to get off the solar trade as its shelf life is really uncertain off Japan.
• Momentum/ earnings/ winners of ’10-   As per the above…after noting the outperformance of names in this group during the sell off this week, it was disappointing the see almost all high beta lag the market.   The RUT simply was a rut along with tech.  Part of the lag was guidance (gov’t and defense spending) from SANM (EMS sector) which weighted on opticals and networking/equip communication stocks after killing all the EMS stocks.  This just adds to all the uncertainty related to Japan for Q’s ahead (supply chains etc.).  Next week we will finally see some bigger names reporting that will hopefully clarify the situation.

..still ignoring negative tilted newsflow

A seemingly directionless (sector wise), a lagging tech/naz trade still had the market surprisingly pushing to last week’s highs in the first hour.  The next few hours were going to rest on tech shoulders for the broad market as it was still .5% off its highs of last week.  You always want lagging indicies to confirm a further move by following. ( ie. follow SPX highs today).  As it played out with tech still the sidelines by midday, it was no surprise to find the tape wavering slowly throughout the day, closing at lows after being stopped at the top of noted cluster of “R”.

In all, no catalyst for morning move higher and no catalyst for late slippage. (a Roubini downside risk update hit wires might have been culprit). 

Shadowlist

• Momentum/ earnings/ winners of ’10-   Spotty mixed performance among networking/equip comm’/ momo’s, some networks linked names like APKT, (around down trendline March break) and ALU were outperforming peers by wide margin.
• Commodities – Once again coals here (WLT CLF)  did well, GS helped with an upgrade of WLT. Intraday, MCP , hit 2 month high, CRR a nch and now up ~25% since a DJIM earning addition in late Jan.  Late day broad market selling took most of the above down to trade more inline w/SP for the day, but overall these names still act well day after day.
• Consumer-  MAR’s #’s weighted on the leisure sector (a upcoming earnings question mark now ) and therefore, no follow through for casinos.  Retail was fine,  LULU  breaking out to a NCH by midday.

leaders 'lead'

One again anything that can be construed as negative tilted news was brushed aside by US markets (globally it wasn’t).  We’ve discussed this since the middle of last week as market turns a blind eye, now it’s continuing the trend at window dress up time and ahead of earnings season.  This is same factor at work as when alerted at SPX1250 and said to watch for negative ‘nuke’ news not get sold off any longer, which would be a positive going forward.  Every bit of negative newsflow is seemingly ignored now as investors tolerance has been built up with Macro global issues.  It's perplexing to many.  It could continue until Friday as investors/traders await all the data/QE2 for that day.

The morning ramp can be attributed in part to nobody finding a catalyst overnight (see yesterday's closing note) to close market below the pivotal SPX 1314.  There was no positive catalyst out there this morning.   It was a matter of Performance Anxiety (PA) setting in as managers went after growth/ momentum names.  Remember, these names didn’t participate in the first leg off 1250SPX and really haven’t played a big part of the ‘missing link’ tech (mostly SOX) rush that ensued afterwards.   Momo-linked stocks like FFIV APKT AMZN SOHU and many more simply caught a bid.  As 2pm approached many probably thought the market may repeat Monday’ s late selling due to no positive newsflow, but ‘leaders’ were at work this time with PA being enough of a catalyst and so chance of sticking the SPX gains was a high possibility unlike Monday.  Technically, it was important to get back over SPX 1314 quickly and the icing is a close of 1319, which could be enough for more points as noted in weekend Journal.

Shadowlist

A stack of DJIM names +>3pts as growth/leaders lead the way today.

• Momentum/ earnings/ winners of ’10-    SOHU +7, PCLN +7, AMZN +5, FFIV +4, (NCH's- SFLY  OTEX)  APKT +3pts  broke trendline.  SOHU, unleashed a huge move, saw no news, only idea of why is…China Unicom's results point to a strong mobile internet ramp in 2011, as BIDU SINA  act well too.
• Commodities – WLT +4pts, MCP +4, CRR nch,
• Consumer-  noted Retail was fine yesterday despite leisure selling,  LULU nch , RL, UA all +3-4pts off recent DJIM PVH +5pt on earnings.

DJIM #17 2011

Kept hearing late in the week,” what a rollercoaster of a week!”.  Well, we’re not sure what all the fuss is about as it’s been straight up ~40 SP handles/ >+3%  since 15 minutes into Mondays’ trading,.. “SPX , approx.~1295 off SP downgrade news likely a buy”.   Must be the dying words of all the naysayer social media guru carcasses seen sprawled out by Friday’s close!.  Of course, majority of the move wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for earnings and the reactions changing and coming in ‘solid’ after a disappointing week 1. A big part of trading is preparedness and coming into week we were citing one of the ‘what if’s’  to rally the market laying out the steps ie.....Solid broad Europe earnings, US market sell off reactions would change,etc. to get the rally.  You can’t have the poor reactions we saw early keep coming in, if you have something like 80% of the corporations reporting positively and/or surprising. The averages were unlikely to change as the market went forward, if 16 out of 20 surprise positively, we’ll probably see 80 out of a 100 accomplish this and so on and on it goes.   

Recall,  a big key to keep the upside going and going is for investors to continue and see ‘value’ in stocks as we’ve been saying all month…..”… investors need to see value in stocks to keep the trend in tact for Q2 or market risks a correction later this month, earnings are the big key to that!”.   Okay, so far so good, but the market did generate some fresh headwinds, eg renewed Sovereign debt tension, even Financial links falling off earnings is a fresh concern along with rails/transports lagging the tape. It’s no surprise most investors were caught snoozing on the rip higher with all the negativity around. 

Now the excuse for many will probably be 'technical’  as we close at a cluster of SPX “R” resistance. It’s an endless circle of pessimism regurgitating through the market the last few years.  It’s always something that supposedly keeps real buying on the sidelines before realization hits and PA (performance anxiety chase) ensues.

Into the trading week, earnings can keep the momentum going, but some caution will be ahead of Bernanke’s ‘big day’, which will likely lead the market to consolidate.  The ‘Super Bowl’ hype over his first post-FOMC press conference will likely turn into a non-event with Will and Kate’s wedding likely offering more exciting.

Shadowlist

Broad range of Shadowlist linked stocks performed relatively well intraday, despite market not passing overnight highs as speculated post-AAPL exuberance in AMC.  Names with >3% gains are tagged on site.

Ahead of the open, (01-12)

A global ‘warming’ emergency synchronization… rescue beginning in December 5, but only a piece of the puzzle as banking and sovereign debt crisis is interwoven.

Just as the Shanghai exchange suffered one of its biggest declines in 2011 overnight with PBOC officials still dampening hopes intraday of an imminent easing…Boom!...PBOC cuts reserve requirements after close by 50bp starting Dec.5 (cuts amount of cash banks must set aside to spur lending).

=Futures market reverse about 20 handles into 8am.

In Europe, a dud of an EFSF deal reached by finance ministers, speculation policymakers had made no progress on propping IMF funds with ECB not ready to do anything substantial…. BOOM!...A FED led blitz of Central Banks backed by US gov’t with a US-Funded Liquidity Bailout of worldwide dollar crunch!!. Yes, the same USD funding stresses noted here before the eventual 1275SP- to 1159SP rout just over week ago needed a quick Global bailout!. Simply, central banks rescued what EU officials couldn’t (liquidity shortage) in a bold move taking matters into their own hands.

= SPX rockets and recovers almost all the ground lost in November.

There was not going to be fade job of Monday’s rally as the market ‘squeezed’ higher off fresh cheap cash injections to come. Funny, how you can fix Germany’s 1yr debt going negative this morning (probably kicker for action), China’s horrible market day off renewed hard landing fears and a European ministers inabilities in just a few hours. Note, this intervention isn’t the holy grail guarantee, but it is a piece of the Eurozone puzzle.

Of course, what ails banks is now seemingly fixed for the moment as their lending to each other simply trickles down to economies, but it doesn’t put a blanket over the debt sovereign crisis. Expect more from ECB going forward to make this a true turning point for the crisis. ECB hard-line/standing pat seems to be getting it’s way and sooner than later they will be satisfied to step in. (more political reform etc.). Also, expect IMF co-ordinated program to get off the ground as well.

Unfounded rumors of a bank struggling to fund itself  this morning might have the ‘mishap’ talked about here last week for something to be done.  Still, it’s likely the German 1yr this morning is what spooked the CB’s to let loose their contingency co-ordination. This wasn’t made up overnight, it’s been in the works just in case.  In all, that should give confidence to investors co-ordination is always a possibility.

In all, add ADP# 200k ahead of NFP# Friday ( .. last week here...Employment whispers for Dec 2 starting to come in at 200k~.)..and equities just became sexy again. Last weekend did smell like a prelude to a rally, just as in October rally (noted early this week). Financials rallied ~6% , leading the tape (along with materials (high beta coals (CLF, WLT) steels led (X,NUE ), energy, and industrials). Bascially, you can trade commodity- linked stocks such as above that have been Shadowlisted in the past, as well as the high beta earnings plays related to China ..(ie.WYNN, LVS, CMI.) or just related sector ETF’s.

Although most of the day was over with at 8:40am, the fact SP added some 10+ handles in the last hour suggests some ‘ longs only stepped in’ after the early morning short covering. This suggests we may buy single stocks in anticipation of more upside into year – end. So, did we get our wish from financials to lead rally, just like in October?? They are down nearly 25-30% YTD and big rallies usually see worst sectors bought first.

You may not believe in CB’s actions, EFSF, China ‘s RRR, but this is a day where you can’t ignore the price action. Things are actually being done a step at a time, recall note here investors want action, not more speculation around upcoming (meeting, summits).