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Need to Know
9:16 a.m. May 20, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
The stock market is flirting with a fourth straight down week, and the bears have plenty of reasons why the S&P is doomed — such as the unusual U.S. presidential race. What’s an investor to do? Our call says it’s too soon to panic.
9:20 a.m. May 19, 2016
- By Carla Mozee
The Fed’s hawkish signals aren’t going down so well with stock futures — could the market itself keep the Fed from moving? Plus, what the past year has meant for the S&P since it hit that record closing high.
9:32 a.m. May 18, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
Investment banks keep bailing on the stock market and now the Fed has put a summer rate hike back on the map. What to do? Some are seeking refuge in this low-volatility stock play right now.
8:47 a.m. May 17, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
The market is full of indecision, and that leaves investors with a lot of questions. If one theme is emerging right now, it’s that some gold in your portfolio may not be a bad idea right now.
1:13 p.m. May 16, 2016
- By Shawn Langlois
There’s not much in the way of meaty data to chew on this week, but the still-fresh reaction to Friday’s upbeat retail sales report in addition to a dozen quarterly updates from the likes of Wal-Mart and Target should keep investors looking for more clues from the retail sector.
9:16 a.m. May 13, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
The dollar is in trouble on this Friday the 13th — no matter how the much-anticipated report on retail sales looks. So says our call. Meanwhile, retail stocks look awful, but our chart highlights one of this week’s stock-market winner.
9:23 a.m. May 12, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
We’re “sort of at equilibrium,” says our call of the day from a hedge fund manager who runs a cool $12 billion and spoke at the SALT conference. Meanwhile, today’s chart focuses on something that is soaring — a play on agricultural commodities.
8:09 a.m. May 11, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
One day does not a summer make, but if the S&P 500 can bust through an old door, then the next few months may not be such a bad time to own stocks after all.
9:28 a.m. May 10, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
Mistrust is everywhere, with the market looking undecided at best, having already seen some whipsaw activity this morning.
8:53 a.m. May 9, 2016
- By Shawn Langlois
The U.S. dollar, which has been under pressure since late last year, is coming off its best week of the 2016. While it wasn’t a huge move, it was enough to delivered a hit to currency traders, who bet heavily on the short side.
8:51 a.m. May 6, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
It’s jobs day, and we’re about to find out how many more millennials found jobs, allowing them to move out of mom and dad’s basement. Our call of the day gives stocks to buy if you want to bet on the new generation’s spending power.
10:27 a.m. May 5, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
The dollar is up, commodity prices are lower and stocks are looking at another weak day. The jury is out on whether the dollar has reached a turning point, but oil is definitely headed lower, says our call of the day.
9:17 a.m. May 5, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
It’s been a hasty retreat by stocks over the past two weeks. But there has been sideways action, and that may serve as a correction in time, allowing the market to “build a base from which to challenge the old high,” says our call of the day.
10:27 a.m. May 3, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
It’s setting up to be a rocky session for global markets, sparked by a rate cut out of Australia that has rattled investors
9:14 a.m. May 2, 2016
- By Shawn Langlois
Coming off their worst week in more than two months, stocks aren’t exactly showing signs of embracing a fresh week. If you’re feeling all “sell in May,” it’d be hard to blame you at this point
9:26 a.m. April 29, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
It’s the last trading day of April, and stocks are stumbling toward the finish line. What’s an investor to do?
8:54 a.m. April 28, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
Mark Zuckerberg was doing his best to cheer up investors, but then Haruhiko Kuroda delivered his convincing impersonation of a wet blanket. Most stocks around the world are now sliding. Watch a key level for the yen, our call of the day says.
9:09 a.m. April 27, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
Apple woes got you down? Well, Fed money falling from the skies might be a reason to shake off the blues. All eyes on the iPhone maker this morning, which is setting up for a meltdown — though some say that means it’s time to buy.
9:18 a.m. April 26, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
There are enough macro data points to scare any investor away this summer, but is it always the best policy to expect a lousy summer of returns? Our call of the day says maybe not, as investors inch closer to “sell in May.”
9:59 a.m. April 25, 2016
- By Shawn Langlois
A mere 38% of money managers in Barron’s latest Big Money poll are bullish about the state of all things market. And this is a group, in general, that tends to put a smile on everything. At least for the clients they’re perpetually trying to woo.
9:25 a.m. April 22, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
It’s Earth Day, and even stock pundits are talking about our planet and sustainability. Our call of the day says the rally in equities is not sustainable. Obama’s efforts to stop a “Brexit” are running into a wall, too.
8:57 a.m. April 21, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
Many traders sound angry about the stock market nearing a new record. If you’re part of this unhappy gang, here’s one possible consolation: The S&P already set a record, if you look at a more inclusive version of the index.
8:47 a.m. April 20, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
Even if oil has been the boogeyman for this market, there are reasons for optimism as certain corners of it have been flying.
8:16 a.m. April 19, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
Dow’s move to 18,000 looks pretty good on paper and in the headlines, but the ‘Jungle Book’ fueled rally is going to need more to keep it going, especially with ‘Sell in May’ around the corner.
9:35 a.m. April 18, 2016
- By Shawn Langlois
Oil and stocks, aside from some short stretches of divergence, have pretty much traded in unusual lockstep this year. At one point last week, the two were more tightly correlated than they’d been since 2012. If that trend continues, it doesn’t bode well for equities.
9:27 a.m. April 15, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
Traders just might cruise into the weekend, but bulls might not want to celebrate too much, even if it’s Friday. Some short sellers view this rallying market as right where they want it.
8:55 a.m. April 14, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
The chatter has turned zippier as the S&P stands at a four-month high. Today’s call from Wells Capital Management’s Jim Paulsen gives four reasons why stocks soon could break out to a new high.
8:39 a.m. April 13, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
It’s all go for global markets, as China trade data delivers some good news. But the Doha oil producers’ meeting is going to be front and center. Our call of the day says look beyond any deal to see where oil is headed.
9:13 a.m. April 12, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
Lipstick on a pig — that’s how some are describing U.S. stocks right now. They are a problem, no matter how you dress them up. It’s time to lower your expectations for the S&P 500 again.
9:19 a.m. April 11, 2016
- By Shawn Langlois
The markets have been caught in a rather limp stretch here. What was shaping up to be a triple-digit push into positive figures for the week reversed course Friday to leave stocks off just slightly for the week. There just hasn’t been anything meaty enough to sustain these rallies.
7:46 a.m. April 8, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
It’s Friday and high time to raise a glass to this market. Sure, the S&P 500 is on track for a weekly loss, but today’s call is upbeat, coming from a bottoms-up analysis of S&P 500 companies.
9:28 a.m. April 7, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
No one sounds all that happy about stocks these days, even as the S&P keeps trying to impress. Our call of the day is certainly skeptical, suggesting investors shouldn’t get fooled by the biotech sector’s bounce-back.
7:56 a.m. April 6, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
When is this bull market going to peak? If ever? This chart predicts it will keep going for another 2 years or so, so time to get ready for what comes next. Plus, the piling in on the Japanese yen. Something to worry about?
9:16 a.m. April 5, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
Complicated investments? Those are for the birds and the foolhardy says our call of the day. That’s as markets are set to endure a bumpy session on Tuesday with oil down and stock futures taking a beating.
9:17 a.m. April 4, 2016
- By Shawn Langlois
While yet-to-be-named bankers, CEOs and — who knows? — presidential candidates chew their fingernails, and the 99% fantasize about what could be revealed in the “Panama Papers,” traders are focused on a stock market that, for now, seems to be bucking the odds.
9:13 a.m. April 1, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
One trader is calling this market much lower as the quarter kicks off. Read why he thinks the S&P 500 is headed for a big drop and why that may not be such a bad thing after all.
8:46 a.m. March 31, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
It’s the end of the first quarter, and investors are marveling at how the mood has shifted dramatically. Even the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite is showing more signs of life. It’s flown above a key chart level, and that’s got bulls bellowing.
8:52 a.m. March 30, 2016
- By Victor Reklaitis
Rather than obsessing over when rates might rise from diddly-squat to squat, you could instead focus on what’s actually soaring. Lumber futures have shot up 22% this month, as shown in our chart of the day.
9:07 a.m. March 29, 2016
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
This stock market looks dangerous to some and downright dull to others. But the worst thing you can do is try to fight what’s going on. It’s an election year and there’s other noise that means this strategy is your best option.
9:12 a.m. March 28, 2016
- By Shawn Langlois
A busy finish to the month should keep things interesting. Janet Yellen and the monthly jobs number will likely play as much a part as anything in coloring trade in the coming days. There’s also no shortage of other data investors will be eyeing
