Slope of Hope Blog Posts

Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.

Thresholds

By -

Well, the bearish case seems to be getting weaker by the day. The blowout earnings report by Apple (which, let's face it, isn't much of a shock) is almost certainly going to mega-goose the market tomorrow, and only God knows what Bernanke is going to say or do to propel things further. I am seeing more and more of this kind of story hitting home pages:

0124-finalUNDER

I have remained mostly in cash this month, and I'm currently long DRN and JNK as hedges. Everything else is little short positions.

I offer the charts below without further commentary. They simply illustrate what I consider thresholds of various indexes which, if crossed, each represent another nail in the bears' coffin. Maybe they'll be reached; maybe they won't. In any event, they merit observation.

(more…)

Apple’s Endless Dazzle

By -

Well, Apple (AAPL) – – which, like GOOG, I pretty much never trade – – blew the doors off again. It's trading about $35 higher than its close price and has slapped about 26 points onto the /NQ as of this writing.

The company is nothing short of amazing. Pretty incredible what consistently fabulous products and a well-managed organization can do for a stock price, isn't it?

0124-aapl

(more…)

High Dividend Stocks vs Emerging Markets

By -

Below are two 3-year Daily charts. The first chart is of an ETF containing high dividend-paying stocks, DVY, and the second is of the Emerging Markets ETF, EEM. Inasmuch as the Major Indices are near major resistance levels, as mentioned in my post of January 20th, I thought I'd compare these two ETFs to see where money flows over the next days/weeks. I'll say that DVY represents value stocks and that EEM represents the more risky, volatile growth stocks.

DVY made a 3-year high on January 3rd of this year and is currently holding above last month's Volume Profile POC (horizontal red line) at 52.81. It has been in a daily uptrend since its December lows. If traders are interested in purchasing additional value stocks, I'd expect to see DVY break and hold above its high of 54.63. 

(more…)