Current Short Positions (stop-losses in parentheses): None
BIAS: 6% Long (-10% short considering the leverage in QID)
Economic Reports Due Out (Times are EST): Employment Situation (8:30am), Pending Home Sales Index (12:30pm), Bernanke Speaks (2pm), Consumer Credit (3pm)
My Observations and What to Expect:
- Futures are showing some weakness prior to the employment number.
- Asian markets are seeing a lot of strength in trading with gains as much as 2.8%. European markets are trading with a slight negative bias to them.
- The S&P is clearly in a breakout mode after recently trading out of consolidation from the previous three weeks.
- S&P managed to close well above the 200-week moving average which has acted as major resistance to the overall market – very bullish and promising for its long-term prospects.
- Yesterday’s rally pushed the market above the April highs, which allows for the market to continue the long-term trend, dating back to March ’09.
- Today’s employment number should play a pivotal role in the market today.
- Be very careful about piling on new positions at this stage of the rally – the market is overextended and well outside of its Bollinger Bands, and makes it more likely we’ll see a healthy pullback or at the very least some consolidation before moving higher. Use any weakness to add new positions to the portfolio.
- The bears main aim is to erase at least 50-60% of yesterdays gains, which would essentially create a bearish piercing candle pattern.
Actions I Will Be Taking:
- Took profits in AMZN, SNDK, JACK, and GHL yesterday for some solid profits.
- Added two new positions at the market close yesterday – MCD and QID. QID is a short-term trade to take advantage of possible consolidation or a light market pullback.
- Will not hesitate to take profits in QID if the market pulls back 0.7 to 1%.
- I’ll be aggressive in adding new long positions to the portfolio on any market weakness.
- Follow me in the SharePlanner Chat-Room today for all my live trades, including my day-trades.