ORM Market Commentary
The Spot VIX Is Nearing An Important Level

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Nervous Equity Investors Show Fear Through VIX®

Investors were popping champagne bottles at the end of 2014 as the S&P 500 chalked up another year of above average returns, amid fairly low levels of market volatility.  But, equity market action in early 2015 suggests a whole new ball game is starting now…Click here to read the rest of Kira Brecht’s article (featuring me) on the Volatility Index for OptionsCity.com.

Two latest articles

The Correction In AbbVie Stock Could Be Nearing An End (TraderPlanet)

Constant Contact Continues To Deliver Thanks To Solid Customer Growth And Retention (Seeking Alpha)

1 On 1 Options Mentoring: Learn more about my 1 on 1 equity/options mentoring courses that help can you improve your trading odds and risk management skills.

More Of My Commentary/Articles: Check out my contributor content for … Read More »

Weekend Market Update
Stocks Suffer Worst Two Month Performance Since 2012

Weekly S&P Sectors ETF Performance: Materials (XLB) -1.16%, Consumer Discretionary (XLY) -1.33%, Energy (XLE) -1.45%, Utilities (XLU) -1.67%, Healthcare (XLV) -2.35%, Industrials (XLI) -2.53%, Financials (XLF) -3.20%, Consumer Staples (XLP) -3.28%, Technology (XLK) -3.74%

Various Asset Classes: Spot Volatility Index (VIX) +25.87%, Oil (USO) +4.82%, Bonds (TLT) +2.60%, U.S. Dollar (UUP) -0.32%, Gold (GLD) -0.63%, Agriculture (DBA) -1.45%, S&P 500 (SPX) -2.77%, Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) -2.87%, Nasdaq-100 (NDX) -3.03%, Silver (SLV) -5.54%, Natural Gas (UNG) -8.68%

Economic Data (2/2-2/6)

Monday: 8:30 A.M. EST- Dec Personal Spending (+0.3%), Dec Personal Income (-0.2%), Dec PCE Prices-Core (+0.0%); 10:00 A.M.- Jan ISM Index (54.7), Dec Construction Spending (+0.8%)

Tuesday: 10:00 A.M.- Dec Factory Orders (-2.0%); 2:00 P.M.- Jan … Read More »

Weekend Stock Watchlist Update
Making Sense Of Price Action In The VIX

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Stock Watchlist Update
Monitoring The SPX And The VIX

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
Turnaround Friday In The S&P 500

From the lows of Thursday night/Friday morning the S&P 500 futures rallied over 30 points to successfully test the key support level under the 100-day simple moving average (more info on the Weekend Stock Watchlist Update). All three of the major U.S. indices finished in positive territory for the week, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s (DJIA) 0.37% gain led the way. The Nasdaq-100 (NDX) and the S&P 500 (SPX) rose 0.22% and 0.33%, respectively. Volatility finished lower on the week as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) continued to struggle with the 17 level, falling 7.40% on the week.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
The Dow Turns Negative For The Year

Equities close out the week and month on a sour note, finishing negative for the month of July. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) fell 2.75%, which puts it in negative territory for 2014. The Nasdaq-100 (NDX) and the S&P 500 (SPX) dropped 2.16% and 2.69% for the week, respectively. Volatility soared as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) rose 34.2% to close at 17.03.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
Q2 Earnings Leave Equities Mixed For The Week

The S&P 500 (SPX) snapped its 10 up Friday’s in a row streak yesterday, following a new all-time high hit on Thursday (eking out a 0.01% weekly gain). Technology led the Nasdaq-100 (NDX) to be the best performer of the three major U.S. indices, rising 0.64%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) fell 0.82%. Visa’s (V) 3.58% decline o Friday was a large contributor to this underperformance. Volatility finished off of the highs of the week, but the spot Volatility Index (VIX) put in a higher low on the weekly, adding 5.22%.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
Markets Finish Strong Despite Middle East Concerns

Equities finished higher for the tenth consecutive Friday, making up for most of what was lost on Thursday’s MH17 crash in Ukraine. The Nasdaq-100 (NDX) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) rallied 0.90% and 0.92%, respectively. The S&P 500 (SPX) was the laggard of the major U.S. indices, rising 0.54%. Volatility had its best one day performance on Thursday, but the spot Volatility Index (VIX) still finished the week lower by 0.17%.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
Gearing Up For Q2 Earnings Season

Equities gave back some of last week’s gains as the market finished out the first full week of Q3. The Nasdaq-100 (NDX) remained the best performer of the major U.S. indices, shedding just 0.47% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the S&P 500 (SPX) dropped 0.73% and 0.90%, respectively. Volatility came back into the market as the spot Volatility rose 17.05% to close at 12.08 (well of off of the high print of 13.23).

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Stock Watchlist Update
Key Levels In The S&P 500 And The Spot VIX

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
Dow 17,000

Equities went into the 4th of July weekend on a high note as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) hit and closed above the 17,000 level for the first time ever on Thursday. The Nasdaq-100 (NDX) closed at another 14-year high, rallying 2.04% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 (SPX) added 1.28% and 1.25%, respectively. Less than 15 points separate the S&P 500 from the psychologically important 2000 level. Volatility put in a new 7 year low this week as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) fell 8.35% to close at 10.32.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
Equities Pause Ahead Of The Holiday Shortened Week

Stocks finished in positive territory on Friday, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the S&P 500 (SPX) dropped 0.56% and 0.10% for week, respectively. The Nasdaq-100 (NDX) was the best performer of the three major U.S. indices, rising 1.10%. Volatility moved off of the multi-year lows as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) added 3.78% (was up 15.30% intra-week).

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

 Weekend Market Update
Six Day Winning Streak In The S&P 500

Equities rallied for the fourth week out of the last five as both the S&P 500 (up 1.38% this week) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (up 1.02% this week) hit new all-time highs. The Nasdaq-100 (NDX) tacked on a 0.72% gain. While volatility hit new lows not seen since 2007 with the spot Volatility Index’s (VIX) 10.92% decline.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
Equities Snap A Three Week Winning Streak

Concerns in Iraq sent U.S. stocks lower and oil prices higher this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was the worst of the major U.S. indices, falling 0.88%. The Nsadaq-100 (NDX) and the S&P 500 (SPX) dropped 0.50% and 0.68%, respectively. Volatility spiked on Middle East instability as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) rose 13.51%. This was the best weekly performance since early April.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
Industrials Lead The Market To New Highs

U.S. equities finished at new all-time highs for the second straight week. The Nasdaq-100 (NDX) was the best performer of the three major U.S. indices, rising 1.55% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the S&P 500 (SPX) added 1.24% and 1.34%, respectively. Volatility fell to seven year lows as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) dropped 5.88% to 10.73.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
SPX Closes Out May On A High Note

The S&P 500 (SPX) finished May rising on six out of the last seven trading sessions and up 1.21% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the Nasdaq-100 (NDX) added 0.67% and 1.62%, respectively. Volatility snapped a two week decline as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) eked out a 0.35% gain.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
The VIX Hits 14 Month Lows

The S&P 500 (SPX) closed above the 1900 level for the first time ever heading into the Memorial Day weekend, rising 1.21% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the Nasdaq-100 (NDX) added 0.70% and 2.51%, respectively. Volatility fell to levels not seen since March of 2013 as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) dropped 8.68% for the week.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Weekend Market Update
SPX 1900 Fails For Now

Both the S&P 500 (SPX) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) hit new all-time highs this week  before pulling back on Wednesday and Thursday. The (SPX) and (DJIA) fell 0.03% and 0.55% this week, respectively. Of the three major indices, the Nasdaq-100 (NDX) was the best performer, rising 0.89%. Volatility finished lower on the week as the spot Volatility Index (VIX) declined 3.72%. The (VIX) briefly went below the 12 level for the first time since January.

You need to be logged in to see this part of the content. Please Login to access.

Smart Money Report

IYR- 10k May 30 weekly $70 puts were bought for $0.25-$0.26 each, against open interest of 37 contracts.The real estate ETF is set to close at a new high today with RSI overbought at 74+. This is likely a hedge against an existing long position.
TWTR- A rollout from 4k May 17 $34 calls (credit) into 4k May 23 weekly $33 calls (debit). Volume was above the open interest in the May 23 weekly $33 calls. Twitter has near-term upside potential to $36-$37 (gap fill). Current support is at $29.50.
VGR- More than 2,000 Aug. $22.50 calls were purchased for $0.48-$0.55 each this morning, against open interest of 1,199 contracts. Earnings are due out tonight. Implied volatility rose 13% to 34.31 with call activity over 5x the average daily volume. The stock has moved higher after earnings on three straight … Read More »