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The Wall Street Greek blog is the sexy & syndicated financial securities markets publication of former Senior Equity Analyst Markos N. Kaminis. Our stock market blog reaches reputable publishers & private networks and is an unbiased, independent Wall Street research resource on the economy, stocks, gold & currency, energy & oil, real estate and more. Wall Street & Greece should be as honest, dependable and passionate as The Greek.



Wall Street, business & other videos updated regularly...

Seeking Alpha

Monday, April 20, 2015

The Real Reason for Friday’s Stock Shock – Cashin’s 3-Prongs Missed the Mark (Part I)

As I listened to Art Cashin’s reasons for why stocks were set to open lower this past Friday I paused for a moment. Whenever I hear anyone, even the beloved Cashin, give multiple reasons for an acute movement in stocks, I grow skeptical. For me, the listing of many varied reasons for something is a sign that the person speaking may not understand the true catalyst. I listen closely when Cashin speaks, which is quite different than the attention I give most TV personalities. However, the real reason for Friday’s stock shock was not any of the three reasons Art listed. All three were ancillary to U.S. equity trading and not important enough to create such a significant downdraft. See my full report here.

Article interests SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY), SPDR Dow (NYSE: DIA), PowerShares QQQ (Nasdaq: QQQ), iShares Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM), Vanguard Total Market (NYSE: VTI), iPath S&P VIX (NYSE: VXX). Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. This article and website in no way offers or represents financial or investment advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only.

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Thursday, April 09, 2015

The Four Horseman of Stock Market Apocalypse

While a doomsday like stock market crash is unlikely in my opinion, the market is ripe for volatility now. Four main issues trouble me today that I believe are worthy of concern. Ironically, volatility is cheap to buy now, so I suggest investors hedge market volatility risk today via the iPath S&P 500 VIX (NYSE: VXX) and instruments like it. See my full report on the 4 Horsemen of the Stock Market Apocalypse here.

Investment Sector Security
04-08-15 1:40 PM ET
SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY)
+0.3%
SPDR Dow Jones (NYSE: DIA)
+0.1%
PowerShares QQQ (Nasdaq: QQQ)
+0.6%
iShares Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM)
+0.7%
Vanguard Total Stock Market (NYSE: VTI)
+0.3%

Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. This article and website in no way offers or represents financial or investment advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only.

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Wednesday, April 08, 2015

TODAY’S MARKET – Aliens, Robots and Conspiracy Theory

crazy eyes
Overseas markets greeted us today with a smile, but will we return the favor? China cut taxes on resources and energy to spur its economy and Japan kept to its extreme easing measures. Alexis Tsipras left his meeting with Vladimir Putin and appears to be intact, though we’re still watching him for signs of being a robot or an undercover alien. I’m not sure if this kind of thing only happens on Air Force 1 flights or if the Kremlin is capable too; after all, Ohio Senator Dennis Kucinich was never the same pesky politician after his perhaps life altering flight with President Obama, a.k.a. Orpheus Magnum. Just kidding… or am I?

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Our founder earned clients a 23% average annual return over five years as a stock analyst on Wall Street. "The Greek" has written for institutional newsletters, Businessweek, Real Money, Seeking Alpha and others, while also appearing across TV and radio. While writing for Wall Street Greek, Mr. Kaminis presciently warned of the financial crisis.

Today’s Stock Market


Global Markets


At the open of U.S. trading, European ETFs were trading sharply higher, I suppose on the fact that the Greek PM didn’t break out of Moscow with a groundbreaking announcement. Japan was up after the BOJ kept to its QQE plan. China is soaring today after it announced it would cut resources tax and power prices to boost its economy.

EUROPE
%
ASIA/PACIFIC
%
Vanguard FTSE Europe (NYSE: VGK)
+1.0%
Precidian MAXIS Nikkei (NYSE: NKY)
+0.7%
iShares MSCI UK (NYSE: EWU)
+1.7%
SPDR S&P China (NYSE: GXC)
+5.6%
iShares MSCI France (NYSE: EWQ)
+0.6%
iShares Asia 50 (NYSE: AIA)
+2.2%
iShares MSCI Germany (NYSE: EWG)
+0.4%
iShares MSCI S. Korea (NYSE: EWY)
+1.4%
Global X FTSE Greece (NYSE: GREK)
+0.1%
iPath MSCI India (NYSE: INP)
+1.0%

There’s a lot going on. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) issued monetary policy and the Greek Prime Minister is in Moscow exploring alternatives while his Finance Minister is in the United States doing the same. It’s smart play by the Greeks and fits the FM’s game theory expertise. The Europeans are probably shaking in their boots right now and readying to give in just enough to keep the Greeks in tow.

The BOJ stuck to its plan of QQE or Quantitative and Qualitative Easing, which includes purchases of J-REITs and Japan relative ETFs, but inflation was stagnant thanks to lower energy prices. This was as expected. The BOE today said Europe needs to prepare for a Greece exit; the BOE issues monetary policy on Thursday.

U.S. Stock Market


Sector Security
04-08-15 Open
Vanguard S&P 500 (NYSE: VOO)
+0.4%
iShares Dow Jones (NYSE: IYY)
+0.3%
Fidelity NASDAQ  ETF (Nasdaq: ONEQ)
+0.1%
ProShares Ultra Gold (NYSE: UGL)
-0.4%
ProShares Ultra Real Estate (NYSE: URE)
+0.2%
ProShares Ultra Oil (NYSE: UCO)
-3.5%
WisdomTree US$  Bullish (NYSE: USDU)
-0.7%
iShares 20+ Yr. Treasury (NYSE: TLT)
-0.2%

Stocks opened higher in the U.S. despite Tuesday’s late day decline. The SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) was up fractionally. There’s nothing much new to report about Yemen, save for the fact that Iranian ships are reportedly heading there. We do not want to see Iranian forces engage Saudi Arabian forces, which is the reason why oil prices spiked yesterday. The market is in wait-and-see mode on that factor, but we have the Fed meeting minutes later today, and they are more likely to hurt us than help us. Put on some volatility hedges using the iPath S&P 500 VIX (NYSE: VXX) or similar instruments, as volatility is cheap now and there are many mines we might step on.

Economic Reports


TODAY’S ECONOMIC REPORT SCHEDULE

Economic Data Point
Prior
Expect
Actual
WEDNESDAY



4.6%

+0.4%



-Crude Oil Inventory
4.8MB


-Gasoline Inventory
-4.3MB








Greek PM Meets Putin




The Federal Reserve’s FOMC Meeting Minutes steal the show today, given all the Fed betting going on these past two years. Even while the Fed comes up with reasons to avoid raising rates, the minutes of the meeting allow all voices to be heard. Oftentimes, this sharing of information causes a stir in the market, because it always reflects a spectrum of views, including the scariest (usually from Jeff Lacker). Today could thus spread the volatility we saw toward the close yesterday.

The EIA Petroleum Status Report will one day soon share different information. Eventually, it will show draws from inventory as we approach the summer driving season. This time around forecasters expect another build, which should measure about 4.8 million barrels according to the consensus. Oil prices have been rising, mostly because of the chaotic situation in Yemen. If not for Yemen, oil prices would likely be falling on the Iran deal, or prospect of an Iran deal since there really is not a deal yet.

The weekly mortgage application data should be ignored this week given the MBA’s issues in accurately adjusting for three-day weekends and around holidays.

EPS Reports


Earnings season starts today, informally, with the report of Alcoa (NYSE: AA). Otherwise, the list of reporters today is short. Earnings start next week in earnest. Today’s reports include Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR), which back in the day was a barometer of housing; at least it was Peter Lynch’s barometer and that’s good enough for me. Similarly, Bed Bath & Beyond (Nasdaq: BBBY) reports today. Expect the retailers of goods to do great generally now; I’ll have more to say about why later either here or one of my other columns, which you can follow via my Twitter or Facebook or one of my other distribution methods (visit the blog).

HIGHLIGHTED EPS REPORTS
Company
Ticker
WEDNESDAY

Alcoa
NYSE: AA
Alcobra
Nasdaq: ADHD
API Technologies
Nasdaq: ATNY
Apogee Enterprises
Nasdaq: APOG
Bed Bath & Beyond
Nasdaq: BBBY
Family Dollar Stores
NYSE: FDO
Global Payments
NYSE: GPN
Mistras Group
NYSE: MG
MSC Industrial Direct
NYSE: MSM
Northern Technologies Int’l
Nasdaq: NTIC
OMNOVA Solutions
NYSE: OMN
Pier 1 Imports
NYSE: PIR
Resources Connection
Nasdaq: RECN
Richardson Electronics
Nasdaq: RELL
Rite Aid
NYSE: RAD
RPM International
NYSE: RPM
WD-40
Nasdaq: WDFC

TODAY’S MOST ACTIVE STOCKS
BIGGEST GAINERS
% Gain
AMCN AirMedia Group (Nasdaq: AMCN)
+78%
Kingtone Wirelessinfo (Nasdaq: KONE)
+54%
China Natural Resources (Nasdaq: CHNR)
+37%
Yanzhou Coal Mining (NYSE: YZC)
+24%
Second Sight Medical (Nasdaq: EYES)
+19%
EnerJex Resources (Nasdaq: ENRJ)
+14%
Zep (NYSE: ZEP)
+17%
Taomee Holdings (Nasdaq: TAOM)
+15%
Regulus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: RGLS)
+14%
American Electric Tec (Nasdaq: AETI)
+8%
BIGGEST LOSERS
% Drop
QAD (Nasdaq: QADB)
-12%
Data I/O (Nasdaq: DAIO)
-10%
Flamel Technologies (Nasdaq: FLML)
-15%
Cinedigm (Nasdaq: CIDM)
-6%
MYOS Corp. (Nasdaq: MYOS)
-9%
Cellular Biomedicine (Nasdaq: CBMG)
-5%
Yuma Energy (Nasdaq: YUMA)
-5%
Sysorex Global (Nasdaq: SYRX)
-8%
Swisher Hygiene (Nasdaq: SWSH)
-7%
Video Display (Nasdaq: VIDE)
-7%

Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. This article and website in no way offers or represents financial or investment advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only.

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Tuesday, April 07, 2015

GOLD - The BOJ Presents Clear & Present Danger

Gold has benefited greatly from the economic question posed by the monthly jobs report, and its repercussions reaching the Fed’s interest rate decision time table and the value of the dollar. Gold has also moved higher on unrest in the Middle East. But on Wednesday, gold will face a test when the Bank of Japan (BOJ) issues its latest monetary policy. See the gold report here.

Precious Metals Relative Security
YTD
TTM
SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD)
+2.3%
-6.6%
Sprott Physical Gold Trust (NYSE: PHYS)
+2.1%
-6.8%
iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV)
+7.7%
-15.0%
Market Vectors Gold Miners (NYSE: GDX)
+4.0%
-18.3%
Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners (NYSE: GDXJ)
-0.4%
-31.7%
Direxion Daily Gold Bullish 3X (NYSE: NUGT)
-3.2%
-68.8%
Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX)
+16.5%
-29.4%
Kinross Gold (NYSE: KGC)
-15.9%
-42.7%

Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. This article and website in no way offers or represents financial or investment advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only.

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Stock Market Doomsday Prepping? Not So Fast Jack!

The bad news about the labor market had some prognosticating that the stock market could crash Monday. Indeed all seemed bleak on Good Friday when the March Employment Report was reported to a closed trading floor, but after three days of a bright spring weekend, investors had only to endure some early morning volatility before seeing green in the light of the new day. So what happened? Find out here about stock market crash doomsday prepping.

Market Segment Security
Monday 04-06-15
SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY)
+0.7%
SPDR Dow Jones (NYSE: DIA)
+0.7%
PowerShares QQQ (Nasdaq: QQQ)
+0.8%
iShares Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM)
+0.4%
Vanguard Total Stock Market (NYSE: VTI)
+0.7%
PowerShares DB US Dollar Bear (NYSE: UDN)
+0.5%
United States Oil (NYSE: USO)
+5.0%
SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD)
+1.2%

Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. This article and website in no way offers or represents financial or investment advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only.

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