Tightrope walkers know the value of a safety net. You may never actually need the safety net, but it will save your life if you do. Key support levels for stocks are safety nets for investors, as a drop below support is often ‘deadly’ for a portfolio... >> READ MORE...

In times of uncertainty, it’s always helpful to know what others are doing. You can follow the ‘smart money’ or do the opposite of ‘dumb money’ investors. Here’s what ‘smart money’ option traders are doing right now.... >> READ MORE...

The government shutdown is unfortunate, embarrassing, avoidable and now even perverse. As it turns out, the same parties that are at fault for furloughing some 800,000 federal employees actually profit financially from their actions.... >> READ MORE...

Investors are starting to back away from large cap S&P 500 stocks in favor of the tech-heavy Nasdaq. In fact, the Nasdaq is at a 13-year high despite a lagging S&P 500 and the economic drag of a government shutdown. Is this bullish or bearish?... >> READ MORE...

What’s more important, political agenda or international reputation? It’s obviously political agenda. U.S. politicians are giving the U.S. a bad rap around the globe. One European newspaper makes some pretty damning statements about U.S. politics.... >> READ MORE...

Wall Street has taken the government shutdown in strides. In fact, it almost seems like the government shutdown is just another brick in the proverbial ‘Wall of Worry.’ We need to ask, are stocks climbing a wall of worry to new highs?... >> READ MORE...

'Government shutdown' is the buzzword of the week. Politicians use it as bargaining chip, the media loves to beat the subject to death and investors worry about what it may or may not do to their portfolio. Surprisingly, history says, ‘Don’t worry about it.’... >> READ MORE...

A picture speaks more than a thousand words and this S&P 500 chart shows just how powerful the 13-year (and 7-year) S&P 500 cycles have been. Danger lies ahead if those cycles end up being more powerful than QE.... >> READ MORE...

Stubborn bearish sentiment is one of the key reasons why stocks continue to rally, essentially giving bears the finger. Bears can’t stop the QE liquidity waves. Perhaps it’s time to stop fighting them and learn how to surf them. It would be the best for bears … in two ways. ... >> READ MORE...

When you see an index hit all-time highs you assume that most of its component stocks also trade near their high watermark, but that’s not the case here. The German blue chip index high watermark is inflated by 47%.... >> READ MORE...