market-commentary

A Warning Sign in a Nervous and Uncertain Market

This is a very tough market to trade in front of the election and the Fed decision Thursday.

James "Rev Shark" DePorre·Nov 4, 2024, 4:30 PM EST

You've reached your free article limit

You've read 0 of 1 free Pro articles.

Unlock unlimited Pro access — 50% off
Already registered or a Pro member? Log in

It was a sloppy day of market action on Monday, but small-cap strength prevented it from becoming too ugly. The Russell 2000 gained 0.5%, while the DJIA lagged with a loss of 0.6%. 

The Magnificent Seven MAGS names performed poorly again, with a loss of about 0.9%. Despite positive breadth, there were more stocks hitting new 12-month lows than highs. The number of new lows exceeding the highs is a warning, especially since the indexes are still very close to their highs.

The market action feels nervous and uncertain as we await the very contentious election. Many folks are emotionally invested in the outcome, and there are going to be very strong reactions as the results unfold. Hopefully, there will be a clear winner, and we’ll be able to remove that uncertainty.

This is a very tough market to trade in front of the election and then the Fed interest rate decision on Thursday. Even if you are focused on buying stocks based on their individual merits, they can easily be jerked around due to index moves on the election outcome.

I’m holding high levels of cash and have a long list of small-cap names that I plan to trade that were reported on Thursday, but I can’t do anything until we remove the election overhand.

There isn’t much to do but stay patient and wait for the market to react to the election.

Have a good evening. I’ll see you Tuesday.

At the time of publication, Rev Shark had no positions in any securities mentioned.