This week alone, I have heard the Trade War between the US and China was both close and far from being completed. Or was that just the Phase One portion? Wait, Phase One? When did that become a thing? I have been interviewed by two different media outlets a few weeks apart and each of … Read more
Black Friday is right around the corner, and it’s always a busy day not just for the average American stuffed from the previous night’s feast, but as well as the ever vigilant trader. So if you fall into either category or you’re just interested in the way a successful full-time trader tackles the wild market… … Read more
Disruption continues in the world of discount brokerages with the announcement today that powerhouse Charles Schwab is buying competitor TD Ameritrade for $26 billion. The blockbuster merger of the two largest discount brokers is being watched by retail traders who are enjoying a wave of zero-commission trades triggered by Schwab in October. Eliminating basic account trade commissions disrupted the industry as it forced others to follow, including TD Ameritrade.
FAANG was the acronym created from the powerhouse stocks that lead the way for many years as they grew to huge significance in the market. It was a catchy term that helped seat them in our brains and, with a fierce term like that, probably helped them grow on aura alone. One thing we reliably … Read more
Stocks are at an all-time high fueled by an accommodative Fed, improving trade war sentiment, and a steepening yield curve. What do all three of these things have in common? They are all major contributors to the resurgence of the “Reflation Trade.” The Reflation Trade refers to the idea that all the easy money from … Read more
As we wrap up October and roll into November there’s one thing that always comes to mind for me – McDonald’s. Wow. McDonald’s you say? Thrilling. Are you there for the burgers or the milkshakes? Honestly neither and I’m not here to have a discussion on the food. The reason McDonald’s comes up for me … Read more
I would venture to guess that most of you know and remember TiVo. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, TiVo came out in 1999 and allowed us to record live TV so we could watch it later with the added bonus of being able to fast forward through commercials. The fast forwarding … Read more
Let’s talk about the yield curve. What is it? Yield curve is a visual representation of the “spread” or difference between government bonds of different maturities. For example, if the 10yr bond has a rate of 2% and the 2yr bond has a rate of 1% that would mean the 10y/2y spread is 1%, or … Read more
One thing traders tend to think about too late in their pilgrimage to success is the list of symbols, or tickers they’re going to trade. I don’t think you should confine yourself to just stocks, so I’m being broad with the title of this, but you should really consider the products you’re going to trade … Read more
It’s Fed day again! The time when markets come to a standstill as they hold their breath, waiting anxiously for nuanced words in the report, and of course, what the interest rate will be. I have covered this event before in a Simpler Blog named “Don’t Fight the Fed” so I won’t repeat all that … Read more