Rev Shark:
Be Skeptical of the Market's Gift
9/7/2005 8:48 AM EDT
"Do not trust the horse, Trojans! Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even though they bring gifts."
-- Virgil
Can this market be trusted? Since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, it has brought us gifts in the form of higher prices. The technical action is impressive with solid breadth, good accumulation and strong momentum. If you simply look at the price action, there are few reasons not to trust the market to keep on moving higher.
The dilemma is that there seems to be few logical reasons to support such a generous market. Why is it being so kind when we have record high crude oil prices, economic fallout from a natural disaster, inflationary pressures and a mediocre economy? How can the market act so well when there are so many good reasons for why it shouldn't?
To some extent, the market is acting so well because so many people feel that it shouldn't. They are underinvested and when the market does not pull back they become frustrated, helping further upside moves by deploying some of their idle capital. The stronger the market, the more anxious they become and the more inclined they are to chase things higher.
Our problem is that we have to decide between embracing the positive action that is taking place on our screens or deferring to the logic that makes us cautious and skeptical. In other words -- is this a market that can be trusted?
I wish I could answer that question without hesitation. My gut feel is to be very careful at this juncture and be prepared to run for safety at the first sign of trouble. On the other hand, if there are good trades I'm going to take them but I will keep a tight rein on them.
This market has the makings of a Trojan Horse and as soon as enough of us let down our guards and start appreciating this generous gift, the market will unleash its fury. Don't be too trusting.
We have a slightly negative start to the day. Productivity and unit labor cost numbers just hit and indicate some inflationary pressure. Crude oil has been gaining steadily and overseas markets were mostly positive.
Gary B. Smith: