Bernie Schaeffer's Market Commentaries

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Thoughts on Hedging, Volatility

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:15:00 GMT

"Standard & Poor's, the world's leading index provider, announced today the launch of the S&P 500 Dynamic VEQTOR Index which dynamically allocates between equity, volatility and cash to provide broad equity market exposure with an implied volatility hedge...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Watching the Big Money Play Defense

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

"As many investors sit on big stock profits, they are focusing on safeguarding their own money...(Read More)

November Option Advisor Commentary

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT

The following is a reprint of the market commentary from the November edition of the Option Advisor, published on Oct...(Read More)

Schaeffer on Charts: Some Thoughts on the Pullback

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:41:00 GMT

As I write this, the 50-day moving average of the S&P 500 Index (SPX) (currently at 1,050 - see blue line on accompanying chart) has been taken out, perhaps the first significant technical casualty of the pullback from the Oct...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Looking Forward, And Back

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:30:00 GMT

I usually use this space to comment on articles that catch my eye in the financial media...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Weighing Stocks vs. Bonds

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:50:00 GMT

"The sacred texts of investing need to be rewritten. It turns out that the so-called equity risk premium, the once-sacrosanct belief that stocks perform better than bonds over time, has been vastly overrated...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: A Brief Pre-Weekend Sentiment Take

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:32:00 GMT

I recently discussed the anecdotal sentiment picture, concluding that this media-based gloom in the context of a powerful market uptrend had very bullish contrarian implications...(Read More)

October Option Advisor Commentary

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:46:00 GMT

The following is a reprint of the market commentary from the October edition of the Option Advisor, published on September 24...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Chorus of Doom Cheers Contrarians

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:05:00 GMT

"As if they really knew, leading economists predict that recovery from our Great Recession will be plodding, gray and jobless...(Read More)

Schaeffer On Charts: Keeping It Simple

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:00:00 GMT

While most of us technical types love to dive into a wide swath of indicators in our attempts to divine market direction, keeping it very simple in your technical analysis can often yield huge benefits...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Skeptics Continue to Doubt Rally

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:15:00 GMT

"Record low interest rates and vast amounts of money pumped into economies by central banks has translated into surging asset values across financial markets, raising the prospect of a new speculative bubble...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Five Reasons Why the 'Rally is Bogus' Argument May Be Bogus

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:00:00 GMT

"5 Reasons the Rally is Built on Quicksand"(David Rosenberg - currently of Gluskin Sheff and former chief economist at Merrill Lynch - 9/10/09)"16 Reasons for Equities Markets to Fall Soon"(Seeking Alpha - 9/8/09)Schaeffer's addendum: It's difficult to take an aggressive stand against a 50%-plus stock market rally off what could prove to be a major bottom unless you make some tenuous assumptions...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: The Lessons of History

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:50:00 GMT

"As American author (and investor) Mark Twain famously said, history may not repeat itself but it rhymes...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Dumping Retail Shares

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:15:00 GMT

"Mutual funds, pensions and endowments are unloading U.S. consumer stocks at the fastest pace in at least 14 years...(Read More)

September Option Advisor Commentary

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:23:00 GMT

The following is a reprint of the market commentary from the September edition of the Option Advisor, published on Aug...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: The Harbingers of Disbelief

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:39:00 GMT

"[As] an ... investor, you are probably wondering ... whether you should be jumping on to the equity market rally ... That might be dangerous...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Perceptions of Volatility

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:45:00 GMT

"The rally may also be benefiting from at least two virtuous circles. The first is that leading economic indicators usually include the stockmarket itself as a key component...(Read More)

August Option Advisor Commentary

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:15:00 GMT

The following is a reprint of the market commentary from the August edition of the Option Advisor, published on July 23...(Read More)

Schaeffer On Charts: Beware 'Group Think' on Volatility

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:15:00 GMT

These days, there's some pretty decent divergence of opinion on which way the market is headed, but very little doubt (at least among the professionals quoted in the financial media) about where volatility is headed - higher, most certainly before the end of the year, and most likely sooner.And, to be sure, one can make a case for a bottom in volatility...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: This Time It's Our Turn

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:30:00 GMT

I just wanted to drop in quickly today to let you know that the second issue of our new SENTIMENT magazine is now available here...(Read More)

July Option Advisor Commentary

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:10:00 GMT

The following is a reprint of the market commentary from the July edition of the Option Advisor, published on June 25...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: The Volatility Game

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:23:00 GMT

"During the past week, institutional investors have started selling stock options that expire in December 2010 and buying others that expire in September and October 2009...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: A Big Bet on Inflation

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:45:00 GMT

"Mark Spitznagel made a fortune predicting the 'black swan' that hit markets last year...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Short Memories on the Street

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:50:00 GMT

"Fund managers have moved to overweight equities for the first time since December 2007 as hopes of an economic recovery remain intact despite a sell-off in bonds and rising yields, a survey showed on Wednesday...(Read More)

Schaeffer's Media Outtake: Go East, Young Man?

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:05:00 GMT

"The big problem for many investors at the moment is that the information they accumulated during a quarter of a century of global disinflation is just not relevant any more...(Read More)