Today is not starting out well for me. Two words sum it up – computer problems. First, my normal work computer gave me the “blue screen of death” this morning, and for those who know Microsoft Windows, well, you know that this is as bad as it gets with Windows.

The reason I am even writing about my computer problems is that just two minutes ago I was closing out my sagacious thinking for the market today and the computer I am using at this moment decided to shut down to install Windows updates. This then wiped out all my wonderful writing, which means you are reading this stuff because I need a venting device, otherwise I will throw this laptop out a window, a window, by the way, that does not have any connection to the company that has been the host for so many of my computer problems over the years.

So, here is the deal.  On Friday, the overall market closed up big and this morning the Dow is down and everything else is up. Specifically, the Russell 2000 (RUT) and the S&P Mid-Cap 400 (MID) are up, while the Dow is down. Oil is continuing to struggle and the gold trade is tepid at best. It appears risk-on is back on and the fear that was driving the market is dissipating. I conclude the former because all of last week, the RUT and the MID performed just as they are today, opposite of the Dow.

I conclude the latter because the VIX ran all the way up to 31 and it is now in the 19 zone.

We will need this week and the earnings that come out to establish whether this current market behavior is rational, meaning, driven by the fundamentals, or it is a lull in the otherwise irrational behavior that has characterized the market for quite some time now.

In any case, I need to get my computer life back in order, so I can lose the frustration and take back my normal day. In the meantime, I will watch the market on my tablet, which is fine I guess. No, actually it is not fine. Android is not Windows, so the functionality is limited, and that is annoying.  Then again, my android operating system is actually working …

Hopefully, tomorrow, I will be back up and running in full stride.  Wish me luck.

Trade in the day; Invest in your life

Trader Ed