Well we sure ended Q2 with a bang.
Just because we’re in cash doesn’t mean we don’t have some fun and our final index play of the quarter was a nice 70% gainer on the DIA $86 puts. Other than a TNK spread and some quick GS puts (up a quick 20% and out), that was our only play of the week so far so we’re really picking our spots for that sidelined cash. Now that Q2 is finally fading into the sunset, it is time to see what’s real and what isn’t and we’re really looking forward to earnings season, where we hope to separate the haves from the have-nots.
As David Fry pointedout regarding yesterday’s action:”Stock price declines today were milder than expected given the news. But, silly me, I forget that this is the quarter and mid-year end—there are bonuses to be had and bullish headlines to be written. Why did the market rise this quarter? An overwhelming amount of liquidity plus an equal amount of BS.” It has indeed been a very frustrating quarter to be a bear, mainlybecause you have an administration that turns a blind eye towards bullish market manipulation because it’s “good” for the economy. Unfortunately, it’s only good for the economy the same way rigging baseball so the Yankees would play the Mets in a subway series would be “good” for New York sports – it may be good in the short run but, if people begin to distrust the validity of the games, then they may lose interest altogether…
Professional traders like the market to make some sense. We like to see X data have Y effect in a fairly reliable curve. Consumer confidence fell 10% yesterday and consumer spending is 70% of the GDP so you would think it would affect the market by more than 1% right? Not this market – nothing seems to matter and that’s OK, we’re getting used to the scam but we’re now playing the scam – not the market itself and that’s never a good thing and it’s certainly no reason for us to commit our long-term capital and that’s the only way this market will ever get healthy again.
Meanwhile, over in reality, steel prices in the US fell 3.1% in June – the 11th consecutive monthly decline as the only green shoots we see there are the ones growing through the rust of the abandoned steel mills. Steel…
