Stocks Slightly Higher into Final Hour on Central Bank Hopes, Jobless Claims, Gaming/Homebuilding Sector Strength

Today's Market Take:

Broad Market Tone:

• Advance/Decline Line: Higher
  

• Sector Performance: Most Sectors Rising
  

• Volume: Below Average

• Market Leading Stocks: Outperforming

Equity Investor Angst:

• VIX 13.81 +1.47%

• ISE Sentiment Index 109.0 -9.92%

• Total Put/Call .98 +25.64%

• NYSE Arms .80 -7.29%

Credit Investor Angst:

• North American Investment Grade CDS Index 78.66 -1.63%

• European Financial Sector CDS Index 159.87 +1.2%

• Western Europe Sovereign Debt CDS Index 95.17 -2.8%

• Emerging Market CDS Index 238.73 +1.20%

• 2-Year Swap Spread 13.5 +.5 bp

• TED Spread 22.50 -.5 bp

• 3-Month EUR/USD Cross-Currency Basis Swap -18.0 -.5 bp

Economic Gauges:

• 3-Month T-Bill Yield .05% unch.

• Yield Curve 148.0 +1 bp

• China Import Iron Ore Spot $134.60/Metric Tonne -.37%

• Citi US Economic Surprise Index -6.20 +1.7 points

• 10-Year TIPS Spread 2.40 +2 basis point

Overseas Futures:

• Nikkei Futures: Indicating +111 open in Japan

• DAX Futures: Indicating -12 open in Germany

Portfolio: 

• Slightly Higher: On gains in my retail, medical, biotech and tech sector longs

• Disclosed Trades: None

• Market Exposure: 50% Net Long