Thursday, March 19, 2026

Bear Radar

Style Underperformer:

  • Large-Cap Growth -.9%
Sector Underperformers:
  • 1) Gold & Silver -7.2% 2) Nuclear -2.4% 3) Homebuilding -2.0%
Stocks Falling on Unusual Volume: 
  • BIRK, WSC, EH, GE, NXE, WSC, MGA, OCS, KNF, FNF, FUTU, KYIV, MT, DT, QDEL, MHK, FCX, FAF, LAND, LGIH, QDEL, PHYS, ALM, STAA, DSP, MOS, SCCO, LTBR, COCO, CSTM, GFI, CEF, LIF, CMP, CRCL, CGAU, SKE, PSLV, DRD, OR, WPM, BABA, CDE, B, KNSL, KGC, AEM, SUNB, AGI, IAG, ORLA, HMY, PPTA, MUX, EQPT, TFPM, ARIS, SSRM, PAAS, BVN, EGO, AG, RGLD, IE, MP, NEM, EQX, SA, LB, AU, SBSW, AGMB, ELE, AA, AUGO, CENX, HYMC, RCAT, PICS and CSIQ
Stocks With Unusual Put Option Activity:
  • 1) NEXT 2) NYT 3) EXE 4) YPF 5) DB
Stocks With Most Negative News Mentions:
  • 1) CSIQ 2) NEM 3) BABA 4) DXLG 5) SMR
Sector ETFs With Most Negative Money Flow:
  • 1) XLK 2) XRT 3) XLE 4) KRE 5) IYJ

Bull Radar

Style Outperformer:

  • Small-Cap Value -.5%
Sector Outperformers:
  • 1) Coal +4.5% 2) Oil Service +1.8% 3) Energy +1.3%
Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume:
  • VET, SPIR, TWO, TSEM, SIG, AXTI, FIVE, DLO, BTU, ELVN, WDS, DEC, MEOH, CNR, LITE, AAOI, METC, LNG, EQNR, AGRO, PTGX, COHR, ARLP, FLNG, BWLP, ARLP, RRC, PARR, KSS, GPOR, ETON, AR, ACN, SLB, YPF, CVE, APA, SSL, COLL, E, EXE, CRESY, VIST, CRK, OSIS, EQT, BETA, CNQ, TTE, NOG, GPRK and SMTC
Stocks With Unusual Call Option Activity:
  • 1) NEXT 2) BF/B 3) LBTYA 4) TTE 5) CLX 
Stocks With Most Positive News Mentions:
  • 1) SER 2) SIG 3) ELA 4) GOAI 5) CAL
Sector ETFs With Most Positive Money Flow:
  • 1) SMH 2) XAR 3) IFRA 4) RSPT 5) XOP
Charts:

Tomorrow's Earnings/Economic Releases of Note; Market Movers

Earnings of Note 
Company/Estimate 

Before the Open:
  • None of note
After the Close: 
  • None of note
Economic Releases 
  • None of note 

Upcoming Splits

  • None of note
Other Potential Market Movers
  • The US Baker Hughes oil rig count, weekly CFTC speculative net positioning reports and the (WBD) shareholders meeting could also impact global trading tomorrow.
US Equity Market Hours
  • 9:30 am - 4:00 pm EST

Mid-Day Market Internals

NYSE Composite Index:

  • Volume Running +16.4% Above 100-Day Average 
  • Nasdaq/NYSE Volume Ratio 10.9 -4.9
  • 10 Sectors Declining, 1 Sector Rising
  • 35.9% of Issues Advancing, 62.2% Declining 
  • TRIN/Arms .63 -37.0%
  • Non-Block Money Flow -$256.7M
  • 65 New 52-Week Highs, 145 New Lows
  • 46.2% (-2.6%) of Issues Above 200-day Moving Average
  • Average 14-Day RSI 31.3 -9.3
Polymarket: 
  • How long will the DHS shutdown last? 60+ days 50.0% +5.0 percentage points
  • Will China invade Taiwan by end of 2026? 10.0% -1.0 percentage point
  • US forces enter Iran by April 30th 61.0% +20.0 percentage points
  • Trump announces end of military operations against Iran by April 30th 53.0% -1.0 percentage point
Other:
  • Bloomberg Global Risk-On/Risk-Off Index 102.1 +.3%
  • Global Monitor Iran Instability Index 100.0 unch.
  • Strait of Hormuz Oil Tanker Traffic Curtailed Estimate 95.0% unch.
  • US High-Yield Tech Sector OAS Index 543.5 +11.25 basis points
  • Bloomberg Cyclicals/Defensives Index 244.7 -.5%
  • Morgan Stanley Growth vs Value Index 141.3 -.8%
  • CNN Fear & Greed Index 17.0 (EXTREME FEAR) -3.0
  • 1-Day Vix 15.9 -28.0%
  • Vix 25.2 +.4%
  • Total Put/Call .83 -21.7%

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Thursday Watch

Night Trading 

  • Asian equity indices are -2.5% to -1.5% on average. 
  • Asia Ex-Japan Investment Grade CDS Index 78.5 +2.0 basis points.
  • China Sovereign CDS 48.25 +2.0 basis points.
  • China Iron Ore Spot 107.35 USD/Metric Tonne +.04%. 
  • Crude Oil 99.20/bbl. +2.9% 
  • Gold 4,853.0 USD/t oz. -.9%. 
  • Swiss Franc/Offshore Chinese Renminbi Cross 8.71 -.1%.
  • Bloomberg Emerging Markets Currency Index 35.37 -.1%.
  • Bloomberg Global Risk-On/Risk Off Index 100.7 -1.1%
  • US 10-Year Yield 4.28% +1.0 basis point.
  • Japan 30-Year Yield 3.52% +2.0 basis points. 
  • Volatility Index(VIX) futures 24.9 +1.0%.
  • Euro Stoxx 50 futures -1.6%. 
  • S&P 500 futures -.13%.
  • NASDAQ 100 futures -.16%.
Morning Preview Links

BOTTOM LINE: Asian indices are lower, weighed down by financial and technology shares in the region. I expect US stocks to open mixed and to weaken into the afternoon, finishing modestly lower.  The Portfolio is Market Neutral heading into the day.

Stocks Falling into Final Hour on Rising Long-Term Rates, Prolonged Mideast War Fears, Mideast Energy Infrastructure Damage Concerns, Restaurant/Metals & Mining Sector Weakness

Economic/Market Gauges:

  • North American Investment Grade CDS Index 58.8 +2.9%
  • BofA Private Credit Proxy Index 72.4 +.8% 
  • Bloomberg US Securitized MBS/ABS/CMBS Avg. OAS .24 -1.0 basis point
  • BofA Global Financial Stress Indicator .25 -4.0 basis points
  • European Financial Sector CDS Index 65.9 +1.2%
  • Emerging Market CDS Index 148.7 +2.5%
  • Israel Sovereign CDS 79.2 -2.5% 
  • Bloomberg Global Trade Policy Uncertainty Index .9 unch.
  • US Morning Consult Daily Consume Sentiment Index 90.0 -2.2 
  • Citi US Economic Surprise Index 27.8 -.3
  • Citi Eurozone Economic Surprise Index -9.0 +.2
  • Citi Emerging Markets Economic Surprise Index 54.2 +.5 point
  • S&P 500 Current Quarter EPS Growth Rate YoY(5 of 500 reporting) +10.9% n/a
  • S&P 500 Blended Forward 12 Months Mean EPS Estimate 327.19 +.32:  Growth Rate +17.8% +.1 percentage point, P/E 20.4 -.2
  • S&P 500 Current Year Estimated Profit Margin 14.81% unch.
  • NYSE FANG+ Current Quarter EPS Growth Rate YoY(0 of 10 reporting) n/a
  • NYSE FANG+ Blended Forward 12 Months Mean EPS Estimate 527.19 +.47: Growth Rate +32.5% +.1 percentage point, P/E 27.9 -.1
  • Bloomberg US Financial Conditions Index .33 +6.0 basis points
  • US Yield Curve 50.75 basis points (2s/10s) -2.0 basis points 
  • Bloomberg Industrial Metal Index 167.3 -1.6%
  • Dutch TTF Nat Gas(European benchmark) 54.7 euros/megawatt-hour +6.0% 
  • US Recession Within 6 Months Probability(3M/18M Forward Yld Curve Spread) 23.2% -1.5 percentage points
  • US Atlanta Fed GDPNow Q1 Forecast +2.7% unch.
  • US 10-Year T-Note Yield 4.25% +5.0 basis points
  • 1-Year TIPS Spread 5.06 +10.0 basis points
  • Highest target rate probability for April 29th FOMC meeting: 96.9% (-1.0 percentage point) chance of 3.5%-3.75%. Highest target rate probability for June 17th meeting: 84.4%(+4.9 percentage points) chance of 3.5%-3.75%. (current target rate is 3.5-3.75%)
Overseas Futures:
  • Nikkei 225 Futures: Indicating +525 open in Japan 
  • China A50 Futures: Indicating +37 open in China
  • DAX Futures: Indicating -30 open in Germany
Portfolio:
  • Slightly Higher: On gains in my tech sector longs, index hedges and emerging market shorts
  • Disclosed Trades: Added to my (IWM)/(QQQ) hedges
  • Market Exposure: Moved to 25% Net Long