Articles for: Australia

For a while there it looked like “all our Christmases had come at once” with many thinking making money this way is just too easy. Apart from the fact I have laboured the point about retracements over the last several weeks there is in fact seasonality to retracements in many markets.

Some investors picked this stock market run up as early as March, some have picked it up over the last few weeks, some have just got in recently and are now wondering whether they should bail out and lastly there is the group that have remained on the sidelines. And I guess there are probably many investors that fit into almost all categories.

The last week again showed continuing momentum but despite the good news on the US reporting front, stocks did not match that with a surge of buying as much of the good news has been factored in. This could be a case of "buy the news sell the reality.” Indices volume is now starting to lag and this can also be seen in individual stocks both here in OZ and in the US. It’s called taking a breather – which is good to see. With the market having achieved such gains the propensity for further upside for the medium term, is abating as investors become more cautious.

So you might ask what is the Caviar Index – it is simply a measure of the good times. When times are good – or we perceive them to be - then we start to live like lords again. We dine out more – at better restaurants – luxury car showrooms become busier and so and so on. Based on Australian economic data we supposedly have been living off a green paddock with rich pickings over the last few years – better than most in the western world at least. But yet few people would proclaim that these have been years of milk and honey and in fact on the contrary it has sort of been hard going some would say.

There is little doubt that the markets have confirmed sustainability and this appears likely to continue barring any major surprises. Technically the markets still want to keep rising. Volume remains firm and there are few sellers so buyers left behind when the markets took off in March are having to pay steep prices to get a stake in the market in these robust times.

I am revisiting the question “is it too late to enter the market?”, as there are so many investors constantly asking this question. They look at the juicy profits achieved over the last few months and ask is there room for more. I believe the short answer is yes but that does not mean you go out and splurge tomorrow.

I have stayed long Australian stocks and whilst I sold my US bull call spreads I am having a bob each way as I still hold US bear put spreads.

Whether you trade the Australian Dollar or are live in the country you cannot help but have some exposure to our currency.

Well what a week. The challenge for the Newsletter Editorial this week was where to start as there was just so much to write about – we started the week with media reports from the Dubai G7 meeting which really only highlighted some on-going, festering world currency issues.

You might ask why are we inflicted with such uncertainty all of a sudden. Life was going along swimmingly then all of a sudden we are questioning the road we have been travelling as road blocks such as currency turmoil, oil production cuts, new concerns about world growth etc. etc. are put in our way.