Defensive Sectors Lead as Market Turns Bearish
Defensive rotation continues. Utilities and real estate led again, $VIX closed above 20, and my short-term trend model flipped bearish. I also answered questions on holding through earnings ($MAR), #Bitcoin correlation, and what makes a trader great. Watch here: https://t.co/dJtLYZYHoz

Inverted Head‑Shoulders Pattern Shows 61% Success Rate
This classical pattern is called a continuation inverted head and shoulders. This is one of the most reliable patterns with a success rate of 61%, of which 43% travel to the target with minimum interruption. $CME @TechCharts #probabilities matter in...

Kuwait Lags UAE in Oil Capacity, Faces $90.5 Break‑Even
Kuwait's production capacity was ahead of the UAE's in 2010. Now it is 3.2 Mbpd versus 4.85 Mbpd Budget break-even is $90.5 per bbl and oil is 83% of the budget https://t.co/1si82Sc7pF

China’s $1.2 T Surplus Fuels Massive Market Interventions
One by product of China's exploding external surplus (goods surplus of $1.2 trillion, q4 current account surplus annualized is close to $1 trillion) is that it creates the raw material for some massive intervention numbers h/t @Mike_Weilandt for the chart https://t.co/PMvhatfgWh

Money Managers Near Record Soybean Futures Buying on US‑China Optimism
📈Money managers staged a near record buying spree in CBOT soybean futures & options in the week ended Feb. 10 on renewed U.S.-China optimism. New net long = 123,148 contracts. Net buying of 94k contracts was the second most for any...

Biggest Stocks Push S&P 500 Margin to Record 12.6%
"The exceptional profitability of the largest stocks boosted the aggregate S&P 500 profit margin to a new record high of 12.6% in 4Q" - Goldman https://t.co/5fnYCaoDhm

Visa's TSR Mirrors Earnings Growth, P/E Stays Flat
Visa total return the last decade or so basically all earnings growth; P/E unchanged while change in EPS estimates roughly equal TSR https://t.co/wYh3Mkz7Aq

Ford Faces $900M Tariff Blow, Highlighting US Corporate Pain
Ford just disclosed an additional $900M tariff hit in its Q4 results. TARIFFS = BAD NEWS FOR AMERICAN CORPORATIONS. https://t.co/kau61WOizz

Services Inflation Sticks While Housing Disinflation Persists
Closing out the week with @GregDaco and @ElizRosner talking about inflation: "On the latest episode of The Inflation Brief from ECON-versations with NABE, hosts Greg Daco and Laura Rosner-Warburton are joined by special guest Claudia Sahm to break down the...
Argentina's Survival Hinges on IMF Loans, Not Reserves
And net reserves are still negative -- Argentina survived 2025 thanks to a $14b loan from the IMF and a willingness on the part of the IMF and the US to ignored missed reserve targets. Indeed, Argentina got another $20b backstop...

Broadening Value and Cyclical Rotation Driven by Fundamentals
We now have the longest and strongest breadth rotation in recent years. Notably, it’s the only rotation that has been propelled by broader macro and micro fundamentals rather than lower rates. We first recommended a broadening trade of value and...

Crude Swings on Hormuz Alert, US‑Iran Talks, Venezuela Relief
🛢️ OIL CONTEXT WEEKLY 🛢️ 📈📉Crude prices rise on Hormuz advisory before falling back on the prospect of longer US-Iran talks, with headlines dotted with a flurry of US sanctions relief on Venezuela’s oil sector. Summary below, link to full report in...

Capital Shifts to Value: Cash Flow Beats Future Promises
Leadership didn’t vanish; it rotated. Capital moved from high-growth tech into value, dividends, and economically sensitive sectors. When rates stay higher and scrutiny rises, cash flow today beats promises tomorrow. Style matters again.

BOE's Pill: Rates Slightly Too Low, Should Stay
BOE’s Pill says interest rates are ‘a little too low’ and should be held https://t.co/wMBsLKECUz via @irinaanghel12 https://t.co/axOKBgzYCV
SPY Likely Drops Below $670 Before Hitting $690
Some ask. What do I think next week. The next ten $spy points. I’d say below $670 before above $690

China's Massive Surplus Threatens IMF Balance
China's reported current account surplus for q4 was $242b (close to $1 trillion annualized), and the 2025 surplus was $735b -- well over 3.5% of China's GDP. This has big implications for the IMF, for Secretary Bessent and and the world...

Germany Mulls Debt Brake Exemption for Raw Materials Fund
Germany weighs debt brake exemption to boost raw materials fund https://t.co/lsvcwd09Y5 via @mcnienaber @ocrook https://t.co/wmKMMM7Dgu

Old Leaders Fade; Adapt Fast to New Trading Landscape
The leaders of last year are no longer the favorites. The trading landscape is changing, and you have to adapt quickly to keep an edge.
Steel Stock SLX Surges: Rare Early Buying Opportunity
Helpful context. Your competitors completely missed this epic Cyclical ramp in the Steel Stocks $SLX and today's one of our 1st Buying Opportunities in a while

S&P 500 Mirrors US M2‑to‑GDP Ratio Trends
There's a general and logical correlation between money supply and capital markets. But what about money supply relative to GDP? Here's $SPX overlaid with the ratio of US M2 / real GDP: https://t.co/UA5X14bWEk
Investors Choose Safe Bonds, Accepting Low Real Returns
One way to interpret recent price action in the bond market is that large pools of investment capital have made the determination that a 3.6%-4.1% guaranteed nominal return over the next 5-10 years is preferable to taking on the risk/reward...

BDC Quarterly Letters: Refusing Write‑Downs, Defying Pressure
Every BDC quarterly letter should just say “we are choosing not to mark this down and you can’t make us.”
Signal Strength Recommends Holding Nucor Stock
Sam @SamofAmerica , Signal Strength says to stay with Nucor $NUE here. What say you?
DWSH Slides 1.3% as Borrowing Costs
Drosey Wrong $DWSH down another -1.3% and they're trying to jack up the borrow, sad
Professional Energy Bet After Yesterday’s Red Close
If you were buying more Energy Exposure via $XOP $OIH into a red close 24 hours ago, professionally done

Lenders Cut Ties on Deeply Underwater Properties
Valuations are dropping fast. If a deal isn’t performing, lenders try to save it to avoid losses. But when a property is too far underwater, there’s simply no reason to keep the original owner involved. #RealEstate #Finance #cashflowisking
Market Rally Likely False Amid Risk‑off Sentiment
I believe this is a false rally. Look at Utilities. That's defensive positioning. Same with long duration Treasuries. We remain in a risk-off condition for now.
SaaS Still Thriving: Mispriced Narrative, Not Collapse
“Software is dead.” That’s the narrative. Revenue isn’t collapsing. Balance sheets aren’t broken. The Fed isn’t tightening. AI disruption… or mispricing? The setup in large-cap SaaS may be asymmetric. Read: https://t.co/dhUDCqMzbs

Defensive Sectors Exhausted, Market Poised for Broad Correction
While sectors like staples (XLP), energy (XLE), materials (XLB) and industrials (XLI) have all provided a safe haven in recent weeks as large cap tech has sucked wind, most of these are all now reaching exhaustion. This means that from...
CPI Slowdown Fuels Falling Yields, Bullish Duration, Utilities, Gold
Post Hedgeye's Nowcast nailing another decel in CPI Growth decelerates → yields fall → correlations re-assert That’s the whole #Quad3 playbook ✔️ Duration bullish ✔️ Utilities work ✔️ Gold works ❌ Financials don’t

PLTR Near $120 May Offer Counter‑Trend Bounce
$PLTR not my style to buy dips after big breakdowns, but would have attractiveness from counter-trend perspective near 120 into Monday-Wed of next week. @IBDinvestors @marketsurge NEW charts link https://t.co/XW54gpkuMU Note that 4/7/25-11/3/25 rally of 210 cal. days...

Danny Moses Show Returns: Economy, AI, Markets Forecast
The Danny Moses Show returns tonight @scrippsnews at 7PM sponsored by @Kalshi. Great to have @pboockvar join me & we talk about the global & U.S. economy, A.I. stocks/bonds, commodities, the consumer, #FED, Private Credit & make some @Kalshi predictions... https://t.co/vQGLUQMHUc...

Markets Trade Transition as Central Banks Hold Steady
Pauses aren’t pivots. Central banks are holding steady, but easing remains conditional. Inflation is cooler, labor is softer, yet not weak enough to confirm a recession. Markets are trading the transition, not the destination.

Notable Absentees Among Firms Granted Venezuelan Upstream Access
Can't help but notice who ISN'T on this list of companies who just gained access to invest and operate in Venezuelan upstream. https://t.co/qrLcy4bd48

Argus Targets Venezuelan Crude for U.S. Gulf Delivery
This is an interesting oil market transparency development. Argus "will assess three grades of Venezuelan crude oil, Merey, Hamaca and Boscan, for delivery to the U.S. Gulf coast, which Argus said is now the most likely destination for Venezuelan cargoes" https://t.co/RaKzvH53Rp

China Backs Struggling Cuba Amid Looming US Showdown
As Cuba teeters on the brink of economic disaster, China promises continued support. It looks like a SHOWDOWN between the US & China might be in the cards. https://t.co/rb7Qf0CdN2
High ROE Fuels Rapid Book Growth and Higher Valuations
"We have shown over the past couple of years that Return-on-Equity readings for companies are very high, and very supportive of equity prices as the high ROE promotes rapid growth of corporate book value, and consequently higher market valuations." -...
Labor Holds, Inflation Cools, Yen Soars Amid Crosscurrents
Resilient labor. Cooling inflation. Duration rallying. Yen surging. 130K jobs. CPI at 2.4%. 10Y yields sliding. Dollar down on the week. This isn’t a clean cycle — it’s macro crosscurrents. Full breakdown: https://t.co/vNAZw80IbE
Assume BRICS' USD‑bypass Plans Are Real; Doubt USD Stability
Remember, every utterance from BRICS & Global South regarding potential new system to bypass USD is to be treated as if already operational & making material difference. And every piece of evidence that USD system isnt going anywhere is to be...
Last Year's Job Growth Fell Below a Single Biden Month
“.. we had less job growth all of last year than we had in an average month during the Biden administration.”

Brent Option Skew Halves, Signaling Lower Iran Risk
Brent crude option skew—which many have been treating as a proxy of oil market Iran risk perception (see comp to June 2025)—continues to deflate. Down more than half from a week ago, with prices down ~$3/bbl from Wednesday high. Gives a sense...

CENX Forms Classic Broadening Top, Echoing 1929 Pattern
The share price of $CENX is forming a classic broadening top pattern, similar to the famous 1929 chart of Air Reduction Corp. https://t.co/2CLb8yjOP6

Singapore Light Distillate Stocks Surge to Record Levels
Singaporean light distillate (eg gasoline/naphtha) inventories are *very* high right now. (seasonal chart, million barrels) https://t.co/ZgYbX7ZU9F
AI-Driven Low Rates Boost Term Premium Compression, Hedge Long Bonds
A very positive setup for duration and UST term premium compression if rates are to stay low for a longer timeframe because of AI disruption. It will take time to play out but long end is well priced and...

Market Prices Accelerating Fed Rate Cuts Through 2026
Notably, market-implied FOMC cuts through 2026 have been increasing. Through February, Fed Fund futures have priced in another -14bps of cuts for the year - and now the most dovish outlook after CPI since Dec 3rd: https://t.co/NZF2YksrWV

CPI Cools to 2.4%, Fed Eyes Jobs as Unemployment Falls
US #CPI inflation figures came in line with expectations of a pace cooling. Headline dropped from 2.7% to 2.4% while core eased 2.6% to 2.5%. This does shift priority towards employment in the Fed's dual mandate but the jobless rate...
CPI Cool, but Data Gaps Mask True Inflation
The CPI data came in cooler than expected, which is always welcome. The headline is obscuring some of the underlying inflation due to the loss in data associated with the government shutdown. The overall index posted its coolest reading since...

Inflation Stays Low as Money Supply Grows Below Golden Rate
US's CPI inflation rate comes in at 2.4%/yr in January. The US money supply (M2) has been growing BELOW Hanke's Golden Growth Rate of ~6.3%/yr, a rate consistent with hitting the Fed's 2%/yr inflation target, since April 2022. THE INFLATION STORY =...
SPY and QQQ Bounce After Breaking Yesterday
Tactically $spy pushed below yesterday’s low and reclaimed it for a bounce cash flow move. U guys know what to do with that Same for $qqq

S&P Erases Almost All 2026 Gains Amid AI Hype
Forget Trump's AI HYPE. The S&P Index has now given up nearly all its 2026 gains. https://t.co/GAL0TbU7KG