In the last month the market moved up despite rising interest rates and despite higher oil prices, focusing instead on the upcoming earnings season.

Overall, I think what it shows is the fourth quarter, despite good profit numbers, in terms of overall economic growth was not a very strong finish to the year.

Net-net, there’s probably plenty of oil in the market. OPEC left production quotas, so that’s a plus for the market this morning.

The bulls have some work to do today.

Had it not been for the impressive January same-store sales reports, decent forward-looking statements and the big drop in energy prices, the market drop would have been far worse. With the understanding that we needed...

It is a domino effect of negative news.

Those very short-term support levels were broken yesterday, but the supports under the current levels are substantial. Now that the Fed has made it clear that we will see one if not two more rate...

There is very little economic news out this week, and nothing is due out today. All eyes are on the Fed.

Today, we’re keeping an eye on the same old catalysts, rates and crude. The drop in interest rates overshadowed a rise in crude [Tuesday] . However, crude is still well entrenched in its trading range,...

Every time investors think the Fed is going to be one-and-done, they rally the market 100 points. Yesterday was no exception. The potential for an additional 25 basis points in June faded from over 50%...

These were reassuring statements by the Fed, … I think what the market ultimately fears is inflation. What makes assets worth less in the long run is inflation. What the Fed is effectively saying is,...

It’s going to come down to how sales are pre-Christmas, what we hear from the retail sector, … I would expect next week, while remaining positive, to have not as robust a move as we...

Nobody likes to fail in the fourth quarter. There are going to be companies that did well in the holiday season and they will be able to add to gains.

Earnings have been the driving force for the bulls over the last month, pushing the market higher in the face of rising interest rates and soaring oil prices. We’ll need something new to compel the...

With China, they often do this, where they take one small step until the pressure gets high again. It’s unlikely that China is really going to move aggressively to slow their economy. It would take...

The market will be swimming upstream against a small current. We are still seeing a market rally that has not broken any key technical supports, but there are crack in the foundation. If they start...

The 10-year has been trying to anticipate the fed funds rate. As soon as (Fed policy-makers) made it clear that they weren’t going to stop at 4.75 percent, there was a big jump.

We’re not going to feel the impact of these rate hikes for quite some time.

It will take some strong earnings and bullish forecasts, as well as positive economic data, to keep the rally going. There are plenty of economic data and earnings releases to sway market opinion from hour...

There was so much expectation built in for the stock … I think that the expectations were about as high as they could get for it. I think it was a case of buy on...

The negative productivity number we saw today about the fourth quarter raises fears that companies are not going to be able to absorb those costs.

Any time you remove uncertainty, it’s good news for the market. Having raised the question, the market has shifted its attention to Greenspan from earnings.

If you’re going into the worst year of a four-year cycle and heading into one of the worst months statistically of the year, then it seems like a likely opportunity for the market to see...

And the forward-looking statements that companies are likely to give will probably be restrained given all the negatives that companies see: rising interest rates, rising mortgages, a lot of concern.

This morning stocks are looking to start the day slightly lower.

By the end of this week, the attention will shift to the December employment report and then on to earnings starting next week. By the end of the month, earnings and forward-looking projections will be...

The market had been ignoring the recent run in crude, brushing it off as temporary emotional buying as a hedge against economic sanctions against Iran. Whatever the reason, oil is back up against all-time highs,...

The momentum has swung in favor of the bulls, but we need to keep it going or it will look like another failed attempt at new high ground.

Consolidation is a healthy development, especially in light of the pop in crude and the worsening inversion of the yield curve.

Internally, the market’s bounce left something to be desired. Since the market went out on the high of the day, it should have some morning momentum left. The real question is whether or not it...

The bulls had a real opportunity. Earnings continue to roll in, and for the most part they are in-line or better than expected.

It looks like some seasonal New Year’s buying will give the market a bullish start, but this January faces many negative technical obstacles.

The Santa Claus rally is clearly underway. I expect to see the bulls carry the averages to new 4 1/2 year highs right into next Friday’s close.

The futures are off to a slightly lower start after the [Group of Seven industrial nations] made a firmer call for China to accelerate the exchange rate of the yuan. The dollar got hit in...

While we would like to see a follow-through day, the positive implications from yesterday’s rally should help reinforce a support under the market at Tuesday’s intraday lows. Weakness in same-store retail sales and continued strength...

Adobe Systems issued an earnings warning that is a little light of expectations. The market has shown some true resilience, but the question is, how long can the rally last if technology [stocks] refuse to...

Earnings will be the main focal point, although the rumbling is already starting about the upcoming FOMC meeting.

It’s a little bit (bond) positive because GDP did rise as expected.

But, for the most part, we’re looking at a market that is in a consolidation phase after two weeks of a very strong run.

It will impact the Dow but on broader basis it won’t do much to the market. I think there are much bigger factors today such as the semiconductor index above its 200-day moving average and...

Mergers are looking to help us hold our ground today.

With the tax date deadline, you’re getting money flows coming into the market.

While the market was still moving higher, the internals leave much to be desired. The action is not negative, just not impressive, which leads me to believe that we are in an up-trending trading range.

The market is down as crude prices are up because of the approaching hurricane, which could hurt production, and then tomorrow’s FOMC meeting is also going to be important, … I think the Fed will...

Even though the figures were revised slightly lower, investors were relieved because the data won’t provide the Fed with an excuse to continue raising rates past January.

Airlines and industrials are gaining from lower oil. Discounters are responding not only to a drop in oil prices but also to Wal-Mart’s statement that it will meet September sales expectations despite higher gasoline prices.

Even though yesterday’s rally may have faded, the leadership, internal action, and breadth were all reasons to anticipate further upside potential heading into the seasonal year-end pattern.

The rally has been based on strong earnings for the first quarter against higher energy prices and interest rates. That’s the battle. And earnings tend to win out in April, historically.

From now on, strong economic numbers threaten another rate hike. Weak numbers point to profit disappointments. What the bull market needs is a catalyst, which would likely need to be a break in energy and...

Window dressing should focus on the groups that have done well this year. Energy, technology, financials, and industrials have provided leadership. Even those groups that have underperformed for the year have picked up quite a...