I recently commented that bond prices had completed a bullish continuation pattern, suggesting further upside for prices, and therefore, a further downside for interest rates. I received some pushback suggesting that interest rates were at all-lows. How could I possibly see further upside for bond prices?

When you check your portfolio to discover that your holdings are going down, or already in the red, how does that make you feel, physically? Likely, it is a slightly painful feeling and you get sweaty palms, feel lightheaded, get a weird feeling in the pit of your stomach, or maybe you feel pessimistic (or optimistic)?

 The number one question investors should be asking themselves at all times is “what is my investment horizon?” More specifically, “what is my time horizon?” 

This week I’m visiting New York, and while I have been on the road I have had a lot of time to think. One of the quotes I have given significant thought to lately is a quote by a famous investor and hedge fund manager, Bruce Kovner.

A recent Barron’s article quoting a couple of my technical analyst industry peers made a number of comparisons between technical analysis and astrology. 

I am just wrapping up my first week of hosting my closing bell show on StockCharts TV, The Final Bar (you can catch it on weekdays at 4pm EST). Most of the days this week I have had the opportunity to have a guest on the show. This has given me the opportunity to pick the brain of some really capable market strategists and analysts. The one thing that has struck me the most is that I give them 3-5 minutes to give me their individual take on the market and most of them are coming at me with really long term charts.

Two themes stand out as I review the charts this week.  First, the leadership of the supersized MANIA names that seem to dwarf everything else.  Second, charts in the Financials sector that have been notable underperformers over the last six weeks.  Let's review both of themes and let the charts tell the story.

I regularly scroll through all the charts in the S&P 500 as part of my research process.  Technical analysts that I respect a great deal convinced me of the value of this routine, which tends to increase your market awareness and decrease your vulnerability to market movements.

I was a guest speaker again this week on MarketWatchers LIVE over at StockCharts.com.  Always a pleasure to speak with Tom Bowley and Erin Swenlin who demonstrate straightforward and powerful methods to understand the markets through charts.

"Amazon makes no sense," begins a recent article trying to grasp the impact of this one company on so many other companies and industries.  As Bloomberg points out, "Executives at the biggest U.S. companies mentioned Amazon thousands of times during investor calls last year, according to transcripts—more than President Trump and almost as often as taxes."