March 17, 2022
Lift-Off and Re-Escalation
Houston, we have a lift off. The Federal Reserve hiked 25 basis points yesterday in their first such move since 2018.
Bill Baruch is founder and President of Blue Line Futures, Blue Line Capital, and Blue Creek Capital. Bill has extensive experience in the financial industry as an advisor, trader and manager. He started his career as an investment banking analyst, but quickly left for the fast paced world of commodity trading in 2007. He got his start as a Market Strategist at Lind Waldock’s Chicago Board of Trade office. Lind Waldock was purchased by MF Global and he began running his own trade desk there in 2009. In 2011, he took a role as the Chief Market Strategist at iiTRADER. Blue Line Futures is a futures and commodities brokerage, Blue Line Capital is a registered investment advisor, Blue Creek Capital is a commodity trading advisor.
March 15, 2022
Midday Market Minute March 15, 2022
March 15, 2022
China’s Bludgeoning and Inflation Ahead of Fed
U.S. equity benchmarks slipped further overnight, and the NQ traded to the lowest level since May. Monday was another failed rally attempt; indices were slammed after the S&P gained as much as 1% through the opening hour.
March 14, 2022
Midday Market Minute March 14, 2022
March 14, 2022
Trapped Longs Across Assets
Fed week, the Federal Reserve begins their two-day policy meeting tomorrow. Concludes Wednesday at 1:00 pm CT.
March 11, 2022
Are Longs Trapped?
March 10, 2022
Midday Market Minute March 10, 2022
March 10, 2022
Narratives Mount with ECB and CPI
U.S. equity benchmarks ‘staged’ a terrific rally yesterday, a steady grind from start to finish. With price action slipping overnight, it is a reminder of the broader environment; we cannot get caught up in one day’s action.
March 8, 2022
Midday Market Minute March 8, 2022
March 8, 2022
Bulldozed by Stagflation
U.S. equity benchmarks are peeling themselves off the pavement after getting bulldozed to start the week. There was no midday bounce and like last Thursday a low volume pre-market spike in the minutes leading into the bell was quickly wrecked.
March 7, 2022
Midday Market Minute March 7, 2022
March 6, 2022
Midday Market Minute March 4, 2022
March 4, 2022
Jobs, Nuclear, and Next Leg Imminent
Head-fake breakout early yesterday. The premarket pump forced buying at higher levels and everyone who wanted to buy had within the first 15 minutes. No more buyers.
March 3, 2022
Midday Market Minute March 3, 2022
March 1, 2022
Pricing Out the Fed’s Hawkishness
Yesterday, a firm bid remained under Treasuries despite broad strength across risk assets as U.S. equity benchmarks erased overnight losses. What is this move telling us?
February 24, 2022
Midday Market Minute February 24, 2022
February 24, 2022
Your Roadmap to Wartime Markets
A continued tone of risk off took hold yesterday and equity markets around the world are sharply lower today. Russia’s attack on Ukraine will remain the dominant headline.
February 22, 2022
Midday Market Minute February 22, 2022
February 20, 2022
Midday Market Minute February 18, 2022
February 18, 2022
Big Levels and Big Narratives
February 17, 2022
Your Roadmap to a Whirlwind of Headlines
Walmart’s early earnings release helped bring U.S. equity benchmarks out of their overnight funk. The company’s stock is up more than 2% after topping estimates and comes a day after strong Retail Sales signaled the consumer is still alive.
February 16, 2022
Midday Market Minute February 16, 2022
February 16, 2022
The Consumer is Alive
The consumer fell off a cliff in December, the holiday season, with headline and Core Retail Sales contracting by 1.9% and 2.3%, respectively. To make matters worse, November’s read was nothing special.
February 15, 2022
Midday Market Minute February 15, 2022
February 15, 2022
Inflation, Ukraine, and a Rollercoaster of Newsflow
A sense of de-escalation at the Ukrainian border has lifted risk-assets. Russian President Putin and German Chancellor Scholz are holding a meeting this morning and Russian troops have begun to return to base.
February 14, 2022
Midday Market Minute February 14, 2022
February 10, 2022
Midday Market Minute February 10, 2022
February 10, 2022
Inflation is Front and Center
U.S. benchmarks finished strongly yesterday, but the S&P and NQ have yet to clear their February 2nd highs. The strength comes on the heels of the ninth largest week of inflows since 2009, according to Bank of America data, great technical groundwork, and earnings tailwinds.
February 9, 2022
Midday Market Minute February 9, 2022
February 8, 2022
