April Stock Market

If you believe in old stock market cliches, then you’ll know that April represents, in theory, the last good month of trading for the bulls before they “Sell in May and Go Away!”. But lets face, it, yes, the volume in the summer is lower, and sell-offs tend to happen more often then, but if the market wants to rally in the summer time, no popular cliche deemed worthy by the masses will keep the market from rallying higher if it wants. 

Though the prospect of a sell off is really exciting for me, because the trading opportunities should be unbelievable as a result. So it is a “wait-and-see” as April is upon us. Oil is trying to hold it together coming into the month with a four day bounce currently underway. While the VIX continues to hover in the $12’s with very little upside movement that is ever sustained for more than a few hours. 

The percentage of stocks that are trading above their 40-day moving average has definitely improved from the low 30’s just a week ago to where it is now at 50%. Still a low number considering how close we are to establishing new all-time highs once again. 

But the most impressive observation of all is the fact that the S&P 500 actually finished lower for the month of March. Barely lower, but it was lower. This was the first losing month since October, snapping a 4-month winning streak for the S&P 500. Over the past couple of years, when it snaps a winning streak, it has resulted in additional selling the following months. The last two times it has resulted in a 3-month sell-off. So lets see if that trend holds or not. 

S&P 500 Chart

Current Stock Trading Portfolio Balance: 

• 1 Long Positions

Recent Stock Trade Notables:

• UPRO: Long at 91.94, closed at 96.54 for a 5.0% profit.
• Alibaba Group (BABA): Long at 105.736, closed at 108.22 for a 2.4% profit. 
• Facebook (FB): Long at 134.27, Closed at 139.23 for a 3.7% profit. 
• CDW Corp (CDW): Long at 58.65, closed at 58.91 for a 2.7% loss. 
• Redhat (RHT): Long at 82.41, Closed at 83.53 for a 1.4% profit. 
• Ambarella (AMBA): Long at 57.15, Closed at 55.52 for a 2.8% loss. 
• Alibaba Group (BABA): Long at 104.73, closed at 106.05 for a 1.3% profit. 
• Broadcom (AVGO): Long at 218.63, Closed at 222.71 for a 1.9% profit. 
• American Airlines (AAL): Short at 44.76, Closed at 44.03 for a 1.6% profit.
• UPRO  (Day-Tade): Long at 95.35, closed at 96.50 for a 1.2% profit.
• OZRK: Long at $56.12, closed at $54.69 for a 2.5% loss. 
• FNSR: Long at $34.25, closed at 34.70 for a 1.3% profit. 
• UPRO  (Day-Tade): Long at 96.92, closed at 98.03 for a 1.2% profit. 
• JP Morgan Chase (JPM): Long at 87.21, closed at 89.67 for a 2.8% profit. 
• Chevron (CVX): Short at 110.03, covered at 111.85 for a 1.6% loss. 
• Flex Technologies (FLEX): Long at $15.62, closed at $16.57 for a 6.1% profit. 
• Baidu (BIDU): Long at $174.70, closed at $187.00 for a 7.0% profit. 
• Ollie’s Bargain Outlet: Long at 33.20, closed at $32.50 for a 2.1% loss. 
• Corning (GLW): Long at $26.98, closed at $27.45 for a 1.7% profit. 
• Illinois Tool Works (ITW): Long at $127.74, closed at $129.86 for a 1.7% profit. 
• Marriott Int’l (MAR): Long at $86.16, closed at $87.51 for a 1.6% profit.