3/11 Almanac

On Friday, March 11: Retail sales, consumer sentiment, business inventories.

There are 8 days before March options expire, 36 the April and 71 the May.

On the jump, market stats, econ reports, and the trading calendar . . .



Stats

Blue chip stocks (SPY) closed the latest regular session down 1.9% from the prior close. During the day SPY traversed 1.0% in a net move down of 0.8%.

The day's extremes: Open $131.00, high $131.18, low $129.81, close $129.94.

SPY traded entirely below the DeMark pivots. The next DeMark pivots are $132.00-$133.20.

In total, 2.8 billion shares were traded on the three major U.S. stock exchange, 14% more than on the prior trading day.

Volume stats are unavailable at the time of this posting.

Five-year bond yields imply inflation at 2.66%, three basis points lower than on the prior trading day.


Econ reports:

The Commerce Dept. releases its monthly retail sales report at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. This report on occasion is a significant market-mover.

The Reuter's/University of Michigan consumer confidence report is out at 9:55 a.m., and the Census Bureau's business inventories figures at 10 a.m.

New York Fed Vice chairman William Dudley gives a speech. He is a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee.

The Federal Reserve often posts transcripts of speeches and testimony within a few days of the event.


Trading Calendar:

By my rules, at this point in the cycle I can trade April diagonal, butterfly, vertical and calendar spreads, iron condors and covered calls. Also, May or later straddles, calls and puts. And of course, shares are good at any time.


Good trading!