3/4 Almanac

On Friday, March 4: Employment, unemployment, factory orders.

There are 15 days before March options expire, 43 the April and 78 the May.

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



Stats

Blue chip stocks (SPY) closed the latest regular session up 1.7% from the prior close. During the day SPY traversed 0.9% in a net move up of 0.8%.

The day's extremes: Open $132.40, high $133.62, low $132.39, close $133.47.

SPY traded entirely above the DeMark pivots. The next DeMark pivots are $132.93-$134.16.

In total, 3.1 billion shares were traded on the three major U.S. stock exchange, 3% more than on the prior trading day.

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


Econ reports:

The Labor Dept.'s Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the monthly employment report at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, including the headline figure: The unemployment rate. This is the number, among the whole arsenal of econ reporting, that the public follows most closely: Gee-Dee-Pee, Shmee-Dee-Pee -- Am I gonna keep my job??!!

The Census Bureau releases stats on factory orders for both durable good and more ephemeral stuff. Out at 10 a.m.

Treasury reports on STRIPS activities at 3 p.m. It's not as sexy as it sounds. The report tracks Treasury notes and bonds where the interest payments have been stripped off of the principal repayment, creating separate products from one bond.

Fed Vice Chair Janet Yellen gives a speech in Paris. She has a vote on 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 vertical and calendar spreads. Also, May or later straddles, calls and puts. And of course, shares are good at any time.


Good trading!