5/6 Almanac

On Friday, May 6: Unemployment and employment.

There are 15 days before May options expire, 43 the June, 71 the July and 106 the August.

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


Stats

Blue chip stocks (SPY) closed the latest regular session down 0.9% from the prior close. During the day SPY traversed 1.4% in a net move down of 0.4%.

The day's extremes: Open $134.08, high $134.95, low $133.02, close $133.61.

SPY closed below the DeMark pivots after trading within their range. The next DeMark pivots are $132.35-$134.28.

In total, 3.3 billion shares were traded on the three major U.S. stock exchanges, barely changed from the prior trading day.

Five-year bond yields imply inflation at 2.34%, 10 basis points lower than the prior trading day.


Econ reports:

The most-followed report of the econ month will be released at 8:30 a.m. Eastern: The unemployment rate, and the number of jobs in the economy.

Also out, consumer credit, at 3 p.m.

No Fedsters are scheduled to appear. For past appearances...

The Federal Reserve maintains an archive where it 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 May vertical and calendar spreads, as well as August or later straddles, strangles, calls and puts. And of course, shares are good at any time.


Good trading!