Just a couple of days ago, I was complimenting SPX for closing for three consecutive days above $2000, or roughly the mid-September high. But SPX couldn't stand the heat and has now retreated, closing down $9 at $1994. RUT has traded even weaker, never reaching the mid-September highs. RUT closed at $1137, down $11. Trading volume remains below the 50 dma on the S&P 500 with 2.4 billion shares, but it was up from yesterday. Trading volume rose 9% on the NYSE and increased 23% on NASDAQ. Volatility remained calm, with the VIX rising only four tenths of a point to 18.0%. My previous thesis appears to be holding, viz., not strong enough to mount a bull run for new all time highs, but not really weak enough to start a bearish trend lower.

Perhaps the Fed's Beige Book threw cold water on the markets. A them running through the minutes was the weakness of our economy and whether it could withstand a interest rate hike. The PPI for September came in at -0.5%, lower than last month's 0% change. Retail sales for September didn't inspire anyone, up 0.1% over August.

I'm out here in Las Vegas for the Traders Expo. I am looking forward to seeing many of you here. It is always nice to put faces to the email exchanges.