Yesterday’s positive, but also rather weak, response to the FOMC announcement was interesting. On the one hand, you could take it as evidence that the bulls were still in control. But, it was definitely contained enthusiasm. As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, it often takes the markets a day or two to fully digest the FOMC announcement. So, maybe today’s pull back was the “on further thought” reaction. And today's weak GDP report didn’t help.

SPX lost $19 to close at $2076. RUT closed down $14 to $1140. Trading volume rose again today with 2.7 billion shares of the S&P 500 stocks trading. Trading volume rose 3% on the NYSE and rose 12% on NASDAQ.

The first estimate of first quarter GDP growth came in at a meager +0.5%, positive, but certainly causing many to wonder about prospects of recession. Initial unemployment claims rose to 257k from 248k, but this remains in line with the flat trend of the past several months. Continuing unemployment claims dropped five thousand to 2.130 million.

I continue to believe this market will remain range bound for the immediate future, perhaps until after the election. Economic data simply don’t support a bullish path forward, even with the Fed supporting the market. But I don’t see the evidence for a new recession either (although today’s GDP data are a concern). We’ll see.