The Standard and Poors 500 index (SPX) closed today at 3999, up 16 points on the day or +0.4%. SPX broke out above the 200-day moving average (dma) today, a positive sign for the S&P 500 but it is far too soon to break out the champagne. SPX has run into strong resistance around 4100 three times since September of last year. Trading volume continues to be rather anemic, running along the 50 dma again this week.

VIX, the volatility index for the S&P 500 options, closed today at 18.4% after opening the week at 21.8%. You have to go back to January of last year to find volatilities below 18%. I am unsure this lower level of volatility actually reflects complacency on the part of the large institutional traders. The flat trading volume in the S&P 500 tells me they are largely still on the sidelines and remain fully hedged. They are waiting for a successful test of the 4100 level on SPX.

I track the Russell 2000 index with the IWM ETF. IWM closed today at 187.05, up 1.2 on the day or +0.7%, but IWM was up 4.5% for the week, much stronger than its big cap brothers. IWM broke out above both its 50 dma and 200 dma this week. The next level of resistance for IWM is around 188, where the rallies in November and December failed. Seeing the Russell 2000 lead the large cap stocks is very encouraging.

The NASDAQ Composite index closed at 11,079 today with a gain of 78 points or 0.7% but closed the week up nearly four percent. NASDAQ broke out above its 50 dma on Wednesday and made additional progress higher for the balance of the week. NASDAQ’s trading volume broke the 50 dma four times this week, but those were modest spikes in volume. However, NASDAQ must grow 3.6% just to challenge the levels of resistance from November and December when the earlier rallies failed.

Yale Hirsch of the Stock Trader’s Almanac was the first analyst to define and publish the Santa Claus Rally. This year’s Santa Claus was weak, but positive, with an opening on 12/23 at 3815 and a close on 1/4 at 3853, or +1%. Yale also would track the first five days of January and that was also positive this year. The January Barometer, defined as the trading record for the entire month, will be the next signal. In years when the Santa Claus rally, the first five days, and the full January results are all positive, the full year has been positive 90% of the time with an average gain in the S&P 500 of 17.5%.
 
FactSet Research published a report this week on the projected earnings of the S&P 500 for the fourth quarter of 2022. They predict a decline of 3.9%. This would be the first decline since the third quarter of 2020, at -5.7%. This earnings decline sets up the next question. Has the S&P 500 index price decline of 2022 been sufficient to balance that projected earnings decline? Or do we need prices to decline further to reach reasonable P/E ratios?
 
I remain cautious. I entered a few trades this week, but I am watching them like a hawk. My condor trades are on fire in this market. I have already closed both the January and February positions, leaving us up 11% for the year. The S&P 500 is only up 3% over the same period of time. Ouch! I just threw my arm out patting myself on the back.