My son received his first real paycheck – making $7.25 an hour as a Life Guard – had me thinking about the minimum wage debate going on right now. Regardless of your opinion, suggest you read this depressing tale:
Tough issue – and I could argue either side – but I fear the fight is about jobs that won’t even exist much longer:
- U.S. News and World Report – A Minimum Wage Hike Won’t Fix Income Inequality – Or Stop Robot Job Theft | US News Opinion
Back to the Markets, which have been flattening out – albeit at all time highs:
The following table is based on the Z Option Market Analysis Tool – which determines if a market is trending by assigning a trending score from -3 to +3. This helps us keep our trading with the trend.
| Symbol | Description | Short Term Trend | Medium Term Trend |
| $DJI | Dow Jones Industrial Average | 1 | 3 |
| SPX | S&P 500 INDEX | 3 | 3 |
| RUT | RUSSELL 2000 INDEX | 3 | 3 |
| NDX | NASDAQ-100 INDEX INDEX | 3 | 3 |
| VIX | CBOE MARKET VOLATILITY INDEX | -1 | -3 |
| /ZB[U6] | 30-Year U.S. Treasury Bond Futures,ETH | 3 | 3 |
| /ZN[U6] | 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note Futures,ETH | 2 | 3 |
| /GC[Z6] | Gold Futures, ETH | 3 | 3 |
| /CL[U6] | Light Sweet Crude Oil Futures,ETH | -3 | -3 |
| /DX[U6] | US Dollar Index Futures | 1 | 3 |
| $DJT | Dow Jones Transportation Average | 1 | 3 |
| XLK | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST TECHNOLOGY SELECT INDEX | 3 | 3 |
| XLI | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST INDUSTRIAL SELECT INDEX | 1 | 3 |
| XLY | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST CONSUMER DIS SELECT INDEX | 3 | 3 |
| XLB | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST MATERIALS SELECT SEC INDEX | 3 | 3 |
| XLE | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST ENERGY SELECT INDEX | -3 | -2 |
| XLP | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST CONSUMER STAPLES INDEX | -2 | -2 |
| XLV | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST HEALTH CARE SELECT INDEX | 3 | 3 |
| XLU | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST UTILITIES SELECT INDEX | -2 | 1 |
| XLF | SELECT SECTOR SPDR TRUST FINANCIAL SELECT SECTOR FUND | 3 | 3 |
Any market showing a 3 or a -3 is trending strongly – and should be factored into any options strategy you are contemplating.
Still mostly green in both stocks and bonds (thanks Janet Yellen), with the exception of Oil/Energy – which is in free fall:
- Business Insider – There’s been a stealth drop in oil prices
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