The last week of March was among the more interesting weeks for 2016. By the end of the week, volume had turned light as the heavier volume before Easter, seemed to have dried up. Many investors seemed to be taking a wait and see approach to the latest push of the rally.

Morning’s have continued to see below average volumes which has created more volatility for the mornings. The afternoons have seen an increase in volume but much of the increase is always in the last couple of hours.

Stock Market Outlook: SPX Final Week Of March 2016

The 5 minute chart below of the final week of March shows the action this week. Primarily it was all about the Fed yet again. Markets on Monday were somewhat flat whereas Tuesday saw the Fed speech spark investor interest in risky assets once again.

Fed Induced Rally

Fed Chair Janet Yellen remained extremely dovish in her comments, seeming to end the infighting among other Fed members who had kept investors on edge over worries of a rise in interest rates as soon as April. Instead Yellen made it clear that there would be rapid move to increase interest rates not only in 2016 but probably into 2017 as well.

This pushed the market quickly higher within minutes of her speech at 12:30 on Tuesday. Her comments boosted the S&P within 20 minutes of her speech to 2045. From there the market climbed over 2050 by the close on Tuesday.

Wednesday saw investors push the market to 2070 within minutes of the open. The next two days saw the market give back some of the early gains but stay above 2050. Friday morning brought the unemployment numbers and with unemployment ticking up slightly, some investors decided it was better to sell out. They drop the market back to the initial Fed boost of 2045 from Tuesday.

Stock Market Outlook: Retest Of Initial Fed High

That was the biggest dip for the past week and it brought in buyers. Still on thin volume, buyers pushed back and by the close on Friday they had the S&P above 2070 at the highest levels for 2016.

Throughout the week there were a couple of spikes in negative momentum but you can see clearly that momentum for the week was largely biased to the positive. Friday though ended with an almost neutral reading to head into the first week of April.

S&P Final Week Of March 2016

Stock Market Outlook: S&P Final Week Of March 2016

Here is the Stock Market Outlook for the first week of April 2016. This outlook includes strategy tips, valuation guidelines for the week, anticipated market action and the general Stock Market Outlook for the week……. the rest of The Week Ahead article is for FullyInformed Members.

Stock Market Outlook – The Week Ahead For The First Week Of April 2016

Members can log in directly through this link to read the investing strategy notes for the week ahead or they can sign in to the full members site here. Non-members can join here or read about the benefits of a membership.


review-week-ahead

review-past-4-weeks

  1. Make or Break – Final Week Of February
  2. Watching The Trend – Third Week Of February
  3. Retest – Second Week Of February
  4. Oil, China, Earnings – First Week Of February

review-all-week-ahead-articles

Disclaimer: There are risks involved in all investment strategies and investors can and do lose capital. Trade at your own risk. Stocks, options and investing are risky and can result in considerable losses. None of the strategies, stocks or information discussed and presented are financial or trading advice or recommendations. Everything presented and discussed are the author’s own trade ideas and opinions which the author may or may not enter into. The author assumes no liability for topics, ideas, errors, omissions, content and external links and trades done or not done. The author may or may not enter the trades mentioned. Some positions in mentioned stocks may already be held or are being adjusted.

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