What We're Reading

I've long wondered about MLP's as interest rates begin to creep higher and crude oil, obviously, remains low.  After all, they're supposedly not tied to the price of crude oil, right?  Certainly 2015 has not been their "year" as the 10 year fluctuated, leaving me even more cautious but did this translate into a buying opportunity?  Consider this interesting piece here by TheReformedBroker

I’m sitting at the Strip House with a wholesaler from a large mutual fund / UIT sponsor two years ago. He’s a good guy but he’s there to sell. I’m there to eat thick-cut slab bacon and shrimp cocktail. I told him in advance that I’m not a buyer, but I have an open mind.

He’s showing me an SMA (separately managed account) strategy whereby his firm’s team of experts picks the best MLPs. The pitch is that MLPs are a way to participate in the growth of energy infrastructure but without having exposure to the volatility of oil prices. MLPs, he explains, are uncorrelated to the price of oil because they a

I'd be trading this bad boy to the long side.  In this seven year weekly chart, not only has it broken my three trend line rule, there was positive MACD convergence (as shorts began to massively cover) and the 200week SMA which was prior resistance, has now become support. 

It certainly appears that the "low" in low rates was in in 2013.

I should also note that the monthly chart is deeply oversold.  At some point, you simply run out of sellers.

I've long said that when in mortgage banking, we watched the 10yr. each week for direction of rates and we completely ignored the Fed raising or lowering rates.  They were a laggard; the 10yr was already there.

Yep.  If this were a stock, I'd be trading it long, buying at support or out of the short side completely.  Maybe not expecting anything spectacular in terms of upside but ROC would indicate no heavy selling; short covering more than anything else. 

I believe we've entered the phase in our bull market where "good news" is now bad new

Coincidence? I doubt it.

Is that what the 10yr is signalling?  The EU doesn't have the mechanism to launch quantitative easing.  Raising rates would pressure their recovery.  Has Draghi painted himself into a corner? 

The U.S. is having to accept the "taper" while slow growth persists.  Maybe it's time to get back to reality and fundamentals.  Actually that works for me because I'd much rather buy stocks with S&P500 at the 100week than "here".  Only time will tell but hedging and shorts are (finally) working.

The 10yr is definitely not happy and is trying to bounce off of 2.6 but if that goes.........look out for more pain (for equities).  Seems as though sell in May was a good idea after all.