GameStop Short Squeeze by the Reddit Wall Street Bets Traders Explained
Release Date: 01/31/2021
Hated All-Time Highs | Semis Gone Wild | Does Apple Buy Perplexity? | Inflation Adjusted Oil Prices
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Derek Moore is joined again by Spencer Wright from Halbert Wealth to talk about the market breaking out to another all-time high and how hated a rally this is. Then they discuss semiconductors finally catching up to their only July 2024 highs. Then they talk about Chamath Palihapitiya’s criticism of Apple and a Bloomberg report that Apple had talks about buying AI company Perplexity. Finally, some odds and ends like whether oil prices on an inflation adjusted basis are lower than in the 1970s and whatever else we covered. Back to all-time highs Semiconductors finally join the...
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60/40 Portfolio vs Hedged Equity | CNBC Markets in Turmoil | Tired Fed Interest Rate Debate
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Derek Moore looks to answer the question on whether Hedged Equity or the 60/40 stock bond portfolio is a better fit given where we are and why. How bonds had a 40-year bull market but is it likely that is possible again given where we are? Later, looking at market returns after CNBC does their ‘markets in turmoil’ specials when markets are selling off. Plus, why debate about should or shouldn’t the Fed lower rates is getting tired and does it even matter outside of housing? Debate around Fed lowering rates Impact of Fed rates on real estate housing market Spread between...
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Geopolitical Risk | Most Volatile Decade? |Housing Is Cheap? | Gold & Oil Get a Bid
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Derek Moore examines markets around historical geopolitical events. Plus, the 2020s are trending to be the most volatile decade and by the way we are up over 80% so far. Then, looking at the pop in gold and crude oil this week and perspective on where those markets are. Plus, a contrarian take that housing is actually cheap. Later talking semiconductor stocks, the US dollar index, inflation, and useless sentiment surveys. 1-year forward inflation expectations U-Michigan survey Sentiment gets better Gold breaks out of its most recent range while crude oil breaks back into its prior range...
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6000 Baby! | Market Breadth Narrows| Rolling 10 Year S&P 500 Returns | Tesla Elon vs. Trump
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Derek Moore looks at how companies in the S&P 500 are not correlated while the equal weighted S&P 500 is correlated closely with the weighted S&P 500 Index. Later, looking at historical rolling 10-year returns in the market and why it’s rare to have periods that are negative over longer time frames. Plus, touching on single stock risk a la Elon Musk, Tesla, and Trump public news hurts Tesla shares. Oh, and we are only 2.4% below the old all-time high. S&P 500 Index now only 2.4% from a new all-time high Market Breadth definition and how its narrowing currently...
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Wrong on Inflation | NVDA Earnings | PCE Inflation vs CPI Inflation | Sell in May Didn’t Work
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Derek Moore explains how what sometimes seems obvious isn’t what happens as we can see with inflation numbers that continue to move lower despite consumer sentiment surveys expecting 6.6% inflation in the next year. Plus, NVDA had its earnings and the stock’ forward PE is lower due to the next 12-month analyst estimates being near all-time highs. Plus, sell in May would have been a mistake as markets recovered and are now back to within several percent of all-time highs. PCE Inflation vs CPI Inflation NVDA forward PE ratio and earnings EPS estimates Calendar Spreads vs...
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Bond Yield Problem? | NVidia Options Implied Volatility | US Dollar Falls | Did 60/40 Save Investors Last 5 Years?
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Derek Moore talks about seeing stories of exploding 30-year yields but what if they are low compared to historical relationships between the fed funds rate? Then, looking at how correlated the 60/40 portfolio has been over the last 5 years begging the question, did it do anything for investors? Later, looking at NVidia implied volatility ahead of its big earnings release this week to see what the options market is pricing in for a potential one standard deviation move? All this and more this week. S&P 500 Index net profit margins expected next 12 months The US Dollar...
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Moodys Downgrades US Debt | Intra Year Drawdowns Are Common | S&P 500 Profit Margins Strong | Consumer Confidence Contrarian Indicator
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Derek Moore reflects on market reaction to the 2011 US debt downgrade and explains what S&P, Fitch, and Moody’s have for ratings. Plus, are markets poised for more positive returns based on several indicators? The bear case against the markets would be a reduction in profit margins. Later, Derek reviews some data of future 12-month returns when consumer confidence is low as a contrarian indicator. Finally, looking at several current indicators and random musing in markets for clues about the future. All that and more this week. S&P 500 Index net profit margins for Q1...
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MicroStrategy (MSTR) Joining S&P 500 Index? | S&P 500 Index Turnover Matters | Fed Does Nothing, but Should They Have? | Inflation Nowcast
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Derek Moore discusses whether MSTR MicroStrategy will wind up in the S&P 500 Index and do we want that given it just holds bitcoin with some ratio between its intrinsic value and the MSTR market cap. Plus, where to look for upcoming prospects for the S&P 500 Index and why the index is actively not passively managed and changes can drive earnings growth. Later, Derek talks through what the Fed did (nothing) and whether they are wrong or not to keep rates steady. MSTR MicroStrategy potential to join the S&P 500 Index? Requirements for a company to enter the S&P 500...
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Barons Contrarian Cover | Negative GDP Details | Fed Rate Cuts? | Unemployment Was Fine | Sell in May? | S&P 500 After Near Bear Markets 1-Year Later
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Derek Moore talks through what caused the negative GDP number and compares it to 2022 Q1’s more negative print. Hint, it’s those darn imports and exports. Should you sell in May and go away? Plus, whether the Fed may do anything at the May meeting. Unemployment was ok while inflation hasn’t gone back up so why won’t they cut? What happens 1-year later after an almost bear market (less than -20% drawdown)? All that plus some volatility talk. Components of GDP Net exports calculation When markets have a near bear market how much on average is the market higher 1-year later? What...
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Is The Bottom In? | Now They Change Their S&P 500 Targets | Apple Earnings Implied Volatility Expected Move |
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Derek Moore goes through how markets have bottomed (maybe?) and are now up 10% since then. All the while investment banks have now started moving their 2025 year end targets down. The bear case on corporate net profit margins (and bull case). Plus, how max bearishness against US equities at market lows may have been a contrarian signal. With more earnings this week, Apple’s implied volatility is forecasting what as an expected 1 standard deviation move. Keeping perspective on the markets as the media talks about ends of eras and more. Apple earnings implied volatility What is...
info_outlineThe Wall Street Bets community executed a short squeeze through Reddit on stocks like GameStop and AMC Theatres this week. But what is a short squeeze? How did they and others buying stocks and options cause the stock to go up at least in the short term? Is short selling bad? Why potentially some brokers had to halt trading in certain names? A look back to the late nineties when internet chat rooms were pushing stocks. Examples of the little investor turning thousands into millions, and vice versa. How short sellers can root out fraud in companies with examples. Jay Pestrichelli and Derek Moore get into this and more in this very timely and fascinating episode.
What is a short squeeze?
What is the GameStop short squeeze?
How did Reddit group Wall Street Bets execute a short squeeze?
How some people have made a lot of money
How other people may lose a lot of money?
What is short interest ratio?
What is short interest as percent of float?
What is a delta or gamma squeeze in options on stocks?
Large in the money option open interest in GameStop at expiration
How short selling adds liquidity.
What are short days to cover metric?
Short sellers uncovering fraud in Amazon Prime documentary the China Hustle.
Short sellers with Enron, Nikola, Wirecard
Trading halts and liquidity requirements on brokerages
Congressional hearings coming on Robin Hood and Wall Street Bets GameStop activity
Examples of pump and dump in 2000 by Michael Lewis in New York Times
Short selling was found useful even in 1918.
How short selling in itself does not bankrupt companies.
How short selling that drives price lower can impact ability for secondary equity offering.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Explaining Delta and Gamma Options Squeeze Robinhood vs Softbank Whale https://brokenpiechart.libsyn.com/robinhood-option-traders-vs-the-softbank-whale
Derek Moore’s Book Broken Pie Chart https://amzn.to/2YoxRaF
Documentary “The China Hustle” on Amazon Prime Video https://amzn.to/39uBJgm
Michael Lewis article on 16-year-old penny stock trader 2001 https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/25/magazine/jonathan-lebed-s-extracurricular-activities.html
ZEGA Financial www.zegafinancial.com
Jay Pestrichelli’s Buy and Hedge Book on Amazon https://amzn.to/2YoJDSg