The Stock Market Feels Like 2007 Again

By Michael Lombardi, MBA for ProfitConfidential

Didn’t the government say the economy is getting better? Why do I question what they’re saying? Because consumer spending is going the wrong way.

Core retail sales declined 0.1% in April—and that’s after they already fell 0.4% in the previous month! (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, May 13, 2013.)

Should You Sell in May and Go Away?

By Frank Holmes

During the first week of May every year, the maxim, “Sell in May and Go Away,” gets taken out, dusted off and powered up as a reason to sell stocks. The rhyme is more than just a catchy urban legend: June, July, August and September have historically been the weakest months of the year for the S&P 500 Index.

Copper Price and 11 Other Recession Indicators

By Michael Snyder

There are a dozen significant economic indicators that are warning that the U.S. economy is heading into a recession.  The Dow may have soared past the 15,000 mark, but the economic fundamentals are telling an entirely different story.  If historical patterns hold up, the economy is heading for a very rocky stretch.  For example, the price of copper is called "Dr. Copper" by many economists because it so accurately forecasts the future direction of the U.S. economy.  

The Real Unemployment Rate Is Worse Than You Think

By Louis Basenese at Wall Street Daily

Only in the government’s fantasy land does its math add up.

On Friday, the Labor Department reported that the economy added 165,000 new jobs in April. It also revised February and March data up by a combined 114,000 jobs.

More jobs are obviously a good thing.

However, the misrepresentation comes in when the Labor Department brags that the gains helped push the unemployment rate down 0.1 percentage points from March – and 0.4 percentage points from January – to 7.5%.

Total crap!

Chart Du Jour: Commodities Jumping with S&P New All-Time High

By Tyler Durden of ZeroHedge 

Another POMO, another dip bought, another all-time high in the S&P 500 but we are sure there is some disappointment that the '1600' caps have to go back in the closet for one more day. The S&P's best day in over a week was greeted with an almost perfect 'unchanged' for Treasuries and while stocks went out near their highs,Treasuries closed at the low yields of the day (2-3bps lower than the highs). Of course, the 'most shorted' names were smashed higher (at the open and at 1515ET) providing today's ammo. 

Is This The End of The Commodity Super Cycle?

By Frank Holmes

Sometimes following where money is being invested is a solid course of action to gain alpha; other times, a better opportunity lies in going the opposite direction, i.e., thinking contrarian.

Take commodities, energy and materials, which may be the most unappreciated areas of the market these days. According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Global Fund Manager Survey of 250 participants who collectively manage $725 billion, energy, materials and commodities are extremely underowned.

Jobless Claims Dropped to 5-year Low, But Don't Get Too Excited Yet

By James Picerno of The Capital Speculator

Initial jobless claims dropped again last week, slipping to a new five-year low. The news is an upbeat counterpoint to the weak economic numbers released earlier this week. New filings for unemployment benefits retreated to a seasonally adjusted 324,000 for the week through April 27, the lowest since January 2008. It’s been easy to interpret recent data as a sign that the economy’s stumbling again, perhaps fatally, but today’s release looks like a statistical stay of execution, if only for a day.