Beginning on Monday, August 6, the S&P 500 has turned in daily returns of +0.23%, +0.51%, +0.06%, +0.04%, and -0.13%. The average return has been 0.15% per day. Is this thing even alive?

The VIX (S&P 500 Volatility Index) hit a 52-week low, closing today at 13.70.  The market hath neither fear nor pulse.  In fact, besides 2008, today’s VIX close was the lowest since 4/5/2005, almost before VIX began trading in late 2003.

Back into the Abyss. Now What?

By David Brown, Chief Market Strategist, Sabrient Systems

The last several weeks have brought a steady flow of small but important improvements in the domestic economy (see summary below), but investors have shunned risk, keeping the markets spiraling downward.

What We Need is a Craziness Index

by David Brown, Chief Market Strategist, Sabrient Systems

The market advanced steadily this week with the S&P 50 reaching 1313.80 today, which is above both its 30-day and 50-day moving averages and positive on a great majority of technical indicators.

Nothing seems to be strong enough to lift the market out of its doldrums.  Not the shiny corporate earnings announcements from Wal-Mart (WMT) and Home Depot (HD).  Not the exciting merger talks between BHP Billiton (BHP) & Potash (POT) or between Intel (INTC) & McAfee (MFE). Not the slightly improved global economic picture.