Last week, the spotlight of worry was back on Greece’s solvency. This week it is Spain’s turn again to spook us. Greece, Spain, and Italy are in economic disarray, and the prospect of growing their way out of trouble appears unlikely given the recessionary forces. Even emerging market darlings like Brazil, China, and India are struggling. Although U.S.

When something is confusing or incomprehensible, a person might say, “It’s all Greek to me.” Well, that’s exactly what investors have been saying for the past several days—in the market’s inimitable way. Despite promising economic and corporate news in the U.S., the headline risk from Europe has been just too much to bear. It is keeping the bulls at bay, and front and center for an encore performance is Greece.

Last week I noted that there wasn’t much new to say about the stock market and its drivers lately, but like washing your car tends to attract rain, my comments were immediately followed by anger-driven election results in France and Greece. Both of these elections were about a rejection of austerity mandates placed upon a citizenry already feeling severe pain. The thought process is, “If the U.S.

Have you noticed that there hasn’t been much new to say about the stock market and its drivers lately? Bears are weary from calling tops that don’t follow through, and bulls are hesitant to inject more cash until they have a more inspiring catalyst. So, we’re pretty much left to wonder whether the overworked mantra “Sell in May and go away” will be a self-fulfilling prophecy…or a contrarian catalyst for the bulls to get busy again.

Apple. Need I say more?

You knew a bigger pullback would happen eventually. It was only a matter of when it would come, what would be the catalyst, and how far it would fall. In fact, investors have been hoping for a pullback to serve as an entry point to put more cash to work.

Despite Wednesday’s stock market weakness, selling remains contained. Round-number resistance-turned-support levels at 13,000 on the Dow, 3000 on the Nasdaq, and 1400 on the S&P 500 have held up. The S&P was the last to breakout and the first to test support. In fact, it has been testing support at 1400 almost every day since it broke out two weeks ago.