Video here  In today’s Mish’s Market Minute video, we break down the current state of real estate and why investors should be paying attention right now.   Real estate has a long-standing relationship with the stock market — sometimes it leads, sometimes it lags — but the connection is always meaningful.  Recent housing data shows prices rising back toward 2024 levels, signaling growing optimism.   However, this is not a full-blown housing boom yet — more like

The year 2018 marked a seismic shift when Wall Street kicked social media giants like Meta and Google out of the technology sector into a brand-new category called "Communication Services." This wasn't just accounting semantics—it created an entirely new investment opportunity that active traders have been capitalizing on ever since. The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC) emerged from this reshuffling, giving traders direct access to streaming platforms, social networks, telecom companies, and digital

The A.I. story never ceases to keep investors on their toes. It seems like just a few months ago, any company suggesting it was using AI would be rewarded by the market with billions in new market cap valuation. Last week, companies were hoping they wouldn’t find themselves in the crosshairs of an AI company or bot claiming it would destroy their business model. Newberger Berman analyst Joe Amato described an atmosphere in which AI

. Video here  How do you know when a stock or ETF has truly bottomed? Not guessed. Not hoped for.   Actually bottomed.  There’s a simple signal professional traders watch for — and when it appears, it often marks the moment sellers are exhausted and buyers quietly step in.  First, we want to see a new 60-day low. That fresh low matters. It shakes out weak hands, triggers emotional selling, and creates what traders call capitulation. Without that flush, a real bottom is less likely. 

Most people think you need six figures and property management headaches for real estate wealth. What if you could own Manhattan office towers and California shopping centers for the price of a nice dinner? Welcome to real estate ETFs. The Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) puts institutional-quality real estate investing in your trading account, offering a way to capitalize on real estate trends without direct ownership hassles. XLRE ETF Structure and Real Estate

As the majority of market commentary focuses on the collapse of AI tech related stocks, there’s a new bull market making new highs. To be clear, the market and its index aren’t new. In fact, its chart below begins in January 1900 with an opening price of $68. What is relatively new are the stocks that are driving the Dow and other important market indexes to new highs despite the collapse of the “Magnificent 7.”

  Video here  Silver has delivered both excitement and anxiety— surging higher in a volatile run and then stunning traders with a dramatic one-day selloff.   Since that shakeout, the metal has begun to stabilize, moving into a period of consolidation that could define its next major trend.  While the price action has been intense, the bigger picture for silver remains constructive.   The underlying fundamentals continue to lean bullish, with supply constraints and steady industrial and investment demand supporting the

When the global economy sneezes, the materials sector catches a cold first. Materials companies sit at the foundation of everything we build and consume, making the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB) one of the most economically sensitive ETFs—a powerful tool for traders who read economic tea leaves. XLB offers clear cyclical patterns, strong technical signals, and volatility that creates real profit opportunities when timed correctly. XLB ETF Overview: Understanding the Materials Sector Dynamics The

Last week ended with the fireworks of: Precious metals melting down Three Mag 7 earnings reports: MSFT fell, META flew, and TSLA pivoted A new Fed Chair nomination President Trump threatening and sending an armada towards Iran As you can see in the 5-day change column (5Dy) of the Big View Sector Summary table below, stock indexes and the long bonds took it all in stride. The SPY and QQQ closed virtually unchanged. The IWM,

Long-term bonds are entering a new era. With a new Federal Reserve Chair and uncertainty around the next direction of interest rates, investors can’t rely on predictions alone.  In this Market Minute, I break down what TLT (long-term U.S. Treasury bonds) represents, why investors use it for safety and diversification, and why price action matters most right now. When rate direction is unclear, the chart becomes your guide.  This episode includes a look at the monthly chart

Warren Buffett buys companies so simple that even an idiot could run them. The same logic applies to consumer staples—essential products that survive recessions and crashes. The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) packages this defensive power into a tradeable instrument. For active traders, XLP is a strategic tool for portfolio hedging, sector rotation, and risk management that can enhance returns while reducing overall volatility. Understanding XLP ETF: Consumer Staples Sector Fundamentals The Consumer

Last week started with a steep decline in stocks that broke key support levels. This drop was a test of the bulls’ resilience and a message from the market that bad news won’t always be a buying opportunity. Fortunately, for reasons we’ll discuss, the first day of the week was the low of the week. As this article and Keith’s video below will explain, if last week turns out to be just a bounce followed

This is the second new Mish’s Daily.  Today, we go evergreen with an important investing tactic to save you a lot of money and keep you investing for a lifetime.  If Bitcoin taught us anything, its that a good stop prevents a lot of sorrow and big losses.   In this video: • How to use stops when investing • The 1–2% portfolio risk rule • Position sizing explained simply • How pros manage risk in volatile markets  Protect your downside. Grow

When the economy thrives, people splurge on cars, clothes, and vacations. When times get tough, they cut back on everything except basics. This behavior pattern creates predictable trading opportunities through the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY). XLY offers traders a direct way to capitalize on consumer spending fluctuations across retail, entertainment, and luxury sectors, providing systematic entry and exit points for those who understand economic indicators and sentiment shifts. XLY ETF Trading Characteristics

Last Thursday concluded the first 10 trading days of the year. This calendar date is becoming increasingly important to active investors seeking better returns by using simple tactical trading strategies, as you’ll learn below. This year, the Small Caps took a commanding lead in the opening 10 days, and it’s not gone unnoticed. The media, Wall St. strategists, and retail investors all love to root for Small Caps as if they're Wall Street’s underdogs. Maybe