Daily Archives: August 12, 2013

The Rise Of Momentum

Many financial analysts have argued in recent years that the capital markets—stocks, in particular—have changed quite a lot in the 21st century. That’s not surprising, given the fact that there are a host of new players on the scene. The rise of hedge funds, algorithmic trading outfits, and a broad array of other short-term-focused quant shops have altered the landscape. It would be shocking to discover otherwise. Indeed, there’s a whole lot of trading going on, in some cases measured in fractions of a second. What has this evolution wrought? One result is an intensified state of short-and-medium term price momentum.

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US Retail Sales: July 2013 Preview

Tomorrow’s report on US retail sales for July is projected to show a monthly increase of 0.2%, according to The Capital Spectator’s average econometric forecast. That compares with a previously reported 0.4% gain in June. Meanwhile, the Capital Spectator’s average projection for July is at the low end of the range relative to consensus forecasts based on recent surveys of economists.

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