The Best Of SIM – December: The Return Of Volatility

The month of December saw on-time seasonal moves that dug a bit further both up and down during the month. But you wouldn’t know that if you simply looked at the return of the S&P 500 (SPX) for the month: -0.4%.  Seems harmless enough, but stocks were struggling under the surface and the Volatility Index (VIX) made a comeback.

To recap, the SPX slipped early in the month, falling 5 percent by mid-month, before bottoming just in time for the “Santa” rally (which included a trip to new highs before tapering off into month end). These swings have continued into the New Year and it appears that investors will have to wrestle with a more volatile market in January.

S&P 500 / Volatility Index (VIX) – December 2014

Throughout December, our cast of extremely talented contributors offered up several short and intermediate-term research posts. I hope you will take a few moments to review some of our best posts from the month of December in our latest installment of The Best of See It Market. This is your chance to check up on our work – please feel free to provide feedback/comments any time. We greatly appreciate your readership.

Equities:

• Cheers: Market Valuations Are Only 91 Percent Above 100-Year Valuations  by CHRIS KIMBLE

• Why Equities Aren’t Taking Cues From The US Economy  by ANDREW NYQUIST

• GoPro Nearing Important Price Support  by JAMES BARTELLONI

• Using A Broken Wing Butterfly To Play Potential RUT Breakout  by GAVIN MCMASTER

• Why The Stocks To Bonds Ratio Is Important Into 2015  by AARON JACKSON

• Gauging The Stock Market Into 2015: A Look At The Technicals  by DAVID BUSICK

• S&P 500: Near-Term Distribution Patterns Emerging  by JONATHAN BECK

• Stock Market Trends Still Up But Risk Increasing  by JEFF VOUDRIE

• 5th Longest Period In 50 Years Without 10 Percent Correction Being Tested Now  by CHRIS KIMBLE

• S&P 500 Defensive Sectors Trouncing Cyclical Peers  by ANDREW KASSEN

• ETF Investing: A Look At Where To Invest In 2015  by DAN NEAGOY

• 2015 US Equity Outlook  by JONATHAN BECK

• 4 Reasons Utilities Deserve A Place In Your Portfolio  by CHRIS BURBA

• Are Stocks Ready To Break Away From The VIX Fear Index  by CHRIS CIOVACCO

• Is The Utilities Sector Sending A Broad Market Signal?  by AARON JACKSON

• India ETF Breaking Free From Emerging Market Mess  by MIKE ZACCARDI

• Why IBM May Reverse Higher In 2015  by JAMES BARTELLONI

• Sustainable Investing In Real Estate En Vogue  by JOSHUA SCHROEDER

Currencies  &  Commodities:

• Could Crude Oil Prices Fall To $45 Per Barrel?  by DAVID BUSICK

• Decline In Crude Oil Prices Stirs Deflation Debate  by KARL SNYDER

• Corn Over $4: Can The Rally Continue?  by ANDREW NYQUIST

• Will Russia’s Market Woes Cause Decoupled US Stocks To Crater?  by ANDREW KASSEN

• USDJPY: Will This Reversal Pattern Trigger A Pullback  by CHRIS KIMBLE

• US Dollar Pairs In Focus  by DAVE FLOYD

Bonds:

• How Much Future GDP Has Been Stolen By Fed ZIRP?  by ROSS HEART

• Interest Rates: Flattening: Yield Curve Signals Short-Term Shift  by DAVID FABIAN

• The Bond Market Blues: In 3 Charts  by AARON JACKSON

Must-Read Education:

• Market Masters: The Trader’s Journey, The Hero’s Journey  by ADAM GRIMES

• Trading Methods, Systems, and Plans: What’s The Difference?  by STEVE BURNS

• Identifying Tight Trading Setups  by DOUGLAS BUSCH

Look for another installment of “The Best of See It Market” next month. Thanks for reading.

Twitter:  @seeitmarket