At the close, with a closing bump, the DJIA (+26.62 +0.23% to 11412.87), S&P 500 (+4.67 +0.37% to 1271.51), and NASDAQ Composite (-3.62 -0.15% to 2361.97) were still almost flat. So too was Canada, where the Toronto Exchange Composite gained +0.08% to 13299, and the Venture Board gained +0.13% to 1942.6.

The winning sector in NY was Energy (XLE +2.0%) with the NatGas stocks ($XNG +3.2%) leading the way. Technology (XLK -0.4%) was a small loser. The worst hit industry group (from rising oil prices) were the Airlines ($XAL -4.1%).

52-week lows were set by WFMI (@17.53) and VCP (@20.44).

Of the extreme Cara 100 stocks, the winners were India’s banks (HDB +3.7% and IBN +2.7%) and automaker (TTM +3.3%), plus Canada’s EnCana (ECA +3.1%) and the China National Offshore Oil Co (CEO -3.1%). The extreme losers were SNDK -2.8%, MBT -2.7% and NTES -2.4%. Volatility was way down.

The long bond ($USB) was also quiet, lifting just +0.07% to 118.62. Treasury yields were virtually unchanged. The T-Bill yield is now at 1.675.

Earlier today, the Asia-Pacific equity markets were quiet except for Hong Kong (up) and India (down): Australia’s All Ords index (+0.11% to 5087.8); Shanghai (-0.34% to 2342.2); Hong Kong (+1.94% to 21464.7); India’s Sensex (-1.25% to 14,301); and Japan’s Nikkei (-0.20% to 12753.0).

In Europe, markets were soft at about 6:00am ET, with the French CAC -1.13%, German DAX -1.28%, and the UK FTSE -0.54%.

Yesterday there was some movement in the forex market as the USD strengthened ($USD +0.56% 77.26), while the Euro dropped -0.70% to 146.53, the Yen -0.32% to 91.20, the Pound -0.70% to 183.95, while the Cdn Loonie gained +0.27% to 95.40.

Crude Oil ($WTIC +1.01/bbl to 116.27) and precious metals ($GOLD +$2.40/oz to 828.10) both had gains.

At 6:00am ET, the Euro/USD was up +0.46% to 1.4701, while the $USD is down -0.47% to 76.98.

Crude Oil futures ($WTIC) are up +1.27/bbl to 117.54, which is putting a damper on equity futures with the DJIA Sept down -34 to 11378.

At 6:10am ET, Spot Gold, palladium, platinum and silver futures are at 831.65 (which is +$20/oz from yesterday morning), 290.0. 1435, and 13.78 respectively, which are all higher.

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Comments & Outlook

There is really not much to say about a market as quiet as this one. This reminds me of the summer of 1981, waiting for the next shoe to drop.

New Orleans might be the bulls-eye for Gustav sometime Monday evening. Let’s hope and pray that doesn’t happen. Moreover, let’s expect the city to be prepared for the worst this time.

Yesterday, in discussing Gustav, the brain-dead CNBC anchor – the one who has been there the longest I think – commented that oil prices were rising because a hurricane was headed into the Gulf of Mexico and that commentators were saying that gold tracks oil so it was up too, but she couldn’t figure out what the gold price had to do with a hurricane. Well, possibly traders are thinking this could be another costly Katrina. Duh!

Reminds me of a time I was watching a hockey game many years ago when after the puck flipped into the players’ bench, the Hall of Fame TV hockey announcer said that he didn’t know why the tall glass couldn’t be extended right around the rink. Possibly the players would like to get on and off the ice quickly. Duh!

CNBC's Cramer, who had vowed a couple weeks ago that the DJIA would not go lower than the July 15 lows, is now changing his tune and is saying he is waiting for the Fed/Treasury to clean up the Fannie-Freddie problems. This is a joke, right? Cramer is working his buns off to protect his friends who are the bankers who are shareholders in Fannie and Freddie. He's pleading for a rescue package. But without it, Fannie and Freddie can muddle on through to the next Administration. Please; no rescue packages to save Wall Street!

I’ll be taking some time off today. With the volatility and volume dead, I figure many of you have taken a holiday as well.

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Links & Charts

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International Economics Review

US Economic Calendar.

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Knobias Cara100 Tables

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Cara 100 Daily RSI-7 Charts

At least one RSI value >70:

At least one RSI value <30:

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International Equity Markets Review

Europe

Here is the latest session data for the bourses of Europe.

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Here is the latest session data for the London stock exchange FTSE.

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Here is the latest session data for the German DAX.

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Here is the latest session data for the French CAC 40.

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Here is the latest session data for the Milan Italy stock exchange MIBTEL.

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Here is the latest session data for the Swiss market index.

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Asia-Pacific

Here is the latest session data for the Asia-Pacific stock exchanges.

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Here is the latest chart for the Japanese Nikkei 225 index.

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Here is the latest chart for the Singapore index .

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Here is the latest chart for the Shanghai Composite index .

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Here is the latest chart for the Hong Kong Hang Seng index .

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Here is the latest chart for the India BSE 30 index .

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Here is the latest chart for the Australian All Ordinaries index .

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US Equity Markets Review

DJIA (interactive) chart

NASDAQ Composite (interactive) chart

Table 14: Dow 30 List

You can do this table yourself by entering the following string into the Summaries window at www.billcara2.com and then clicking on the link for Performance.

AA AIG AXP BA C CAT DD DIS GE GM HD HON HPQ IBM INTC JNJ JPM KO MCD MMM MO MRK MSFT PFE PG T UTX VZ WMT XOM

Here are the links to interactive Dow charts from Billcara2.com that I broke into groups of ten, which you can add technical indicators for as well. (list one) (list two) (list three)

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The Americas

Here is the latest session data for the exchanges of the Americas.

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Here is the latest chart for the Brazilian Bovespa stock exchange in Sao Paulo.

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Here is the latest session data for the Toronto Stock Exchange composite index.

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Sector ETF Summary for the US equity market

The tables I show in this section are for ten (GICS) Sector Index Funds (ETF's) only, but they cover the full spectrum of the US equity market.

Table 1: Cara ETF List

You can do this table yourself by entering the following string into the Summary window at Billcara2.com and then clicking on the link for Performance. XLE XLB XLI XLY XLP IYH XLF SMH IYZ XLU XLK SPY . You can also add more ETF’s – up to 30 in total.

For a list of components to any ETF, go to the AMEX.com web site, and click on ETF's.

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10 (energy: XLE)

Table 2: Senior oil & gas equities

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15 (basic materials: XLB)

Table 3: Senior metals and steel equities

Table 12: Senior gold equities

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20 (industrial: XLI)

Table 4: Senior capital goods makers and transportation

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25 (consumer discretionary: XLY)

Table 5: Senior consumer discretionary equities

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30 (consumer staples: XLP)

Table 6: Senior consumer staples equities

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35 (healthcare: IYH)

Table 7: Senior healthcare equities

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40 (financial: XLF)

Table 8: Senior financial company equities

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45 (technology, semiconductor: SMH)

Table 9: Senior technology equities

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50 (telecom: IYZ)

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55 (utilities: XLU)

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International Equity Market USD-denominated ETF Review

Table 13: International equities perspective

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Japanese equity market ETF: EWJ

Here is the Japanese (EWJ) equity market ETF Daily data charts:

Interactive EWJ Daily data:

Interactive EWJ Weekly data:

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U.K. equity market ETF

Here is the United Kingdom (EWU) equity market ETF Daily data charts:

Interactive EWU Daily data:

EWU Daily data:

Interactive EWU Weekly data:

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Canada's equity market

Here is the Canadian (EWC) equity market ETF Daily data charts:

Interactive EWC Daily data:

Interactive EWC Weekly data:

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Bonds & Yields Review

Table 10: Yahoo Finance U.S. Treasury Debt, Municipal and Corporate Bond Yields

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Here is the $USB 30-year Treasury Bond chart.

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US Bond Funds -- Interactive Daily Data Charts

SHY Daily data series chart:

IEF Daily data series chart:

TLT Daily data series chart:

AGG Daily data series chart:

LQD Daily data series chart:

TIP Daily data series chart:

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Table 11: Interest-sensitive securities

Consumer Finance -USA -- Interactive Daily Data Charts

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Commodities Review

$CRB Index

Open Futures Contracts

Interactive Chart of Daily CRB Commodities Index:

Interactive Chart of Weekly CRB Commodities Index:

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Oil Review

Here is the e-miNY Mar-08 Crude Oil chart.

Interactive Chart of Daily Crude Oil:

Interactive Chart of Weekly Crude Oil:

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Gold & Precious Metals Review

Spot gold chart for the week

Interactive Chart of Daily Gold EOD Continuous Contract Index:

Interactive Chart of Weekly Gold EOD Continuous Contract Index:

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Spot silver chart for the week

Interactive daily data

Interactive Chart of Daily Silver EOD Continuous Contract Index:

Interactive chart of the Silver Bullion index.

Interactive Chart of Weekly Silver EOD Continuous Contract Index:

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Spot platinum chart for the past three days

Interactive Chart of Daily Platinum EOD Continuous Contract Index:

Interactive Chart of Weekly Platinum EOD Continuous Contract Index:

Interactive chart of the Platinum metal index.

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Spot palladium chart for the week

Interactive Chart of Daily Palladium EOD Continuous Contract Index:

Interactive Chart of Weekly Palladium EOD Continuous Contract Index:

Interactive chart of the Palladium metal index.

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Interactive Chart of Weekly Copper EOD Continuous Contract Index:

Interactive Chart of Daily Copper EOD Continuous Contract Index:

Interactive chart of the Copper metal index.

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Table 12: Senior gold equities

To watch the moves in precious metal miners, you will have to monitor the individual stock charts, preferably in real-time, as follows:

NEM ABX AU GFI GG HMY AUY KGC BVN
Interactive Daily data
Interactive Weekly data

MDG LIHRY AEM BGO IAG EGO RGLD GOLD CDE GRS
Interactive Daily data
Interactive Weekly data

CBJ SSRI SIL NG KRY UXG GRZ TSE_HRG TSE_GUY TSE_AGI
Interactive Daily data
Interactive Weekly data

NXG GSS MNG DROOY MFN RNO RANGY MRB CLG
Interactive Daily data
Interactive Weekly data

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Here are the key Silver miners and the SLV ETF:

SLV SIL CDE HL PAAS SSRI SLW MGN

Interactive Daily data
Interactive Weekly data

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Here are the Weekly and Daily Data charts of the indexes:

Interactive Chart of Daily U.S. Goldminers Index:

Weekly U.S. Goldminers Index:

Interactive Chart of Weekly U.S. Goldminers Index:

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The U.S. goldminer share trust ETF trades under the ticker symbol GDX.

Here are the U.S. Goldminer ETF (GDX) index Weekly and Daily data charts:

GDX Daily data:

GDX Weekly data:

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The Toronto Exchange-listed goldminer iUnits S&P/TSX Capped Gold Index ETF trades under the ticker symbol TSE:XGD. Yes, just like GDX on the AMEX, you can trade XGD on Toronto.

Here are the Weekly and Daily data charts for the TSX Goldshares (XGD) index:

Interactive Chart of XGD Daily data:

Interactive Chart of XGD Weekly data:

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Forex Review

Here is the chart of the week's trading in the $USD.

Interactive Chart of Daily U.S. Dollar Index:

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Interactive Chart of Daily Euro Dollar Index, priced in USD:

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Daily British Pound Index:

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Daily Japanese Yen Index:

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Daily Canadian Dollar Index:

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Wrap-up