Thought it might be a good idea from time to time to review the MarginRich prediction track record. Not every post has a prediction included, but for what has been put out there, I might as well provide a quick once over on the results. It’s not something one see’s too often from un-skin-in-the-game blogger-types who simply publish their thoughts and then move on to the next prognostication. As previously stated, I don’t profess to have any clairvoyance. I simply read the tape and share my thoughts. With that being said, the MarginRich site is currently 4-1-1 (with the oil call being essentially flat). Here’s the exact record:

1. TM – Winner
2. EEM – Winner
3. GLD – Winner
4. SPY – Winner & Loser: Predicted a correction in the S&P 500. It corrected approximately 3% but then went on to make a new high, and yet here we are in slight correction mode again. The downward energy is being stifled and that can be a dangerous thing to contend with.
5. WTIC – Flat for the most part; ostensibly range bound with no hard breakouts to the upside or downside since the post
6. FXA – Loser: However, may have just been early…aka wrong. Believe me, I know.

And as for Japan’s equity market and gasoline, there weren’t any predictions made in regards to their price movements. There were only simple observations put forward for the reader to consider. So to recap, 4 out of the 6 were in the money while oil and the Aussie dollar still present opportunities. Now onto another opportunity…

Once upon a time, long, long ago before the price discovery mechanism for virtually all markets was distorted beyond belief, there was an index that credibly served as a sort of “canary in the coalmine.” It’s canary-like qualities have ceased to function as a viable predictor of economic direction but there are still opportunities to be garnered from the late, great shipping index known as the Baltic Dry. Now even if the index is less than robust in providing leading intel on economic direction, a parabolic move is still a parabolic move, and one can see in the YChart below a rocket ride in index pricing. The breakout occurred during the week of August 23rd, but the real upward explosion occurred about a month ago exactly.

Now gravity has a funny way of bringing rocket rides back down to earth. The Baltic Dry may be legitimately breaking out as supply/demand fundamentals across the pricing space in shipping may warrant a move higher. My guess though is that a little steam is going to have to be let out first. This will of course affect the shippers, whose own shares have enjoyed nice upward movements as well by riding the BDI rocket. Observe the following YTD charts of a few prominent shipping companies (for the record I suck at inserting small, clear snapshots but the companies are EGLE, GNK, & DRYS):

We’re talking over 100% moves in a matter of weeks. Now the average speculator probably missed these moves which have no doubt been driven to the extreme by every investor’s best friend to true price discovery…the high frequency trader. It makes no difference. The algo’s are programmed by humans and extremes have been reached. So if you missed out it appears we now have the BDI beginning to peter-out a bit, and the opportunity to go short has presented itself. For myself, I played DRYS cold off the charts because it went from heavily range bound, unlike the other two, to an absolute take-off. As luck would have it, they announced a financing and thus the market sold it off bringing the play into the green before any true downward momentum can truly factor into the trade. The BDI has been covered extensively around the web for the past 4 weeks so anybody looking in the right corners (hint: links under Some Favorites) could have easily joined in on the fun, even if you weren’t scanning via your charting software or subscription.

It’s a bit tricky to be trading right now off the tape. There’s nothing wrong with sitting on the sidelines in cash while the action defines itself…but where’s the fun in that? Oh yeah, it’s in the protection of your capital and safety in principal. Naturally, there’s money to be made long or short but just to help disperse a little more fear for the long-only’s, here’s a few charts courtesy of CitiFX, Kimble, and ZeroHedge that communicate a message of caution.

CitiFX:

Kimble Charting Solutions:

Zero Hedge:  Top Chart – 2007, Middle Chart – 2011, Bottom Chart – Current

Now that you’re sufficiently scared of a major market correction, understand that now may be an appropriate time to take some risk off of the table or add additional hedges where appropriate. In a previous post, I had stated it appeared as if a 10% to 15% correction may be in the cards and it doesn’t seem as if we’re quite out of the woods yet. The big debate on the debt ceiling in conjunction with comments from bankers and financial thought leaders has helped to produce even more fear. Stay sharp.

Read, Read, and Read some more. Good luck out there.