The primary indicator of a healthy bull market is when technical breakouts are sustained and lead to higher prices. If breakouts consistently fail and your positions stagnate, it's a red flag that the underlying trend is weakening, even if indices are high.
In an environment characterized by a series of sector-specific bull runs (e.g., from semis to metals), a winning strategy is to actively trade breakouts as they occur. This capitalizes on rotational leadership and momentum rather than relying on a static portfolio.
The most profitable periods for trend following occur when market trends extend far beyond what seems rational or fundamentally justified. The strategy is designed to stay disciplined as prices move to levels few can imagine, long after others have exited.
Calling a market top is a technical exercise, as fundamentals lag significantly. A reliable sell signal emerges when the market's leadership narrows to a few "generals." When a critical number of these leaders (e.g., three of the top seven) fall below their 200-day moving average, the rally is likely over.
A market enters a bubble when its price, in real terms, exceeds its long-term trend by two standard deviations. Historically, this signals a period of further gains, but these "in-bubble" profits are almost always given back in the subsequent crash, making it a predictable trap.
Judging investment skill requires observing performance through both bull and bear markets. A fixed period, like 5 or 10 years, can be misleading if it only captures one type of environment, often rewarding mere risk tolerance rather than genuine ability.
A multi-year "rolling recession," which affected different sectors sequentially, concluded in April, quietly kicking off a new bull market. This recovery is not yet obvious because many parts of the economy still lag, which presents a significant investment opportunity.
Weakness in speculative, low-quality stocks and assets like Bitcoin often marks the beginning of a market correction. The final phase, however, is typically characterized by the decline of high-quality market leaders (the “generals”). This sequential weakness is a historical indicator that the correction is closer to its end than its beginning.
Despite the start of a new bull market, current 'frothy' conditions make a significant pullback likely. This should be viewed not as a threat, but as a normal occurrence and a buying opportunity. Near-term catalysts include escalating China trade tensions, stress in funding markets from quantitative tightening, and peaking earnings revisions.
The economy did not experience a single, unified recession. Instead, different sectors contracted sequentially over three years in a "rolling recession." This process concluded in April, quietly starting a new bull market and recovery cycle that remains underappreciated, presenting an opportunity in lagging market segments.
Technical analysis (price, volume) is like checking a stock's vital signs—a snapshot in time. To truly understand its health, you must pair this with fundamental analysis (revenue, debt, leadership), which is like running lab work to get a complete and accurate picture over time.