Grind Can Last a While

It is not at all unusual for the market to grind higher like this for several weeks in row, or even several months in a row.  It happened for nearly 12 months straight, with one brief interruption (in late Feb 2007), from August 2006 to July 2007.  It was a regular feature of the powerful bull market in the mid 1990s.  It just hasn't really happened since 2008, even with an 8 year old bull market.  You had regular meaningful dips from 2009 to 2016, which would scare out those who had 2008 flashbacks, only to V bottom higher.  This year, you had a few shallow dips, almost as if the dip buyers were so thick that they stopped the dips from getting deep.

It is the triumph of the dip buyers.  They have won. They have been so successful that the dips are now so shallow and brief, that even a 3% correction looks like a monster buying opportunity. 

When does it end?  You want to see a VIX that is rising when the S&P is rising.  That is the first and biggest clue.  You want to see less inflows into bond funds and more inflows into stock funds.  And you want to see China's markets do worse, because they often foretell broader global stock market weakness. 

It is a grind these days, and there is not much new to add.  I don't want to repeat myself, but the top is months away, so either be long (if you can ride bubbles) or in cash.  Just don't be short. 

By the way, I will be writing fewer posts with the lack of action.  If things pick up, I will write more.