Live from New Orleans, it’s Super Bowl weekend!
Stocks have been running swiftly in the New Year, scoring the best January since 1997. And there’s an old saying on Wall Street, “as goes January, so goes the year”. In fact, in the last 84 years, a positive January led to a positive full year nearly 75% of the time. Pretty good trend there.
Earnings reports and recent economic data are now validating the winter rally. Fundamentals are solid and most investors have been quite skeptical all along.
We know all too well that today’s Markets don’t provide slow and steady straight lines upward. Some day we will get back to that sort of environment, but not now. There are many issues that still need attention, both here and abroad, and attention they are getting. Some are more pragmatic than others no doubt. But this Market is healthy, and we see great value as investors.
This weekend will be all about a football game. There will be more chicken wings and avocados consumed on Sunday than any other day of the year. Super Bowl Sunday is like a holiday. Many enjoy it merely for the commercials!
You may recall Wall Street and the Super Bowl winner do have a connection. When a traditional NFL team wins, which the Niners are, the DOW has ended the year positive 80% of the time. As if you needed another reason to root for the Niners. However, the Baltimore Ravens used to be the Cleveland Browns, which were an original NFL team as well. Wall Street sees a win-win here.
So when you combine the January effect with the Super Bowl indicator and marry it with solid fundamentals for Corporate America, investors have reason to feel pretty good Sunday.
It should be a great game, and let’s hope our San Francisco 49ers make it 6.
Go Niners!
By: Mike Frazier
