If today feels a little different, it could be because it’s quadruple witching, which sees expirations of:

• Stock Options
• Index Options
• Index Futures
• Stock Index Futures

It can bring extra volume and volatility – which is just what investors need (a rally with strong volume).

I’m loving the action, which is a blend of growth names and retail investor favorites.  The deal is, most of those stocks that have crushed investors the most are going to come back.  Some may not hit all-time highs, but damn near all were oversold coming into the week.

Today’s session and trading this week, while an ode to the kind of resolve that made this market a cash machine on steroids since 2009, also underscores a new wave of increased volatility.

The powers behind the curtain need to shake out the weak hands to accumulate stocks at lower prices.  The reason this always works in a reverse of the proverbial snowball going down a hill, and becoming a boulder, is people buy when they feel comfortable, and only feel comfortable when the market is soaring at all-time highs.

The lesson you are leaning over and over is to buy when you are uncomfortable – at the very least don’t take unnecessary hits and make stocks even cheaper for those that already have more levers to pull than you do.

Pray for peace and for the Ukrainians. Have a good weekend and stay safe.