The market remains buoyant even though it’s been seeping air for some time.  Hopefully, this week will establish a firm direction.

Earnings & Banks

The bank scare is fading into the background as the financial stress spike has abated. But make no mistake - the scare isn’t over yet.

There are more bank earnings and important reports like the much-anticipated updated Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey by the Federal Reserve.

Downgrades

Many bank stocks have been downgraded, but Moody’s downgrades on banks underscore the real chance this saga is not over.

As everyone suspected, the big banks are doing fine, but the smaller banks are struggling – big time.

Interestingly, Financials (XLF) have enjoyed the strongest earnings season thus far. This week - the shift is to mega-cap names. Buckle up.

Portfolio Approach

There are no sector weighting changes this morning in our Hotline Model Portfolio.

Today’s Session

As we await the avalanche of earnings and economic data, we continue watching bond yields which have begun to pull back a bit.

The 10-year back under its 200-day moving average is pivotal. There is a huge downside gap looming large.