Price Trumps All! Issachar Update: Issachar is on defense and waiting for the selling dust to settle. The NASDAQ 100 and S&P 500 indexes sliced through their 50-day moving averages on above-average volume, so risk is elevated. I was bullish and had conviction the market was headed higher, but price trumps all. When stocks break through major support levels on big volume (an expectation breaker), I act and ask questions later. Our stocks had great fundamentals and technical chart patterns, but the market did not care. The market is forward-looking and sees something it does not like. The algos create waves of indiscriminate selling, leading to margin calls and shakeouts. We are on high alert and waiting for more clues as to why the uptrend suddenly turned into a downtrend. Maybe the market is pricing in a recession due to the weak jobs report. (There is no guarantee that any investment will achieve its objectives, generate positive returns, or avoid losses.)
Market Update: Friday’s jobs report showed that only 142,000 jobs were created in August, but the market was expecting 160,000, so the market declined on renewed recession fears. July employment gains were revised to 89,000, the lowest monthly job gains since December 2020. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for June were also revised lower, adding more jobs lost to the annual 818,000-job loss “adjustment.” If the Fed relies on consistently revised government figures to set interest rate policy, how can we trust the government or the Fed?
The market sees a 70% chance of a 25-basis point cut and a 30% chance of a 50-basis point cut on September 18th. Many expect more cuts heading into the end of 2024. The CPI for August is due Wednesday, expecting a 2.9% inflation rate, but can we trust those numbers? Groceries, gas, rent, and insurance prices are growing around triple the “official” CPI inflation rate.
Bottom line: We are on defense until the downtrend reverses. The major indexes flashed sell signals on Tuesday and Friday, slicing through key support levels on above-average volume. We had strong convictions the market was headed higher, but the market changed direction, so we adjusted our sails. Yields and oil prices are declining, which supports the recession narrative. The big-tech AI leading stocks are also in downtrend distribution mode, while defensive plays like REITs and utilities show signs of accumulation. This decline does not feel like another yen carry-trade V-bottom recovery. However, I do not predict; I interpret price and volume to invest in fundamentally sound stocks with strong technical chart action. Grace & Peace to Everyone!
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the Issachar Fund. This and other important information about the Fund are contained in the Prospectus, obtained by calling 1-866-787-8355 or visiting IssacharFund.com. The Prospectus should be read carefully before investing. The Issachar Fund is distributed by Northern Lights Distributors, LLC., a member of FINRA/SIPC. Horizon Capital Management Inc. (HCM) is not affiliated with Northern Lights Distributors, LLC.
Important Risk Information: Mutual Funds involve risks, including the possible loss of principal. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors. The Fund may hold cash positions when the Adviser feels that the market is not producing returns greater than the short-term cash investments in which the Fund may invest. There is a risk that the sections of the market in which the Fund invests will begin to rise or fall rapidly, and the Fund will not be able to sell stocks quickly enough to avoid losses or reinvest its cash positions into areas of the advancing market quickly enough to capture the initial returns of changing market conditions. The Adviser’s judgment about the attractiveness, value, and potential appreciation of particular asset classes and securities in which the Fund invests may prove incorrect and may not produce the desired results. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Ratings are only one form of Fund performance and should not be used as the sole consideration in an investment decision. Opinions expressed are subject to change, not guaranteed, and should not be considered investment advice. There is no assurance these opinions or forecasts will come to pass, and past performance is no assurance of future results. For more information regarding the Fund, including current performance, please visit IssacharFund.com. NLD Compliance Code: 20240909-3843578
Dexter Lyons, Portfolio Manager
Issachar Fund (LIONX & LIOTX)
337-983-0676 [email protected]
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