Image Source: Unsplash
 

After coming up just a couple of points short of a closing record high yesterday, US equity futures are heading into the long weekend on a very modest negative note while the 10-year yield is unchanged. There’s a decent amount of economic data to deal with so the placid tone will likely change between now and the closing bell. Retail Sales were just released, and the January readings came in significantly weaker than expected although December’s report was revised higher. Import and Export Prices were largely inline with forecasts.

Also, the last three Fridays have seen stocks sell off into the weekend as investors look to avoid any potential tape bombs. With a three-day weekend on the horizon after today, if the market manages to avoid a sell-off like it has done the last three Fridays, that would be considered a win!

Gordon Moore co-founded Intel (INTC) in 1968, and in the above quote, he was brutally humble about his fallibility regarding large technological trends. While Intel (INTC) was on the cutting edge of the semiconductor industry for its first few decades, the company has missed a lot of major tech developments and trends over the last decade. The stock has paid handsomely for it. After trading above $60 less than four years ago, INTC recently traded below $20 shedding 70% of its value.

This week, though, INTC has done something not seen since its glory days. In the five trading days ending Thursday, the stock rallied 24.5% which is a level it has only exceeded in three other periods in the last 30 years – January 2000, April 2001, and October 2002.

More By This Author: