Negative sentiment surveys affirm what I've been saying; S&P would go up short-term, regardless of what comes down the road, although we might of course get rate cuts, not hikes.

Speculation abounds regarding whether we're thrust into a deep recession as the year progresses or not. I have a hunch not for a pivot, but for a Declaration of Victory, later this year.

'When the going gets tough' - 'the tough get going'. Old Football metaphors don't suffice to divine what comes next for stocks; which can be choppy in this first half of December.

A 'neutrality' stance isn't a cop-out avoiding decision-making, but currently is actually an appropriate strategy.

For the moment, S&P should attempt yet-another trust, react to the CPI just a day later and then possibly go on the defensive, but not for a catastrophe.