Summary

Nasdaq, we have a problem. Stocks started the year with a bit of a rough sled, and action after the non-farm payrolls report dented expectations (suggesting that more near-term Fed stimulus may be a pipe dream fades out) was particularly awful. Now, experts have intervened. And phew. Vickers Stock Research’s one-week buy/sell ratio for the NYSE has entered negative territory, at 6.25 on a scale where anything above 6.00 is bearish. Last week, the ratio was 3.38. It’s not great, but it’s only been a week (so far). But the Nasdaq’s one-week ratio also moved into negative territory since last week, and that’s where we really notice, as the current ratio is a staggering 15.57 compared to 4.54 last week . That’s an ominous number under any circumstances, but we especially hate to see it right when earnings season starts and with most insiders banned from trading for several weeks. Indeed, these ratios are not the “final word” we wanted from business executives, directors and beneficial owners. By sector, insider buying was the largest in the industrials sector over the past week, with shares valued at $3.4 million bought versus $5.9 million sold at a bid/ask ratio of ‘1.8. The sell/buy ratio was also largely bullish on the financial side