8@eight: ASX set to finish week on dour note

By John Kicklighter
Updated November 10 2017 - 10:23am, first published 10:17am
The information of stocks that lost in prices are displayed on an electronic board inside the Australian Securities Exchange, operated by ASX Ltd., in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, July 24, 2015. The Australian dollar slumped last week as a gauge of Chinese manufacturing unexpectedly contracted, aggravating the impact of declines in copper and iron ore prices. Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg
The information of stocks that lost in prices are displayed on an electronic board inside the Australian Securities Exchange, operated by ASX Ltd., in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, July 24, 2015. The Australian dollar slumped last week as a gauge of Chinese manufacturing unexpectedly contracted, aggravating the impact of declines in copper and iron ore prices. Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg
MARKETS. 7 JUNE 2011. AFR PIC BY PETER BRAIG. STOCK EXCHANGE, SYDNEY, STOCKS. GENERIC PIC. ASX. STOCKMARKET. MARKET.
MARKETS. 7 JUNE 2011. AFR PIC BY PETER BRAIG. STOCK EXCHANGE, SYDNEY, STOCKS. GENERIC PIC. ASX. STOCKMARKET. MARKET.
Stock information is displayed on an electronic board inside the Australian Securities Exchange, operated by ASX Ltd., in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, July 24, 2015. The Australian dollar slumped last week as a gauge of Chinese manufacturing unexpectedly contracted, aggravating the impact of declines in copper and iron ore prices. Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg
Stock information is displayed on an electronic board inside the Australian Securities Exchange, operated by ASX Ltd., in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, July 24, 2015. The Australian dollar slumped last week as a gauge of Chinese manufacturing unexpectedly contracted, aggravating the impact of declines in copper and iron ore prices. Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg

Finally some signs of life in the market. At a certain point, low volatility becomes more burden than boon as there is no return for taking on the risk normally associated with navigating the market. That said, global equities steered lower through Thursday's session with a measurable escalation of intensity through the US session - quite the contrast to the tepid celebration of Dow's and company's climb on the one year anniversary of the US election. Whether short-term trader or long-term investor, seeing the VIX Volatility Index rise back above 10 should be a welcome development. This popular 'fear' measure has closed below 10 on 42 different occasions this year. For context, it has only dropped below that low extreme 9 other times in its history and then only during holiday conditions. When there is an assumption of no return, no enthusiasm and no consequence; something is wrong.

The long and short of it

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