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Previously, I discussed reasons our economy would go through a major downturn.[1] My study of major bear markets[2] indicates that after a market top and drop, such as the one we have experienced since January 26, there is a second top coming within -2.6% and +2.9% of the first. This marks the beginning of a major bear market. Having arrived at the traditional topping range, what can we reasonably expect moving forward?What follows is a summary of market behavior for every major bear market since 1929 that, like ours, was preceded by a correction. There are six of them starting in 1929, 1937, 1946, 1969, 2000, and 2007. S&P 500 data is used for the 1968, 2000, and 2007 bear markets. Dow Jones closing data[3] was used for all bear markets before that.1929
The largest drops for this market were (trading days from the peak given in parentheses) 13.5%(12), 11.7%(13), 9.9%(17), 6.8%(20), and 6.3%(9). The 30-day average change was -1.07%. By trading day 10 the % loss was 15.1%. By day 30 it was 31.0%.1937
The largest drops for this market were 5.0%(18), 4.5%(15), 4.3%(28), 4.1%(24), and 3.1%(20). The 30-day average change was -0.68%. By trading day 10 the % loss was 6.0%. By day 30 it was 19.1%.1946
The largest drops for this market were 2.5%(15), 1.2%(13), 1.0%(30), 0.95%(14), and 0.77%(8). The 30-day average change was -0.13%. By trading day 10 the % loss was 0.9%. By day 30 it was 3.9%.1968
The largest drops for this market were 1.4%(19), 0.92%(3), 0.90%(17), 0.89%(4), and 0.77%(18). The 30-day average change was -0.29%. By trading day 10 the % loss was 2.7%. By day 30 it was 8.4%.2000
The largest drops for this market were 2.6%(28), 1.9%(24), 1.6%(27), 1.5%(19), and 1.4%(10). The 30-day average change was -0.33%. By trading day 10 the % loss was 5.0%. By day 30 it was 9.6%.2007
The largest drops for this market were 2.9%(10), 2.6%(15), 2.5%(6), 1.8%(27), and 1.6%(29). The 30-day average change was -0.24%. By trading day 10 the % loss was 2.6%. By day 30 it was 7.3%.All the bear markets declined gradually for the first week. In fact, it was rare to find a substantial drop during that first week. Except for 1969, none of the largest percentage drops took place during the first week and those were only 0.92% and 0.89%. Markets did begin to diverge during the second week with the 1929, 1937, and 2000 markets dropping 15.1%, 6.0%, and 5.0%, respectively, after 10 trading days.Once the top was reached, there was no turning back. Instead, most markets had a steady decline. The only exception was the exceedingly volatile 1929 market, which declined 35% by the 13th day recovered 19% and subsequently resumed its decline. This is an important point for our market since the S&P 500 had an intraday high of 2801.90 March 13. This placed it within 2.5% of the January 26, 2018 high, just within the window for the second peak topping range. That would have placed that potential second peak historically early for a major bear market with a correction preamble. The fact 24 trading days later we are still waffling back and forth and in a recent uptrend is in stark contrast to previous major bear market profiles and argues against that being the second peak.Note that, except for the 1929 market, which by that time was recovering, none of the markets had reached bear territory 30 trading days after the market peak. Technically, the 1937 market had dipped into bear territory days before it but was only sitting 19.1% below the peak by day 30. All the other markets were only approaching correction level territory.Given that summary, it is likely that we will also experience a gradual decline with little damage the first week. In fact, with large loss days paling in comparison to those we saw in early January, it may well lull investors into a sense of complacency. Having gone through a long correction already, there will likely be little concern a month and a half later if the 30th trading day arrives with losses still in the single digits. That would be a mistake as the bear relentlessly creeps up on us.[1] It’s Not Over, EzineArticles, April 9, 2018.
[2] The Coast Is Not Clear – Signs of an Impending Major Stock Market Crash, EzineArticles, February 20, 2018.
[3] Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) was used to gather the Down Jones closing data and in preparing this article.

SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is used by website owners to improve their Google search ranking & associated traffic. A team of SEO experts is required to do a complete SEO job for a website. There are multiple affordable SEO internet marketing companies available to deliver SEO Packages. To buy SEO services online is more economical rather than hiring a SEO in-house team to do the same job. An online SEO company needs to evaluate your website if you are looking for custom made solutions. But for most of the small and medium sized websites, a pre packaged SEO service should be sufficient. You may buy SEO online, also when you need to execute only a few SEO elements for your website.There are multiple elements when it comes to complete SEO. It starts with on-page optimization and includes a variety of submission services. A new website or a website which is doing SEO for first time, requires a complete re-haul of its website to include keyword suggestions from on-page optimization team. Again SEO experts would do a very good keywords analysis to come up with right kind of keywords for your SEO project. You should therefore buy services only from a qualified SEO internet marketing company. An affordable SEO solution would also do the sitemap submission for your website to various search engines.This SEO service is quite affordable and you may buy only a part of submission services, as what suits your marketing budget. There are multiple offerings under this banner; including directory submissions, article submissions, social bookmarking etc. One may also look for affordable SEO services, which provides RSS Feed submissions & Press Release submissions too. When you buy service, you should confirm if the online SEO Company provides content writing services too. Most of the time, a website may not have relevant articles, press releases etc, stuffed with the suggested keywords. These articles are required during submission service.If budget permits, one should look for SEO internet marketing company which provides Blog posting, Forum participation, Video submission & various other value added services. An affordable SEO service may provide all these services under a single banner. With a qualified SEO experts team at your disposal, your website search rank on Google would improve drastically. Needless to say this would help improve traffic to your website resulting into better profits. Thus it’s important to buy affordable SEO services from a well qualified online SEO company. It’s a prerequisite to your online business success and profits.

Having a great idea and the motivation to strike-out on your own is a good first step in pursing the feasibility of a business. However, it takes more than motivation and a great idea to get things started. This article will reveal some of the simplest considerations that most would-be business-owners overlook.The very first thing that should not fall under consideration is venturing out on your own without the proper tools beyond the scope of a great idea. According to statistics provided by the Small Business Administration, over 90% of small businesses fail due to a lack of planning. How many times have you heard or witnessed individuals that sat up over a weekend and wrote a stellar business plan then headed out on Monday morning to seek funding or investors? Impatience is the second thing that needs management. So often “I am tired of working for someone else” is the premise for people to start a business. This frame of mind will almost ensure failure because this approach to business involves looking backwards at getting out of a bad situation.There is a prevailing philosophy that has to evolve, “Not all people are cut-out to become business-owners”. This is a harsh reality to face in a country such as the United States that prides itself on autonomy and ownership. Starting a business requires a commitment that may or may not pay dividends quickly. The key threat to small businesses is the initial funding or start-up cost and therefore many under-capitalized ventures hit the markets and get that rude awakening.Before spending your first dollar a best practice is to do your “free research” on the Internet and in public libraries. Read recently published academic studies on the industry in which you plan to pursue. It takes more than just knowing a certain aspect of the business being that your competition may be more well-versed about the industry as a whole. You may want to ask questions such as “What are the regulatory requirements to do business within that particular industry?” You may want to research about “systemic exposure” or how the rest of the economy could or would impact that industry during troubled financial times. It is also a good practice to review some of the strategies of other potential competitors during The Great Recession of 2008. How did the industry leaders survive jn respect to operational changes and sacrifices. It is understandable that this may take several days or even weeks to accomplish, but by applying the best practices initially you will have a clear understanding of what to expect during certain economic times.It is essential to understand who are the industry leaders within your business channel and what makes them unique. There should be an emphasis on this because your branding and marketing could benefit from such a consideration. A distinguishing characteristic may be customer service, quality assurance, product branding, or even presentation. These may sound trivial, but think about if you were a retailer for mens apparel and you specifically wanted to appeal to young urban males under the age of thirty. Labels equals status in many of these communities so a nice logo on the item that is visible may assist in the popularity and purchase of your garments. Even though this may have more to do with marketing and brand positioning, this is a must have against the competition.However, before we get to marketing and branding there are other things needing consideration such as your mind-set, ego, time-line, available start-up capital, and feasibility. After you have trolled through the data and information from your research, the next step is the feasibility study. It is suggested that you do this prior to writing a business plan. In this way you can quickly determine whether or not you can enter the particular market or not and if so, at what level. A common mistake for new business people is to envision competing with the industry leaders. This is an ideal way to go broke quickly. In stead, set more realistic goals for yourself and get the notion out of your head that the Internet is going to make your business global. Facebook and the other social networks became popular because they were free to the end-user first and while trying to figure out a way to capitalize or convert those users into revenue. This would be a bad business-model to follow. Think about your region and the local competition first to see how much it would cost for you company to operate for the first 3 to 5 years without constant revenue.Again this will require more local research this time on your specific region and take not of the deviations between your first broader macro research and the more localized micro research. The deviation between those two areas may actually become the niche that needs filling. In this way you can actually have a specialized niche within the region and a hybrid on a larger scale. Now, you may ask yourself “Why?” Simply put, the goal is to avoid what others are already doing in the sense that giving a “Thankyou” to a customer in a better way that the competitor is not enough. Another temptation to avoid is the centric mind-set that the business and industry has to behave according to your own belief or philosophy. This strategy rarely works out in a positive way. You have seen these business owners that rarely listens to their customers and as a result they have a revolving door of both customers and employees and the business stagnates and does not grow.Growth must have a major role in the definition of your business because that is the incentive to attract customers, employees, and even investors. As a potential business-owner you will have to cleanse your mind of working for a company and view your company as your tangible boss. This may sound counter intuitive, but the cascade is like this, the economy drives the consumer or businesses that drive behavior which drives your company which eventually drives you to make the right decisions to meet the demand.So far you have done your research, and you know how much it will cost you to compete in your local market. The next thing is to consider your liabilities as it relates to the company. You may use this also to determine what form of business ownership will work for you. It is a good business practice to incorporate whenever possible and in some states there are differences in levels according to projected revenues. Incorporating also gives you more protection than a DBA or partnerships. At this point you will learn another strategy that many successful business-owners do, delegate tasks that require professional expertise to professionals with their fields. A good business attorney, accountant, and business consultant are essential for start-ups. This is a gap that many would-be business people fall through the cracks. Another benefits is that these professionals may also assist in giving information that may be crucial in developing a comprehensive business proposal. They can help with the work you have done to reflect the requirements needed.In review, you have your research, feasibility study, chosen your business ownership type, adjusted your expectations, hired professionals that know the laws and regulations better than yourself and you are ready to get started on the business proposal. Not so fast, “Where are your customers?” You guessed it, marketing research needs to take place for the particular individuals or companies that will use your products and or services within your area or online. One question to ask yourself, “How much will it cost me to contact a potential customer before a sale is completed?” And secondly, you need to discover the best way to contact these people or businesses. The prevailing statistics are that radio advertising a person is a passive-listener and only hears about every fourth word, direct mail only about 9% responds. Signs and other ad-hoc methods vary and television may be expensive depending on stations and providers. This means that a considerable budget may need to exist in order to solicit business. Again, this is another area where many would-be business people fall off the wagon and failure is waiting to catch them.There is not an exact science to forecasting revenues so the goal is to have a very plausible theory and approach to this process. Avoid the temptation of raising expectations too high as some did in the dot com era for instance and went broke. The increases in expected revenue should be modest and function on the Standard Rule of 10, meaning that expenses should never go over 10% of revenue. Now, there are some businesses with a lower profit margin at 50%, but that is akin to paying US$10 for every US$20 received in revenue. As you can see pricing strategies for your products and or services are important and trying to make profits off of volume only works for those entities with high capacity transactions. This is the reason why 99 Cent Stores do so well low inventory cost and high turn-over of products. As a foot-note the difficulty with starting a business with very low prices is that it usually attracts the cost-conscious customer who is rarely brand-loyal and will use a comparable competitor. You see this behavior in customer that may shop at Wal-Mart, but purchase other specific items at the 99 Cent Stores. The danger in depending on these cost-conscious customers is that when prices rise they usually leave. Therefore, your pricing model needs to be established as feasible to sustain the business based on the value-added customer that you can possibly up-sell items or services. This is essential to your company’s growth and expansion.

Entertainment is an important part of our lives. There’s virtually no one in this world who does not want to laugh or have fun among friends and family. Quality entertainment helps enliven the spirits and makes feel fresh and alive. The best entertainment suspends reality for a while and takes to a new place and leave behind all worries and troubles.So how much should you spend from your pocket for entertainment at your party or reception? In today’s world whatever we do, budget plays an important factor. Keeping this in mind, we should also plan for our budget when it comes to entertainment for a party or wedding reception.Always remember that the key towards entertainment is to get the maximum of enjoyment without spending huge amounts of money. Of course it depends on the type of entertainment option that you are choosing for. Going for a high profile party or some event in a five-star hotel will always and automatically cost you more than arranging for a small party at a friend’s place. Based on the type of event, you need to plan for the budget. Normally with a few hundred to thousand dollars you can easily organize an event with good amount of entertainment.Spending for an entertainment or event also depends on the number of people coming to attend it. For example, if your party has around 100 people, it may cost you $500-1500 to organize your party’s entertainment. The amount will increase if the number of guests increases to 500. The type of venue that you choose is also a major factor to ascertain your costs. Organizing a small party at your own home or a friend’s place will cost much less than a big venue or banquet hall.As music is an integral part of entertainment, most events and parties include some type of music performances. If your event is going to be more than 4-5 hours or you have a theme to the entertainment, you may have to shed some extra money. However, it will may make your party more exciting and enjoyable and be worth of the money that you are paying.Always keep in mind that paying extravagantly does not always make a great party. You have to spend prudently yet effectively.

The act of investing in, or spending money, time and effort on a business or some other things, in hope of making a profit, best defines investment. It could be Real Estate, Mutual Funds, Stocks, Foreign Exchange etc. Whatever it is, there are rules and guides to achieving success in investments, which, when adhered to, result in achieving much greater heights of success.Considering the huge amount of risks associated with most investments, it is of vital importance, to know the rules and guides first, irrespective of one’s financial status, before one could engage oneself in an investment of any kind whatsoever, in order not to be an object of pity, due to a mistake, of not going by the rules.According to experts, the Securities And Exchange Commission (SEC) of the United States, defines an individual as an Average Investor if the individual has $200,000 or more in annual income, $300,000 or more in annual income as a couple, or $1 Million or more in net worth. This established requirements by the SEC is to protect the average investor from some of the worst and most risky investments in the world. These investor requirements also protect the average investor from some of the best investments in the world, which is one major reason why, one has to be just more than an average investor.In as much as there are millions of desirous investors that fall below average investors, it would be unfair and discouraging, to always mention of Average and Rich Investors without the poor investors, each time matters of investments arise. After all, both started from the scratch. A gradual process that metamorphosed them into becoming what they are today. One does not have to worry himself, provided there’s life, there’s hope for the common man and lots of investment opportunities ahead. Hence, starting out in an investment with a minimal affordable capital, is highly recommended for the poor investor, and with prudence, little efforts, time, hope, faith and patience, desired goals would be achieved.The most important thing in investments is, one’s mindset. The mentally preparedness to cope with the great task associated with investments. Nothing good comes so easy in life! One has to ask oneself, a few important questions before embarking on a journey to investments. These questions are:1. Am I really determined to start out in an investment?2. What type of investment is suitable for me?3. How much capital do I have to start out in an investment?4. Should I invest solely or jointly?5. How much is my risk appetite?When one answers these questions correctly and still has desire to forge ahead in investing his money in an investment, then, he’s qualified for the next stage of success towards investment.The type of investment that suites one, is totally dependent on the already existing investment types- Real Estate, Mutual Funds, Stocks, Foreign Exchange etc., the amount of one’s capital, and one’s special interest in specific investment types. All this put together, constitutes a guide to enabling him know exactly the investment type that suites him.The amount of capital needed to start an investment depends on individuality, and the nature of the investment. Capital, shouldn’t be a major issue here, as there are investments- stocks, one can invest in with a couple of cents. Hence, capital is virtually irrelevant, when considering penny stocks. And should never be a discouragement from investing one’s money in an investment.Investing solely or jointly is totally one’s choice to make. Both investments exist. As a beginner, investing jointly is highly recommended. Considering the inherent risks in investments, which will always be shared, as it would, for the profit, amongst the investors according to individual’s amount invested, is ideally suitable for a good start. However, investing solely, is beneficial too. Even more beneficial, provided one has all it takes to stomach the risks in one-man investments. The investment profits from investing solely, will never be shared with anybody other than the sole investor, who takes it all. Hence, the decision is left for one to make, considering suitability and convenience.Though tremendous amount of risks are involved in most investments. The larger the capital invested, the larger the probable risks. Also, the larger the capital invested, the larger the probable investment profits depending on one’s approach to investment. It’s a matter of proportionality. The opportunity of becoming a Rich, Average, or Poor Investor lies directly at one’s door step. This is the final stage and guide towards a greater change in one’s financial status depending on one’s risk appetite. Hence, a bold step together with strict adherence to the rules and guides stipulated in this article, becoming a rich investor is guaranteed.

Health Care reform… “What does it do for me?” “Is it going to be free?” “Will there be waiting lines at doctor offices?” “What about rationing?” These are all legitimate questions and will be addressed over the next few weeks.Efforts to change the delivery system of health care in the U. S. goes back over 100 years. However, the most well known attempt at reform was as recent as 1994 during the Clinton administration. The overriding goal of reform debate has been to get all Americans insured and relieve the system of treating patients who had no insurance.Providers then would shift the cost (I.e. cost shifting) to those who could afford to pay out of pocket or who had insurance. Consequently, the well to do and insured Americans saw their costs of health care rise disproportionately over time along with the premiums for health insurance.Since the failure of the 1994 attempt at reform, the health care system introduced “Managed Care” plans. These plans offered discounts in premiums to steer insureds into certain blocks of providers. These plans had a number of different looks, but the most common in the West Texas area was PPO plans.Managed Care plans helped alleviate the cost shifting stress for a while, but failed to bring more uninsured folks into the system. Eventually, as the number of uninsureds rose, premiums were forced higher and higher until today where it is not unusual for a family premium to be more than a house payment.Most estimates say 47 million Americans are without health insurance today. The original goal of reform debate when it was seriously renewed in 2008, was to force that 47 million people into the cost sharing arena.By March 23, 2010, the result of reform provided only modest incentives for those 47 million to participate in cost sharing system. Rather, the result ended up as insurance reform.On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). On March 30, 2010, the President signed into the law the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA), adding certain amendments to PPACA. Combined the two laws comprise health care reform.The end result of reform will not reduce costs. The primary focus intended to get those 47 million Americans in the system as participating financial contributors by forcing them to purchase health insurance or open the health insurance markets up to insure those with pre-existing health conditions.The incentives to get more people into the system include:-tax credits for businesses who offer and help pay for insurance
-penalties to individuals and families who do not buy insurance
-elimination of pre-existing health condition exclusions by health insurance carriers
-premium subsidy payments to individuals and families who could not afford insurance
-expansion of MedicaidThese mandates along with a host of other mandates will be phased in over the next seven years, with the majority required by January 1, 2014. It is on this date that subsidies, penalties, and adult pre-existing condition limitations begin. Other prominent provisions begin on that date as well:-State run “Health Insurance Exchanges” must be operating
-Policies may no longer include limitations on annual benefits
-Wellness programs begin
-Group plans will not be able to extend waiting periods for insurance eligibility beyond 90 days
-Employers must begin to “certify” coverage.Other mandates require insurance companies to install important provisions by September 23, 2010:-Dependent children, whether married or unmarried, student or non-student may remain as dependents until age 26
-Group health plans may not set lifetime maximum benefit amounts on “Essential Health Benefits”. The Dept of Health and Human Services will be determining what “Essential Health Benefits” are by September 23
-Children under age 19 who have a pre-existing condition must be “guaranteed issue”
-Insurance companies may not rescind health insurance policies except in limited cases of fraud or misrepresentation by an applicant
-A $250 payment will be made to Medicare Part D (prescription drug plan) beneficiaries as the first installment toward closing the “donut hole” by 2020.Health plans in effect on March 23, 2010, or collectively bargained plans will be exempt from certain requirements and will retain the “grandfathered” status until, as yet undefined, policy changes are made. The grandfathered plans must still abide by dependent children to age 26 and benefit limitation rules. However they will be exempt from other more significant requirements that will be addressed in later columns.Grandfathered health plan premiums will likely be less adversely affected than post-grandfathered plans which will have to conform to many mandates. Most experts believe health insurance on January 1, 2014, could be well over 75% higher than a similar policy today.Very small group plans may give way to individual plans of insurance because the structure of health care reform blurs the line of distinctions between the two.In the meantime prior to September 23, 2010, insurance companies will distribute updates to small group plan sponsors the following items:-Children can remain on parents’ coverage until age 26
-elimination of lifetime benefit caps
-35% tax credit for offering and paying all or a portion of group health planThe next article will focus on group insurance reforms with more detail about the effects on small
businesses.

Home health care is the answer to your long-time agony of restoring your most treasured health without living in a hospital. During this age and time, the number of people with chronic diseases, mentally challenged and physically incapacitated is growing. That’s why health care services that are delivered at home are of great significance to their lives. It includes the finest package to restore your health and eventually be in good physical shape.The idea of living in the hospital to meet your medical challenges is really dreadful. Aside from the costly medical procedures in a health care institution, you also find it uncomfortable to live each day of your life in the hospital. The development of health home care deletes this inconvenience. These services help you regain your optimal health. But this doesn’t sacrifice the idea of quality services when you are in an excellent medical institution undergoing sophisticated treatments. These home care services use state of the art facilities and are delivered by experienced and competent medical staff. Through that you will never have to put your own health at stake.But, what are really the services offered by this health home care providers? First, we have the language and speech therapy. Victims of a physically debilitating stroke can still recover their communication skills with the help of a competent speech therapist. Yes, it is a long process. But at the end, you’ll surely reap the fruits of your sacrifices. These services can also focus on educating the family. As we all know, prevention is always the best cure. These services also teach the significant knowledge needed by these individuals as they struggle in maintaining good health. They can also educate the family members of individuals who have chronic diseases of thing they should and shouldn’t do if emergency occurs. They can further educate the youth against the evil and danger brought about by sexually transmitted diseases. With this, you just can’t provide worthwhile knowledge but can straighten their paths as well. Lastly, these services also concentrate in feeding the emotional and spiritual well-being of dying patients or those who have chronic diseases. They could still assist these individuals to attain a dignified death when their time comes or could still let hope shine despite the overshadowing of darkness, as in the case of chronically ill patients. Whatever the purpose of health home care may be, its ultimate goal is to be a part of a patient’s life. Truly, these medical staff members want nothing but the best and quality life for their patients.Being a part of a health home care staff is really mentally taxing and physically demanding. But, do you know what makes this career path worth the sacrifices? It is the smile of the patients whenever you touch them with care and their satisfied hearts whenever you smile back at them. At the end of the day, you can truly say that these services don’t only provide purely medical treatment and health knowledge, but this career also touch lives as they become part of a patient’s heart.

#EANF#

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.