Year to Date 2009 Returns

There has been alot of talk lately about how some sectors and certain stocks have gains for 2009. Most of this talk centers around the nasdaq which was up .63% as of Thursday's close although after Friday's rout it now sits -2% for the year. Here I'm just gonna throw up a number of different charts highlighting the range of 2009 results for various index etfs and individual stocks. In each of these charts the blue line is horizontal from the close of 2008 and the purple line is some sort of trend I see in the lows. I should note that some of these are 3 month charts while the rest are 6 month charts. Lets start with the ugliest sector ETF, the financials XLF:

(click to enlarge)

The financials are down about 33% this year and I think the important level that needs to break before a test of the years highs is $9.50.

However, looking at the Nasdaq 100 (ticker QQQQ) over the past six months you can see certainly see some signs of a bottom. The 2008 lows have held, plus some change and the index is up in 2009. That being said, the majority of the gains in 2009 were on the first trading day of the year and this index has failed to take out the highs made early this year. I think $31.50 will be a key level to watch:

ICE is a stock which is sort of a tech-financial, and they are right on breakeven for the year. I will give ICE credit for a higher low this year but the longer term tendency to make lower highs below a falling 200 dma remains. If ICE could make new highs for '09 and take out that 200 dma I could be bullish, but until then this one looks like a great short. Recently it tried to break it's 200 dma and failed, that too me is a bearish sign and a suggests a short entry here:

Going back toward the pure technology stocks, GOOG is solidly up for thi s year. Only at a few times has it been in the red and those lows were progressively higher. With a rising 50 dma below this might be one of the better charts I've seen lately. If I were looking to be bullish on something I might choose GOOG after a pullback:

Before we get too excited about GOOG, I should also note that it is still very far from it's 2009 high at $381. So google is up 10% in 2009, but its down 10% from it's yearly high. Furthermore, that pesky declining 200 dma is much higher.

First Solar (ticker FSLR) is another decent looking tech stock. You can see that it's up for 2009 although most of that gain came on the first day of the year. FSLR has a nice looking base formation and I think that the recent cup n handle could take it higher int he context of a strong stock market:


I'll leave you with my favorite index ETF to watch, the Russell 200 small caps (ticker IWM). Its down for the year and in my opinion headed decisively lower:

Any thoughts on these, additional charts (links) are welcome in the comments.

Disclosure: I own QQQQ puts.