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Roundup
1. This is the last 12 months actual daily geomagnetism, plotted against the S&P500. The spikes down in the red-yellow line represent occurences of high geomagnetic disturbance, or geomagnetic storms. A couple of spikes down preceded or coincided with each leg down in the stock market, and the market only achieved recovery momentum once geomagnetism turned benign as of November. As can be seen in the future part of the red-yellow line, there are no spikes down currently forecast, but note that as of February we enter a perod whereby geomagnetic disturbance seasonally picks up. 2. These are the latest OECD leading indicator readings. The overall picture for OECD countries remains delicate, sat on the dividing line between growth and recession. Whilst Euro-land is mired in the negative, the USA stands out in having now made an up-turn away from danger. Russia (not shown) has also made this up-turn, but most other significant countries remain either on the dividing line or in the negative. Source: OECD 3. This chart from PFS shows a 6 month lagged correlation between the ECB balance sheet and Euro stocks, suggesting a tailwind for European stocks the next 6 months. As the Euro Stoxx index effectively made a bear market in price in 2011 down to the previous secular bear lows, a mean-reversion recovery in this index is likely if the Euro debt issue continues to subside. 
Source: PFS Group 4. In 2011 I highlighted when the Citigroup Economic Surpise Index turned up from its extreme low that it potentially echoed its reversal action at the turn of 2009, which was a leading indicator for the stock market turning up. The same did indeed occur this time round, with the stock market turning up a couple of months later. Now we find this indicator at the opposite extreme, and this is very much a mean-reversion indicator as economists ratchet up or down expectations and forecasts (this represents the gap between the two). 
Source: WSJ/Strategas Now looking back to 2009, when the indicator peaked it then gradually fell away into mid-2010, and as can be seen from the S&P chart below this was reflected in overall sideways action in the stock index (note that there were siginificant rallies and drops within it, but overall sideways). In my 2012 preview, I noted that overall sideways action in stocks was predicted in the next 18 months by solar cycles, so it's something to bear in mind. 
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