THE TRANSPORTS ARE SOARING... AND THAT'S A GOOD THING
The Dow Transports are in a bull market... and that's a good sign for the economy.
While most folks just pay attention to conventional stock averages like the Dow Industrials, market traditionalists (like us) also pay attention to the Dow Jones Transportation Average.
This stock index tracks the performance of railroad, airline, trucking, and freight companies. Big transporters like FedEx, Union Pacific, UPS, and Norfolk Southern are components of the average.
There's a good reason for watching the transports. If the shippers of goods are enjoying robust profits and share prices, the economy can't be doing that badly. If the transports are tanking, it's a danger sign for the economy.
As you can see from the chart below, the transports aren't tanking... they're in a big bull market.
The Dow Jones Transportation Average has climbed from 5,250 to 7,700... and sits near an all-time high. Despite what the pessimists would have you think, things can't be all that bad with the economy.
Source: Daily Wealth