Yesterday's high volume dumpfest in stocks - its biggest drop in 5 months - is followed by a considerably smaller volume pumpfest that elevates the S&P by its 2nd most of the year (2nd only to the opening day of the year). The 'excessive' grab for protection yesterday that took VIX above 17% was smashed into the open and provided the ammo to leak stocks higher all day (VIX fell 3.3vols back under 14% - the biggest VIX drop of the year). The critical level for the bounce appeared to be the pre-Boston drop and every major index managed to regain it - with the Trannies leading the way. S&P futures regained 60% of the Friday-to-Monday slump, gold regained around 25% of its drop, and 10Y yields rose on the day, unwinding around 35% of the rally in Treasuries. EUR strength (and broad-based USD weakness) provided some impetus for algos to lift stocks. All-in-all, today's lower volume, lower average trade size move is not surprising and the coincident close of the S&P at around yesterday's VWAP (and lesser follow-through on other risk-assets) suggest this is more a bounce than a renewed uptrend for now.
Yesterday's biggest drop in 5 months followed by today's biggest rise of the year...
The late-day spurt (perfectly timed as usual) dislocated stocks from risk-assets...
but ensured that S&P futures ended above yesterday's closing VWAP providing a parachute for some...
VIX recovered its Boston protection grab and momentum did the rest...
As the Dow Transports surged the most from yesterday's Boston drop...
As commodities broadly bounced too...
Charts: Bloomberg and Capital Context