Color Me More Bullish

NEW YORK (Real Money) -- Last night I ended my trading diary with the following five reasons why I like the market action and why I expanded my long book on Wednesday.

1. Market resiliency: Mr. Market bent but didn't break, despite every reason to collapse after Tuesday's horrible session. It wasn't strong enough to dissuade the newbie bears (many of whom were Muppet-like bulls at the top), and it wasn't weak enough to confirm some of their technical concerns.
2. Growing skepticism: After a few weeks of market schmeissing (and a drop of about 60 points on the S&P 500), investors have grown skittish and uncertain. Market expectations have been tempered, and the profit bar might now be too low. These are necessary ingredients to an improving market and stronger foundation for the markets in the months ahead. Today's AAII survey results, in which bulls dropped from 38.2 to only 28.1 as bears rose from 27.8 to 41.6, confirm my view that sentiment has significantly eroded.
3. Better domestic growth ahead: The Beige Book signaled an improving and sustainable growth trajectory -- all 12 Fed districts have reported what I would describe as grinding growth -- and the U.S. bond market weakened in conformation on Wednesday.
4. Inflation is benign: The import price report underscored that inflation will likely be muted (a growth- and valuation-inflating factor). I expect some moderation in the March producer price index that is to be announced this morning.
5. ECB strategy spelled out: A member of the ECB stated its intention to stand by and respond to any further evidence of growing debt contagion by supporting the purchase of Italian and Spanish bonds in the secondary market through its security markets program. This is precisely the manner in which the previous sovereign problems in Europe were addressed.

The overnight futures have had a positive tone, continuing yesterday's modest price momentum.