Given the market’s performance over the last month, we feel that investors should consider reducing the more speculative portions of their portfolio.

With about six weeks to go until the U.S. Presidential election, we enter the critical month of October in which Romney will be using all means necessary to move the swing states like Ohio, Florida, and Colorado from blue to red. The latest polls show Obama leading in these states, but everyone—especially investors—knows that it can all change during this final stretch of debates, campaigning, interviews, and commercials.

After two consecutive weeks of more than 200 basis points of growth in S&P 500 market prices, resulting from general enthusiasm over the stimulus decisions of the ECB, Fed, and Japanese Central Bank, the market took profits relatively quietly last week. Last week’s economic reports were generally flat.

See David's comments on Spain's bailout request and the expected U.S. GDP number this week in the MarketWatch article titled "U.S. housing data, Spain in spotlight next week."

Portfolio managers returning from their summer holidays have apparently liked what they’ve heard from the central banks. Although total volume remains modest, U.S. stock indexes have hit new highs. The S&P 500 finally busted out of its 3-month-long bullish rising channel.

The Fed has enacted QE3 with an indefinite time deadline. Europe continues to make progress after Draghi’s bond buying announcement and Chancellor Merkel’s reaffirmation. The market has noticed and responded with a strong upward movement in each of the past two weeks.  

Despite last Friday’s disappointing jobs report, stocks are staying strong. The S&P 500 hit yet another new high on Wednesday—its highest level since January 2008, while the Nasdaq is at a level not seen since toppling from its “irrational exuberance” days of late-2000 as the Internet bubble was bursting. The ECB seems to be getting a workable plan together to support the eurozone banking system and sovereign debt.

Last week’s events moved the market in a positive direction.  ECB President Draghi did indeed get approval to implement his sterilized bonds to assist weaker European nations from defaulting on their sovereign debt.

Volume remains low as the bulls continue to await Wall Street’s return from late summer vacations...and a firm plan from the central banks. (I think many portfolio managers must be spending their days in the stands at the U.S. Open tennis tournament.) The S&P 500 closed out August with a third straight monthly gain.

Sabrient's Director and Chief Market Strategist, David Brown, was interviewed this morning on Brian Sullivan's Street Insider segment on CNBC. They discussed Europe's interest rate risk, Draghi's intentions at tomorrow's ECB meeting, and how that will affect investors. Watch the the clip here.