Add Punxsutawney Phil to to the slope of the yield curve, death crosses, and the price of copper as a tool for forecasting what’s next for stocks.
Research indicates that if the groundhog sees his shadow when he emerges from his burrow on Feb. 2, stocks don’t perform as well as when as when he doesn’t see it. If the critter sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, tradition has it, that means winter will drag on for six more weeks. No shadow points to an early spring.