The Most Important Long-Term Market Indicator

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Most Important Long-Term Indicator for Markets
  • Remaining Catalysts This Week
  • Chart: 2-Yr Yield Quietly Breaks Out to New 2024 Highs

S&P futures are flat while Treasury yields are slightly lower and the dollar is little changed following a quiet night of news ahead of today’s critical U.S. CPI report.

In corporate news, TSM reported the fastest revenue growth since 2022, renewing some AI optimism in global markets.

The biggest catalyst of the day will hit before the bell with CPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 3.5% y/y) and Core CPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 3.7% y/y) being reported at 8:30 a.m. ET. Simply put, a “hot” print will be hawkish and bad for stocks; a “cool” print will be “risk-on.”

There are no other economic reports on the calendar, however, there is a 10-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET and the monthly Treasury Statement (-$340B) will hit the wires at 2:00 p.m. ET. Both could move yields and impact stocks (higher yields will pressure equities).

Regarding the Fed, there are two speakers on the schedule today, Bowman right after CPI (8:45 a.m. ET), and Goolsbee mid-day (12:45 p.m. ET) before the March FOMC Meeting Minutes are released mid-afternoon (2:00 p.m. ET).

Any hawkishness in the speakers’ tone or language that points to “higher for longer” policy will be negative for stocks. Conversely, if a summer cut and three total 2024 rate cuts are reinforced that will support risk assets and rally stocks broadly.

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CPI Preview: Good, Bad, Ugly

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • CPI Preview: Good, Bad, Ugly
  • Where to Find Rate Cut Probabilities

Stock futures are modestly higher this morning as the bond market steadies ahead of tomorrow’s key inflation data while financial newswires were mostly quiet overnight.

Overseas, Taiwan’s headline CPI fell sharply from 3.1% to 2.1% vs (E) 2.5% in March. Domestically, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped to 88.5 vs. (E) 89.9.

Looking ahead to today’s session, there are no economic reports today and no Fed officials are scheduled to speak which is setting up a fairly quiet morning in the markets.

The one potential catalysts on the calendar today is the 3-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET. Equity markets are watching yields closely here, so if today’s auction is weak and yields move higher this afternoon that will weigh on stocks and other risk assets. However, moves should be limited as traders position into tomorrow’s inflation data.

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The Most Important Short-Term Market Indicator

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Most Important Short-Term Market Indicator
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Will CPI Decline Further?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Inflation in Focus This Week (And It Needs to Keep Falling)

Futures are flat following a mostly quiet weekend as markets digest Friday’s rally and look ahead to Wednesday’s CPI.

Geo-political tensions eased slightly and that’s weighing modestly on oil prices as Iran said it would not retaliate again Israel if a cease-fire in Gaza is reached.

Economically, German Industrial Production solidly beat estimates (2.1% vs. (E) 0.3%).

Today will be a mostly quiet day as there are no notable economic reports and just one Fed speaker, Kashkari (7:00 p.m. ET), but he speaks after the close.  So, digestion of Friday’s rebound and positioning ahead of Wednesday’s CPI will likely drive trading today.

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Why Did Stocks Drop Again?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Did Stocks Drop Again?
  • How High Can Gold Go?

Futures are bouncing modestly from Thursday’s afternoon selloff, following a quiet night of news and as investor look ahead to today’s jobs report.

Economic data overnight (German Manufacturers’ Orders and Euro Zone retail sales) slightly missed expectations but the numbers aren’t increasing growth worries.

Today the focus will be on the jobs report and expectations are as follows: 200K Job Adds, 3.9% Unemployment Rate, 4.1% y/y Wage Growth.  The risk for this market remains for a “Too Hot” report that shows strong job adds, low unemployment and hot wages, while a number modestly below expectations would be welcomed as “Goldilocks” and likely spur a rebound in stocks and bonds.

In addition to the jobs report, we also have several Fed speakers including Collins (8:30 a.m. ET), Barkin (9:15 a.m. ET), Logan (11:00 a.m. ET) and Bowman (12:15 p.m. ET). If their tone is hawkish, it could reduce June rate cut chances and increase volatility.

Sevens Report Quarterly Letter 

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Jobs Report Preview (An Important One)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview (An Important One)
  • Is the Short-Vol Trade Starting to Unwind?
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Market Update

Futures are modestly higher as economic data and corporate earnings were slightly better than expected.

Economically, Euro Zone and UK Composite PMIs were above 50 and that’s pushing back on EU recession worries.

On earnings, Levi Strauss (LEVI) posted strong results (stock up 9% pre-market) and that’s helping to counter soft retailer earnings from PVH and ULTA.

Markets are still sensitive to hawkish data or commentary that reduces June rate cut chances, so the focus today will be on Jobless Claims (E: 213K) and on several Fed speakers including Barkin (12:15 p.m. ET), Mester (2:00 p.m. ET) and Kugler (7:30 p.m. ET).  Tomorrow’s jobs report should keep volatility somewhat subdued, but if there are any hawkish surprises from the data or Fed speak, don’t be surprised if there’s more volatility.

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A Four Way Assault on the Bullish Mantra

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Did Stocks Drop and What’s It Mean for Markets? (Four Reasons)
  • JOLTS Data Takeaways – “Solid Enough” for Now
  • Chart: The S&P 500 Violated It’s 2024 Uptrend Yesterday
  • Chart: The “Short-Vol Trade” Is Beginning to Unravel (More to Come)

Stock futures are lower again this morning as the hawkish money flows of early Q2 continue with the 10-Yr yield at YTD highs ahead of Powell’s speech on the economy today.

Economically, China’s Composite PMI met estimates at 52.7 while the EU’s “Narrow Core HICP” (their Core-CPI equivalent) favorably fell from 3.1% to 2.9% vs. (E) 3.0%.

Today, there are two important economic reports due out: The ADP Employment Report (E: 150K) before the open and then the ISM Services Index (E: 52.7). Good economic news has been bad for markets lately, so softening growth numbers and low/falling inflation metrics in today’s data are the best case scenario for stocks today.

Beyond the data this morning, there are several Fed officials scheduled to speak: Bowman (9:45 a.m. ET), Goolsbee (12:00 p.m. ET), Powell (12:10 p.m. ET), and Barr (1:10 p.m. ET).

Powell’s speech at Standford shortly after 12:00 p.m. (ET) will get the most attention as traders look for him to reiterate the key takeaways from the March FOMC meeting (likely summer rate cut, three cuts in 2024 expected). Any hints at “higher for longer” will add to the hawkish money flows that have been weighing on stocks so far in Q2.

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Why the Falling Yen Matters to Your Clients

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why the Falling Yen Matters to Your Clients
  • ISM Manufacturing Index Takeaways
  • 10-Yr Yield Testing Key 2024 Resistance – Chart

Stock futures are modestly lower and Treasury yields are testing YTD highs this morning amid new multi-month highs in oil and better-than-feared EU economic data.

Economically, the final EU Manufacturing PMI for March was revised up from 45.7 to 46.1 which is still in contraction territory but adding pressure to global bond markets.

Looking into today’s session, we will get data on Motor Vehicle Sales early (E: 16.0 million) but trader focus will be on two more important reports for the outlook for the economy and critically Fed policy: Factory Orders (E: 1.0%) and JOLTS (E: 8.8 million).

If either of the latter two reports come in “hot” expect the 10-Yr to extend pre-market gains and stocks to remain under pressure today.

Additionally, there are a few Fed speakers on the calendar with: Bowman (10:10 a.m. ET), Williams (12:00 p.m. ET), Mester (12:05 p.m. ET), and Daly (1:30 p.m. ET). Any pushback on the case for a summer rate cut and a total of three cuts in 2024 will add to hawkish money flows with yields rising and stocks likely extending the so-far-modest weekly declines.

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Assessing (and Ranking) Market Risks as We Start Q2

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Assessing (and Ranking) Market Risks as We Start Q2
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Will Important Data Continue to Point Towards a Soft Landing?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Jobs Report Friday, ISM Manufacturing and Services Mon/Wed

Futures are solidly higher to start Q2 as expectations for a June rate cut remain high after the Core PCE Price Index met expectations and Powell provided no surprises in his comments (both last Friday).

Friday’s Core PCE Price Index met expectations, rising 2.8% y/y and keeping June rate cut expectations in place.

The Chinese March Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.8 vs. (E) 50.1 increasing hopes for an economic rebound.

Today focus will be on the ISM Manufacturing PMI (E: 48.3) and the key here is stability.  An in-line or better than expected result will further reinforce that growth is resilient and likely support the early rally.   There’s also one Fed speaker,  Cook at 6:50 p.m. ET, but her comments come after the close.

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How the Baltimore Bridge Collapse Could Impact Markets

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Core PCE Price Index Preview
  • How the Baltimore Bridge Collapse Could Impact Markets
  • Sevens Report Q1 ’24 Quarterly Letter Coming Monday

Futures are little changed on the final day of the quarter following a mostly quiet night of news.

Fed Governor Waller stated overnight the Fed should be in “no rush” to cut rates and while that’s being spun as hawkish, his full comments largely point to a June rate cut.

Economic data overnight, including Aussie Retail Sales, UK GDP and German Unemployment, met expectations.

Today is the final day of the quarter and the eve of a long weekend so trading should be mostly quiet, although some quarter-end book squaring could make for some low volume volatility late in the day.

Looking at the calendar, there are some notable economic reports to watch including, in order of importance:  Jobless Claims (E: 213K), Final Q4 GDP (3.2%) and Pending Home Sales (E: 1.3%) but as long as they mostly meet expectations, they shouldn’t move markets.  Additionally, the bond market will have an early close today (2:00 p.m. ET).

Sevens Report Q1 ’24 Quarterly Letter Coming April 1st.

The Q1 2024 Quarterly Letter will be delivered to advisor subscribers on Monday, April 1st.

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We will deliver the letter on Monday, the 1st business day of the new quarter, because we want you to be able to send your quarterly letter before your competition (and with little to no work from you).

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Is the Baltimore Bridge Collapse a Risk to Inflation?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Could the Baltimore Bridge Collapse Spark a Rebound in Inflation?
  • Durable Goods Orders Takeaways (More Weak Revisions)
  • Philly Fed Nonmanufacturing Survey (Another Whiff of Stagflation)
  • Consumer Confidence Shows Fading Household Financial Situations – Chart

Stock futures are rebounding from yesterday’s late session selloff as economic data overnight was mostly market-friendly while traders eye continued volatility in the yen.

Economically, Chinese Industrial Profits jumped by 10.2% y/y in the first two months of the year and the Eurozone Economic Sentiment headline rose to 96.3 vs. (E) 95.8. The overseas data helped ease global growth concerns.

The yen is attempting to stabilize this morning after falling to its lowest level against the dollar since 1990 overnight. A short-squeeze in the yen is a threat stocks and other risk assets as it would force traditional carry trades to unwind. The yen warrants close attention into the end of the week here.

There is no economic data today and just one Fed speaker after the close: Waller 6:00 p.m. ET.

There is a 7-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET today. Yesterday’s 5-Yr auction was solid and investors will be looking for more strong demand for Treasuries in the belly of the duration curve today (a rise in yields would weigh on stocks).

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