Is Disinflation Still Good for Markets? (The Answer May Surprise You)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is Disinflation Still Good for Markets? (The Answer May Surprise You)
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Are Hard Landing Chances Rising?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  A holiday-shortened week, but still one with important growth updates.

Futures are slightly lower on mixed Chinese economic data and following a quiet summer weekend of news.

Chinese Fixed Asset Investment (4.0% vs. (E) 4.2%) and Industrial Production (5.6% vs. (E) 6.2%) both missed estimates while Retail Sales beat (3.7% vs. (E) 3.0%) leaving the outlook for Chinese growth still mixed (at best).

There were no notable political or geo-political updates over the weekend.

The focus of the data this week will be on economic growth and today we get the first look as June activity via the June Empire Manufacturing Index (E: -12.50).  Given recent worries about growth, the stronger this number, the better for the broader markets.

We also have three Fed speakers today, Williams (12:00 p.m. ET), Harker (1:0 p.m. ET) and Cook (11:00 p.m. ET) but again, given last week’s Fed meeting, they shouldn’t move markets.

Finally, markets are closed on Wednesday for observance of Juneteenth (this is a recently new Federal holiday so I just want to make sure everyone was aware of the closure).


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Evidence That Investors Are Starting to Worry About Growth

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Evidence That Investors Are Starting to Worry About Growth

Futures are moderately lower despite a slightly dovish Bank of Japan decision and more strong tech earnings (ADBE), as growing political anxiety in Europe weighed on markets.

French stocks dropped another 1% (down 5% on the week) on growing political uncertainty and that’s weighing on European markets and U.S. futures.

Today focus will remain on economic data and the notable report is the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (E: 73.0).  But, more important than the consumer sentiment reading will be the inflation data in that report (1-Year Inflation Expectations E: 3.2%, Five-Year Inflation Expectations E: 3.0%) and markets will want to see stable consumer sentiment and better than expected inflation readings to rally.

We also have two Fed speakers today, Goolsbee (2:00 p.m. ET) and Cook (7:00 p.m. ET)., but they shouldn’t move markets.


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What the Good CPI and Mixed Fed Message Means for Markets

What the Good CPI and Mixed Fed Message Means for Markets: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Yesterday’s Good CPI and Mixed Fed Messaging Means for Markets

Futures are little changed despite more positive tech earnings as markets digest Wednesday’s CPI driven rally.

Broadcom (AVGO) became the latest AI-linked tech company (after AAPL and ORCL) to post strong earnings as the stock is up 14% pre-market.

Economically, it was a mostly quiet night as EU Industrial Production slightly missed estimates (-0.1% vs. (E) 0.1%) but that isn’t moving markets.

Today focus will remain on economic data and the two notable reports are Jobless Claims (222k) and PPI (E: 0.1% m/m, 2.5% y/y).  Of the two, PPI is more important and if it is lower than expected that’ll strengthen the belief in disinflation and increase September rate cut expectations, and stocks should extend yesterday’s rally.

Additionally, we do get one Fed speaker today, Williams at 12:00 p.m. ET, and he is part of leadership so his commentary on rate cuts could move markets.


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FOMC Preview (All About the Dots)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • FOMC Preview (All About the Dots)

Futures are slightly higher following more solid tech earnings and despite some stagflationary economic data.

ORCL earnings beat estimates and the stock is up 9% pre-market, helping to support stock futures.

Economically, Chinese inflation ran slightly hot while UK Industrial Production badly missed estimates.

Today brings the two key events of the week via CPI and the Fed Decision.  For CPI, estimates are:  E: 0.1% m/m, 3.4% y/y, Core CPI (0.3% m/m, 3.5% y/y).  The key here is that core CPI is flat or declines from last month.  If we see a bounce back above 3.6% that will likely be a material surprise negative.

For the Fed, there is no change expected to rates and focus at 2:00 will be on the dots (and how much they changed since March).  Anything from the Fed (dots or Powell commentary) that makes a September rate cut more likely will help stocks, while anything that makes it less likely will be a headwind.


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CPI Preview: Good, Bad & Ugly

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • CPI Preview:  Good, Bad & Ugly

Futures are modestly lower again following a quiet night of news as investors focus on tomorrow’s CPI report and Fed rate decision.

Economically, the UK Labour Market Report showed higher than expected average earnings (5.9% vs. (E) 5.7%) and that’s pushing back slightly on expectations for a rate cut this summer.

European bond yields remained elevated as polling suggests France’s far-right party should win the election.

Today should be another mostly quiet day as investors await the two potentially major catalysts on Wednesday, although we do get one notable economic report today via the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index (E: 89.7).  However, it’d have to be substantially lower or higher than estimates to move markets.


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What’s in Today’s Report: When Does Bad Economic Data Become Bad for Stocks?

Jobs Day Technical Preview & Wildcards to Watch: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • When Does Bad Economic Data Become Bad for Stocks?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  An Important Week:  Fed Decision (Including the Dots), CPI and AI Updates.
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Do We See Real Movement in Rate Cut Expectations?

Futures are modestly lower as global bond yields rise following surprise political news over the weekend.

Far right political parties outperformed expectations in EU elections while French President Macron called for surprise snap elections.  The results are pushing French and German bond yields higher, which are pulling Treasury yields up in sympathy and weighing slightly on futures.

Outside of the political results, it was a mostly quiet weekend of news as investors look ahead to an important week of AI catalysts, the FOMC decision and the latest CPI report.

This is a busy and important week for markets as it will either confirm current (positive) expectations on Fed rate cuts and inflation or challenge them and increase volatility.  That said, the week starts quietly as there are no notable economic reports today and the key event is likely to be AAPL’s Worldwide Developer Conference keynote announcement, which is focused on AI.  If it’s underwhelming, tech could lag and slightly weigh on markets.


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Jobs Day Technical Preview & Wildcards to Watch

Jobs Day Technical Preview & Wildcards to Watch: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Technical Preview – S&P 500, 10Y, Gold, VIX (Shareable PDF)
  • Two “Wildcard Scenarios” to Watch for Today
  • Initial Jobless Claims Show Signs of Bottoming: Chart

Futures are flat while international markets were mostly lower overnight as traders await the widely anticipated May jobs report to gauge the outlook for Fed policy.

Economically, Eurozone GDP met estimates in Q1 at 0.4% y/y, however wage growth accelerated to 5.1% y/y in Q1 vs. 4.9% in Q4 after the ECB lowered inflation forecasts yesterday. The “warming” wage inflation data raises concerns the ECB moved to cut rates too early.

Today, focus will be on the May BLS Employment Situation release at 8:30 a.m. ET with an estimated +188K Job Adds, 3.9% Unemployment Rate, and 3.9% Wage Growth. The market needs to see an inline number preferably with a modest downside surprise on wages in order for dovish money flows and soft-landing hopes to continue to drive stocks to new records.

There is also one Fed speaker mid-day today: Cook (12:00 p.m. ET) and Consumer Credit (E: $10.4B) will be released late in the day but neither should more markets with markets digesting the jobs report.


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Jobs Report Preview (Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right)

Jobs Report Preview (Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right): Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview: Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right Scenarios
  • ISM Services Index Takeaways – A “Warm” Report
  • EIA Data Takeaways and Oil Update

Equity markets are mixed in the pre-market as tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 futures are extending gains to new record highs while small-cap Russell 2000 futures are lower ahead of the ECB decision and more U.S. economic data. NVDA notably rose as much as 2% overnight.

Economically, Taiwan’s May CPI rose from 1.95% to 2.24% while German Manufacturing Orders were down -0.2% vs. (E) +0.5% and EU Retail Sales fell -0.5% vs. (E) -0.2%. The market is “ok” with the soft European data ahead of the widely anticipated ECB rate cut this morning.

Looking into today’s session, trader focus will be on the ECB Decision early (8:15 a.m. ET) and as mentioned, rate cuts to benchmark interest rates are expected which will leave commentary from Lagarde and any forward guidance provided critical to the market’s reaction.

In the U.S., there are no Fed speakers or notable Treasury auctions today so focus will shift to the several U.S. economic reports due to be released including: Jobless Claims (E: 216K), International Trade (E: -$75.2B), and potentially most importantly, Productivity & Costs (E: 0.2%, 4.7%).

Bottom line, any “cold” or stagflationary data has the potential to put this week’s rally on pause ahead of tomorrow’s all important jobs report.


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A Concerning Divergence in Bond Markets

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Is the Smart Market Telling Us? (Part II)
  • JOLTS Data Takeaways – Normalizing or Rolling Over?
  • Chart: JOLTS Fall Below Pre-Pandemic Trend Path

Futures are tracking European markets higher this morning on the back of “goldilocks” growth and inflation data overnight ahead of more key domestic economic data today.

Economically, China’s May Composite PMI handily beat estimates at 54.1 vs. (E) 52.7 which was a welcomed print as Chinese data has been underwhelming recently.

In Europe, the Eurozone Composite PMI rose to 52.2 vs. (E) 52.3 while April PPI fell -1.0% m/m vs. (E) -0.5%. Stabilizing growth numbers and evidence of further disinflation are exactly what the ECB want to see ahead of their first rate cut as it helps shore up the soft-landing argument.

Looking into today’s session, there are no Fed officials scheduled to speak but two important economic reports on the calendar. First, the May ADP Employment Report (E: 173K) will be released pre-market and second, the ISM Services Index (E: 50.7) is due out a half hour after the opening bell.

Investors will want to see a labor market print that is close to estimates. A number too strong will push back on the recent dovish money flows while a weak number will add to recession worries. With the ISM, a steady number above 50 with cooling price indices would be the best case scenario for risk assets leading into the jobs report Friday.


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What Is the “Smart Market” Telling Us? (Part I)

What Is the “Smart Market” Telling Us? (Part I) : Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Is the Smart Market Telling Us? (Part I)
  • May ISM Manufacturing Index Takeaways
  • OPEC+ Decision Takeaways – Focus Shifts to Demand

Markets are trading with a risk-off tone globally as U.S. stock futures are tracking overseas equities lower while Treasuries maintain a strong safe-haven bid amid worries about global growth ahead of more key economic data today.

Overnight, Korean CPI fell to 2.7% vs. (E) 2.8% and Swiss CPI was unchanged at 1.4% vs. (E) 1.6%. German Unemployment was also steady at 5.9%, meeting estimates. The lack of positive response to the easing inflation data underscores increasing growth concerns.

Looking into today’s session focus will be on economic data early with JOLTS (E: 8.4 million), Factory Orders (E: 0.7%), and Motor Vehicle Sales (E: 15.8 million) all due to be released.

There are no Fed speakers or major Treasury auctions today, leaving the economic data releases the main potential market catalysts. If the data disappoints, growth worries could see the early risk-off money flows accelerate, however, “goldilocks” data could help stocks continue to stabilize after last week’s spike in volatility.


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