Microeconomics vs. Macroeconomics

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Market Technicals, Internals, and Derivatives Are Weighing On Stocks Despite Mostly Good Fundamentals
  • The True Driver of This Pullback Remains Microeconomic, not Macroeconomic
  • CPI Takeaways

Futures are bouncing today while most international markets declined overnight amid stagflationary economic data.

Chinese Industrial Production, FAI, and Retail Sales data all missed estimates with the latter underwhelming by the largest margin which weighed on risk assets overnight, sparking renewed concerns about the pace of the global recovery.

Meanwhile, in Europe, CPI in the U.K. jumped from 2.0% to 3.2% in August, the largest monthly increase since 1997 which rekindled concerns about global inflation pressures despite yesterday’s soft CPI print in the U.S.

Today, focus will be on economic data early with the Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: 18.6), Import & Export Prices (E: 0.3%, 0.5%) and Industrial Production (E: 0.5%) all due out by mid-morning.

Investors will be looking for good growth (but not “too hot”) and fading inflation pressures (specifically in the Empire release as it is a September data point). Otherwise, more signs of stagflation, like we saw in the data overnight, could cause further selling across risk assets including stocks today.

Inflation Expectations

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Inflation Expectations

Stock futures are trading cautiously higher this morning while international markets were mixed overnight ahead of key U.S. inflation data.

Economically, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index for August rose to 100.1 vs. (E) 99.0 which is helping U.S. equity markets edge higher in pre-market trade.

Today, there are no Treasury auctions or Fed officials scheduled to speak which will leave markets focused on the one major economic report today: CPI (E: 0.4%, 5.3%).

If the CPI report supports the transitory inflation narrative and suggests that price pressures have already peaked, stocks are likely going to be able to further stabilize after yesterday’s bounce. However, a “hot” print could easily trigger a wave of hawkish money flows and pressure the major indexes back down to fresh multi-week lows today.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Benzinga on September 9, 2021

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Key S&P 500 Levels To Watch As Market Endures 4th Straight Day Of Losses

And though that seems like another big leg higher for the S&P 500, it is only an additional 9% beyond the current record highs, something that is definitely within reason…Tom Essaye said, founder of Sevens Report Research. Click here to read the full article.

The Current Risks to the Rally

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Current Risks to the Rally
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Increasing Headline Volatility?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  How Hot is Inflation and How Much Damage Has COVID Done to the Recovery?

Futures are modestly higher as global markets bounced from Friday’s declines, following a quiet weekend of news.

Tax hike chatter continued to rise over the weekend as Democrats proposed a 26.5% corporate tax (up from the current 21%) and a “top-tier” capital gains tax rate of 28.8% (up from the current 23.8%).

These changes aren’t likely or imminent, but it underscores the market will face tax hike headlines over the coming weeks and months.

There was no notable global economic data overnight.

Today there are no economic reports and no notable Fed speakers, so the focus will be on any more tax hike headlines and on short-term technicals.  Last week stocks were able to rally early in the day and faded in the afternoon.  If that happens again this morning look for downside momentum to pick up a bit and for more moderate declines.

What the ECB’s Surprise Taper Means for Markets

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What the ECB’s Surprise Taper Means for Markets
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Update

Futures are modestly higher following potentially positive news out of China.

First, on the geopolitical front, Biden and Xi held a call on Thursday night where they discussed avoiding conflict.  Second, Chinese regulators clarified they just slowed video game approvals, not halted them and that’s helping Chinese tech and internet stocks to rally.

On COVID, Biden’s mask mandates are getting a lot of headlines but they won’t have any direct market implications.

Today’s focus will be on PPI (E: 0.6%, 8.3%), which will give us the latest insights into inflation and if the number is materially higher than estimates, it will likely cause some mild volatility.  We also have one Fed speaker, Mester at 9:00 a.m. ET, and markets will look for confirmation that the Fed will start tapering QE this year, but it will be gradual.

Market Multiple Chart

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Chart
  • Why the Rally Has Stalled This Week (Three Reasons)

Futures are moderately lower thanks to more regulatory fears in China and earnings guidance cuts from U.S. companies.

China has warned tech companies about online gaming activities in the latest volley of potential regulations.

United Airlines (UAL) cut guidance as demand for air travel has softened recently due to rising COVID cases, adding to a surprisingly high number of guidance cuts this week.

Today the key event is the ECB Rate Decision (Press Release 7:45 a.m., Press Conference 8:30 a.m.) and markets will be looking to see if the ECB formally announces tapering is coming (it’s possible but not the consensus expectation).  Away from the ECB, we also get Jobless Claims (E: 344K) and numerous Fed speakers today (nine speeches in total) but only Williams (2:00 p.m.) is leadership and we already know what he thinks from his comments yesterday (tapering will start in late 2020 but be gradual).

Market Multiple Table: September Update

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table: September Update
  • Chart: The Yield Curve is Steepening

Stock futures are trading modestly lower while most overseas markets declined overnight amid lingering concerns about the Delta variant’s impact on growth as well as the threat of a hawkish shift in tone from the ECB this week.

Economically, Japanese Q2 GDP was revised up to 1.9% vs. (E) 1.6% y/y which helped the Nikkei buck the trend and rally nearly 1% overnight.

Today, there are a few potential market-moving catalysts beginning with the July JOLTS report (E 10.0M). Then there are two Fed speakers to watch: Williams (1:10 p.m. ET) and Kaplan (6:00 p.m. ET). Finally, there is also a 10-Year Treasury Note Auction at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Bottom line, markets have become more “on edge” this week as the balance between economic growth trends and subsequent Fed policy outlook has become less certain.

So any combination of economic data deteriorating, the outlook for Fed policy getting more hawkish, or interest rates accelerating too quickly will continue to weigh on equities and other risk assets this week.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on September 3, 2021

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DocuSign Rises, Yext Falls —And What Else Is Happening in the Stock Market Friday

Today the Employment Situation report is the key event…wrote Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research before the report hit the wires. Click here to read the full article.

Updating the Two Big Risks to the Rally

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Updating the Two Big Risks to the Rally
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet: Jobs Report Takeaways and ECB Preview

U.S. equity futures are little changed this morning while overseas markets were mixed overnight with Asian stocks outperforming on upbeat Chinese economic data but EU shares drifted lower with focus turning to this week’s ECB meeting.

Economically, Chinese Exports were encouragingly up 25.6% vs. (E) 19.5% y/y in August which supported risk-on money flows in Asian markets however a soft German ZEW Survey is weighing on EU stocks this morning.

Today’s U.S. trading session is lining up to be fairly quiet as there are no economic reports and no Fed officials are scheduled to speak.

There is a 3-Year Treasury Note Auction at 1:00 p.m. ET, however, and weak demand would likely lead to a hawkish reaction across markets with yields moving higher and stocks potentially trading with a defensive tone.

Jobs Day (Slight Shift in Expectations)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Day (Slightly Shift in Expectations)
  • Washington Update  –  Why Manchin’s Op-Ed is Important

Futures are modestly higher as markets ignored disappointing economic data ahead of today’s jobs report.

Global PMIs were disappointing as the Chinese Services PMI dropped to 46.7 vs. (E) 52.3 while the EU (59.0 vs. (E) 59.5) and UK (54.8 vs. (E) 55.0) Composite PMIs both slightly missed estimates

Japanese stocks surged 2% after PM Suga resigned, igniting speculation the government will unleash more stimulus.

Today the Employment Situation report is the key event, and the expectations are as follows: Job Adds: 740K, UE Rate: 5.2%, Wages: 3.9% yoy.  Because of the soft ADP report, the “whisper number” is slightly underwhelming vs. expectations (say around 500k), so the market may be a bit more sensitive if the actual jobs report is slightly stronger than expectations (it may cause a mild decline in stocks, but nothing major).

We also get the ISM Services PMI (E: 62.0) and markets will want to see stability in that PMI.