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

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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

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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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Recent data have traders worried that the economy is slowing

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Recent data have traders worried that the economy is slowing: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s

Stocks Are Slipping. The Market Can’t Find Middle Ground.

Recent data have traders worried that the economy is slowing more than people think, Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye tells Barron’s. He notes that if the economy slows too much, the question becomes whether rate cuts in September and December would be enough to turn things around.

“The market can’t ever find the middle,” Essaye says.

He says that sentiment has bounced back and forth between worries about hot inflation to worries that the Federal Reserve won’t be able to navigate a slowing economy. Essaye thinks the pullback in stocks can be chalked up to already-high valuations.

“It’s not that things have suddenly turned bad,” says Essaye. “It’s that we’re priced for a very still-perfect environment, and the data is implying it’s maybe not so perfect.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on June 5th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

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The data is starting to show a potential soft landing

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The data is starting to show a potential soft landing: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s

Only Two S&P 500 Sectors Are Rising

Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s the data is starting to show a potential soft landing, though where it goes from here is anyone’s guess.

“A soft landing was always a slowing of growth that sort of didn’t get too bad,” Essaye says. “So it appears we are kind of arriving at that point. Now, the issue is that every hard landing started with a soft landing. You don’t just jump from growth to contraction.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on June 5th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

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My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown

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My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s

The Stock Market Needs a Strong Economy to Keep Rising. The Data Are Getting Worse.

“My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown because that’s one of the few events that can legitimately cause a material correction in stocks,” writes Sevens Report founder Tom Essaye, noting that his worry ticked up last week due to corporate earnings.

However, Essaye warns, it doesn’t always work so neatly. “Twice in my career I have seen investors cheer a slowdown, and both times the Fed was not able to cut rates at the right time to prevent the slowing from becoming a broader economic contraction,” he wrote. “That doesn’t mean they can’t do it this time, but catching a falling knife doesn’t work in real life, it doesn’t work in stock trading, and I’ve never seen it work in monetary policy.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on June 4th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

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A bearish-leaning reality that OPEC+

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A  bearish-leaning reality that OPEC+: Sevens Report co-editor Tyler Richey Quoted in MarketWatch

Oil futures settle at lowest since early February

The market’s bullish hopes for some degree of commitment to ‘price stability’ via the potential for further production cuts were dashed, and instead met with a bearish-leaning reality that OPEC+ does not seem willing to cut production any further than they already have despite ongoing recession risks that would cripple demand,” said Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research.

Also, click here to view the full MarketWatch article published on June 3rd, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

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Traders will be keenly focused on the EIA data

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Traders will be keenly focused on the EIA data: Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in MarketWatch

Gasoline demand in focus as oil futures slip

Traders will be keenly focused on the EIA data, particularly its measure of implied gasoline demand, said analysts at Sevens Report Research, in a note.

The data “could either reinforce the thesis that U.S. demand for fuel at the pump is rebounding into the summer driving season, a trend in line with those from 2021 and 2023 that both matched annual trends of pre-Covid years when demand would peak in the summer, or if we are going to see demand destruction’ due to inflation and elevated prices at the pump like we did in 2022,” they wrote.

Also, click here to view the full MarketWatch article published on May 30th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

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

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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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A Concerning Divergence in Bond Markets: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

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)

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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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