Time to Buy Cyclicals?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Time to Buy Cyclicals?
  • Do I Believe in the Breakout?  (No)
  • EIA & Oil Market Update
  • Abbreviated Jobs Report Preview

Futures are marginally higher mostly on momentum from yesterday’s rally, although a small reserve rate cut in China is also helping global stocks rally.

Economic data continued to underwhelm, as Japanese Household Spending (0.8% vs. (E) 1.0%) and German Industrial Production (-0.6% vs. (E) 0.4%) both missed estimates.

Today focus will be on two key events, the Jobs Report (E:  Jobs: 160K, Unemployment: 3.7%, Wages: 0.3%) and a speech by Fed Chair Powell (12:30 p.m. ET).  Short term momentum in the markets is clearly higher right now, so to extend this week’s rally, both events just need to be “Goldilocks” in so much as the job number hits our “Just Right” range, while Powell simply leaves the door open to more accommodation in September, and beyond.

Jobs Report Preview

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview (The Ideal Number for Markets and a Word of Caution for this Report)
  • Why the Starbucks (SBUX) Guidance Cut Caught My Attention

Futures are sharply higher after the U.S. and China confirmed trade talks will occur in early October (better late than never from a market standpoint).

The talks will be high level, with the three key principles (Liu He, Lighthizer and Mnuchin) all attending.

Economically, the only notable number was German Manufacturers’ Orders, which badly missed expectations, falling –2.7% vs. (E) -1.5%.  But that soft report was ignored on the kneejerk optimism of more U.S./China trade talks.

Focus today will turn back towards data now that we have a confirmation of future U.S./China trade talks, and the key reports today are (in order of importance):  ISM Non-Manufacturing Index (E: 54.0), ADP Employment Report (E: 150K) and Jobless Claims (E: 215K).

As has been the case since the Fed’s “hawkish cut,” good economic data will be positive for stocks, although at these levels the S&P 500 is trading well above the recent trading range, despite a lack of any actual progress in fundamentals.

Tom Essaye Quoted in ETF Trends on September 3, 2019

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“Going forward, stabilization in the U.S./China trade war is now the most important key to broader market stabilization,” said Tom Essaye, founder of The Sevens Report, in a note. Click here to read the full article.

Three Major September Catalysts

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Three Key September Events/Dates (Print this List)

Stock futures are solidly higher this morning after Hong Kong’s Carrie Lam announced the withdraw of the extradition bill that was the major catalyst for the recent protests. The news sparked a near 4% rally in the Hang Seng Index.

Composite PMI data for August was also better than expected with the Chinese figure rising to 51.6 from 50.9 while the EU headline firmed to 53.5 from 53.2 in July helping ease concerns about the health of the global economy.

Looking into today’ session, there are two economic data points to watch: Motor Vehicle Sales (E: 16.8M) and International Trade (E: -$53.5B) however investors will be primarily focused on the very busy schedule of Fed speakers: Williams (9:30 a.m. ET), Kaplan (10:00 a.m. ET), Bowman and Bullard (12:30 p.m. ET), Kashkari (1:00 p.m. ET), and Evans (3:15 p.m. ET).

Investors will be looking for any further insight into how accommodative the Fed will be in the coming months, specifically how likely a 50 bp cut at this month’s meeting is (current expectations are low, so a dovish surprise would be well received by stocks).

Beyond the Fed speak, the trade war is still the major influence on the broader markets right now and investors continue to wait for updates on the next round of trade talks that are supposed to take place in the coming days.

Tyler Richey co-editor of Sevens Report Quoted in MarketWatch on September 3, 2019

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“The trade war remains the market’s main focus and with new tariffs going into effect over the [past] weekend, investor sentiment towards U.S.-China relations are continuing to deteriorate…” Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research, told MarketWatch. Click here to read the full article.

Tyler Richey

Tom Essaye Quoted in CNBC on September 3, 2019

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“Going forward, the dollar will have a hard time declining unless the Fed gets aggressively dovish, simply because global growth remains lackluster and global central banks are easing policy…” said Tom Essaye, founder of the Sevens Report. Click here to read the full article.

Man holding $100 bills

Did Things Get Better Last Week?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Bottom Line: Did Things Get Better Last Week?

Stock futures are in the red this morning and international markets were mostly lower overnight thanks to on-going trade tensions and more political drama in Europe.

The latest set of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods went into effect over the weekend as expected however there were no updates regarding this month’s scheduled trade talks which is weighing on risk assets this morning.

Brexit concerns continue to simmer as the odds of a no-deal exit from the EU creep higher ahead of the October deadline but for now, the situation is largely isolated to Europe and not having a significant impact on U.S. equity markets.

Economic data was mixed overnight but there were no material, market moving surprises.

Today, there are two economic reports to watch: ISM/PMI Manufacturing Indexes (E: 49.9) and Construction Spending (E: 0.3%) while the Fed’s Rosengren is scheduled to speak shortly after the close (5:00 p.m. ET).

Investor focus will primarily remain on the trade war however, so any positive headlines regarding the planned, in-person negotiations this month will be well received while a continued lack of clarity on the topic will be a headwind for stocks.

Tom Essaye Quoted in CNBC on August 30, 2019

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“For U.S.-China trade to cause a sustainable rally, we need some proof of actual movement towards a trade ‘truce,’” said Tom Essaye, founder of the Sevens Report, in a note. Click here to read the full article.

Has There Been Actual U.S./China Trade Progress?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Has There Been Actual U.S./China Trade Progress?
  • The Most Important Economic Number to Watch Going Forward

Futures are moderately higher as more positive U.S./China trade chatter fuels the rebound.

There was more vague, but positive, commentary on the tone of current U.S./China communications, as China called the conversations ”effective.”

There was a lot of economic data overnight and it was decidedly mixed.  Japanese IP beat estimates but German Retail Sales (-2.2% vs. (E) 1.1%) disappointed.  Bottom line, the outlook on the global economy remains decidedly mixed.

Today should be quiet given the looming holiday weekend, but the key number to watch is the Core PCE Price Index (E: 0.2% m/m, 1.7% y/y).  If that runs very “hot” (so a number close to 2.0%) that will be taken as slightly hawkish and could reverse some of this week’s rally.

Tom Essaye Appeared on TD Ameritrade Network on August 29, 2019

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Tom Essaye appeared in Mid-Day Movers by TD Ameritrade Network discussing equities, what’s driving the markets right now, earnings and more…Click here to watch the full interview.

TD Ameritrade Video Shot