Reminiscent Of The 2018 ‘Volmageddon’ Event

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Reminiscent Of The 2018 ‘Volmageddon’ Event: Tom Essaye Quoted in Morningstar

‘Volmageddon 2’ may be coming to a stock market near you, says this analyst

An important reason why the S&P 500 dropped 1.4% on Tuesday, according to Essaye, was an an overcrowded short side of the options market, which exacerbated the selling.

The action, says Essaye, “was reminiscent of the 2018 ‘Volmageddon’ event that ultimately resulted in several ‘short-volatility’ ETF’s being forced to liquidate as volatility exploded higher amid a more than 10% drop in the S&P 500 in just two weeks.”

“Fast forward to late 2023 and early 2024 and we are once again seeing similar, volatile price action into certain derivatives expirations, namely the monthly VIX futures expirations,” says Essaye. The chart below shows the sharp gap-down sell-offs for the S&P 500 into each of the last three VIX expirations.

Also, click here to view the full MarketWatch article published on Morningstar on February 16th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

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Rising level Of Greed In The ‘Short-Volatility’ Trade

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Rising level Of Greed In The ‘Short-Volatility’ Trade: Tom Essaye Quoted in Business Insider

Stocks are vulnerable to a 5% ‘air-pocket drawdown’ as greedy traders short volatility, research firm says

“Stocks on Tuesday seemed to have an additional influence weighing on the broader market,” Tom Essaye, the founder and president of Sevens Report Research, wrote in a note on Thursday. “It turns out that it did… an overcrowded short side of the options market which was reminiscent of the 2018 ‘Volmageddon’ event.”

“Based on the magnitude of the move in VIX futures on Tuesday, there is an increasing threat that the rising level of greed in the ‘short-volatility’ trade, similar to what we saw in 2018, could result in an air-pocket drawdown of 5% or more in the S&P 500,” Essaye said.

“The rebound in interest in short-volatility strategies is once again posing a risk to the broader markets here as a negative catalyst can clearly spark a momentous, derivatives-driven selloff in the broader stock market like that which we saw in 2018,” Essaye said.

“Going forward, these expirations will remain dates to keep in mind as the threat of volatility will be elevated as we move further into 2024,” Essaye said.

Also, click here to view the full Business Insider article published on February 16th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

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How the Magnificent Seven and the Kansas City Chiefs Are Similar

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How the Magnificent Seven and the Kansas City Chiefs Are Similar (Bubble Watch): Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How the Magnificent Seven and the Kansas City Chiefs Are Similar (Bubble Watch)
  • Chart: Visualizing Historical P/E Ratios for the Magnificent Seven

Futures are mildly lower as traders look ahead to the Fed minutes release this afternoon and NVDA earnings after the close.

Overseas, Chinese stocks rallied to turn positive YTD after authorities expanded measures aimed at stabilizing the markets while Australian wage growth rose 4.2.% vs. 4.1% y/y prompting some modestly hawkish money flows.

There are no notable economic reports today, but the January Fed meeting minutes will be released at 2:00 p.m. ET and that could move Treasury yields and ultimately impact stocks.

Additionally, there are two Fed speakers today: Bostic (8:00 a.m. ET) and Bowman (1:00 p.m. ET), as well as a 20-Yr Treasury Bond auction (1:00 p.m. ET). Any of those events could also move yields and influence equity trading intraday, but the main event today is NVDA earnings (E: $4.55/share) and markets will likely maintain a positioning tone into the quarterly report after the bell.

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Why Didn’t Hot Inflation Data Cause a Bigger Drop?

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Why Didn’t Hot Inflation Data Cause a Bigger Drop? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Didn’t the Hot Inflation Data Cause a Bigger Drop?
  • Economic Takeaways – Are Stagflation Risks Rising?

Stock futures are lower to start the week as a rate cut by China’s central bank failed to bolster investors’ appetite for risk overseas while domestic focus shifts to NVDA earnings.

The PBOC slashed the 5-Yr Loan Prime Rate by a record 25 bp overnight (E: -5 bp) but the rate cut failed to ease lingering concerns about the health of the property market and markets are trading with a moderate risk-off tone this morning.

Looking into today’s session, there are two economic reports to watch: Leading Economic Indicators (E: -0.1%) which has been flashing a recession signal for months, and Canadian CPI (E: 0.4%) which could further stoke inflation worries if the number comes in hot.

There are no Fed officials scheduled to speak today, however the Treasury will hold 3-Month and 6-Month Bill auctions at 11:30 a.m. ET and a 52-Week Bill action at 1:00 p.m. ET. Based on the market’s increased sensitivity to rising bond yields in recent weeks, signs of weak demand in the auction could send yields to new highs which would act as a strengthening headwind on risk assets as we start the week.

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Why Have Stocks Already Recouped Most of Tuesday’s Losses?

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Why Have Stocks Already Recouped Most of Tuesday’s Losses? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Have Stocks Already Recouped Most of Tuesday’s Losses?

Futures are slightly higher mostly on momentum from Thursday’s rally and despite hotter than expected economic data and hawkish Fed commentary.

UK Retail Sales rose 3.4% vs. (E) 1.5% and that hot reading is pushing back on yesterday’s dovish expectations.

Atlanta Fed President Bostic pushed back on near term rate cut expectations during a speech Thursday night.

Today focus will remain on economic data and the key report today is PPI (E: 0.1% m/m, 0.7% y/y).  PPI isn’t as important as Tuesday’s CPI, but if it shows a similar pop higher, that add to inflation anxiety and likely push yields higher (and stocks lower).

Other notable data and events today include Housing Starts (E: 1.47 million), Consumer Sentiment (E: 80) and two Fed speakers:  Barr (9:10 a.m. ET), Daly (12:10 p.m. ET).  But, barring a big surprise from the data or Daly, they shouldn’t move markets.

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The Reason Stocks Dropped Was Because The CPI Report

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The Reason Stocks Dropped Was Because The CPI Report: Tom Essaye Quoted in Blockworks

Bitcoin breaks $52k, outperforms stocks to new 2024 high

After markets digested the CPI print in the US, inflation data from the United Kingdom came in lower than expected, showing prices are holding steadily at 4% higher year-over-year. The more positive inflationary data helped stock futures rise ahead of Wednesday’s open, Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research said.

It’s important to realize that while the hot CPI was the catalyst for yesterday’s stock and bond market declines, stocks didn’t decline because CPI implied inflation was bouncing back,” Essaye said. “Instead, the reason stocks dropped was because the CPI report was the first data point in 2024 to not confirm these fantastically positive assumptions that have driven this rally.”

Also, click here to view the full Blockwork article published on February 14th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

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Growth Data Becomes Even More Important

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Growth Data Becomes Even More Important: Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s

The Dow Had Its Biggest Drop Since 2023. It Was Almost Worse.

Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s in a phone interview that while the report didn’t show an uptick in inflation, it did dial back expectations for a market that’s been pricing in rate cuts sooner rather than later.

Essaye adds that Thursday’s growth data becomes even more important because the bullish thesis is built on a belief the central bank cuts rates and growth stays stable.

He notes recent data is starting to imply a leveling off after months of quick disinflation.

“I think now the focus then turns to growth,” Essaye says. “And if you get, all of a sudden, some disappointing growth numbers, now you’re going to have some stagflation worries, and you’re gonna see this thing unwind, I think, kind of quick.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on February 13th, 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 Rally

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The Market Had Gotten Ahead Of Itself

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The Market Had Gotten Ahead Of Itself: Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s

Stocks Drop as Market Dials Back Fed Rate-Cut Expectations After CPI Data

Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s in a phone interview that while the report didn’t imply that inflation was bouncing back significantly, the market had gotten ahead of itself by pricing in inflation crashing to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

“I think this is more symptomatic of a market that’s frankly, gotten ahead of itself on what it expects to happen,” Essaye says. “And we’re having that expectation dialed back now.”

“It’s just one report, but I think it is a little bit of a reminder, and an important one, that what has really fueled this rally since October has been the assumption of Fed rate cuts and falling inflation,” Essaye says. “And while that likely will happen later this year, it may not happen as soon as they expected. And I think that’s what we’re seeing in markets.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on February 13th, 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 Rally

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Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye Quoted In Barron’s

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Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye Quoted In Barron’s

Nasdaq Loses Steam as Stocks Give Back Some Earlier Gains

Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York released median inflation expectations from its January survey that were unchanged at the one- and five-year ahead horizons. But three-year expectations fell to 2.4% from 2.6%.

“That will make the Fed more confident in cutting rates and amidst an other wise quiet day, that’s what’s driving this market,” Essaye said.

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on February 13th, 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 Rally

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Expectations of a “higher-for longer” policy by the Federal Reserve

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Expectations of a “higher-for longer” policy by the Federal Reserve: Tyler Richey Quoted in Morningstar

U.S. oil prices stretch gains into a sixth straight session

Expectations of a “higher-for longer” policy by the Federal Reserve are weighing on the demand outlook and have therefore acted as a headwind for U.S. benchmark oil prices recently, Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research, told MarketWatch.

However, Monday’s New York Fed Consumer Survey data showed a drop from 2.6% to 2.4% in the three-year inflation outlook, which was “received as dovish by the markets and helped support the domestic oil market to start the week,” Richey said.

On Tuesday, focus will shift to the U.S. CPI report, he said. A “hot” print would once again be a “headwind for oil prices, while a favorably ‘cool’ print could send WTI futures beyond $80” a barrel for the first time in 2024.

Also, click here to view the full MarketWatch article published on Morningstar on February 12th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

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Lastly, 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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Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.