Halfway to a Soft Landing?

What’s in Today’s Report:

• Halfway to a Soft Landing?
• Weekly Market Preview:  Does Trade Progress Actually Occur? (Where Are the Trade Deals?)
• Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Focus on Inflation (The Lower, the Better)

Futures are flat following a mostly quiet weekend as investors await the results of the latest U.S./China trade talks.

A meeting between U.S. and Chinese trade officials in London should end shortly and markets are waiting for the results (the meeting could see more on Chinese efforts to curb fentanyl shipments to the U.S.).

Economically, Chinese exports missed expectations (4.8% y/y vs. (E) 6.0%) underscoring economic headwinds.

Today focus remain on trade and any positive (or negative) headlines from the U.S./China meeting in London will move markets.  Outside of trade, focus will be on the N.Y. Fed 1-Year Consumer Inflation Expectations (E: 3.6%).  These have cooled lately as the trade war has de-escalated and further cooling would be a positive for markets.