What’s in Today’s Report:
- Updated Market Outlook – Markets Price in “Economic Nirvana”
- Based on Valuations, Cyclical Sectors Poised to Outperform
- Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet: Will the Flash PMIs Support Soft-Landing Optimism?
Futures are lower to start the holiday-shortened trading week today with Asian markets underperforming as the latest Chinese stimulus efforts were seen as underwhelming while inflation trends in Europe remain favorable.
The PBOC lowered both the 1-Yr and 5-Yr prime loan rates by 10 bp overnight to 3.55% and 4.2%, respectively, but the cuts disappointed versus hopeful investor expectations given weak economic data lately, and markets traded with a risk-off tone in the wake of the announcements.
In Europe, German PPI fell to 1.0% vs. (E) 1.8% in May offering the latest evidence that the global disinflation trends remain intact.
Looking into today’s session, there is just one economic report to watch: Housing Starts (E: 1.40M) which shouldn’t move markets, and only one Fed speaker: Williams (11:45 a.m. ET).
With stocks overextended by multiple measures right now, there will likely be some degree of digestion of the latest leg higher in equity markets now that the June Fed decision and Friday’s massive options expiration are behind us. With that in mind, focus will begin to shift to Powell’s semi-annual Monetary Policy Report to Congress which begins tomorrow as investors look for further insight to the Fed’s future policy plans.