Posts

Bullish or Bearish? My Analysis

Bullish or Bearish? My Analysis.: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Bullish or Bearish?  My Analysis.
  • EIA and OPEC Analysis

Futures are slightly higher following more encouraging inflation readings and despite underwhelming Chinese economic data.

EU HICP (their CPI) rose less than expected (3.6% vs. (E) 3.9%) furthering the idea the ECB is done with rate hikes.

Economically, Chinese Nov. PMIs disappointed as both the manufacturing and composite PMIs missed estimates.

Focus now turns to economic data as today and tomorrow contain the week’s most important economic reports.  Today, the Core PCE Price Index (E: 0.2%, 3.5%) is the key report and anything that shows a greater than expected decline in inflation will likely spur a rally.

Other notable data today includes Jobless Claims (E: 219K) and Pending Home Sales Index (E: -2.0%) and we also have one Fed speaker: Williams (9:15 p.m. ET).  Again, data that is “Goldilocks” on growth combined with commentary from Fed officials that imply rate hikes are done should continue to support stocks.

Bullish or Bearish?  My Analysis.


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.

Potential Bearish Gamechangers?

Potential Bearish Gamechangers: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Are Strikes and Government Shutdowns Potential Bearish Gamechangers?

Futures are bouncing slightly after the BOJ rate decision met expectations while economic data was “ok” overnight.

The BOJ made no change to policy and President Ueda was not hawkish in his comments, easing a bit of the hawkish anxiety that’s weighed on markets this week.

Economically, the EU flash composite PMI beat estimates (47.1 vs. (E) 46.5) although it’s still in contraction territory.

Today focus will be on the flash PMIs and expectations are as follows:  Flash Manufacturing PMI (E: 47.8), Flash Service PMI (E: 50.2).  Markets need a Goldilocks number of a solid (but not great) headline readings, and stable price indices.  If we get the opposite (weak headline and higher price indices) that’ll be another stagflation signal and expect the selling to continue.

We also have two Fed speakers today, Cook (8:50 a.m. ET) and Daly (1:00 p.m. ET), but neither should move markets.

Potential Bearish Gamechangers


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

Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in MarketWatch on June 23rd, 2023

‘Heavy’ price action signals crude-oil futures near ‘tipping point’: analysts

This heavy price action with repetitive tests of the same support and continuously weaker recoveries suggests the oil market is approaching a tipping point; poised to either break down to new 2023 lows or finally move beyond the $72-$73 area, triggering a squeeze as sentiment and positioning in the energy markets is very bearish, noted analysts at Sevens Report Research, in a Friday note. Click here to read the full article.

Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in MorningStar on February 16th, 2023

Oil ends lower on signs of ‘sluggish’ U.S. consumer demand and a big build in supplies

The U.S. Energy Information Administration data so far this year has been “consistently bearish and pointed to sluggish consumer demand, hesitant refining activity, sizeable builds in oil stockpiles and incrementally rising domestic oil production,” analysts at Sevens Report Research wrote in Thursday’s newsletter. Click here to read the full article.

Was Powell’s Speech That Bullish? No. Here’s Why.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Was Powell’s Speech That Bullish?  No.  Here’s Why
  • Jobs Report Preview
  • EIA Update and Oil Market Analysis

Futures are slightly lower as markets digest yesterday’s post-Powell speech rally and focus on key economic data today (manufacturing PMI) and tomorrow (jobs report).

Global economic data underwhelmed overnight, as the Euro Zone manufacturing PMI missed estimates (47.1 vs. (E) 47.3) while the UK manufacturing PMI remained firmly in contraction territory (46.5 vs. (E) 46.2).

Looking forward to today, there are three important economic reports including (in order of importance):  ISM Manufacturing Index (E: 49.9), Core PCE Price Index (E: 0.3% m/m, 5.0% y/y), and Jobless Claims (E: 235K).  Markets will want to see 1) More evidence of easing price pressures in the ISM Manufacturing PMI and Core PCE Price Index and 2) Further labor market deterioration in jobless claims if the data is to help extend yesterday’s rally.

We also get three Fed speakers today, Logan (9:25 a.m. ET), Bowman (9:30 a.m. ET), and Barr (3:00 p.m. ET), but their commentary should be largely overshadowed by Powell’s less hawkish-than-feared remarks yesterday and I don’t expect them to move markets.

Current Fed Expectations

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Current Fed Expectations (Print This Table/Section)
  • VIX Chart – Getting Closer to a Bearish Signal

Stock futures are rebounding modestly this morning following yesterday’s sharp drop as worries surrounding China’s Covid policies and the subsequent protests ease.

The Hang Seng jumped over 5% and the offshore yuan rallied 1% after the Chinese government announced a renewed push to vaccinate elderly citizens and said excessive restrictions will be avoided, both of which are incremental steps away from “Covid Zero.”

Today, market focus will be on housing data early with the Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: -1.3%) and FHFA House Price Index (E: -1.2) due out ahead of the bell and then the Consumer Confidence (E: 100.0) report will print shortly after the open.

There are no Fed officials scheduled to speak today so focus will likely remain on the situation in China, and if sentiment towards Covid policy expectations and the latest wide-spread protests improves then stocks will be able to stabilize as that was a major bearish influence on the market yesterday.

What the Fed Decision Means for Markets (Not a Bearish Gamechanger)

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What the Fed Decision Means for Markets (Not a Bearish Gamechanger)
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Update

Futures are lower on underwhelming earnings and further digestions of Powell’s hawkish press conference.

Earnings results have turned more negative this week and that included last night as ATUS and CF both posted disappointing results (among others).

Today’s focus will be on the Bank of England Rate Decision (E: 75 bps hike) and economic data, as we get Jobless Claims (E: 222K), Unit Labor Costs (E: 4.0%) and the ISM Services Index (E: 55.4).  Especially in light of Powell’s comments, markets will want to see data that shows resilient economic activity and falling inflation/deteriorating labor markets.

On the earnings front, the season largely wraps up at the end of the week but there are still some important reports to watch today including:  COP ($3.41), RCL ($0.23), MAR ($1.69), PYPL ($0.96) and SBUX ($0.73).

Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in Market Watch on August 31st, 2022

Oil futures end lower, with economic jitters fueling a more than 9% monthly loss for U.S. prices

All of yesterday’s news flow was digested as bearish for oil as the threat of OPEC+ cuts were reduced, demand estimates in Europe were adjusted lower on poor data while ‘hot’ data in the U.S. added to already hawkish money flows that bolstered the dollar and further pressured oil, wrote analysts at Sevens Report Research, in a note. Click here to read the full article.

What the Bulls Believe (Four Assumptions)

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Four Bullish Assumptions Currently in the Market
  • Weekly Market Preview:  All About Powell (Speech on Friday)
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  How Solid Is the Economy?  (Important Growth Data This Week)

Futures are sharply lower as markets price in a greater chance of a hawkish speech from Fed Chair Powell this Friday.

Markets are reversing some of the “Fed Pivot” gains of the past few weeks ahead of Chair Powell’s speech in Jackson Hole on Friday, as investors fear the markets’ expectations for the Fed have become too dovish.

Economically, China cut interest rates again to stimulate the economy, although the rate cuts were small and stocks declined anyway, as the Chinese economy continues to face numerous large challenges (Zero COVID policy, drought, property market decline, etc.).

Today there are no Fed speakers and only one notable economic report, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index (E: -0.19), and as has been the case markets will want to see stability in the date to reinforce that the U.S. economy is not moving closer to stagflation.

Why the Transmission Protection Instrument Matters to Markets

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why the Transmission Protection Instrument Matters to Markets
  • ECB Decision Takeaways (Not Hawkish Enough)
  • Another Sign Inflation Has Peaked?

Stocks are resilient this morning as futures are only slightly lower despite disappointing overnight earnings and ugly economic reports from Europe.

Earnings overnight were bad with several ugly reports including SNAP (-30%), COF (-3.5%), and STX (-13%).

Economically, July flash PMIs from the EU were also ugly as the composite PMI fell into contraction territory at 49.6 vs. (E) 51.0.

Hope that inflation has peaked is the reason stocks are resilient lately, so today’s focus will be on the July Flash Manufacturing PMI (E: 51.8) and the July Flash Services PMI (E: 52.3).  If these reports show meaningful drops in the price indices (like we’ve seen in the Empire and Philly Fed surveys) then that will further the idea that inflation is peaking and support stocks (as long as the headline readings aren’t huge misses).

On the earnings front, results to watch today include TWTR (-$0.06), VZ $1.34), and AXP ($2.37).