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My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown

My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s


The Stock Market Needs a Strong Economy to Keep Rising. The Data Are Getting Worse.

“My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown because that’s one of the few events that can legitimately cause a material correction in stocks,” writes Sevens Report founder Tom Essaye, noting that his worry ticked up last week due to corporate earnings.

However, Essaye warns, it doesn’t always work so neatly. “Twice in my career I have seen investors cheer a slowdown, and both times the Fed was not able to cut rates at the right time to prevent the slowing from becoming a broader economic contraction,” he wrote. “That doesn’t mean they can’t do it this time, but catching a falling knife doesn’t work in real life, it doesn’t work in stock trading, and I’ve never seen it work in monetary policy.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on June 4th, 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 RallyIf 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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A bearish-leaning reality that OPEC+

A  bearish-leaning reality that OPEC+: Sevens Report co-editor Tyler Richey Quoted in MarketWatch


Oil futures settle at lowest since early February

The market’s bullish hopes for some degree of commitment to ‘price stability’ via the potential for further production cuts were dashed, and instead met with a bearish-leaning reality that OPEC+ does not seem willing to cut production any further than they already have despite ongoing recession risks that would cripple demand,” said Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research.

Also, click here to view the full MarketWatch article published on June 3rd, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.


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.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.


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.

Jobs Report Preview (Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right)

Jobs Report Preview (Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right): Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview: Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right Scenarios
  • ISM Services Index Takeaways – A “Warm” Report
  • EIA Data Takeaways and Oil Update

Equity markets are mixed in the pre-market as tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 futures are extending gains to new record highs while small-cap Russell 2000 futures are lower ahead of the ECB decision and more U.S. economic data. NVDA notably rose as much as 2% overnight.

Economically, Taiwan’s May CPI rose from 1.95% to 2.24% while German Manufacturing Orders were down -0.2% vs. (E) +0.5% and EU Retail Sales fell -0.5% vs. (E) -0.2%. The market is “ok” with the soft European data ahead of the widely anticipated ECB rate cut this morning.

Looking into today’s session, trader focus will be on the ECB Decision early (8:15 a.m. ET) and as mentioned, rate cuts to benchmark interest rates are expected which will leave commentary from Lagarde and any forward guidance provided critical to the market’s reaction.

In the U.S., there are no Fed speakers or notable Treasury auctions today so focus will shift to the several U.S. economic reports due to be released including: Jobless Claims (E: 216K), International Trade (E: -$75.2B), and potentially most importantly, Productivity & Costs (E: 0.2%, 4.7%).

Bottom line, any “cold” or stagflationary data has the potential to put this week’s rally on pause ahead of tomorrow’s all important jobs report.


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A Concerning Divergence in Bond Markets

A Concerning Divergence in Bond Markets: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Is the Smart Market Telling Us? (Part II)
  • JOLTS Data Takeaways – Normalizing or Rolling Over?
  • Chart: JOLTS Fall Below Pre-Pandemic Trend Path

Futures are tracking European markets higher this morning on the back of “goldilocks” growth and inflation data overnight ahead of more key domestic economic data today.

Economically, China’s May Composite PMI handily beat estimates at 54.1 vs. (E) 52.7 which was a welcomed print as Chinese data has been underwhelming recently.

In Europe, the Eurozone Composite PMI rose to 52.2 vs. (E) 52.3 while April PPI fell -1.0% m/m vs. (E) -0.5%. Stabilizing growth numbers and evidence of further disinflation are exactly what the ECB want to see ahead of their first rate cut as it helps shore up the soft-landing argument.

Looking into today’s session, there are no Fed officials scheduled to speak but two important economic reports on the calendar. First, the May ADP Employment Report (E: 173K) will be released pre-market and second, the ISM Services Index (E: 50.7) is due out a half hour after the opening bell.

Investors will want to see a labor market print that is close to estimates. A number too strong will push back on the recent dovish money flows while a weak number will add to recession worries. With the ISM, a steady number above 50 with cooling price indices would be the best case scenario for risk assets leading into the jobs report Friday.


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What Is the “Smart Market” Telling Us? (Part I)

What Is the “Smart Market” Telling Us? (Part I) : Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Is the Smart Market Telling Us? (Part I)
  • May ISM Manufacturing Index Takeaways
  • OPEC+ Decision Takeaways – Focus Shifts to Demand

Markets are trading with a risk-off tone globally as U.S. stock futures are tracking overseas equities lower while Treasuries maintain a strong safe-haven bid amid worries about global growth ahead of more key economic data today.

Overnight, Korean CPI fell to 2.7% vs. (E) 2.8% and Swiss CPI was unchanged at 1.4% vs. (E) 1.6%. German Unemployment was also steady at 5.9%, meeting estimates. The lack of positive response to the easing inflation data underscores increasing growth concerns.

Looking into today’s session focus will be on economic data early with JOLTS (E: 8.4 million), Factory Orders (E: 0.7%), and Motor Vehicle Sales (E: 15.8 million) all due to be released.

There are no Fed speakers or major Treasury auctions today, leaving the economic data releases the main potential market catalysts. If the data disappoints, growth worries could see the early risk-off money flows accelerate, however, “goldilocks” data could help stocks continue to stabilize after last week’s spike in volatility.


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Growing Economic Concerns

Growing Economic Concerns: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why I am Getting More Concerned About an Economic Slowdown
  • Weekly Economic Preview – A Critical Week of Data

Futures are higher on momentum from Friday’s late-day rally while news wires were mostly quiet this weekend.

Economically, the Eurozone Manufacturing PMI rose from 45.7 to 47.3 vs. (E) 47.4 in May while the UK’s Manufacturing PMI headline rose from 49.1 to 51.2 vs. (E) 51.3. The as-expected data is having a limited impact on markets, leaving stocks to extend Friday’s rally.

Today, focus will be on the ISM Manufacturing Index (E: 49.8) early with a report on Construction Spending (E: 0.2%) also due out after the open. There are no Fed officials scheduled to speak today which leaves the ISM data the key catalysts of the session. A report that is “too hot” or “too cold” could see volatility pick up while a “Goldilocks” number would likely allow Friday’s relief rally to continue.

Finally, the Treasury will hold 3-Month and 6-Month Bill auctions at 11:30 a.m. ET, and while these auctions don’t typically move markets, we are within 6-months of the first expected rate cuts from the Fed so any surprises could impact yields and in-turn move equities.


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Will the Trump Verdict Impact Markets?

Will the Trump Verdict Impact Markets? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Will the Trump Verdict Impact Markets?
  • When Will Higher Yields Pressure Stocks?

Futures are moderately lower again following more disappointing tech earnings and another hot inflation print.

Salesforce (CRM) missed earnings and joined a growing list of non-AI tech companies to post disappointing result (WDAY last week) and that’s weighing on futures.

Economically, Spanish CPI was hotter than expected as it rose 3.8% y/y vs. (E) 3.7%, up from last month’s 3.4%

Today includes some potentially important economic data as we get the Revised Q1 GDP report (E: 1.5%) and focus will be on the headline as well as any revisions to the PCE Price Data (if it’s revised higher, that’s a negative).  Other notable data today includes Jobless Claims (E: 217K) and Pending Home Sales (E: 0.3%) and as has been the case all year, “hot” data will be negative for stocks and bond.

There are also two Fed speakers today, Williams (12:05 p.m. ET) and Logan (5:00 p.m. ET), although unless they talk about rate hikes, they comments shouldn’t move markets.


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Did the Last 48 Hours Make the Fed More Hawkish?

Did the Last 48 Hours Make the Fed More Hawkish? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Did the Last 48 Hours Make the Fed More Hawkish?

Futures are modestly higher following a quiet night as markets bounce following Thursday’s high-rate driven declines.

Economically, UK Retail Sales declined –2.3% vs. (E ) -0.1%, although that’s not making a June cut more likely.

Geo-politically, there are reports Putin will seek a cease-fire in Ukraine, although that’s unconfirmed (it would be a surprise positive if true).

Given the looming long weekend we can expect quiet trading today but there are two notable economic reports:   Durable Goods Orders (E: -0.5%) and University of Michigan Inflation Expectations (1-Yr Inflation Expectations: 3.5%, 5-Year Inflation Expectations 3.1%). As yesterday demonstrated, strong data is “bad” for stocks in the near term so markets will want to see in-line readings or slightly soft numbers on both reports to help fuel a rebound from yesterday.

There is also one Fed speaker and it’s an important one, Waller at 9:35 a.m. ET, but it’s unlikely he’ll say anything surprising (he just spoke earlier this week).


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Advisor Considerations of the “T+1” Settlement Change

Advisor Considerations of the “T+1” Settlement Change: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Practice Management Update: Examining the Upcoming Move to T+1 Settlement
  • Long-Term S&P 500 Chart: Greatest Volatility Risk Since January 2022

Futures are flat this morning as economic data was mixed in Europe and global traders await NVDA earnings (tomorrow) to gauge the outlook for AI industry growth.

In Europe, German PPI fell -3.3% vs. (E) -3.1% underscoring that disinflation trends remain underway in the EU while the UK’s CBI Industrial Trends Order Balance dropped -33% vs. (E) -20% adding to global factory sector worries.

Looking into today’s session, there are no economic reports to watch but a handful of Fed speakers on the calendar this morning: Barkin (9:00 a.m. ET), Waller (9:00 a.m. ET), Williams (9:05 a.m. ET), Bostic (9:10 a.m. ET) and Barr (11:45 a.m. ET).

At this point, the higher-for-longer mantra has been absorbed by markets and it would take renewed talk of rate hikes to meaningfully move markets, especially as traders settle in and await tomorrow’s post-bell earnings release from NVDA which is widely viewed as the most important catalyst of this week.


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How Long Can Goldilocks Last?

How Long Can Goldilocks Last? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How Long Can Goldilocks Last?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  More Updates on Growth and AI Enthusiasm (NVDA Earnings on Wednesday)
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Will the First Big Report of May Confirm Slowing Growth?

Futures are little changed following a generally quiet weekend of news and ahead of another important week of potential market catalysts.

Geopolitics was in focus this weekend as Iranian President Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash, although it appears an accident and oil isn’t rallying on the news.

There was no notable economic data overnight.

Today there are no economic reports but there are multiple Fed speakers including: Bostic (7:30 & 8:45 a.m. ET), Barr & Waller (9:00 a.m. ET), Jefferson (10:30 a.m. ET), Mester (2:00 p.m. ET) and Bostic again (7:00 p.m. ET).  However, for all the commentary, unless multiple Fed officials start openly discussing rate hikes (which is extremely unlikely) their commentary shouldn’t meaningfully move markets.


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