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Is the VIX Broken?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is the VIX Broken?

Futures are modestly higher following in-line inflation readings from China and more gridlock in Washington as markets look ahead to today’s inflation readings.

Chinese CPI met expectations rising 1.6% and that benign reading will keep stimulus coming in that economy.

Politically, Arizona Senator Sinema left the Democrat party and registered as an independent, although the move is unlikely to change her voting patterns.

Today focus will be on inflation data, specifically PPI (E: 0.2% m/m, 7.2% y/y) and the University of Michigan Five Year Inflation Expectations (E: 3.0%).  If those reports come in under expectations and further hint at dis-inflation, it will extend the early rally.

Key Inflation and Fed Events to Watch

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The State of Inflation and Fed Speak After CPI (Key Events to Watch)

Futures are pointing to a rebound from yesterday’s profit-taking pullback amid risk-on money flows in China overnight.

Economically, Chinese Retail Sales surprisingly fell -0.5% vs. (E) +0.8% in October but the weak data was followed by the PBOC injecting $150B into the system in new near-term stimulus measures which helped Asian markets rally overnight.

Meanwhile, Warren Buffet has reportedly accumulated a more than $4B stake in TSMC which is helping semiconductors lead equity markets higher this morning.

Looking into today’s session, traders will be watching economic data early with PPI (E: 0.5%, 8.3%) and the Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -7.6) due out before the open. For the equity rebound to resume we will want to see another cool inflation print from the PPI release and some signs of stabilization from the Empire release to help ease rising stagflation concerns.

There are also two Fed speakers to watch: Harker (9:00 a.m. ET) and Barr (10:00 a.m. ET). If they maintain a less hawkish tone, the S&P should be able to retest yesterday’s highs near 4,010, a key near-term technical resistance level.

Was Last Week’s CPI Report A Bullish Gamechanger?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Was Last Week’s CPI A Bullish Gamechanger?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Can Yields Keep Falling?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  More Key Inflation Readings This Week

Futures are modestly lower following some hawkish Fed comments and as investors digest last week’s big rally.

Fed Governor Waller made comments on Sunday that the Fed still has “a ways to go” before ending rate hikes, which is sapping some of last week’s soft CPI enthusiasm.

Positively, China continued progress towards abandoning “Zero COVID” and announced a stimulus plan for supporting the residential real estate market.

Today there are no notable economic reports and only one Fed speaker, Williams at 6:30 p.m. ET, but that won’t impact today’s trading.  So, we’d expect digestion of last week’s gains.  Politically, the Republican’s are still expected to win the House, but it will be close.  If Democrats look like they may win the House, that will likely weigh on markets as investors want a split government.

Market Multiple Levels: S&P 500 Chart

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Levels – S&P 500 Chart
  • What the Midterms Mean for Markets

Stock futures have stabilized after yesterday’s midterm-induced declines and Treasury yields are modestly lower this morning as the focus turns to today’s all-important CPI data.

It was a quiet night of news and there were no market-moving economic reports overseas.

Today, trader focus will be on the October CPI report (E: 0.7%) due out at 8:30 a.m. ET. We will also get Jobless Claims (E: 221K) before the opening.

The Fed speaker circuit picks up as well today with Harker (9:00 a.m. ET), Logan (9:35 a.m. ET), George (1:30 p.m. ET), and Williams (6:35 p.m. ET) all scheduled to speak today.

Bottom line, today’s CPI report is likely to make or break the latest attempt at a broad-based relief rally. If the data is hot and Treasuries decline (yields rise) in a hawkish manner, expect further pressure on equities. Conversely, if CPI is “cooler” than expected and Fed speak is on the dovish side, the S&P 500 could retest recent highs near 3,900.

What Falls First, Treasury Yields or Earnings?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Key Market Question:  What Falls First, Treasury Yields or Earnings?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  All About Inflation
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  CPI on Thursday is the Key Report

Futures are modestly higher mostly on momentum from Friday’s rally and despite negative COVID news from China and an APPL warning on I-Phone production.

Reports over the weekend pushed back on Chinese authorities abandoning the “Zero COVID” policy, although markets still expect some relaxing of restrictions.

APPL warned that COVID restrictions in China will impact IPhone production, although demand remains strong (so the news isn’t materially impacting the stock).

Today there are no notable economic reports but there are three Fed speakers: Mester (3:40 p.m. ET), Collins (3:40 p.m. ET) and Barkin (6:00 p.m. ET).  If they even slightly push back on the idea that “Terminal” Fed Funds will be higher than expected in September, as Evans did on Friday, then stocks can extend this rebound.

How (and Why) We Calculate Real Interest Rates

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How (and Why) We Calculate Real Interest Rates

Futures are moderately lower following a disappointing night of earnings.

Thursday night was the first bad night of earnings as SNAP and WHR both posted underwhelming results, while numerous European companies also missed estimates.

Economically, the Japanese CPI ran hot (3.0% vs. (E) 2.9%), like virtually every other inflation indicator this week.

Today there are no economic reports and just one Fed speaker, Williams (9:10 a.m. ET), but he shouldn’t move markets.

Instead, the focus will continue to shift toward earnings and the markets needs some good results to rally today.  Reports we’re watching today include: VZ ($1.28), AXP ($2.38), SLB ($0.55), HCA ($3.89).

Incremental Positive Developments

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Bottom Line – Incremental Positive Developments, But Not Enough for a Bottom
  • Industrial Production Takeaways
  • Chart: 5-Yr Breakevens Continue to Trend Lower Amid Confidence in the Fed
  • Housing Market Index Underscores Cooling Real Estate Market

Futures are slightly higher in more cautious trade this morning as strong earnings from NFLX (+14%)  and UAL (+3%) are helping offset hot inflation data overseas.

UK CPI rose 0.2% to 10.1% vs. (E) 10.0%, revisiting a 40-year high which is bringing inflation back into focus today.

From a catalyst standpoint, there is one economic report to watch today: Housing Starts (1.475M), and two Fed speakers to watch: Kashkari (1:00 p.m. ET) and Evans (6:30 p.m. ET).

There is also a 20-Yr Treasury Bond Auction at 1:00 p.m. ET. If yields rise in the wake of the auction, that could once again weigh on equities.

Finally, earnings continue with: ALLY ($1.73), PG ($1.55), CFG ($1.21), and WGO ($2.99) reporting ahead of the bell, and TSLA ($1.01), IBM ($1.78), AA ($0.09), and PPG ($1.67) releasing their results after the bell.

Bottom line, there have been some incremental fundamental positives that have helped support the relief rally in stocks this week, and if fixed-income markets can remain orderly and earnings continue to surprise to the upside, the S&P 500 could continue towards 3,800 or beyond today.

Market Multiple Table Chart

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table Chart
  • CPI Preview:  Good Bad and Ugly

Futures are slightly higher ahead of this morning’s CPI as reports suggest UK PM Truss will have to abandon more of her fiscal spending and tax cut plan.

Positively, conservative members of Parliament continued to push back against PM Truss’s fiscal plan and that’s helping the Pound rally and GILT yields to decline.

Negatively, Chinese authorities are reimposing some restrictions in Shanghai as COVID cases rise and as Chinese officials hold on to the “Zero COVID” policy.

Focus today will be on CPI and estimates are as follows: Headline: 0.2% m/m and 8.1% y/y. Core:  0.4% m/m and 6.5% y/y.  For CPI to spark a material rally, markets will want to see outright declines in CPI (so less than 8.1% and 6.3% respectively).  Conversely, year over year CPI coming in higher than September readings will reinforce the idea that inflation is not declining, and the market is a long, long way from a Fed pivot.  The other notable report today is Jobless Claims (E: 225K) but that shouldn’t move markets.

Market Multiple Table: Headwinds Building

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table: Headwinds Building

Stock futures are higher this morning as Treasury markets are steady despite more turmoil in the Gilts market with the 30-Yr jumping another 20+ bp back towards 5.00%.

Economic data was mixed overnight as U.K. GDP dropped off further than expected in August (-0.3% vs. E: -0.1%) while EU Industrial Production for the same month was solid at 1.5% vs. (E) 0.5%.

Today, there is one inflation data point to watch pre-market: Producer Price Index (E: 0.2%) and if it runs hot, it would likely send yields to new highs and pressure risk assets ahead of the bell.

After the open, the focus will shift to the Fed with two officials speaking through the middle of the day: Kashkari (10:00 a.m. ET) and Barr (1:45 p.m. ET) before the most recent FOMC Meeting Minutes are due to be released at 2:00 p.m. ET.

In the minutes, investors will be looking for any new indication of a timeline for a policy “pivot” or what might result in one as that is still a major catalyst needed in order for stocks to bottom.

Finally, there is a 10-Yr Treasury Note Auction at 1:00 p.m. ET and if the outcome is weak, as was the case with yesterday’s 3-Yr Note auction, and yields begin to rise, that will likely be a renewed headwind on equities in the afternoon.

Bottom line, yields are still the primary driver of the stock market this week and if we see Treasuries remain stable as they are this morning, then stocks could break their multi-day losing streak, however, if yields do rise meaningfully it will be hard for the major indices to hold this week’s lows.

Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in Yahoo on October 6th 2022.

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U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Investors Mull Fed Policy Path

“The key to tomorrow’s jobs report will be whether it keeps the hopes for a Fed pivot alive. If the jobs report is ‘Too Hot’ that kills the idea of a Fed pivot, and we should expect the S&P 500 to drop back towards levels where we ended the third quarter,” Sevens Report analysts said in a note. Click here to read the full article.