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Is Bad Economic Data Starting to Pressure Earnings?

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Is Bad Economic Data Starting to Pressure Earnings? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is Bad Economic Data Starting to Pressure Earnings?
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Market Update

Futures are modestly lower again following more disappointing earnings and another hot global inflation print.

DELL (down 15% pre-market) became the latest non-AI tech company to post disappointing results and that’s weighing on futures.

Economically, the EU flash HICP (their CPI) rose more than expected at 2.9% vs. (E) 2.7% y/y and that’s pushing back on expectations for multiple ECB rate cuts this year.

Today brings the biggest economic report of the week, the Core PCE Price Index (E: 0.2% m/m, 2.8% y/y).  Markets will want to see a number at, or ideally below, expectations to further ease inflation anxiety and pressure Treasury yields. If investors get that number this morning, expect a solid bounce back rally in stocks and bonds.  The other notable number today is the Chicago PMI (E: 40.8) but barring a major surprise that shouldn’t move markets.

Regarding the Trump guilty verdict, as we covered in Thursday’s Report, this could result in some temporary volatility in select sectors (oil and gas, industrials, financials) but we do not view this event as a material influence on markets.

Finally, there is one Fed speaker today, Bostic at 6:15 p.m. ET but he shouldn’t move markets.

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The market just seems like it can’t find the middle

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The market just seems like it can’t find the middle: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s

The Stock Market Keeps Going Back and Forth on Interest Rates. How to Play It.

“The market just seems like it can’t find the middle,” Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s in a phone interview.

Essaye says he can make the case that the economy is slowing, or not, based on a wide swath of data that’s available. That’s why every individual release has so much sway on the market’s day-to-day. Stocks were mixed on Tuesday, aside from tech, after Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said the Federal Reserve hasn’t formally taken rate hikes off the table and is prepared to keep rates steady until inflation hits the central bank’s 2% target.

“This is the world we’re in for now, until economic data gives us a clear direction as to where we’re going,” Essaye says. “I think we just sort of have to brace ourselves for this kind of back and forth. I think the net result for investors is that there’s just going to be more elevated volatility.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on May 28th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

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Investors still view ‘bad data as good for stocks’

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Investors still view ‘bad data as good for stocks’: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s

Nvidia Earnings Spark a Rally in Tech Stocks

“For now, investors still view ‘bad data as good for stocks’ as it makes rate cuts more likely so a small miss vs. expectations should extend the early rally,” writes Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye.

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on May 23rd, 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.

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.

Explaining This Market to Clients (Summer Edition)

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Explaining This Market to Clients (Summer Edition): Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Explaining This Market to Clients (Summer Edition)
  • Weekly Economic Preview – All Eyes on Inflation (Friday)

Futures are modestly higher, led by mega-cap tech, as traders return from the long weekend to mixed headlines.

Economically, an ECB survey showed a favorable dip in medium term (3-year) consumer inflation expectations which was well received by equity traders overnight.

Geopolitically, an Egyptian soldier was killed in a fire fight with Israeli forces at the Rafah border over the weekend while, separately, there were dozens of civilian casualties following an Israeli airstrike just north of Rafah leaving Middle East tensions as high as they’ve been in months (oil is up more than 1%).

Looking into today’s session, there are two economic reports to watch: S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: 0.3%) and Consumer Confidence (E: 95.3) while several Fed officials are scheduled to speak: Kashkari (9:55 a.m. ET), Cook (1:05 p.m. ET), and Daly (1:00 p.m. ET). The market will want to see more “goldilocks” economic data and preferably less-hawkish Fed chatter.

Additionally, there are two key Treasury auctions, the first for 2-Yr Notes at 11:30 a.m. ET, and the second for 5-Yr Notes at 1:00 p.m. ET. With the total amount being auctioned just shy of $150B, demand for the Notes will be closely watched and weak auction outcomes could push yields higher and weigh on stocks with key inflation data looming later in the week.

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Did the Last 48 Hours Make the Fed More Hawkish?

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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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Is Investor Sentiment Getting Too Bullish?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is Investor Sentiment Getting Too Bullish?
  • Why the FOMC Minutes Weren’t Hawkish
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Update

Futures are solidly higher following stronger than expected NVDA earnings and guidance.

NVDA results beat across the board as earnings, revenue and guidance all beat estimates while the company announced a 10:1 stock spilt and increased the dividend.  NVDA is up 6% pre-open and pushing futures higher.

Economically, EU and UK May flash PMIs were mixed but both above 50, importantly signaling economic expansion.

Today focus will switch back to economic data and the key report today will be the May Flash PMI (E: 51.0).  For now, investors still view “bad data as good for stocks” as it makes rate cuts more likely so a small miss vs. expectations should extend the early rally.  We also get the latest Jobless Claims (E: 220K) and again a small miss will be welcomed by investors.  Turning to the Fed, the surge of speakers subsides today as we only have one speaker, Bostic (3:00 p.m. ET) and he shouldn’t move markets.

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If Nvidia’s earnings are soft, you’ll see some weakness in tech

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If Nvidia’s earnings are soft, you’ll see some weakness in tech: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s

Why the Stock Market Can Rally, Even if Nvidia Earnings Disappoint

“I think if Nvidia’s earnings are soft, you’ll see some weakness in tech, especially, although I don’t think that a bad Nvidia earnings print carries with it the same danger that it would have seen in February or November,” Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye tells Barron’s.

“While a bad Nvidia print will be bad for tech and probably bad for the S&P 500, because tech is such a big weight, for things like the Dow, the Russell 1000, RSP (the equal-weight S&P 500), I don’t think it’s a derailing event,” Essaye says. “I’d probably be looking to buy any dip on that.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on May 21st, 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.

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.

How Important Is AI to This Market?

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How Important Is AI to This Market? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How Important Is AI to This Market?
  • Chart: Key Levels to Watch in NVDA Today
  • Fed’s “SHED” Release Takeaways Support Soft Landing

Futures are mildly lower as UK core inflation data failed to “cool” as much as hoped in April while traders await NVDA earnings after the close today.

Economically, the UK’s Core CPI figure came in at 3.9% vs. (E) 3.7% y/y in April, down from 4.3% in March which was a mild disappointment for broader global disinflation hopes.

Looking into today’s session it is a fairly busy day from a catalyst standpoint as we will get the latest Existing Home Sales report (E: 4.195 million) later this morning while the Fed’s Goolsbee is scheduled to speak at 9:40 a.m. ET.

As we move into the afternoon traders will be watching the results of a 20-Yr Treasury Bond auction (1:00 p.m. ET) before waiting on the release of the latest FOMC meeting minutes (2:00 p.m. ET).

Finally, some late season earnings could move markets with two notable retailers releasing results in the premarket: TGT ($2.05), TJX ($0.87) before all eyes turn the widely anticipated release of NVDA earnings ($5.55) after the close.

Bottom line, with stocks sitting on record highs investors will need to see economic data that remains “goldilocks,” the absence of any hawkish Fed surprises (i.e. consideration of rate hikes), steady yields, good retailer earnings, and solid guidance from AI bellwether NVDA to meaningfully advance beyond current levels.

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Even after the revisions, the data was really mostly in line.

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Even after the revisions, the data was really mostly in line: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s

The Market Is in a Trance. Wednesday’s Inflation Data Could Break It.

But Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s in a phone interview that even after the revisions, the data was really mostly in line.

“The markets could be entering an extension of the sweet spot that they were in earlier in the year,” Essaye says. “If you’re looking out, there are definitely some things you want to pay attention to, because some of this data is starting to point in a not-great direction. But it’s not necessarily a reason to sell now.”

“We were in the bullish trance, and now Powell has kind of put us back into it by saying, ‘Well, no, we’re not going to hike rates. Probably going to cut rates once or twice’ or whatever,” Essaye says. “That kind of got us back into it. So it’s going to take a hot data point.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on May 14th, 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.

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.

Advisor Considerations of the “T+1” Settlement Change

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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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