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The Numbers Inside This Pullback

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Numbers Inside This Pullback
  • Monthly Bitcoin & Crypto Update

Futures are enjoying a moderate bounce on positive trade headlines and decreased shutdown risks.

On trade, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said a meeting with Commerce Secretray Lutnick was “positive” and “productive,” creating some tentative trade optimism.

Elsewhere politically, Democrat minority leader Schumer signaled he’d support funding the government, reducing shutdown chances.

Today focus will stay on trade headlines (of course) while the key economic report today is the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (E: 63.1).  Stability in that report will be encouraging for investors.  Markets will also be focused on the One-Year Inflation Expectations, which spiked to 4.3% on tariff fears.  Any decline in that number back towards 3.0% (where it was before tariffs) will be a positive.

Separating Short and Long-Term Market Views

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Separating Short and Long-Term Market Views

Futures are little changed following a quiet night of news as investors look ahead to trade meetings and data.

Economically, the only notable report was Euro Zone Industrial Production and it slightly missed expectations (0.8% vs. (E) 1.0%).

Politically, focus will be on two events today, the USMCA renegotiation talks between U.S. and Canadian officials and progress on avoiding a government shutdown on Friday.

Outside of trade and politics, today there are two important economic reports:  Jobless Claims (E: 230K) and PPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 3.4% y/y).  Because of rising stagflation worries, investors will want to see better than expected numbers from both reports, while a jump in jobless claims would increase growth concerns and hotter than expected PPI would raise fears tariffs are boosting inflation (tariff price pressures will show up in PPI before CPI).

MMT Chart: S&P Targets Lowered Amid Ominous Technical Divergence

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • March MMT Chart Update: Fundamental Price Targets Lowered
  • An Increasingly Ominous Technical Divergence Has Emerged in the S&P 500

Futures are trading with tentative gains and bonds are little changed after another mostly quiet night of macroeconomic news as investors look ahead to today’s CPI report.

Economically, Japanese PPI fell from 4.2% to 4.0% y/y in February, slightly above the consensus estimate of 3.9% but the release did not meaningfully move markets ahead of today’s U.S. CPI report.

This morning, traders will be keenly focused on inflation data with CPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 2.9% y/y) and Core CPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 3.2% y/y) data due to be released ahead of the bell. A “cool” print is the best case scenario for stocks to mount a relief rally after recent losses.

There are no Fed officials scheduled to speak today, however there is a 10-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET, and investors will be watching demand metrics to gauge bond traders reaction to the CPI data in afternoon trade (a healthy, but not too-strong auction outcome would be favorable for stocks).

Finally, earnings season continues with ADBE ($4.97) and AEO ($0.50) reporting after the close.

We can hope for is a churn sideways

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We can hope for is a churn sideways: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s

Trump Wants an Economic ‘Detox.’ What It Means for Stocks.

According to Sevens Report’s Tom Essaye, “until there’s some movement towards stable policy, the best we can hope for is a churn sideways between around 5,700 and 6,000 in the S&P 500.” The index broke below 5650 in morning trading Monday.

Sevens Reports’ Essaye notes that concern about tariffs so far has been worse than their effects. While it makes sense to brace for volatility, “that negative scenario is not a foregone conclusion and actual facts on the economy and earnings [are] hanging on.” he says.

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on March 11th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

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Jobs Day

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Day
  • Is Europe Finally Ready to Grow?
  • Jobs Report Preview (Abbreviated Version)

Futures are modestly higher following Thursday’s declines on solid tech earnings and as markets look ahead to today’s jobs report.

Broadcom (AVGO) earnings beat estimates and the stock is up 11% pre-market and that’s helping tech bounce.

Economically, German Manufacturers’ Orders badly missed expectations, falling –7.0% vs. (E) -0.9%.

Today the two big scheduled events are the jobs report and Powell’s speech.  For the jobs report expectations are 160K Job-Adds, 4.0% UE Rate, 4.1% Wages y/y.  In-line data will push back hard on stagflation fears and likely fuel a bounce in stocks (as long as there are no negative tariff headlines).

For the Fed, Powell (12:30 p.m. ET) is the most important speaker but we also hear from Williams & Bowman (10:15 a.m. ET) and Kugler (1:00 p.m. ET).  As long as those officials (especially Powell) reinforce that they expect rate cuts, it should help support markets.

A Caveat to Recent Negative Sentiment Reports

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • A Caveat to Recent Negative Sentiment Reports

Futures are enjoying a moderate bounce on solid NVDA earnings and following an otherwise quiet night of news.

NVDA earnings and guidance beat estimates and the stock is slightly higher pre-market and holding yesterday’s gains (NVDA rallied 4% into the report yesterday). The results are helping to calm DeepSeek related AI fears.

Given investor’s sudden anxiety towards economic growth, the economic data over the next two days will be important.

Today, the key reports are, in order of importance: Durable Goods (E: 1.9%), Jobless Claims (E: 224K), Revised Q4 GDP (2.3%) and Pending Home Sales (E: -1.2%).  Mostly in-line numbers, especially from Durable Goods, will help push back against the “growth scare” narrative while weak readings will only increase it (and likely pressure stocks).

We also have numerous Fed speakers today including: Barkin (7:30 a.m. ET), Schmid (9:15 a.m. ET), Barr (10:00 a.m. ET), Bowman (11:45 a.m. ET), Hammack (1:15 p.m. ET) and Harker (3:15 p.m. ET).  None of them are Fed leadership so their comments shouldn’t move markets materially, but if they talk about possibly having to hike rates due to high inflation, that will be a negative.

Four Reasons Investors Are Worried About Washington

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Are Investors Worried About Washington? (Four Reasons)
  • Chart: Chicago Fed National Activity Index Adds to Growth Fears

Futures are slightly lower as most global markets declined overnight, led by Asian tech stocks, after President Trump reiterated tariff plans for Canada and Mexico and revealed new plans limiting China’s semiconductor industry.

Today, there are two housing market reports to watch: Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: 4.3%), FHFA House Price Index (E: 0.2%), before the more important economic release of the day, Consumer Confidence (E: 103.0) is due to be released shortly after the opening bell.

Following a string of weak economic reports in recent days, the market will be looking for some more upbeat and stable growth and consumer confidence figures today to help equities stabilize.

Additionally, there is one Fed speaker in the early afternoon: Barkin (1:00 p.m. ET) and a 5-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET, both of which have the potential to move bond yields and impact equity market trading.

Finally, earnings season continues with a few notable companies reporting today including: HD ($3.04), KDP ($0.57), AMC ($-0.16), AXON ($1.41), and INTU ($2.58).

Why Stocks Dropped Last Week (New Reason)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Stocks Dropped Last Week (New Reason)
  • Weekly Market Preview:  A Big Week for Tech & Inflation (NVDA Earnings Wed, Core PCE Price Index Friday)
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Does Data This Week Increase Growth Concerns?

Futures are enjoying a solid bounce following a mostly quiet weekend of news and ahead of a catalyst filled week.

Economically, data from Europe was solid as German Ifo Business Expectations were slightly better than expected (85.4 vs. (E) 85.0) while Euro Zone Core HICP (their CPI) met expectations (2.7% y/y).

Politically, German elections went largely as expected with center-right parties CDU/CSU winning while the far-right AfD party slightly underperformed vs. expectations.

Today there are no notable economic reports so barring any surprise policy headlines on tariffs or trade, it should be a relatively quiet start to the week (although it will get busier as the week progresses).

Sentiment Update: A Somewhat Shocking Discovery

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Sentiment Update: A Somewhat Shocking Discovery: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Sentiment Update: A Somewhat Shocking Discovery

Futures are little changed following slightly disappointing economic data overnight.

EU and UK flash PMIs underwhelmed as the EU Services PMI declined to 50.7 vs. (51.5) while the UK Manufacturing PMI dropped to 46.4 vs. (E) 48.5, underscoring the economic headwinds facing the EU and UK.

Today focus will stay on economic data and the two key reports are the Flash Manufacturing PMI (E: 51.3) and Flash Services PMI (E: 53.0).  Markets will want to see in-line to slightly weak readings but most importantly, no big jumps in the price indices like we saw in Empire and Philly earlier this week.

Other notable events today include Existing Home Sales (E: 4.16 million) and Consumer Sentiment (E: 68.0) as well as two Fed speakers:  Jefferson (11:30 a.m. ET) and Daly (11:30 a.m. ET).

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Hard Landing/Soft Landing Scoreboard

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Hard Landing/Soft Landing Scoreboard
  • Empire State Manufacturing Survey Takeaways

Futures are modestly lower as investors digest fresh tariff threats from President Trump and more “hot” inflation data out of Europe, both of which are driving global bond yields higher.

Economically, China’s House Price Index fell -5.0% in January rekindling concerns about the nation’s housing sector while UK CPI was 3.0% vs. (E) 2.8%, up from 2.5% in December, stoking inflation fears and adding upward pressure to bond yields.

Today, there is one economic report to watch: Housing Starts (1.397M) before the January FOMC Meeting Minutes will come into focus in the afternoon (2:00 p.m. ET).

There is also one Fed speaker but not until after the close: Jefferson (5:00 p.m. ET) while we will get a few noteworthy (but not likely market-moving) earnings releases from ETSY ($0.95), CVNA ($0.32), and TOST ($0.06).