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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.

Tom Essaye Quoted in S&P Global Market Intelligence on October 7th, 2022

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US job growth slows in September as labor market cools

“This just reinforces to the Fed that they have to stay the course, there’s nothing in this report that will make the Fed think: ‘Oh gee, we need to alter our plan.” said Tom Essaye, a trader and publisher of The Sevens Report. Click here to read the full article.

Jobs Day

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Day (Abbreviated Jobs Report Preview)
  • Why Price Controls Still Don’t Work

Futures are slightly lower as the looming jobs report helps offset soft economic data and disappointing earnings.

Economically, German Industrial Production, German Retail Sales, and Japanese Household spending all missed estimates.

On earnings, AMD became the latest widely held company to miss earnings, positing a material revenue shortfall.

Today focus will be on the Jobs Report and expectations are as follows: Job Adds: 250K, UE Rate 3.7%, Wages 0.3% m/m, 5.1% y/y.  If the numbers are in the lower end of the “Just Right” range that will spur more hopes of a Fed pivot between now and year-end, and stocks will likely rally.    Away from the jobs report there are also several Fed speakers including:  Williams (10:00 a.m. ET), Kashkari (11:00 a.m. ET) and Bostic (12:00 p.m. ET) but they shouldn’t move markets (expect them to be hawkish in tone but not say anything new).

How Bad Can It Get? (And What Makes It Stop?)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How Bad Could It Get and What Makes It Stop?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Can the June lows hold?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Does economic growth stay resilient?

Futures are modestly lower as global bond yields rose further while the British Pound remained extremely volatile.

The British Pound plunged to an all time low vs the dollar earlier this morning before rebounding and the extreme volatility is adding to investor worries.

Economically, the German Ifo Business Expectations Index fell to the lowest level since March 2020 (84.3 vs. (E) 87.1).

Today there are no notable economic reports but there are numerous Fed speakers, including Collins (10:00 a.m. ET), Bostic (12:00 p.m. ET), Logan (12:30 p.m. ET) and Mester (4:00 p.m. ET).  But, they shouldn’t move markets (we already know what the Fed intends to do).

Instead, the Pound and global bond yields (especially 10-year GILT yields) will determine trading today.  Markets need to see the Pound stabilize and 10-year GILT yields stop rising (they’re up nearly 60 bps in two days) to inject some macro-economic stability into the markets.  Don’t be shocked if the Bank of England announces a surprise rate hike today (or in the coming days) and if so, that should help global yields stabilize (which would be positive for sentiment and markets).

Fed Day Technical Take

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Pre-Fed Technical Take: a Make-or-Break Tipping Point for Equities

Stock futures are trading with cautious gains this morning as traders shrug off escalating tension between Russia and Ukraine while the BOJ initiated new stimulus overnight as focus turns to today’s Fed meeting.

Geopolitically, Russia is mobilizing 300,000 reservists to bolster military operations in Ukraine and indirectly threatened nuclear options in the latest escalation in the conflict which is driving gains in safe havens ahead of the Fed this morning.

Today, there is one economic report to watch in the morning: Existing Home Sales (E: 4.70M) but the primary market focus will clearly be on the Fed with the FOMC Announcement at 2:00 p.m. ET followed by Fed Chair Powell’s press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Regarding the Fed, a 75 basis point hike and terminal Fed Funds rate near 4.25% is the consensus expectation so anything more hawkish than that will likely spark volatility and potentially even result in a test of the June lows in the S&P while anything more dovish than expectations has the potential to unleash a sizeable relief rally.

Market Setup into the Fed Decision

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Setup into the Fed Decision
  • Weekly Market Preview:  All About the Terminal Rate
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Flash PMIs Friday

Futures are moderately lower mostly on momentum from last week’s declines and following a generally quiet weekend of news.

Geo-politically, Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky gave interviews over the weekend and neither implied the war would end anytime soon, which is a mild disappointment for markets.

Chinese authorities ended the lockdowns in Chengdu, but gave no indication the “Zero COVID” policy will change.

Today the calendar is sparse given there’s only one economic report, Housing Market Index (E: 48), and the UK and Japanese markets are closed.  So, positioning ahead of Wednesday’s FOMC decision should drive markets, and unless we get some positive corporate commentary to offset the FDX guidance, the path of least resistance into the Fed is lower.

Why Stocks Dropped Again

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Stocks Dropped (Again)
  • A Question About Silver

Futures are sharply lower following a very negative earnings pre-announcement from FedEx (FDX).

FedEx (FDX) earnings were terrible as the company reported EPS of $4.37 vs. (E) $5.10 and guidance was even worse with estimates of $2.75 vs. (E) $5.46.  The company sited significant macro-economic deterioration and the CEO warned about a “worldwide recession.”

Economically results were mixed as Chinese data beat estimates while UK Retail Sales were soft (–5.4% vs. –3.9%).

Today focus will be on Consumer Sentiment (E: 59.9) and more specifically the five-year inflation expectations.  In August they were 2.9% and if they rise back above 3.0% that’ll only compound the damage from Tuesday’s CPI and push stocks lower, while a decline below 2.9% will help offset CPI and help support stocks (although I think it’d take a sharp from below 2.9% for stocks to fully erase these early losses).

Why the Decline in Core Inflation Could Be Slower than Expected

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why the Decline in Core Inflation Could Be Slower than Expected
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Market Update

Futures are slightly lower following a mostly quiet night of news as markets await a deluge of economic data later this morning.

The most notable headline overnight was that negotiators have reached a tentative deal to avoid a U.S. rail strike, although this was never a major concern for markets so the headline isn’t causing a rally.

There were no notable economic reports overnight.

Today the market will be focused on economic data and the key reports will be Jobless Claims (E: 227K), Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (E: 3.5), and the Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -14.5) as they give us the latest insights into growth and inflation.  If the price indices in Empire and Philly drop notably, that’ll help offset some of the concerns on inflation from the CPI report.

Other data today includes Retail Sales (E: 0.0%) and Industrial Production (E: 0.2%) but they’ll have to be material surprises to move markets.

Why Stocks Rallied Last Week (And Is It Sustainable?)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Stocks Rallied Last Week (And Is It Sustainable?)
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Can Inflation Fall Quickly and Growth Stay Resilient?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  CPI Tomorrow is the Key Report

Futures are moderately higher as the U.S. Dollar extended Friday’s declines thanks to a hawkish ECB article.

The euro is surging another 1% and pushing the Dollar Index lower following a hawkish ECB Reuters article that stated the ECB may have to raise rates to 2% to curb inflation, which is higher than current expectations.

Economic data was slightly underwhelming as UK Industrial Production (0.1% vs. (E) 0.3%) and UK Monthly GDP (0.2% vs. (E) 0.4%) both missed estimates.

Today there are no notable economic reports nor any major Fed speakers, so we’d expect stocks to continue to follow the dollar ahead of tomorrow’s CPI report.  If the dollar extends this morning’s declines, stocks should be able to hold this early rally.

Market Multiple Table Chart

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table Chart
  • What Fed Speak Means for Markets (Yesterday and Today)

Futures are little changed following a mostly quiet night and ahead of the ECB decision and Powell Q&A session.

The Reserve Bank of Australia signaled it will slow the pace of rate hikes going forward but gave no insight into its “Terminal Rate.”

Economically, Japanese GDP slightly beat estimates (3.5% vs. (E) 3.0%) but that’s not moving markets.

Today’s focus will be on Powell (9:10 a.m. ET) and the ECB (75 bps hike), and any hint of “peak hawkishness” from Powell or the ECB will be a positive catalyst for markets (and no hints of it will likely be a headwind on stocks).  Outside of Powell and the ECB, we also get Jobless Claims (E: 240K) and there’s one Fed speaker, Evans (12:00 p.m. ET), but neither of those should move markets.