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Hard vs. Soft Landing Scoreboard: More Signs of Slowing Growth

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Hard vs. Soft Landing Scoreboard: More Signs of Slowing Growth: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Hard Landing vs. Soft Landing Scoreboard: Still a Soft Landing But More Signs of Slowing Growth
  • Chart: Consumer Confidence Data Points to Slowing Growth

Futures are lower as traders continue to reposition following last week’s sprint to record highs while focus shifts ahead to tomorrow’s critical inflation data.

Economically, the headline of the Eurozone Economic Sentiment report fell to 95.4 vs. (E) 96.7 which didn’t help risk assets in pre-market trade.

Today, traders will be watching the release of Q4 GDP (E: 3.3%) and International Trade in Goods (E: -$88.1B) ahead of the bell. Any data that is not Goldilocks (or “Platinumlocks”) will likely keep stocks under pressure ahead of tomorrow’s PCE Price Index report.

Later in the day, there are several Fed speakers: Bostic (12:00 p.m. ET), Collins (12:15 p.m. ET), and Williams (12:45 p.m. ET). Bostic and Williams are on the FOMC, so their comments have the potential to move markets with tomorrow’s inflation data coming into view.

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How the Magnificent Seven and the Kansas City Chiefs Are Similar

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How the Magnificent Seven and the Kansas City Chiefs Are Similar (Bubble Watch): Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How the Magnificent Seven and the Kansas City Chiefs Are Similar (Bubble Watch)
  • Chart: Visualizing Historical P/E Ratios for the Magnificent Seven

Futures are mildly lower as traders look ahead to the Fed minutes release this afternoon and NVDA earnings after the close.

Overseas, Chinese stocks rallied to turn positive YTD after authorities expanded measures aimed at stabilizing the markets while Australian wage growth rose 4.2.% vs. 4.1% y/y prompting some modestly hawkish money flows.

There are no notable economic reports today, but the January Fed meeting minutes will be released at 2:00 p.m. ET and that could move Treasury yields and ultimately impact stocks.

Additionally, there are two Fed speakers today: Bostic (8:00 a.m. ET) and Bowman (1:00 p.m. ET), as well as a 20-Yr Treasury Bond auction (1:00 p.m. ET). Any of those events could also move yields and influence equity trading intraday, but the main event today is NVDA earnings (E: $4.55/share) and markets will likely maintain a positioning tone into the quarterly report after the bell.

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Bull vs. Bear Case (Part 1 of 3)

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Bull vs. Bear Case (Part 1 of 3): Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Bull vs. Bear Case – What the Bulls Think Will Happen

Futures are flat with the 10-Yr yield hovering near 4.40% as traders await a slew of Fed speak and fresh economic data.

Economic data overnight was mildly disappointing. As Australian Retail Sales, the German GfK Consumer Climate report and Eurozone M3 Money Supply all missed estimates.

Looking into the U.S. session, there are a few second-tiered economic reports to watch today: Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: 0.7%), FHFA House Price Index (E: 0.4%), and Consumer Confidence (E: 101.5), but none are likely to move markets ahead of the key inflation data due out Thursday.

Additionally, there are several Fed officials scheduled to speak today: Goolsbee, Waller, Bowman, and Barr. If any of them strike a materially hawkish tone or stray from the “soft landing” outlook narrative, it could weigh on stocks today.

Finally, there is a 7-Yr Treasury Note Auction at 1:00 p.m. ET. If the results are weak and yields move higher, expect that to be a headwind for equities today. Conversely, a strong auction could push rates to new lows and power stocks higher into the end of the month.

Bull vs. Bear Case

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Risk of Another U.S. Government Shutdown

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Risk of Another U.S. Government Shutdown: Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s

Stocks Fall to Start a Busy Economic Week

Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye notes markets are digesting Friday night’s news that Moody’s cut its outlook on U.S. credit to negative, though it kept the rating itself. Markets may also react to rising tensions in the Middle East as the U.S. launches airstrikes in Syria.

“Beyond today, though, in addition to the economic catalysts this week, risk of another U.S. government shutdown is rising as there needs to be a short-term spending deal by Friday to avoid a shutdown,” Esaye writes.

“So, any progress on that front today will help markets, while any negative headlines will likely provide a small headwind.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on November 13th, 2023. 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 Rally

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

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Powell’s Speech Main Takeaway

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The Main Takeaway From Powell’s Speech: Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on MSN

The Stock Rally Won’t Resume Any Time Soon. Here’s Why.

As Sevens Reports Tom Essaye put it, “The main takeaway from Powell’s speech was that in this situation, there’s no way the Fed can get dovish.”
Bulls have pointed to ongoing strength in the labor market as evidence that the economy is still humming, and fodder for the rally. However, as plenty of Federal Reserve watches noted after Chairman Jerome Powell’s remarks last week, the central bank doesn’t appear inclined to let rates fall.

Also, click here to view the full article published by MSN on October 23rd, 2023. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

Powell’s Speech

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.

CPI Impacts Two of The Three Pillars of The Rally

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CPI impacts two of the three pillars of the rally: Tom Essaye Quoted in The Spokesman-Review

Wall Street takes risk off table before CPI report

CPI is key because if it halts its downward trend, markets will have to price in a more hawkish Fed. That would be a headwind on stocks, said Tom Essaye, who founded The Sevens Report newsletter.

“Put in a more familiar way, CPI impacts two of the three pillars of the rally: disinflation and expectation the Fed is done with rate hikes,” Essaye noted. “If CPI is too hot, both will be damaged.”

Also, click here to view the full Spokesman-Review article published on September 12th, 2023. However, to see Tom’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.

Navigating Market Signals: Tom Essaye’s Insight on Growth and Demand

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Market Growth and Demand Signals – Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s: Strengthen your market knowledge with a free trial of The Sevens Report.

U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Higher Oil Prices Renew Inflation Fears

Economic data on tap includes the ISM services index for August, the trade balance for July, and the release of the Fed’s Beige Book, an anecdotal report of current economic conditions published eight times a year.

“As has been the case lately, the market is looking for signs of slowing demand but not a sharp downturn in growth,” said Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research.

“The ISM will be the more important report to watch so a number that is ‘too hot’ or ‘too cold’ will likely see yesterday’s stock market declines extended, while a Goldilocks print will help markets stabilize.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on September 7th, 2023. However, to see Tom’s full comments on market growth and demand signals sign up here.

Market Growth and Demand Signals

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Renewed Global Growth Concerns

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Growth Concerns – Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s: Strengthen your market knowledge with a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Stocks Slip as Trading Resumes After the Long Weekend With Renewed Global Growth Concerns Out of China.

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 33 points, or 0.1%. The S&P 500 declined 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.3%.

Weighing on the markets were “renewed global growth concerns,” said Tom Essaye, founder of The Sevens Report. China’s purchasing-managers’ index (PMI) showed that the country’s services sector expanded at the slowest pace in eight months.

The remainder of the week looks slow on the economic data front, and investors will continue to digest U.S. jobs data from Friday which gave signs to suggest the labor market may be cooling. That’s what the Federal Reserve wants to see as it works to battle historically high inflation through interest-rate hikes.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on September 5th, 2023.

China global growth

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The Two Biggest Risks to the 2023 Year-end Rally

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The Two Biggest Risks to the Rally Until Year-end: Strengthen your market knowledge with a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Two Biggest Risks to the Rally Until Year-end
  • Weekly Market Preview: Three Pillars of the Rally Remain Intact (For Now)
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet – Service Sector Data in Focus

Stock futures are modestly lower with most global markets this morning amid renewed global growth concerns.

Economic data disappointed overnight with China’s Service PMI falling to a 2023 low of 51.8 vs. (E) 53.7 in August while the Eurozone Service PMI declined to 47.9 vs. (E) 48.3. The soft data rekindled global recession concerns putting risk-assets under pressure as we start the holiday shortened trading week.

Today, two second-tiered economic reports are due: Motor Vehicle Sales (E: 15.6M) and Factory Orders (E: -2.6%). But, neither are likely to meaningfully impact markets.

No Fed officials are on schedule to speak today. The Treasury will hold auctions for 3-Month, 6-Month, and 52-Week Bills late this morning. The results of the auctions could shed light on the market’s outlook for Fed policy plans in the months ahead. However, weak demand leading to a rise in short-duration yields will be viewed as hawkish which has the potential to put additional pressure on equity markets and risk assets today.

Risks to rally

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It’s Not How High Rates Go Anymore, It’s How Long They Stay There

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • It’s Not How High That Matters Anymore, It’s How Long
  • Retail Sales & Empire State Manufacturing Survey Takeaways (Very Mixed Reports)
  • Chart – S&P 500 Violates 50 Day Moving Average for the First Time Since March

Stock futures are little changed this morning as new stimulus efforts by China help offset more negative global economic data and a hawkish leaning RBNZ meeting decision.

Chinese Home Prices fell -0.1% vs. (E) 0.0% prompting a cash injection and stronger currency fix by the PBOC which helped stabilize global risk assets overnight given the recent turmoil in the world’s second largest economy.

In Europe, U.K. Core CPI held steady at 6.9% vs. (E) 6.8% in July solidifying peak rate expectations of 6.0%, however bond yields are retreating modestly from the week’s highs which is helping stocks continue to stabilize today.

Looking into today’s session, we will get two economic reports this morning: Housing Starts (E: 1.455 million), Industrial Production (E: 0.3%) before focus will turn to the release of the July FOMC meeting minutes at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Bottom line, the market wants to see more “Goldilocks” data consistent with a soft economic landing and no evidence in the Fed minutes that suggests a more hawkish policy path than is currently expected (rate cuts beginning H1’24). Otherwise, volatility is likely to remain elevated with equities under pressure.