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Why Yesterday’s Data Was Worse Than the Market Reaction

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Why Yesterday’s Data Was Worse Than the Market Reaction: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Yesterday’s Data Was Worse Than the Market Reaction

Futures are seeing a mild bounce despite mixed inflation data and disappointing tech earnings overnight.

The global decline in inflation was again challenged overnight as French HICP was slightly hotter than expected.

ADBE posted solid earnings but underwhelming guidance and the stock is down 12% pre-market, weighing on the tech sector.

Today focus will remain on economic data and if there are more hints of “stagflation” (underwhelming growth and solid price pressures) expect declines from stocks.  Key reports today include, in order of importance: Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -8.0), 1-Yr/5 yr Inflation Expectations (E: 3.0%/2.9%), Industrial Production (E: 0.0%) and Consumer Sentiment (E: 77.3).

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Cut Through the Market Noise: The Four Drivers of This Rally

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The Four Drivers of This Rally: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Cut Through the Market Noise:  The Four Drivers of This Rally
  • Why Markets Rallied Despite Friday’s Hot Jobs Report
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Fed Speak, Growth Data and an Important Inflation Update
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Data Focused on Economic Growth and Inflation

Futures are modestly lower as Fed Chair Powell’s 60 Minutes interview is being taken as slightly hawkish.

Powell’s 60 Minutes interview is being framed as hawkish but in reality, Powell didn’t say anything new as this was his main message: Rates cuts are coming sooner than later, but a March cut is unlikely.

Economically, China’s January services PMI missed estimates (52.7 vs. (E) 53.0), reinforcing economic concerns.

Today focus will be on the ISM Services PMI (E: 52.1) and the key here is clear:  This number needs to stay above 50 otherwise we will see growth concerns start to rise.  There is also one Fed speaker today, Bostic (2:00 p.m. ET), but he shouldn’t move markets given Powell’s recent interviews.

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Was the Fed Decision Hawkish? No. Here’s Why.

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Was the Fed Decision Hawkish? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Was the Fed Decision Hawkish?  No.  Here’s Why.
  • Do We Need to Start to Worry About Banks Again?

Futures are bouncing modestly following Wednesday’s declines as investors digest the Fed decision and look ahead to important earnings after the close.

Economically, EU Core HICP (their CPI) rose 3.3% vs. (E) 3.2% and that’s slightly reducing rate cut expectations.

Today is another important day of economic data and arguably the most important day of earnings results for the Q4 reporting season.

The most important events today start with earnings as we get AMZN ($0.81), AAPL ($2.09) and META ($4.82) earnings after the close and obviously investors will want to see solid results.   Economically, the key reports today are the ISM Manufacturing PMI (E: 47.4), Jobless Claims (E: 214K) and Unit Labor Costs (E: 2.1%), and markets will be looking for in-line data to keep hard landing worries low.  Finally, we also get a Bank of England rate decision, but no change to rates is expected.

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Key Technical Levels to Watch on Fed Day

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Key Technical Levels to Watch: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Key Technical Levels to Watch on Fed Day (Shareable PDF Available)
  • Jobs Report Preview

Stock futures are in the red this morning after mega-cap tech earnings failed to meet overly optimistic estimates (but were not that bad, all things considered), Chinese Manufacturing PMI missed estimates, and French CPI was higher than expected.

On the earnings front, AMD (-11%), GOOGL (-6%), and MSFT (-1%) are all lower in the pre-market despite generally healthy quarterly reports with most earnings and revenue figures topping analysts estimates while some corporate guidance was not as strong as hoped.

Today is lining up to be a very busy day full of catalysts. Starting with the economic data, we get the first look at January labor market data with the ADP Employment Report (E: 130K) while Q4 Employment Cost Index (E: 1.0%) will offer a look at wage pressures from late 2023.

The Treasury will release the official Refunding Announcement details before the open (8:30 a.m. ET) before focus will turn to the Fed with the FOMC Decision (2:00 p.m. ET) and Powell’s press conference (2:30 p.m. ET) in the afternoon.

There are no “Mag7” earnings today, but a few notables to watch include: MA ($3.08), QCOM ($2.37), and MET ($1.95).

Bottom line, equities are on edge in pre-market trade this morning with all of today’s catalysts looming, but, if the Treasury Refunding Announcement supports the bond market (keeps a lid on yields) and the Fed doesn’t not offer a hawkish surprise, we should be able to see markets stabilize. Conversely, any disappointments or hawkish reactions will support further volatility into the back half of the week.

Computer chips

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Fed Meeting Preview

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Fed Meeting Preview: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why the Treasury Refunding Estimate Moved Markets
  • FOMC Meeting Preview

U.S. futures are slightly lower as yesterday’s late session rally is digested ahead of the Fed and key earnings reports.

Economically, Australian Retail Sales data from December missed (-2.7% vs. E: -0.6%) but the EU GDP Flash was slightly better than feared at 0.1% vs. (E) 0.0% Y/Y in Q4.

Today there are multiple economic reports beginning with housing market statistics ahead of the open: Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: 0.4%) and FHFA House Price Index (E: 0.3%). Some moderation in home prices would be welcomed ahead of the Fed today.

After the open, two more closely followed releases on the health of the consumer: Consumer Confidence (E: 112.5) and state of the labor market: JOLTS (E: 8.70 million) will be released. With the FOMC meeting beginning today and some mega-cap tech names reporting earnings after the close, it will take a big surprise in the data to materially move markets this morning.

Regarding earnings, we have entered the peak of the reporting season with several notables reporting this morning: GM ($1.08), UPS ($2.44), and SYY ($0.88) while some of the biggest tech names, MSFT ($2.76) and GOOGL ($1.60) will report after the close. AMD ($0.77), and SBUX ($0.93) are two other notable releases to watch.

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Why Is the Fed Thinking About Cutting Rates?

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Why Is the Fed Thinking About Cutting Rates? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Is the Fed Thinking About Cutting Rates?

Futures are bouncing modestly following Wednesday afternoon’s drop thanks to solid earnings and merger news.

Micron (MU) posted strong earnings and guidance (stock up 5% pre-market). That’s helping to counter the negative earnings news from Wednesday.

Merger activity is also helping stocks bounce as Paramount (PARA) is said to be in talks to buy Warner (WBD). That news is also helping sentiment this morning.

Today focus will be on economic data and the two most important reports are Jobless Claims (E: 210K) and the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Survey (E: -3.0).  With the Fed having dovishly pivoted, data needs to be in-line with expectations. Otherwise, growth worries will rise and pressure stocks.  We also get the final Q3 GDP (E: 5.2%) but that’s very old data at this point and shouldn’t move markets.

Jobs Report Preview

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Why This Isn’t A Risk-Less Market (Despite The Fed Being Dovish)

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Why This Isn’t A Risk-Less Market: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why This Isn’t A Risk-Less Market (Despite The Fed Being Dovish)
  • Understanding Why the Dollar Is Plunging

Futures are modestly higher following mixed global economic data and as investors continued to digest Wednesday’s dovish Fed decision.

Global data was mixed, but not bad, and as such isn’t increasing global slowdown fears.  In Europe, the EU flash composite PMI missed estimates (47.0 vs. (E) 48.0) while the UK reading beat (51.7 vs. (E )51.0).  In China,

Retail Sales and Industrial Production were better than feared.

Today focus will be on economic data as we get the first look at December activity and for the rally to continue, the data needs to be Goldilocks (so close to expectations).  The key reports today are, in order of importance:    Dec. Flash Manufacturing PMI (E: 49.2), Dec. Flash Service PMI (E: 50.6), Nov. Industrial Production (E: 0.3%), Dec. Empire Manufacturing Index (E: 3.7).

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Is the Dovish Fed Decision A Bullish Gamechanger?

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Is the Dovish Fed Decision A Bullish Gamechanger? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is the Dovish Fed Decision A Bullish Gamechanger?
  • What Sectors and Assets Benefit Most from the Surprisingly Dovish Fed?

Futures are modestly higher on continued momentum from yesterday’s surprisingly dovish Fed decision.

Global investors aggressively embraced the idea of global rate cuts as the 10-year yield fell below 4% overnight.

On earnings, they’ve been soft this week and that continued with disappointing ADBE results (stock down 5% pre-market) although that’s not impacting the markets more broadly.

The busy week continues today with a BOE Rate Decision (E: No Change) and an ECB Rate Decision (E: No Change) and markets expect no rate cuts but dovish tones from both central banks.  If that’s the reality, it’ll just add more fuel to the dovish rally.

Economically, the key reports today are Jobless Claims (E: 223k) and Retail Sales (E: -0.1%).  The Fed’s dovish pivot will overshadow these reports unless they show a sudden deterioration (so spike in claims and drop in retail sales) and barring those results, they shouldn’t move markets.

Bullish

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Why the Bar for the Fed to Be Hawkish Is High

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Why the Bar for the Fed to Be Hawkish Is High: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why the Bar for the Fed to Be Hawkish Is High
  • What the CPI Report Means for Markets

Futures are slightly higher despite soft economic data, as markets await the Fed decision later this afternoon.

Economically, data from the UK and the EU was bad and is slightly increasing growth concerns.   UK monthly GDP  and UK & EU Industrial Production all missed estimates.

Chinese growth concerns also rose as China declared industrial development as the #1 economic priority, potentially signaling less economic stimulus in 2024.

Today focus will be on the FOMC decision (2:00 p.m. ET, No change to rates expected) and the keys are the 2024 dot (does it show 50 bps of cuts?) and whether Powell slams the door on the idea of rate cuts (or leaves it slightly open).  In addition to the Fed, we also get another important inflation reading via PPI (E: 0.1% 1.0%). A further decline will be peripherally positive for markets.

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Catalyst #1 – CPI Preview: Good, Bad & Ugly

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CPI Preview: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • CPI Preview:  Good, Bad & Ugly
  • Weekly Market Preview:  The Last Busy Week of 2023 (Inflation Update, Fed Decision & Growth Reports)
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Inflation Tomorrow, Fed Decision Wednesday, Economic Growth Updates Thurs/Fri

Futures are slightly lower on digestion of the multi-week rally following a quiet weekend and ahead of a the last catalyst-filled week of 2023.

Economically, there was no notable data overnight. Investors are focused on the looming reports this week (CPI tomorrow, Fed Wednesday, growth data Thurs/Fri).

On Japan, a Bloomberg article pushed back on the expectation for rate hikes and Japanese stocks are rallying 1%.

This is the last potentially busy week of 2023 but it starts slowly as the only notable report today is the N.Y. Fed 1 Year Consumer Inflation Expectations (3.6%).  If expectations drop sharply (possibly below 3.0%) that could provide a mild boost to stocks. But with key events looming Tuesday-Friday, the bar to move stocks and bonds today is pretty high.

CPI Preview

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