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Technical Update: Headwinds Building?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Technical Update:  Headwinds Building?

Futures are modestly lower following mixed Chinese economic data as markets digest Thursday’s rebound.

Chinese economic data was mixed but not worse than feared, as Industrial Production beat estimates (3.9% vs. (E) 1.5%) while Retail Sales and Fixed Asset Investment both declined sharply (-7.5% and –3.8% respectively) but no worse than expected.  In sum the data was “good enough” to keep hope alive that the U.S. economy can see a substantial economic rebound in the coming months, assuming no “second wave” of virus infections.

Today will be an important day for economic data, and the reports we’re watching today (in order of importance) are: Empire State Manufacturing Survey (E: -65.0), Retail Sales (E: -11.2%), Consumer Sentiment (E: 66.0), Industrial Production (E: -11.5%), and JOLTS (E: 5.900MM).

Empire Manufacturing Report and Consumer Sentiment are May reports, so markets will want to see hints of improvement to confirm the economic “worst” will soon be behind us.  If that happens, stocks can hold Thursday’s gains.

Don’t Fight the Fed (Still)?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Should We Buy LQD Now that the Fed Is Buying It Too?

Futures are staging a rebound this morning after yesterday’s late day plunge in stocks as tensions between the U.S. and China simmer while investors weigh the risk-reward dynamics of reopening global economies.

Economic data remained fairly dismal overnight but not as bad as feared with U.K. Monthly GDP dropping -5.8% vs. (E) -7.0% while EU Industrial Production fell -11.3% in March vs. (E) -12.0%. Despite the data topping estimates British 2-Yr yields notably fell to a record low of –0.045%.

Today there is just one economic report due out ahead of the open: PPI (E: -0.5%) and it shouldn’t materially move markets especially with investors primarily focused on Fed Chair Powell’s virtual participation in a webcast at 9:00 a.m. ET that will include a Q&A session at the end.

The only other catalyst on the calendar is a 30-Yr. Bond auction by the Treasury at 1:00 p.m. ET. As we saw yesterday, the very strong demand for 10 Yr. Notes pressured yields and weighed on stocks in the early afternoon and we could potentially see a repeat of that today.

Economic Breaker Panel: May Update

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Economic Breaker Panel: May Update

Futures are little changed this morning while international markets were mixed overnight in quiet trade as investors assess the risk-reward of reopening global economies.

Economically, China’s April PPI headline notably fell further into deflationary territory, down -3.1% from -1.5% suggesting an ongoing lack of demand throughout China’s supply chain.

Meanwhile the April NFIB Small Business Optimism Index in the U.S. dropped by less than feared to 90.9 vs. (E) 84.8 and the forward looking “6-month outlook” jumped 24 points as business owners maintain hopes for an economic rebound in the second half of the year.

Today, there is one economic report to watch: CPI (E: -0.8%) while multiple Fed officials are scheduled to speak: Bullard (9:00 a.m. ET), Quarles (10:00 a.m. ET), Harker (12:00 p.m. ET), and Mester (5:00 p.m. ET).

Finally, there is a 10-Yr Treasury Note Auction at 1:00 p.m. ET and if the outcome lifts longer dated yields, the curve could further steepen out to multi-month highs which would be an encouraging development and add a tailwind to the equity markets today.

Why Are Stocks So Resilient (And Can It Continue?)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Are Stocks So Resilient (And Can It Continue?)
  • Weekly Market Preview:  More re-openings and stimulus this week?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Claims still key, but Friday’s data is also important.

Futures are modestly lower following a quiet weekend as markets digest last week’s gains.

Economic data from China continued to come in better than feared, as New Yuan Loans grew 11.5% vs. (E) 10.3% while auto sales declined just –5.5% in April compared to –40% in March.

The Chinese data continues to sew hopes for a relatively quick, “V” shaped economic recovery in the U.S., and that expectation is helping to support stocks.

Today there are no notable economic reports and just one Fed speaker, Evans (3:30 p.m. ET), so headlines on economic re-openings and a potential additional stimulus bill should drive markets (if the re-opening headlines are good and prospects for another stimulus bill continue to rise, markets should be able to continue to digest the recent rally).

Are Negative Rates Coming to the U.S.?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Negative Rates Could Mean for Markets
  • Jobs Day

Futures are modestly higher following positive headlines regarding U.S./China trade discussions.

The U.S. and China held a trade call Thursday night and stated that “good progress” was being made towards implementing phase one of the trade deal, and that headline is helping to improve sentiment towards recent coronavirus related U.S./China tension.

Economic data was light and did not moving markets as focus is on this morning’s jobs report.

Today focus will be on the jobs report and the expectations are as follows: Jobs: -21.25MM, UE Rate:  16.3%, Wages:  0.3%).  As long as the numbers are close to those estimates, stocks will be able to look past the historically awful jobs report and continue the rally.

Jobs Report Preview (Can the Market Look Past 20 Million Job Losses)?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview (Could the Market Look Past 20 Million Job Losses?)
  • Why Are Treasury Yields Rising?
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Update

Futures are sharply higher thanks to better than expected Chinese export data.

Chinese exports rose 3.5% vs. (E) -11%, sparking hope that their economy is quickly getting back to “normal.”

But, in reality, data was more mixed than good as Chinese service PMIs remained weak (44.4) while German Industrial Production missed estimates –9.2% vs. (E) -6.4%.  Additionally, the better than expected Chinese export data was due in part to a surge in medical supply exports, something that’s hopefully not needed for much longer.

Today focus will be on Jobless Claims (E: 2.991MM) and has been the case for the past few weeks, continued declines from the previous week will give the market hope that the economic “worst” is behind us.

Finally, there are multiple Fed speakers today including Bostic (8:30 a.m. ET), Kashkari (12:00 p.m. ET) and Harker (E: 4:00 p.m. ET), but none of them should move markets.

Market Multiple Levels: S&P 500

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Levels S&P 500 Chart

U.S. equity futures are tracking European shares higher this morning thanks to ongoing hopes that the global economy will reopen and normalize quickly amid coordinated efforts while economic data was not quite as bad as feared overnight

Economically, the EU Composite PMI was 13.6 vs. (E) 13.5 in April while March Retail Sales declined -11.2% vs. (E) -12.0%. Both figures were considerably better than some analysts had feared helping boost risk assets.

Looking into today’s session, focus will be on the first look at April payrolls data in the U.S. in the form of the ADP Employment Report, for which the consensus analyst estimate is for a staggering drop of 20 million in private payrolls. Later in the day, Atlanta Fed President, Bostic, will speak at 1:30 p.m. ET.

While investors are primarily concerned with the economy reopening, Q1 earnings continue to roll in with several notable releases that could move markets today: SHOP (-$0.19), CVS ($1.63), GM ($0.18), SQ ($0.13), PYPL ($0.76), LYFT (-$1.08), and WYNN (-$1.05).

Current Market Catalysts (They Changed Last Week)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Current Market Catalysts:  From Reopening and Remdesivir to Normalization and Nationalism
  • Weekly Market Preview
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet (Jobs Report This Friday)

Futures are moderately lower as U.S./China tensions rise while markets begin to shift their focus towards when the economy will return to normal.

U.S./China tension over the origin of the coronavirus rose over the weekend as Secretary of State Pompeo said there was “enormous” evidence that suggests the virus was created in a lab.

Economically, the EU manufacturing PMI slightly missed expectations, coming in at 33.4 vs. (E) 33.6.

Today there are no notable economic reports nor any Fed speakers, so markets will trade off any U.S./China coronavirus tension headlines, along with any hints of when the economy might return to some semblance of “normal” as those two issues have now become the main drivers of stocks in the near term.

Gold Update: What It Needs to Keep Rallying

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • ECB Meeting Takeaways:  Why We Still Prefer Broad U.S. Stock Exposure Over International Right Now
  • Gold Update:  What It Needs to Keep Rallying

Futures are sharply lower mostly on continuation from yesterday’s selling as markets digest the recent rally, although AAPL & AMZN earnings were mildly disappointing.

Economic data was soft again as the Japanese Manufacturing PMI (41.9 vs. (E) 44.8) and British manufacturing PMI (32.6 vs. (E) 32.9) both missed estimates.

On earnings, AAPL & AMZN numbers weren’t bad, but AAPL didn’t provide updated guidance while AMZN cited a significant coronavirus expense increase in Q2.

Today the key report will be the ISM Manufacturing Index (E: 39.0) and the key here is that it isn’t too much worse than estimates (if it is, that’ll increase concern about how deep the economic hole has become).  Additionally, today is “May Day” and many of the world’s markets (EU, Hong Kong, China) are closed, so there will be a lack of volume/liquidity and that could exacerbate today’s volatility and any declines.

What Yesterday’s Fed Decision Means for Markets

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • FOMC Takeaways:  The Fed Put Is Alive And Well
  • How Bad Was Q1 GDP?
  • Oil Update & Inventory Analysis

Futures are little changed as strong tech earnings are helping markets digest yesterday’s big rally.

Economically, the Chinese manufacturing PMIs were “ok.”  The government number was again above 50 (50.4) while the research firm Ciaxin’s manufacturing PMI was a slight disappointment at 49.4 vs. (E) 50.1.  Bigger picture, while it would have been nice to see a stronger recovery this month, it is still encouraging to see activity returning to “normal” just a few months after the height of the outbreak.

Facebook and MSFT earnings were strong after hours and commentary was cautiously positive (activity is stabilizing in April after sharp declines in March).

Today the key report is again Jobless Claims (E: 3.5MM) and as has been the case, any significant decline from the previous week will a marginal positive despite the absolute numbers still being historically high.

Other events today include the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, the Core PCE Price Index (E: -0.1%) and an ECB Rate Decision (7:45 a.m. ET).  The ECB may increase its QE program, but that is already expected at some point this year, so even if they do later today it shouldn’t move markets too much.