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It’s All About Growth

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It’s All About Growth: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Cut Through the Noise: It’s All About Growth
  • Weekly Market Preview – Fed Decision and Forecasts in Focus
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet: Stagflation Concerns on the Rise

Futures are higher to start the week with mega-cap tech leading gains after Bloomberg reported that AAPL is in talks with GOOGL to license the Gemini AI engine for the iPhone while economic data was largely market-friendly overnight.

Economically, Chinese Retail Sales rose 5.5% vs. (E) 5.2% and Industrial Output jumped 7.0% vs. (E) 5.0% to start 2024, easing some growth concerns surrounding the world’s second largest economy, however property sector woes persist.

In Europe, Core HICP (their CPI equivalent) fell 0.2% to 3.1% in February which was inline with estimates but helped reaffirm the disinflation trend remains in place in early 2024.

Today there is just one economic report to watch: the March Housing Market Index (E: 48), but with the Fed meeting looming, it is unlikely to have a material impact on the market.

Finally, there are 3-Month and 6-Month Treasury Bill auctions at 11:30 a.m. ET and while these are typically non-events, they could impact yields with the Fed meeting looming. Any additional hawkish money flows would likely pressure equities ahead of this week’s FOMC decision.

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The S&P 500 Is Starting 2024 Trading At A Very Lofty 19.5x Valuation

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The S&P 500’s Lofty Valuation: Tom Essaye Quoted in Blockworks

Bitcoin is trading on ETF news, but analysts caution on macro headwinds

“The S&P 500 is starting 2024 trading at a very lofty 19.5x valuation and while I’m not going to say that valuation is unjustified, I will say that valuation makes several key, positive assumptions about critical market influences in the coming year,” said Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research.

“And how reality matches up with those assumptions will determine whether stocks extend the rally (and the S&P 500 hits new highs and makes a run at 5,000) or gives back much of the Q4 Santa Claus rally.”

Also, click here to view the full Blockworks article published on January 2nd, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

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Thoughts for 2024

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Thoughts for 2024: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Thoughts for 2024 (The Benefit of Staying in the Middle)

Futures are flat following a quiet night of news as investors look ahead to the looming three day weekend.

Economically, there were two Japanese economic reports, both of which best estimates.  Japanese Industrial Production fell less than expected (-0.9% vs. (E) -1.7%) while Retail Sales rose more than expected (1.0% vs. 0.1%).

Geo-politically, there was no new news overnight, but tensions remain elevated in the Mid-East.

With the long weekend looming we should expect another quiet trading day although there are two notable economic reports today:  Jobless Claims (E: 210k) and Pending Home Sales (E: 0.8%).  However, given the calendar, it’d take substantial negative surprises from either metric to materially move markets and that’s very unlikely.

Sevens Report Q4 ’23 Quarterly Letter

The Q4 2023 Quarterly Letter will be delivered to advisor subscribers on Tuesday, January 2nd.

The S&P 500 will end 2023 close to all-time highs but the Santa rally has left many investors complacent towards risks in 2024.  Showing clients and prospects a balanced view of markets is an opportunity to differentiate yourself from your competition and strengthen client relationships!

We will deliver the letter on the first business day of the quarter because we want you to be able to send your quarterly letter before your competition (and with little to no work from you).

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Government Shutdowns Impact

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Government Shutdowns Impact: Tom Essaye Quoted in Forbes

Government Shutdown Would Slow U.S. Economy

Sevens Report’s Tom Essaye wrote to clients last week despite the “ominous” nature of the term, government shutdowns “don’t impact enough people or last long enough to have a lasting macroeconomic impact,”.

Also, click here to view the full Forbes article published on September 27th, 2023. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

Government Shutdowns Impact:

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.

Why Stocks Won’t Drop Part II: The Economy

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Won’t Stocks Drop Part II: The Economy
  • VIX Falls to 52-Week Lows – Chart

Hawkish money flows are dominating markets this morning with stock futures falling, yields rising and oil and gold both testing support after hot inflation data overnight.

Economically, U.K. CPI was 10.1% vs. (E) 9.8% y/y in March while the Eurozone Narrow Core HICP reading rose 0.1% to 5.7% meeting estimates. The two inflation prints are causing a hawkish shift in central bank policy expectations this morning, which is in turn rekindling hard landing fears.

Looking into today’s session, there are no notable economic reports today however there is a 20-Yr Treasury Bond auction at 1:00 p.m. ET that could impact both bond and equity markets.

As far as the Fed goes there are two speakers today, but both are after the close: Goolsbee (5:30 p.m. ET) and Williams (7:00 p.m. ET).

That will leave investor focus on earnings early with more big banks and notable consumer financial companies reporting ahead of the bell including: MS ($1.67), CFG ($2.15), SYF ($1.49), ALLY ($0.88), USB ($1.13), and TRV ($3.64), while TSLA ($0.85) and IBM ($1.27) will release results after the close.

Bottom line, the 2-Yr Treasury yield is testing a more than one-month high this morning and stocks are coming for sale broadly which underscores deteriorating sentient among investors with the S&P 500 trading well above 4,100 this week. And if earnings news is not encouraging today, and yields continue to move higher over the course of the session, the selling pressure on equities is likely to continue and liable to accelerate.

What Drove the Q1 Rally

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Drove the Q1 Rally?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Does A Soft Landing Become More Likely?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  ISM Manufacturing today, Jobs Report Friday.

Futures are little changed as oil prices are higher following a surprise OPEC+ production cut, while investors digest the recent rally.

OPEC+ announced a surprise production cut of 1.16 million bpd and oil rallied as much as 8% on the news, although it has backed off those highs (up about 5% currently).

Economically, the EU and UK manufacturing PMIs were generally in line with expectations and aren’t moving markets (47.3 for the EU and 47.9 for the UK).

Today focus will be on the ISM Manufacturing PMI (E: 47.5) and oil prices, and a continued steep rise in either (so a hotter than expected PMI or oil moving sharply higher from current levels) will be a headwind on stocks.

 

Sevens Report Quarterly Letter Delivered Today

Our Q1 ’23 Quarterly Letter will be released today.

We use our strength (writing about the markets) to help you:

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You can view our Q4 ’22 Quarterly Letter here

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Bull Case vs. Bear Case Part II (Tactical Ideas and My Opinion)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Bull Case vs. the Bear Case Part II (Tactical Ideas and My Opinion)

Futures are little changed as global inflation and regional bank liquidity stress both remain elevated.

The Fed’s balance sheet shrank slightly as discount window borrowing dropped –22 bln. while BTFP lending increased 10.7 bln. as bank liquidity stress didn’t get much worse, but it didn’t get much better, either.

On inflation, EU HICP fell to 6.9% from 8.5% y/y, but core HICP rose to 5.7% from 5.6%, reflecting still sticky inflation.

For the final day of the first quarter focus will be on inflation and specifically the Core PCE Price Index (E: 0.4%, 4.7%) and investors need to see that number at or below expectations to further the “Fed Pivot” idea that’s supporting stocks.  We also get Consumer Sentiment (E: 63.4) and the five-year inflation expectations and there’s one Fed speaker Williams (3:05 p.m. ET).  As mentioned, if the data and Williams support the “Fed Pivot” idea, stocks can extend the rally.  If they refute that idea, stocks could give back some of the recent gains.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Yahoo News on March 14th, 2023

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US Stocks Shake Off Market Jitters; Bonds Fall: Markets Wrap

Tom Essaye, a former Merrill Lynch trader who founded “The Sevens Report” newsletter, expects that the data will keep the Fed on track to raise rates 25 basis points next week.

“Given the bank troubles, this report isn’t bad enough to put 50 bps back on the table, but if the Fed wants to maintain credibility on inflation, then this report says they have to hike again next week and not signal they are done,” Essaye wrote. Click here to read the full article.

 

Now What? Updated Market Outlook

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Now What?  Updated Market Outlook
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Will Yields Keep Rising?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Key Growth Updates This Week

Futures are modestly higher on a bounce back from last week’s losses following a generally quiet weekend of news.

Economic data was sparse and the only notable report was EU M3 money supply, which rose less than expected (3.5% vs. (E) 3.9%).

Geopolitically, fears are easing that China will send arms to Russia (concerns about this weighed on stocks late last week and an easing of them is helping futures rally).

Today focus will remain on economic data and the two notable reports are Durable Goods (E: -4.0%) and Pending Home Sales (E: 1.0%).  While neither should be a major market mover, markets will want to see stable data (so reports that don’t imply growth is too strong, or too weak).  We also get one Fed speaker, Jefferson (10:30 a.m. ET).

Jobs Report Preview

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview
  • What Political Dysfunction Means for Markets (Not Now, But Later)

Futures are slightly higher following more signs of disinflation in the EU.

Euro Zone PPI fell more than expected (-0.9% vs. (E ) -0.5%) and that’s the third EU inflation statistic this week to imply inflation has peaked and is receding.

Politically, Rep. McCarthy failed to become Speaker again yesterday although he is expected to win eventually.

Focus today will be on economic data and the key reports are all employment related:  Challenger job cuts (Previous 76,835), ADP Employment Report (E: 145K) and Jobless Claims (E: 228K).  Again, markets want to see a moderation in this employment data so underwhelming reports will be embraced by the market.  Finally, we also have two Fed speakers, Bostic (9:20 a.m. ET) and Bullard (1:20 p.m. ET), but data will move markets more than Fed speak at this point.