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Reading Market Volatility: If, Then.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Reading Market Volatility:  If, Then…

Futures are little changed despite solid earnings overnight and more signs of trade war de-escalation.

GOOGL posted stronger than expected results and tech earnings broadly last night were solid, boosting the sector.

On trade, China exempted several categories of U.S. imports from 125% tariffs in a further small de-escalation of trade tensions.

Trade headlines will continue to dominate intra-day trading today but there’s also a notable economic report this morning via University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (E: 50.8).  The key part of this report will be the inflation expectations and estimates are as follows: One Year Inflation Expectations: 6.7%, Five-Year Inflation Expectations 4.4%.  If the actual data is hotter than those estimates, it will put upward pressure on yields and could weigh on stocks.

On earnings, results so far have been better than expected and that has helped this rally.  Notable results today include: ABBV ($2.40),  CHTR ($8.53) and PSX ($-0.77).

Is Silver Set to Breakout?

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is Silver Set to Breakout?

Futures are modestly weaker on digestion of this week’s rally and on mildly disappointing trade news.

Chinese officials stated there were no ongoing trade talks with the U.S. and again called for the removal of tariffs, pushing back on the “progress” narrative of the past few days.

Focus today will be on economic data and earnings.  On the data front, the key reports today include Durable Goods (E: 1.4%), Jobless Claims (E: 220K) and Existing Home Sales (E: 4.12 million) and if this “hard” data remains solid it will push back against slowdown concerns.    There is also one Fed speaker, Kashkari (5:00 p.m. ET), but he shouldn’t move markets.

On earnings, the key reports today include GOOGL ($2.02), INTC ($-0.14) and PG ($1.54).  For GOOGL and INTC, guidance will be key while investors will wait to see the impact of tariffs on PG’s quarter.

Hard Landing/Soft Landing Scoreboard (Hard Data Holding Up)

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Hard Landing/Soft Landing Scoreboard: Hard Data Is Hanging in There

U.S. stock futures are solidly higher this morning with mega-cap tech leading while bonds are stabilizing after President Trump dialed back rhetoric about firing Fed Chair Powell and made encouraging comments on trade deal progress while TSLA is up 6%+ after Q1 earnings.

Economically, the EU Composite Flash PMI fell to 50.1 vs. (E) 50.4,in April down from 50.9 in March amid weakness in the Services index but investors are taking the disappointing data in stride, instead focusing on the reported trade deal progress.

Today, economic data in the U.S. will be in focus early in the day with the Flash Manufacturing PMI (E: 49.4) and Flash Services PMI (E: 52.5), as well as New Home Sales (E: 682K) data due to be released shortly after the open.

There are also multiple Fed speakers to watch today including: Goolsbee (9:00 a.m. ET), Waller (9:35 a.m. ET), and Hammack later in the day (6:30 p.m. ET).

There is a 5-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET that could impact bond markets and in turn move stocks in the early afternoon. The stronger the auction results the better after the recent rout in Treasuries.

Finally earnings season continues with notable releases due out from: BA ($-1.54), T ($0.52), IBM ($1.42), and CMG ($0.28).

Bitcoin’s 2025 downtrend line was violated earlier this month

Bitcoin’s 2025 downtrend line was violated earlier this month: Sevens Report Co-Editor, Tyler Richey, Quoted in MarketWatch


Bitcoin could rise back toward $100,000 if this happens, as dollar and stocks fall while gold rises

From the technical perspective, bitcoin’s 2025 downtrend line was violated earlier this month while the relative strength index, a momentum indicator, showed a bullish divergence, according to Tyler Richey, technical analyst and co-editor at the Sevens Report. It suggests that bitcoin may see a rise back toward $100,000 if the market can break above its highs in late March at near $88,000, Richey said. 

Bitcoin Chart

Also, click here to view the full article featured on MarketWatch published on April 21st, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’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.

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Bull vs. Bear: Which Argument Makes More Sense?

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Bull vs. Bear:  Which Argument Makes More Sense?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Will There Be Any Tariff Relief?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Focus Turns to Inflation (CPI on Thursday)

Futures are sharply lower again (down close to 2%) as there was no meaningful tariff relief over the weekend while administration officials reiterated their support for the current tariff policy.

Trump, Bessent and Lutnick all downplayed the market declines and doubled down on the current tariff policy.

On tariff relief, Vietnam, Japan, the UK and others expressed a desire to negotiate tariffs lower, but nothing concrete occurred.

Today focus will remain on tariff headlines and any headlines that imply tariff relief could cause a sharp rebound, given the intensity of the recent declines.  There is one Fed speaker today, Kugler (10:30 a.m. ET), but she shouldn’t move markets.

This could spark a selloff in oil

This could spark a selloff in oil: Sevens Report Co-Editor Tyler Richey Quoted in MarketWatch


U.S. oil supplies rise sharply, and trade-war ‘angst’ may be to blame for a drop in demand

“If that drop in demand is being fueled by tariff worries and trade-war angst … then that marks the start of what could be a crippling trend of declining demand that would, barring supply-side surprises, spark a selloff in oil,” Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research, told MarketWatch. 

Also, click here to view the full article featured on MarketWatch.com published on April 4th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’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.

What worked in the first quarter would continue to work in the second

What worked in the first quarter would continue to work in the second: Tom Essaye Quoted in Business Insider


Buy the dip or stay defensive? Where to invest as tariffs roil stocks

Also, click here to view the full Business Insider article published on April 1st, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’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.

FOMC Preview: Clarity on the “Fed Put”

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • FOMC Meeting Preview – Clarity on the “Fed Put”
  • Retail Sales & Empire State Manufacturing Data Takeaways

Futures are modestly lower as the bounce off of last week’s multi-month lows is being digested while trader-focus is turning to the March FOMC meeting which begins today.

Economically, the March German ZEW Survey saw its headline edge up from -88.5 to -87.6 while the Economic Sentiment component jumped from 26.0 to 51.6 vs. (E) 35. The data was well received and is amplifying already elevated optimism surrounding a looming German parliament vote on a massive spending package (focused on defense spending) that is expected to bolster economic growth.

In the U.S., there are several economic reports to watch today including: Housing Starts (1.383M), Import & Export Prices (E: -0.1% m/m, -0.2% m/m), and Industrial Production (E: 0.2%), however with the Fed decision looming tomorrow, none are expected to meaningfully move markets today.

The only other noteworthy, potential catalysts today are a pair of Treasury auctions, the first for 52-Week Bills at 11:30 a.m. ET and the second for 20-Yr Bonds at 1:00 p.m. ET. Strong demand in the shorter durations bills would be seen as dovish and “market-friendly” while too strong of demand for 20-Yr Bonds could rekindle worries about the economy.

A ceasefire to the Russia-Ukraine war could be bearish for oil

A ceasefire to the Russia-Ukraine war could be bearish for oil: Tyler Richey, Sevens Report Co-Editor, Quoted in OilPrice.com


Trump Talks To End Ukraine War Involve Power Plants

A ceasefire to the Russia-Ukraine war could be bearish for oil prices if Trump pushes for the removal of sanctions on the Russian energy industry, Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research, told MarketWatch. Geopolitical stability may also “largely extinguish the still simmering ‘fear bid’ in the oil market.” Sanctions by the Biden administration roughly tripled the number of directly sanctioned Russian crude oil tankers, enough to affect around 900,000 barrels per day (bpd)

Also, click here to view the full article published by OilPrice.com on March 17th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’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.

Separating Short and Long-Term Market Views

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Separating Short and Long-Term Market Views

Futures are little changed following a quiet night of news as investors look ahead to trade meetings and data.

Economically, the only notable report was Euro Zone Industrial Production and it slightly missed expectations (0.8% vs. (E) 1.0%).

Politically, focus will be on two events today, the USMCA renegotiation talks between U.S. and Canadian officials and progress on avoiding a government shutdown on Friday.

Outside of trade and politics, today there are two important economic reports:  Jobless Claims (E: 230K) and PPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 3.4% y/y).  Because of rising stagflation worries, investors will want to see better than expected numbers from both reports, while a jump in jobless claims would increase growth concerns and hotter than expected PPI would raise fears tariffs are boosting inflation (tariff price pressures will show up in PPI before CPI).