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Market Multiple Levels: S&P 500 Chart

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Levels: S&P 500 Chart (Unbranded PDF Available)
  • Why Did Small Caps Surge?

Stock futures are little changed in premarket trade indicating this week’s digestive churn sideways could continue today following mixed economic data overnight.

Chinese exports dropped -7.5% vs. (E) +1.0% year-over-year in May adding to worries about the health of the recovery in the world’s second largest economy.

Conversely, in Europe, German Industrial Production jumped 1.8% vs. (E) 1.4% y/y helping ease some worries about the health of the EU economy.

Looking into today’s session, the list of potential catalysts remains light as there are just two economic reports to watch: International Trade in Goods and Services (E: -$76.0B) and Consumer Credit (E: $21.0B) while there are no Fed officials scheduled to speak.

That will leave focus on market internals and whether or not the early June money flows into cyclicals and small cap stocks can continue. If so, the improving breadth in the market with the S&P 500 sitting just under YTD highs will add to the case that the 2023 rally is sustainable.

Hard vs. Soft Landing Scoreboard Update

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Hard vs. Soft Landing Scoreboard Update

Futures are slightly higher mostly on momentum from Wednesday’s rally and despite more disappointing earnings, this time from Cisco (CSCO).

CSCO orders underwhelmed and that’s weighing on the stock (down 4% after hours) and limiting gains in futures.

There was no new news on the debt ceiling but optimism remains high and a deal is expected before the “X” date.

Focus today will be on economic data, because beyond any short-term debt ceiling drama (or resolution) the bigger issue for this market remains hard vs. soft landing.  Key reports today include (in order of importance):  Jobless Claims (E: 255K), Philly Fed (E: -20.0) and Existing Home Sales (E: 4.295M).  As has been the case, stability remains the key for stocks to extend the rally.

We also have two Fed speakers, Jefferson (9:05 a.m. ET) and Logan (10:00 a.m. ET), but they shouldn’t move markets.

Sevens Report Co-Editor Tyler Richey Quoted in MarketWatch on April 13th, 2023

Oil prices settle lower a day after U.S. benchmark breaks out to nearly 5-month high

What was interesting about Wednesday’s rally was that the U.S. petroleum inventory data, which were largely bearish, were “ignored and traders instead bid up the market on the easing headline CPI figure. To me, that suggests the market has largely priced in the OPEC+ production cut planned for next month and is again focused on the demand outlook, as the cooling price pressures bolstered hopes a hard economic landing can be avoided,” Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research, told MarketWatch. Click here to read the full article.

Analysts at Sevens Report Quoted in MarketWatch on April 6th, 2023

Oil tallies a third straight weekly gain after OPEC+ production cuts

“Bottom line, the fundamental dynamics of the oil market changed this week with OPEC+’s announced production cut, which they said was geared towards regaining control of the markets and spooking speculators out of the market,” said analysts at Sevens Report Research, in a Thursday note. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Forbes on April 3rd, 2023

Surprise Oil Production Cuts Risk ‘Exacerbating’ Inflation Pressures And Harsher Fed Policy, Experts Warn

The surprise announcement also suggests OPEC+ may be getting more cautious about its outlook for global oil demand given the elevated threat of a potentially deep recession looming, says Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research. Click here to read the full article.

Three Catalysts in Focus

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Can Break the S&P 500 Out of the Current Trading Range? Three Candidates
  • ISM Manufacturing Index Takeaways (Fairly “Goldilocks”)
  • OPEC+, Oil Prices, Inflation, the Economy, and Fed Policy – They’re All Tied Together

U.S. stock futures are tracking European markets higher this morning thanks to a cooler-than-expected inflation print in Europe while news flow was otherwise mostly quiet overnight.

Economically, Eurozone PPI for February came in at -0.5% vs. (E) -0.3% m/m but a still lofty 13.2% vs. (E) 13.5% y/y. Despite the still elevated annual figure, the lower than expected print is bolstering risk assets this morning.

Today, there are three economic reports to watch in the U.S. including: Motor Vehicle Sales (E: 14.9 million), Factory Orders (E: -0.4%), and JOLTS (E: 10.4 million). Investors will want to see more evidence of slowing growth and a weakening labor market to reinforce hopes for both a less-hawkish Fed and soft landing in order for the recent stock market resilience to continue.

Finally, there is one Fed speaker to watch late in the day: Mester (6:45 p.m. ET).

When to Brace for More Volatility

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Revisiting the VIX – When to Brace for More Volatility
  • Familiar Holiday Volatility Courtesy of OPEC & Russia

U.S. equity futures are slightly higher and the dollar is pulling back modestly after a mostly quiet night of news as traders eye a stabilizing oil market.

After a volatile session yesterday, WTI crude oil is trading comfortably above $80/barrel this morning, fueling a rally in energy companies which is buoying index futures in pre-market trading.

Today, there is only one lesser-followed economic report due out: Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index (E: -1.0) and two Fed officials are scheduled to speak: Mester (11:00 a.m. ET) and George (2:15 p.m. ET).

Additionally, there is a 7-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET that could move markets but the tape has been very quiet this week as attendance is light and volumes are down given the Thanksgiving holiday schedule. So more choppy and rangebound trading between 3,900 and 4,000 in the S&P is likely.

Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in Market Watch on August 31st, 2022

Oil futures end lower, with economic jitters fueling a more than 9% monthly loss for U.S. prices

All of yesterday’s news flow was digested as bearish for oil as the threat of OPEC+ cuts were reduced, demand estimates in Europe were adjusted lower on poor data while ‘hot’ data in the U.S. added to already hawkish money flows that bolstered the dollar and further pressured oil, wrote analysts at Sevens Report Research, in a note. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on August 9th, 2022

Oil Earnings Outlook Dims. Blame Cheaper Oil.

For oil’s drop, it’s mostly a demand story. If you see oil move into the high to mid 70s, people are going rethink the idea that these companies are cash flow-generating machines, Essaye said. Click here to read the full article.

Jobs Report Preview

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview (First of Two Key Economic Reports)
  • EIA and OPEC Meeting Analysis

Futures are slightly higher on momentum from Wednesday’s rally and as the market again ignored soft economic data.

Economic data from Europe was again disappointing as German Manufacturers’ Orders slightly missed estimates (-9.0% vs. (E) -8.9%) as did the UK Construction PMI (48.9 vs. (E) 52.0).

Geo-politically, China began massive military drills around Taiwan, although they were previously announced.

Today focus will be on the Bank of England rate decision (E: 50 bps hike) and on weekly Jobless Claims (E: 260K).  Specifically, markets will want to see if the BOE implies more 50 bps hikes are ahead (if so that’s a mild negative for the region).  On jobless claims, will they continue to move methodically towards 300k? (That would be a mild positive as it implies slowing in the labor market, which the Fed needs to get to peak hawkishness).

From a Fed speak standpoint, Mester speaks at 12:00 p.m. ET.