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Economic Data Fueled the Rally

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Why Economic Data Fueled the Rally: Strengthen your market knowledge with a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Yesterday’s Economic Data Fueled the Rally
  • An Important Chart (On Page One)

Futures are slightly higher on more Chinese economic optimism as data was better than expected while Chinese officials announced more stimulus.

Chinese Retail Sales (4.6% vs. (E) 3.9%) and Industrial Production (4.5% vs. (E) 3.9%) beat expectations while authorities injected 120 billion yuan into a lending facility.

Today’s focus will be on economic data and if data is “Goldilocks” like we saw on Thursday, expect a continuation of yesterday’s rally.  Conversely, if the data shows inflation hot or growth slowing, the markets could give back most of yesterday’s rally.

Also, the important reports to watch today include:  Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -10.0), Import and Export Prices (E: 0.3%, 0.4%), Industrial Production (E: 0.1%), and Consumer Sentiment (E: 69.2).

Finally, today is quadruple witching options expiration so don’t be surprised by big volumes and increased volatility during the final hour of trading.

Economic Data

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CPI Impacts Two of The Three Pillars of The Rally

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CPI impacts two of the three pillars of the rally: Tom Essaye Quoted in The Spokesman-Review

Wall Street takes risk off table before CPI report

CPI is key because if it halts its downward trend, markets will have to price in a more hawkish Fed. That would be a headwind on stocks, said Tom Essaye, who founded The Sevens Report newsletter.

“Put in a more familiar way, CPI impacts two of the three pillars of the rally: disinflation and expectation the Fed is done with rate hikes,” Essaye noted. “If CPI is too hot, both will be damaged.”

Also, click here to view the full Spokesman-Review article published on September 12th, 2023. However, to see Tom’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

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Will the Restart of Student Loan Payments Hurt the Economy?

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Will the Restart of Student Loan Payments Hurt the Economy: Strengthen your market knowledge with a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Will the Restart of Student Loan Payments Hurt the Economy?

Stock futures are lower with European shares after some hawkish ECB chatter and more bad EU economic data overnight.

The ECB’s Klass Knot noted overnight that a September rate hike is being “underestimated” by markets. This is weighing on risk assets modestly this morning.

Economically, German Manufacturers’ Orders collapsed by -11.7% vs. (E) -4.0% in July while Eurozone Retail Sales in July met estimates with a monthly decline of -0.2%. The data offered fresh evidence that the European economy is threatening to fall into recession despite ongoing calls for a global soft landing.

Today’s focus will be on economic data this morning with International Trade in Goods and Services (E: -$68.0B) and the ISM Services Index (E: 52.4) due to be released. The market is looking for signs of slowing demand but not a sharp downturn in growth.

The ISM will be the more important report to watch.  If we get a number that is “too hot” or “too cold” will likely see yesterday’s stock market declines extended, while a Goldilocks print will help markets stabilize.

There is also one Fed speaker today: Collins (8:30 a.m. ET). If she pushes back on the peak rate narrative or rate cuts in 2024, that will add another headwind to stocks and other risk assets today.

Economy

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Tom Essaye Quoted in Swissinfo.ch on August 28th, 2023

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Stocks Grind Higher at Start of Busy Economic Week: Markets Wrap

“This week is important because it has the chance to either reinforce the ‘soft/no landing’ and ‘disinflation’ pillars of the rally, or potentially undermine them,” said Tom Essaye, founder of The Sevens Report newsletter. “The former will likely result in a reflex rally, while the latter could open up a sharp drop in stocks. We’ll be watching closely.” 

Click here to read the full article.

 

Tom Essaye Quoted in Morningstar on August 13th, 2023

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A stumbling stock market faces a crucial summer test. Here’s what will decide the bull’s fate.

“This scenario would essentially undermine the three pillars of the rally, and as such investors should expect a substantial decline in stocks, even considering the recent pullback,” Tom Essaye said in a note last week. “In fact, a decline of much more than 10% would be likely in this scenario, as it would undermine most of the rationale for the gains in stocks since June (and perhaps all of 2023).”

Click here to read the full article.

Current Market Glossary (For Clients & Prospects)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Current Market Glossary (For Clients & Prospects)

Futures are slightly lower following a night of disappointing tech earnings.

NFLX, TSLA and TSM all posted disappointing earnings results (stocks down 3% – 6% pre-market) and that’s weighing on Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures.

There was no notable economic data overnight.

Today will be another busy day of data and earnings results.  On the economic front, the two key reports are Weekly Jobless Claims (E: 250k) and Philly Fed (E: -10.0), and as you can guess (and especially at these stretched valuations) markets will want to see more Goldilocks data (so stable claims and Philly and falling prices).  We also get Existing Home Sales (E: 4.23M) but, barring a big miss, that shouldn’t move markets.

Turning to earnings, focus today is on industrials and consumer/healthcare names, and some important results to watch include:  AAL ($1.58), TSM ($1.07), JNJ ($2.61), PM ($1.48), COF ($3.31), CSX ($0.49), and PPG ($2.14).

Market Multiple Table (July Update)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table (July Update)
  • Why the Empire Manufacturing Survey was “Goldilocks” enough to push stocks higher.

Futures are little changed following a generally quiet night of news as markets look ahead to important economic data and the start of a deluge of earnings results this week.

Economically, there was no data overnight while there was more vague talk of Chinese stimulus, but nothing concrete.

Today the calendar is full of notable economic reports and earnings.  Starting with economic data, Retail Sales (E: -0.3% mm, 1.6% y/y) is the key report today and markets will want to see stability in the data to further the “Golidlocks” narrative of falling inflation and stable growth.  So, no big disappointments.  We also get Industrial Production (E: 0.0% m/m, 1.10% y/y) and the U.S. Housing Market Index (E: 56.0) and again stability is the key word for both reports.

On earnings, most of the results today will be focused on banks/financials, but the bottom line is markets want to hear solid guidance and economic commentary to further dispel hard landing worries.  Important reports today include:  BAC ($0.84), SCHW ($0.72), MS ($1.14), LMT ($6.43), PNC ($3.31), WAL ($ 1.98) and JBHT ($1.97).

What Pushes Stocks Higher from Here?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Pushes Stocks Higher from Here?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Earnings Take Center Stage
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Growth Data in Focus this Week

Futures are slightly lower following mixed Chinese economic data and a potential further escalation of the Russia/Ukraine war.

Chinese economic data was mixed as GDP and Retail Sales both missed estimates, while Industrial Production beat, and the data will keep markets  wanting more stimulus.

Possibility of further escalation of the Russia/Ukraine war increased after Ukraine claimed responsibility for the destruction of a bridge linking Crimea and Russia.

Today focus will be on the first data point for July, the Empire Manufacturing Index (E: -4.3).  Markets will want to see this number be stronger than expectations and ideally turn positive, furthering the “Golidlocks” market narrative of falling inflation but stable growth.

PPI and Jobless Claims Strengthen the “Goldilocks” Narrative

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • PPI and Jobless Claims Strengthen the “Goldilocks” Narrative

Futures are little changed following a quiet night of news as markets digest the Wed/Thurs rally and focus turns to the start of the Q2 earnings season.

Economically, there was more evidence of global disinflation (or deflation) as German Wholesale Prices (think their PPI) declined –2.9% y/y vs. (-1.2%) y/y.

Today focus will be on earnings, as we get several major bank earnings results:  JPM ($5.92), C ($1.31), WFC ($1.15), and BLK ($8.47) as well as UNH ($5.92).  These large cap companies usually don’t provide too many surprises in their earnings reports, but markets will want to hear positive commentary on the overall environment to further support this latest rally in stocks.

There are also two notable inflation linked economic reports today, Import & Export Prices (E: -0.2%, -0.4%), Consumer Sentiment (E: 65.0), but barring any major surprises they shouldn’t move markets.

Fed Decision Takeaways

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What the Fed Decision Means for Markets
  • FOMC Decision Takeaways
  • Oil Update – Resilient Demand Offset By Fed Policy Worries

U.S. equity futures are lower as the Fed decision continues to be digested while global economic data largely missed expectations overnight.

Economically, Chinese data was universally disappointing with Industrial Production and Retail Sales both missing estimates while EU trade data showed that imports and exports both declined by more than anticipated. China’s central bank cut rates further overnight, however, which saw risk assets in Asia recover to end with gains.

Looking into today’s session, the ECB decision will be in focus this morning (E: +25bp hike) followed by President Lagarde’s press conference. If the ECB is seen as hawkish, it will likely weigh on stocks and other risk assets as it will show central bankers are not yet satisfied with the trends in inflation and more aggressive policy is likely in the months ahead.

In the U.S., there is a slew of economic data due to be released including: Jobless Claims (E: 250K), Retail Sales (E: 0.0%), Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (E: -13.2), Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -15.1), Import & Export Prices (E: -0.6%, -0.5%), and Industrial Production (E: 0.1%).

And with the Fed leaving future policy plans largely “open” and dependent on economic data, the market will want to see more “Goldilocks” trends with slowing growth and a more rapid decline in price readings.

 

Sevens Report Alpha: Artificial Intelligence Issue

This week’s Alpha issue focused on a very popular market topic:  Artificial Intelligence.

This issue was an update to a March 7th Alpha issue on AI, and the three ETFs we profiled in that report have risen 20%, 17%, and 14%, respectively in just three months! 

This week’s AI issue updated and expanded that research as we:

  • Reviewed and updated the research on our previous AI ETF picks.
  • Introduced two new AI-focused ETFs that are both up more than 30% YTD.
  • Included a proprietary spreadsheet of 30 AI stocks and categorized them by: Sector, Market Cap, Price/Earnings ratio, Price/Sales ratio, Revenue, and Performance.

If you’d like to start a risk-free trial subscription to Sevens Report Alpha and access the latest AI issue, and all previous Alpha issues and webinars since 2017, please email info@sevensreport.com.

We do ask that you pay the $330 quarterly subscription fee, but there is a 30 day money back guarantee, so you risk nothing to try the product.  

To learn more about Sevens Report Alpha, click this link.