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Bullish If/Bearish If Scenarios

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Bottom Line:  Bullish If/Bearish If Scenarios
  • Weekly Market Preview:  More Earnings and Growth Data This Week
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Is Growth Rolling Over?

Futures are moderately higher mostly on momentum from Friday’s rebound following a generally quiet weekend.

COVID news from China remains mixed as Shanghai continues to relax lockdowns although Beijing is seeing a continued increase in cases (keeping the threat of more lockdowns alive).

The dollar is down one percent after ECB President Lagarde signaled two rate hikes were likely in the 3rd quarter (this was a bit more hawkish than expected).

Today there are no notable economic reports and just one Fed speaker, Bostic (12:00 p.m. ET).  If Bostic echoes Bullard’s slightly less hawkish than feared commentary from Friday afternoon, then stocks can extend Friday’s rebound.

Why Are the VIX and S&P 500 Possibly Diverging?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Are the VIX and S&P 500 Possibly Diverging?
  • Is Selling Becoming Mechanical?
  • CPI Takeaways (It Won’t Make the Fed More Hawkish)

Futures are moderately lower mostly on momentum from Wednesday’s afternoon selloff.

Economically, UK economic data disappointed (GDP and Industrial Production both missed estimates) while BOE officials warned of more rate hikes reminding markets there’s a real stagflation threat in the UK.

Geo-politically, Finland formally applied to join NATO (and Sweden is expected to follow), keeping NATO/Russia tensions high for the foreseeable future (meaning quarters and years).

Today, we get Jobless Claims (E: 190K) and PPI (0.5% m/m, 10.7% y/y) and one Fed speaker, Daly (4:00 p.m. ET), but barring a big spike in claims, a big move in PPI or incrementally hawkish commentary from Daly (all of which are unlikely) these events won’t move markets.  So, short-term technical will continue to be the main driver of stocks, and markets need to show some stabilization, otherwise, the declines themselves will invite more selling.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on May 5th, 2022

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The Dow Lost More Than 1,000 Points as Wednesday Gain Vanishes

China’s PMI this morning was horrific, that underscores that the Chinese economy is a huge drag on global growth right now. It’s a risk to keep inflation high…said Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in The Madison Leader Gazette on May 5, 2022

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Stock Market Today: Dow Slides, Shopify Tumbles, NIO Slumps

We shouldn’t have gone up 2% yesterday on the news…said Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research. Click here to read the full article.

Is the Outlook Really This Bad?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is the Outlook Really This Bad?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  FOMC Decision Wednesday (Will It Be More Hawkish Than Feared?)
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  A Busy and Important Week (ISM Manufacturing PMI today, FOMC Decision Wednesday, Jobs Report Friday)

Futures are enjoying a modest oversold bounce following Friday’s selloff, but there was no improvement over the weekend on the three headwinds pressuring stocks:  Chinese growth worries, Ukraine war and hawkish Fed.

Economic data was mixed as the April Chinese manufacturing PMI dropped further (to 47.4 from 49.5) while the EU PMI slightly beat estimates (55.5 vs. (E) 55.3) and German Retail Sales underwhelmed (-0.1% vs. (E) 0.3%).

Today focus will be on the ISM Manufacturing PMI (E: 58.0) and markets need to see a solid number to push back on stagflation concerns.  If we get a weak number, expect the selling to resume and stagflation fears to grow.

Earnings season will begin to wind down this week but there are still some important results coming and some we’re watching today include:  NXPI ($3,17), CAR ($3.54) and MGM ($-0.09).

Yield Curve Update

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Yield Curve Update (Are Recession Risks Rising?)
  • Why European Energy Companies Buying Gas in Rubles Matters to Stocks
  • Q1 GDP – Not as Bad as It Looks

Futures are moderately lower following underwhelming earnings and guidance from AMZN and AAPL.

AMZN results underwhelmed the street (especially margins) while APPL beat earnings but had cautious guidance for Q2 based on supply chain issues.

Economically, inflation pressures remained high as core EU HICP (their CPI) rose 3.5% yoy vs. (E) 3.1%.

Today focus will be on inflation as we get two important readings: Core PCE Price Index (E: 0.3%, 5.3%) and the Employment Cost Index (E: 1.1%).  Markets will want to see the actual numbers miss estimates, and in doing so further hint at a peak of inflation.  If the opposite happens (the numbers are hotter than estimates) that will further pressure stocks.  We also get Consumer Sentiment (E: 65.6) and the Inflation Expectations sub-index will be watched closely.

On the earnings front, some important results today include:  XOM ( $2.25), CVX ($3.44), CL ($0.74).

Tom Essaye Interviewed on Fox Business on April 27, 2022

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Sevens Report Research reveals what makes the sell-off stop

Sevens Report Research founder Tom Essaye discusses if the market has hit its lows of the year or if there is still more to come on Fox Business’s “The Claman Countdown.” Click here to watch the interview.

Four Questions for the Selloff

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • 4 Questions for the Selloff: Why Have Stocks Dropped to the March Lows, What’s Holding Up Best, What Makes This Stop, and How Bad Can It Get?

S&P futures are up 1% this morning as yesterday’s steep declines are digested amid upbeat earnings and guidance out of MSFT after the close yesterday (MSFT is up 5%).

Economic data was net negative overnight as Australian CPI was hotter than expected while U.K. CBI Distributive Trades and the German GfK Consumer Climate Index both badly missed estimates, however, investors are shrugging off the data as the focus is on earnings this morning.

Looking into today’s session, there are two economic reports: International Trade in Goods (E: -$105.0B) and Pending Home Sales (E: -1.1%) but neither should move markets and no Fed officials are scheduled to speak.

There is a 5-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET that could move the bond market as yields have pulled back considerably since last week’s highs and a reversal back higher could become a headwind on stocks again, especially growth names.

Finally, the market’s main focus at the moment is earnings and we will get results from: BA (-$0.26) and HOG ($1.52) before the bell and then FB ($2.58), F ($0.39), PYPL ($0.89), QCOM ($2.91), and DFS ( $3.58) after the close. If earnings, especially by big tech companies can top estimates, a relief rally could play out as stocks are near-term oversold, however, momentum through yesterday’s close has been decidedly negative and the price action remains heavy.

Technical Update

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Technical Update – Bearish Price Patterns and Dow Theory Threatens to Turn Bearish

Futures are modestly lower this morning after a quiet night of news as yesterday’s big intraday reversal higher is being digested.

Today is lining up to be a busy one with a slew of economic data due to be released, in order of importance: Durable Goods (E: 1.0%), Consumer Confidence (E: 106.8), Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: 1.5%), FHFA House Price Index (E: 1.6%), and New Home Sales (E: 772K). Investors will want to see solid data that contradicts the growing fear that the Fed is getting more aggressive with policy into an economic slowdown.

There are no Fed speakers today but there is a 2-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET that could move the bond market and ultimately impact stocks in the early afternoon.

The market’s main focus today will be on earnings with: UPS ($2.87), PEP ($1.24), GE ($0.20), MMM ($2.33), and JBLU (-$0.85) reporting ahead of the bell while MSFT ($2.18), GOOGL ($25.63), GM ($1.57), V ($1.65), and COF ($5.39) are all scheduled to release results after the close.

Bottom line, for yesterday’s late day reversal higher in equity markets to continue today, we need to see good economic data, steady or falling bond yields, and most importantly favorable earnings, especially out of big tech names like GOOGL and MSFT.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Market Watch on April 18th, 2022

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10-year yield highest since late 2018 as Treasury selloff continues

Looking at the yield curve, the 10s-2s spread continued to widen out and is now smack in the middle of the 30-40 basis point resistance range, and we think that’s a critical resistance level…said Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research, in a note. Click here to read the full article.