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Easing growth concerns surrounding the world’s second largest economy

Easing growth concerns surrounding the world’s second largest economy: Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s


Asian Stocks Gain Amid Positive Chinese Data, Bank of Japan Expectations

“Chinese retail sales rose 5.5% [versus expectations of 5.2%] and industrial output jumped 7% [versus expectations of 5%] to start 2024, easing some growth concerns surrounding the world’s second largest economy, however property sector woes persist,” said Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research.

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on March 18th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf 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.

Retail Sales Is The Next Big Number

This will be a potentially busy week of catalysts: Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s


S&P 500 Notches Record Close as Stocks Rally

Retail sales and producer price inflation later this week could serve as the next major test for stocks, as traders continue to hope interest rate cuts will begin in the second half of the year.

“Retail sales is the next big number and then we’ll go from there,” Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s. “But for now, the script is still in place. The issue markets have is that it’s already also priced in, so we need to find the next news catalyst.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on March 13th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf 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.

Market Multiple Table Chart: Bullish Momentum vs. Fair Value

Market Multiple Table Chart: Bullish Momentum vs. Fair Value: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table Chart:  Bullish Momentum vs. Fair Value
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Market Update

Futures are modestly higher as stocks rebound from Wednesday’s late day dip ahead of key economic data.

Economically, the only notable number was Swedish CPI which rose 2.5% vs. (E) 2.8% and that’s reinforcing summer rate cut expectations.

AI enthusiasm got a small boost overnight as Apple supplier Foxconn posted optimistic guidance on strong AI server demand.

Today focus will be on economic data, especially Jobless Claims (E: 218k) and Retail Sales (E: 0.8% m/m).  Continuing claims (contained in the jobless claims report) and retail sales disappointed recently and if we see that again, it’ll add to growth concerns and could hit stocks.

On inflation, we also get PPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 1.1% y/y) and given CPI ran a touch hot, it wouldn’t be a surprise if PPI did the same.  But, it’ll likely take a much hotter than expected number to hit markets (because they’ve already priced in the slightly hot CPI 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.

Money Supply and Stocks: Is There a Disconnect?

Money Supply and Stocks: Is There a Disconnect? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Money Supply and Stocks: Is There a Disconnect?
  • ISM Services Index Takeaways (Slightly Dovish)

Futures are rebounding with global shares amid positive stimulus news out of China and mostly better-than-feared economic data overseas ahead of several important catalysts today.

Overnight, China’s State Planner and the head of the PBOC both reiterated their commitment to achieving 5% growth in 2024 which is supporting a rebound in risk assets as investors gain confidence in the prospects of a stabilizing Chinese economy.

Eurozone Retail Sales fell -1.0% vs. (E) -1.4% helping ease concerns of a sharp slowdown in the EU economy which is adding to the risk-on money flows this morning.

Looking into the U.S. session, focus will be on economic data early today starting with the: ADP Employment Report (E: +150K job adds) followed by the JOLTS release (E: 8.9 million job openings).

From there attention will turn to Capitol Hill where Fed Chair Powell will begin his semi-annual testimony at 10:00 a.m. ET. The Fed’s Daly (12:00 p.m. ET) and Kashkari (4:15 p.m. ET) will also speak today but Powell will be firmly in the spotlight as investors look for clues as to whether the FOMC plans to begin rate cuts in the second quarter (market positive) or wait until H2’24 (market negative).


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.

European Shares Edged Up On Better Than Feared Retail Sales

European Shares Edged Up: Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s


European Stocks Drift Higher

“European shares edged up on better than feared Retail Sales and a very strong German Manufacturing Orders Report,” said Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research.

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on February 6th, 2023. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to Rally

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.

Does March vs. May Really Matter?

Does March vs. May Really Matter? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Does March vs. May Really Matter?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet – Retail Sales Data in Focus

U.S. futures are tracking European shares lower this morning. This is amid rising bond yields and a stronger dollar following some hawkish central banker commentary this weekend.

Economically, the German ZEW’s Economic Sentiment rose to 15.2 vs. (E) 11.7 in January. Both eased recession concerns but also weighed on the prospects for imminent Fed and ECB rate cuts in the coming months.

This weekend, several ECB officials pushed back on expectations for rate cuts in H1’24. This is resulting in more of the late 2023 dovish money flows being unwound.

Looking into today’s session, there is one economic report to watch: Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -4.0) and one Fed official scheduled to speak: Waller (11:00 a.m. ET).

Earnings season also continues to pick up with several big banks due to report today: GS ($3.47), MS ($1.07), PNC ($2.99), IBKR ($1.54).

Bottom line, investors will be looking for more Goldilocks economic data in the NY Fed release and a less-hawkish tone from Waller and no bad news out of the banks reporting earnings today in order to stabilize. Otherwise the premarket weakness is likely to continue into the primary session this morning.


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.

Treasury Yields Are Rising Back Towards Cycle Highs

Treasury Yields Are Rising Back Towards Cycle Highs: Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s


Stocks Open Lower as Retail Sales, Middle East Conflict Overshadow Earnings

Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye noted prior to the retail sales report that markets appeared to react to news President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday.

“Treasury yields are rising back towards cycle highs on news that President Biden will travel to Israel tomorrow to try and ease tensions in the region,” Essaye wrote.

Earnings season is kicking into full gear, but so far the reports have been overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war and economic developments.

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on October 17th, 2023. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

Treasury Yields Are Rising

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.

It’s Not How High Rates Go Anymore, It’s How Long They Stay There

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • It’s Not How High That Matters Anymore, It’s How Long
  • Retail Sales & Empire State Manufacturing Survey Takeaways (Very Mixed Reports)
  • Chart – S&P 500 Violates 50 Day Moving Average for the First Time Since March

Stock futures are little changed this morning as new stimulus efforts by China help offset more negative global economic data and a hawkish leaning RBNZ meeting decision.

Chinese Home Prices fell -0.1% vs. (E) 0.0% prompting a cash injection and stronger currency fix by the PBOC which helped stabilize global risk assets overnight given the recent turmoil in the world’s second largest economy.

In Europe, U.K. Core CPI held steady at 6.9% vs. (E) 6.8% in July solidifying peak rate expectations of 6.0%, however bond yields are retreating modestly from the week’s highs which is helping stocks continue to stabilize today.

Looking into today’s session, we will get two economic reports this morning: Housing Starts (E: 1.455 million), Industrial Production (E: 0.3%) before focus will turn to the release of the July FOMC meeting minutes at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Bottom line, the market wants to see more “Goldilocks” data consistent with a soft economic landing and no evidence in the Fed minutes that suggests a more hawkish policy path than is currently expected (rate cuts beginning H1’24). Otherwise, volatility is likely to remain elevated with equities under pressure.

Why Home Depot Earnings Point to a Soft Landing

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Home Depot Earnings Point to a Soft Landing
  • Retail Sales Data Takeaways
  • Debt Ceiling Barometer: 1-Month T-Bill Yield Steadies

Stock futures are rebounding modestly from yesterday’s declines this morning as traders await more clarity on the debt ceiling negotiations (1-Month yield is down 2 bp to 5.56%) and digest in-line European inflation data.

Economically, Eurozone HICP (their CPI equivalent) met estimates at 7.0% y/y with the Narrow Core reading falling 0.1% to 5.6%, also as expected but still well above target.

There is just one economic report this morning: Housing Starts & Permits (E: 1.405M, 1.430M) and no Fed officials are scheduled to speak.

Retailer earnings continue this morning with TGT ($1.74) reporting ahead of the bell and investors will be looking for more signs of “soft landing” spending trends as we saw with HD yesterday.

As far as other potential catalysts go, there is a 20-Yr. Treasury Bond auction at 1:00 p.m. ET today and any big move in yields could impact stocks (too weak would indicate inflation worries, too strong would underscore growing debt ceiling fears).

Market Multiple Table: March Update

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table – March Update (Printable PDF Available)
  • February CPI Takeaways
  • Breakdown in the Energy Markets: Oil Update

Markets are trading with a risk-off tone this morning amid renewed worries about the global banking system.

Credit Suisse’s 2022 annual report revealed “material weaknesses” but the bank’s chairman ruled out government assistance while the largest shareholder, the Saudi National Bank, said further financing was not an option. The negative news flow has sent Credit Suisse shares down more than 20% to a new record low this morning and that is dragging global bank stocks lower and weighing heavily on sentiment.

Economic data overnight was mostly better than expected with Housing Sales in China notably rising more than expected while the PBOC injected more liquidity into he system than anticipated, both of which helped bolster Asian markets overnight.

Looking into today’s session, focus will be on economic data early with PPI (E: 0.3%, 5.4%), Retail Sales (E: -0.3%), the Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -7.7), and the Housing Market Index (E: 41) all due out this morning.

Regarding the data, markets want to see a further decline in inflation metrics and more slowing in growth readings to help shore up less hawkish Fed expectations, however, focus will also remain on the banking sector and if banks can’t stabilize and start to rebound broadly, the major indexes are going to have a hard time finding their own footing today.