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Current Market Assumptions (Why Stocks Remain Resilient)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Current Market Assumptions (Why Stocks Remain Resilient)
  • Why Jobless Claims Jumped Last Week
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Inflation is the Key This Week (CPI on Wed, PPI on Thurs)
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Do Stagflation Risks Rise?

Futures are little changed following a mostly quiet weekend of news as investors digest the “Just Right” jobs report and look ahead to CPI on Wednesday and the start of earnings season on Friday.

Friday’s jobs report was “Just Right” with job adds rising 238k vs. (E) 230k and wages gaining 4.2% vs. (E) 4.3% y/y. The report is helping to slightly ease the hard landing worries from last week.

Today should be a mostly quiet day of trading as European markets are closed for the Easter holiday and there are no notable economic reports and just one Fed speaker, Williams at 4:15 p.m. ET, as investors will look ahead to Wednesday’s critical CPI report and the start of bank earnings on Friday.

 

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What the CPI Data Means for Markets

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What the CPI Means for Markets
  • CPI Data Takeaways
  • How Will Russia’s Production Cut and the New SPR Release Impact Oil Markets?

U.S. equity futures are lower despite a stable Treasury market and better-than-feared inflation data overseas as investors continued to assess post-CPI Fed policy expectations.

U.K. CPI fell to 10.1% vs. (E) 10.3% in January down from 10.5% in December which sent the pound lower. Despite the bigger than expected drop, however, inflation remains far too high in the U.K. and more aggressive policy will be warranted to get price pressures back down towards the BOE’s target over time.

Today, focus will be on economic data as there are several important reports due to be released including: Retail Sales (E: 1.7%), Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -18.5), Industrial Production (E: 0.5%), and the Housing Market Index (E: 37).

As has been the case lately, investors will be looking for signs of moderation in growth metrics (but not an all out collapse) and faster declining price readings to keep the hopes of a soft/no landing alive. Otherwise, it will be difficult for stocks to resume their 2023 advance.

There are no Fed officials scheduled to speak today but there is a 20-Yr Treasury Bond auction at 1:00 p.m. ET and if demand is weak and yields begin to add to yesterday’s upward moves, stocks could come for sale.

Three Keys to a Bottom: Update

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Three Keys to a Bottom: Update
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet – Jobs Report in Focus

U.S. equity futures have a tentative bid to start the new year today as tech stocks are outperforming amid a sharp pullback in Treasury yields.

Economically, China’s Manufacturing PMI fell to 49.0 in December from 49.4 in November while the U.K.’s Manufacturing PMI came in at 45.3 vs. (E) 44.7 last month. Both figures remained well below 50, in contraction territory, and that is seeing some of the recent hawkish central bank expectations unwind as we begin the new year.

Looking into today’s session, there are two economic reports to watch in the U.S., the Manufacturing PMI (E: 46.2) and Construction Spending (E: -0.4%).

Investors will be looking for data that points to a continued slowdown in growth but a more pronounced drop in price readings as that should help further ease hawkish policy expectations and allow the early but tentative risk-on money flows to continue.

There are no Fed officials scheduled to speak and no notable Treasury auctions today. That will leave investors focused on Treasuries as a continued drop in yields today should support a continued bid in tech stocks and equities more broadly as traders reposition into the new year.

 

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Why There’s Some Cause for (Cautious) Optimism

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why There’s Some Cause for Cautious Optimism

Futures are slightly lower following a quiet night of news as markets digest Thursday’s rally.

Economically the only notable number was the UK Home Price Index, which like the U.S. readings this week saw smaller than expected declines, falling –0.1% vs. (E) -0.7%.

Geopolitically, Russia continued Thursday’s missile bombardment of Ukraine is a clear signal that fighting will rage on as the New Year begins.

Trading today will be dominated by book squaring and year-end positioning but there is one notable economic report, Chicago PMI (E: 41.0), and if it’s weak it could weigh on markets moderately.

Is the VIX Broken?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is the VIX Broken?

Futures are modestly higher following in-line inflation readings from China and more gridlock in Washington as markets look ahead to today’s inflation readings.

Chinese CPI met expectations rising 1.6% and that benign reading will keep stimulus coming in that economy.

Politically, Arizona Senator Sinema left the Democrat party and registered as an independent, although the move is unlikely to change her voting patterns.

Today focus will be on inflation data, specifically PPI (E: 0.2% m/m, 7.2% y/y) and the University of Michigan Five Year Inflation Expectations (E: 3.0%).  If those reports come in under expectations and further hint at dis-inflation, it will extend the early rally.

Sevens Report Co-Editor Tyler Richey Quoted in Market Watch on November 16th, 2022

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U.S. oil prices settle at a 3-week low after missile strike in Poland, as global supply risks ease

Tuesday’s “geopolitical fear bid, related to the initially unidentified missiles hitting Poland, is unwinding as details emerge that suggest the projectiles did not actually originate in Russia after all,” Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research, told MarketWatch. Click here to read the full article.

When to Brace for More Volatility

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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.

Was Bullard That Hawkish? (No)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Was Bullard That Hawkish?  (No).

Futures are moderately higher following more geo-political progress amidst an otherwise quiet night.

Russian officials signaled they are open to high-level talks with the U.S. on strategic stability, which is being taken as another (small) step towards an ultimate cease-fire.

Economically, the only notable number was UK Retail Sales and they were better than expected, rising 0.6% vs. (E) 0.2%.

Today the calendar is sparse with just Existing Home Sales (E: 4.360M) and one Fed speaker, Collins (8:40 a.m. ET) but if she doesn’t provide any hawkish surprises, this early rally can continue as stocks recoup yesterday’s Bullard inspired losses.

Are Corporate Earnings Rolling Over?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Are Corporate Earnings Rolling Over?
  • Another (Small) Sign of Dis-Inflation
  • EIA Update and Oil Market Analysis

Futures are modestly lower as investors digest Wednesday’s earnings disappointments.

CSCO and NVDA reported after the close and both results were better than feared, but that’s not enough to offset growing concerns about future corporate earnings.

On inflation, October EU HICP slightly missed estimates  (10.6% vs. (E) 10.7%) although the monthly reading was in-line at 1.5%, signaling that inflation pressures in the EU aren’t declining.

Today’s focus will again be on inflation so the price indices in the Philly Fed Manufacturing Index (E: -7.0) will be the key reports and any declines in those price indices should prompt at least a small rally.  Outside of Philly Fed, we also get Housing Starts (E: 1.41M) and Jobless Claims (E: 222k), but neither should move markets.

There are also multiple Fed speakers today including Bostic (7:30 a.m. ET), Bowman (9:15 a.m. ET), Mester (9:40 a.m. ET), and Kashkari (10:40 a.m. ET & 1:45 p.m. ET), and we should expect their message to be consistent with recent Fed speak:  The size of rate hikes will shrink, but the Fed still has a long way to go to reach the “Terminal Rate.”

What the Russia/Ukraine Headlines Mean for Markets

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What the Russia-Ukraine Headlines Mean for Markets
  • October PPI Data Takeaways
  • Empire State Manufacturing Survey Takeaways
  • Chart: 4,007 Remains Critical Resistance for the S&P 500

Futures have stabilized with global shares as easing geopolitical angst offsets more hot inflation data in Europe.

The AP reported the projectile that killed two in Poland on Tuesday originated in Ukraine (by their air defense systems) and not Russia which has eased concerns about NATO being pulled into the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Economically, U.K. CPI rose to 11.1% vs. (E) 10.6% in October, a fresh 41-year high which rekindled some global inflation fears overnight.

Today, the focus will be on the slew of economic data due to be released: Retail Sales (E: 1.0%), Import & Export Prices (E: -0.4%, 4.0%), Industrial Production (E: 0.2%), and the Housing Market Index (E: 36). The market will want to see a continued slowdown in growth metrics but more importantly, a faster slowdown in any price measures within the data as that dynamic would improve the prospects of a soft landing.

Additionally, the Fed speakers circuit remains active with: Williams (9:50 a.m. ET), Barr (10:00 a.m. ET), and Waller (2:35 p.m. ET) all due to speak over the course of the session.

Bottom line, if economic data and geopolitical headlines remain favorable today, the S&P 500 should be able to make another run at critical technical resistance at 4,007 in the S&P 500. A close above that level would open the door to another leg higher in the latest relief rally in the broader stock market.