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Why Stocks Rallied Last Week (And Is It Sustainable?)

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Stocks Rallied Last Week (And Is It Sustainable?)
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Can Inflation Fall Quickly and Growth Stay Resilient?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  CPI Tomorrow is the Key Report

Futures are moderately higher as the U.S. Dollar extended Friday’s declines thanks to a hawkish ECB article.

The euro is surging another 1% and pushing the Dollar Index lower following a hawkish ECB Reuters article that stated the ECB may have to raise rates to 2% to curb inflation, which is higher than current expectations.

Economic data was slightly underwhelming as UK Industrial Production (0.1% vs. (E) 0.3%) and UK Monthly GDP (0.2% vs. (E) 0.4%) both missed estimates.

Today there are no notable economic reports nor any major Fed speakers, so we’d expect stocks to continue to follow the dollar ahead of tomorrow’s CPI report.  If the dollar extends this morning’s declines, stocks should be able to hold this early rally.

Market Multiple Table Chart

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table Chart
  • What Fed Speak Means for Markets (Yesterday and Today)

Futures are little changed following a mostly quiet night and ahead of the ECB decision and Powell Q&A session.

The Reserve Bank of Australia signaled it will slow the pace of rate hikes going forward but gave no insight into its “Terminal Rate.”

Economically, Japanese GDP slightly beat estimates (3.5% vs. (E) 3.0%) but that’s not moving markets.

Today’s focus will be on Powell (9:10 a.m. ET) and the ECB (75 bps hike), and any hint of “peak hawkishness” from Powell or the ECB will be a positive catalyst for markets (and no hints of it will likely be a headwind on stocks).  Outside of Powell and the ECB, we also get Jobless Claims (E: 240K) and there’s one Fed speaker, Evans (12:00 p.m. ET), but neither of those should move markets.

Sevens Report Quoted in MorningStar on September 2nd, 2022

EMEA Morning Briefing: Stocks Seen Higher But Caution Likely Ahead of U.S. Jobs Report

The jobs report once again carries risks for stocks because if it runs ‘too hot,’ that will increase the prospects of more hikes and, more importantly, delay when markets expect rates will be cut, Sevens Report said. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Blockworks on September 2nd, 2022

Higher-than-expected Jobs Report Not Enough To Push Stocks, Cryptos Green

The question for markets here is, at what point do investors begin to cheer the resilience of economic growth this year in the face of historically aggressive Fed policy tightening that is now beginning to show signs of being effective in capping and likely reducing inflation pressures? Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research, wrote in a note Friday. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Market Watch on September 1st, 2022

What does Friday’s jobs report mean for the market? ‘Too hot’ and stocks could tumble, says market pro.

The labor market needs to show signs that it’s on the path to returning to a state of relative balance, where job openings are roughly the same as the number of people looking for jobs — and if it does not show that, then concerns about a more hawkish-for-longer Fed will rise, and that’s not good for stocks, wrote Tom Essaye, a former Merrill Lynch trader and the founder of the Sevens Report newsletter. Click here to read the full article.

 

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 30th, 2022

Job Openings Rise More Than Expected in July to 11.2 Million

There are multimillion more job openings than there are people who are actually looking for a job…said Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research. Click here to read the full article.

What Should Clients Do in This Environment?

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Should Clients Do in This Environment?
  • S&P 500 Approaching Key Support: Chart
  • JOLTS Data Takeaways – Labor Market Remains Tight

Stock futures pulled back from overnight gains and are now trading flat as most international markets are lower following mixed economic data.

Japanese Retail Sales and Industrial Production figures both handily topped estimates but the August HICP Flash in Europe (their CPI equivalent) showed core inflation jumped 4.3% vs. (E) 4.0%, reiterating inflation risks.

Today, the early focus will be on the ADP Employment Report (E: 200K) which will be the first one since they updated the methodology of the report so be prepared for a potentially surprising print.

From a market standpoint, traders will want to see a moderation in the labor market (especially after yesterday’s JOLTS report) to show the Fed’s tightening actions are beginning to cool the labor market which is one of the key steps towards reaching “peak hawkishness.”

There are also a few Fed speakers to watch today: Mester (8:00 a.m. ET), Logan (6:00 p.m. ET), and Bostic (6:30 p.m. ET) and the market would welcome any degree of less hawkish commentary as the more hawkish tone of the last week has been largely responsible for the equity market losses into the end of the month.

Tom Essaye Interviewed by BNN Bloomberg on August 30th, 2022

Invest in defensive sectors so you don’t get shaken out by oncoming volatility: Tom Essaye

Tom Essaye, founder and president of Sevens Report Research, joins BNN Bloomberg to talk on the markets. Click here to watch the full interview.

A History of Fed Warnings

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • A History of Fed Warnings
  • Chart: 10-Year Yield in a ”Broadening Triangle” Pattern

Stock futures are enjoying a solid oversold bounce this morning with both Treasury yields and the dollar index pulling back from their recent highs as Powell’s hawkish comments from Jackson Hole continue to be digested.

Eurozone Economic Sentiment dipped to 97.6 vs. (E) 97.7 this month, a 1.5 year low, but the soft survey data is seeing investors dial back some recent hawkish money flows.

Looking into today’s session, it will be a busy morning with two housing market data points due out before the bell: Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: 1.1%) and FHFA House Price Index (E: 0.9%) before focus will shift to Consumer Confidence (E: 97.4) and JOLTS (10.4M) data at the top of the 10 a.m. hour ET.

Additionally, there are two Fed speakers to watch: Barkin (8:00 a.m. ET) and Williams (11:00 a.m. ET).

Bottom line, stocks became near-term oversold between Friday and yesterday and as long as the dollar and yields remain steady today, and economic data and Fed chatter doesn’t shift policy expectations any more hawkish than they have already repriced, stocks should be able to enjoy a bounce as traders begin to position into the end of the month.

On the charts, the 4,020 area will be a critical support level to watch in the S&P 500 today as a material break below would open the door to a swift drop into the low-to-mid 3,900s.