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Tom Essaye Quoted in Business Insider on August 22nd, 2023

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Wall Street is declaring victory too early — the US is still headed for a recession

Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research, which counts some of the biggest institutions on Wall Street among its clients, said while inflation on a year-over-year basis has come down significantly, the cumulative price increases we’ve seen since the start of the pandemic will eventually force consumers to cut back on spending.

“People get very excited about CPI and say, ‘Hey, CPI went up only 0.1% over the past month and it’s only up 3% over the past year,'” Essaye said. “Well, think about that in practical terms. If I go to buy my kids a bag of Skittles, in 2019 it cost $0.75. Now it costs $1.50. Am I supposed to get excited because next year it costs $1.55?”

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Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in Investing.com on August 21st, 2023

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Dow Jones, Nasdaq, S&P 500 weekly preview: All eyes on Nvidia and Powell

Sevens Report analysts: “The market of 2023 is being defined almost by hyperbolic extremes. We started 2023 with investors fearing a catastrophic recession, 1970s- style inflation and 1970s-style rate hikes. That hasn’t happened. But just because that didn’t happen, it doesn’t mean that: No economic slowdown will occur, inflation will magically crash to late 20-teens levels, and the Fed will suddenly turn dovish (as markets priced in at 4,600). The truth is in the middle, and that’s where we are now.”

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Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in MarketWatch on August 21st, 2023

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Oil prices settle lower to extend last week’s losses

Meanwhile, a consistent run of strong U.S. economic data has raised fears the Federal Reserve may need to push interest rates higher than previously expected and hold them there for longer than previously anticipated, while weekly government data last week showed a pullback in consumer fuel demand and a post-pandemic high in U.S. crude production, analysts at Sevens Report Research said in a note.

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How to Explain the Current Pullback to Clients & Prospects

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How to Explain the Current Pullback to Clients & Prospects
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Will Treasury Yields Stabilize? (That’s the Key to Ending This Pullback)
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Important Growth Updates and Powell Speech on Friday

Futures are modestly higher thanks to more evidence of global disinflation and despite another round of underwhelming Chinese stimulus.

German PPI declined -6.0% y/y vs. (E) -5.1% y/y and that’s serving as a reminder that inflation is still falling globally.

In China, officials cut the Loan Prime Rate less than expected (-10 bps vs. (E) -15 bps) and while that will provide stimulus, it’s not alleviating concerns that the Chinese economy will be a headwind on global growth.

Today there are no economic reports and no Fed speakers (the Jackson Hole Fed conference is this week, so speakers will increase throughout the week culminating with Powell on Friday).  As such, Treasury yields will remain a short-term influence on stocks.  Yields and futures are higher this morning but if yields extend the rally throughout the day, don’t be surprised if stocks give back these early gains.

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

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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.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on August 14th, 2023

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Asian Markets Sink as China Concerns Sour Sentiment

“Concerns about the Chinese economy grew this morning after real estate firm Country Garden suspended trading in select offshore bonds, reminding investors of Chinese property market volatility from years ago and reinforcing that recession risks in China are real,” said Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research.

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Tom Essaye Quoted in Forbes on August 14th, 2023

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Major Chinese Real Estate Developer Craters To Record Low As Potential Default Reminds Investors Of China’s ‘Real’ Recession Risk

The Country Garden news reinforced the notion that “recession risks in China are real,” explained Sevens Reports’ Tom Essaye. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in MaketWatch on August 14th, 2023

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China-focused ETFs drop as country’s property woes highlight ‘recession risks in China are real’

Concerns about China’s economy increased Monday after Country Garden Holdings Co. suspended trading in some offshore bonds, “reminding investors of Chinese property market volatility from years ago and reinforcing that recession risks in China are real,” Tom Essaye, founder and president of Sevens Report Research, said in a note. He also cited “downbeat trade data out of China” last week, with imports and exports both missing estimates.

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Why Rising Treasury Yields Are a Headwind on Stocks

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What is Country Garden and Why Does It Matter?
  • Equity Risk Premium: Why Rising Bond Yields Are a Headwind on Stocks
  • Chart – Growth Stocks Approach Key 2023 Support

U.S. equity futures are tracking global markets lower this morning amid more negative news flow out of China while Treasury yields continue to test to cycle highs with the 10-Year Note yield above 4.20%.

Multiple Chinese economic reports badly missed estimates overnight with Retail Sales notably rising just 2.5% vs. (E) 4.2% in July.

The bad data and renewed concerns about the property market prompted surprise rate cuts by the PBOC but the policy action was seen as underwhelming by investors and markets traded with a decisive risk-off tone overnight.

Looking into today’s session, the headlines out of China will continue to influence money flows, however there are several key U.S. economic reports to watch this morning including: Retail Sales (E: 0.4%), Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -0.4), Import & Export Price (E: 0.2%, 0.1%), and the Housing Market Index (E: 56).

Markets continue to look for “Goldilocks” dynamics in the data, consistent with easing growth, a loosening labor market, and continued drop in inflation. Anything that contradicts those trends could further risk assets including stocks today.

There is also one Fed speaker today: Kashkari (11:00 a.m. ET) but it is doubtful he wavers from the Fed’s narrative and is unlikely to move markets.

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).”

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