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Why Friday’s Data Wasn’t As Positive As the Market Implied

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Friday’s Data Wasn’t As Positive As The Market Implied
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Can Inflation Fall Faster than Growth?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  All About Inflation (CPI the Key Report)

Futures are modestly higher mostly on momentum from Friday’s close, following a quiet weekend of news.

Stocks rallied on Friday thanks to increasing hopes for an economic soft landing, and nothing happened over the weekend to offset that hope.

Economic data met expectations as German Industrial Production and EU Unemployment were both in-line.

Today focus will be on the NY Fed Inflation Expectations (Previous:  4.0% one-year, 3.8% three-year), and if they decline from previous levels that will be positive.  We also get one Fed speaker, Bostic (12:30 p.m. ET).

Jobs Day

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Yesterday’s Employment Data was Bad for Stocks and Bonds
  • Answering a Question About the Bond Market

Futures are little changed ahead of the jobs report and following mixed European economic data.

EU HICP (their CPI) was disappointing on balance as the headline rose less than expected (9.2% vs. (E) 9.5%) but the more important Core HICP gained 5.2% vs. (E) 5.0%. This report partially refutes the encouraging inflation data from earlier this week.

Today focus will be on the Jobs Report and expectations are as follows:  Job Adds 200K, UE Rate 3.7%, Wages 0.4% m/m, 5.0% y/y.  If we get another solid number above 200k, expect more weakness in stocks and bonds as that will be viewed as “hawkish” data, while a job adds number close to 100k could spark a sharp rally, given yesterday’s declines.

The jobs report isn’t the only important economic report today, however, as the ISM Services Index (E: 55.0) is released later this morning.  Markets will want to see a moderation in both the headline and prices readings.

Finally, there are three Fed speakers today:  Cook (11:15 a.m. ET), Bostic (11:15 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. ET), and Barkin (12:15 p.m. ET).

Tom Essaye Interviewed on BNN Bloomberg on January 3rd, 2023

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Gold is the top metal pick for kicking off 2023: Tom Essaye

Tom Essaye, founder and president of Sevens Report Research, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss his market take for the new year. Essaye says that nothing fundamentally changed in the markets, despite it being a new year, and discusses his advocacy for defensive sectors amid Q1 volatility and lower returns. He says that gold is looking particularly attractive when compared to its commodity peers. Click here to watch the full interview.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Yahoo via Bloomberg on December 29th, 2022

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Stocks Post Month’s Best Day as Rate Surge Fades: Markets Wrap

“Markets enter 2023 at important transition points. One path is paved with continued disinflation, resilient earnings, moderating growth, a balanced labor market, and higher stock and bond prices. The other path is paved with sticky inflation, slowing growth, a continued tight labor market and lower stock and bond prices. Data points at the start of the year will offer important clues as to which path the markets are taking.” Said Tom Essaye, a former Merrill Lynch trader who founded The Sevens Report newsletter. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on December 21st, 2022

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Dow Soars 500 Points as Consumer Data Adds Some Cheer

“Stocks are digesting the declines of the past two weeks and while there are some notable employment and inflation numbers looming on Thursday and Friday, the bottom line is the calendar into year-end should be mostly quiet, again barring any material surprises,” Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research, wrote Wednesday. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on December 29th, 2022

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The Nasdaq Jumped Over 2% as Markets Staged a Relief Rally

“In China, Covid-19 cases continue to explode higher and there were reports of overwhelmed hospitals, but officials are proceeding with a full economic reopening.” said Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research. Click here to read the full article.

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 It Time to Allocate to Growth?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Start of 2023 Isn’t the Time to Allocate to Growth
  • Case-Shiller and FHFA House Price Indices
  • Chart: Value Massively Outperformed Growth in 2022

Stock futures are modestly higher in cautious trade this morning with Treasuries largely steady and overseas markets mixed as focus remains on China’s reopening efforts.

China’s government will resume the issuance of passports and visas while Hong Kong dropped PCR testing requirements for travelers, however the rapid move away from “Zero Covid” is beginning to rekindle inflation worries which could become a renewed headwind on equities.

Looking into today’s session, there are two economic reports to watch: Pending Home Sales (E: -0.5%) and the Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index (E: -6) but neither should impact Fed policy expectations or meaningfully move markets in quiet holiday trading.

There are no Fed speakers to watch today but the Treasury will hold a 5-Yr Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET and following yesterday’s large move higher in yields, surprisingly strong or unexpectedly weak demand could influence equity market trading.

Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in Market Watch on December 21st, 2022

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Oil prices end higher after drop in U.S. crude inventories

“Specifically, despite skyrocketing cases and reports of stressed hospitals, Chinese authorities are not locking down cities and that implies continued increases in energy demand as the world’s second largest economy comes back online,” said analysts at Sevens Report Research, in a note. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on December 21, 2022

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Dow Soars 500 Points as Consumer Data Adds Some Cheer

“Stocks are digesting the declines of the past two weeks and while there are some notable employment and inflation numbers looming on Thursday and Friday, the bottom line is the calendar into year-end should be mostly quiet, again barring any material surprises,” Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research, wrote Wednesday. Click here to read the full article.