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Are Negative Trade War Headlines a Risk to the Rally?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Are Negative Trade Headlines a Risk to the Rally

Futures are modestly lower amid light profit taking after a mostly quiet night of news as traders await more important earnings releases due out this week.

There were no notable economic reports overnight and no material developments on either the U.S.-China trade front or the government shutdown negotiations.

There are no economic reports today, however the Treasury will hold 4-Week, 6-Week, 8-Week, and 4-Month T-Bill auctions between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. ET. Bill auctions typically do not warrant much attention, but yesterday’s strong short-term Treasury auctions did coincide with a slowdown in the S&P 500’s intraday advance as economic angst seems to be building in the absence of major data recently.

There is one Fed speaker to watch today with next week’s October FOMC meeting coming into view: Waller (9:00 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.) and anything less than the dovish-leaning tone of recent could weigh on stocks.

Finally, earnings season continues with: KO ($0.78), GE ($1.46), LMT ($6.33), MMM ($2.10), NFLX ($6.89), ISRG ($1.99), and COF ($4.20) all due to report today, and investors will want to continue to see net positive surprises on both the top and bottom line to support optimism surrounding strong and resilient corporate financials in H2’25.

 

Why Are Yields Rising?

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Why Are Yields Rising? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Are Yields Rising?
  • What the Removal of Speaker McCarthy Means for Markets (We Didn’t Need This Right Now)
  • JOLTS Data Takeaways
  • OPEC+ (JMMC) Meeting Preview

U.S. stock futures are rebounding from overnight losses as European markets turn positive following mixed economic data while yields are stabilizing after this week’s rapid rise.

Markets are continuing to digest the implications of the removal of McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Yields were initially higher overnight, likely on worries of a more pronounced threat of a government shutdown next month. They have since stabilized and are only little changed in morning trade, helping support steady stock futures in the pre-market.

Economically, the September EU Composite PMI came in at 48.7 vs. (E) 48.4, while Retail Sales fell -1.2% vs. (E) -0.2% in August and PPI fell a steep -11.5% vs. (E) -11.7%. On balance, the data was not a reason for the ECB to become more hawkish. Which is helping global bond markets (and equities) stabilize this morning.

Today, focus will be on economic data early with the ADP Employment Report (E: 150K), ISM Services Index (E: 53.5), and Factory Orders (E: 0.2%). The “hot” JOLTS headline roiled markets yesterday so markets are likely to welcome any cooling labor market indicators and look for easing price measures in the ISM release as those developments could help bonds bounce back and stocks recover some of this week’s losses.

Later, the focus will turn to central bank speak with several Fed officials scheduled to speak including: O’Neill Paese, Schmidt, Bowman, and Goolsbee. A lot of hawkish rhetoric has been digested in recent sessions. So any more dovish-leaning commentary would also be welcomed by stocks and other risk assets.

Why Are Yields Rising

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The Real Risk to Stocks

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Real Risk to Stocks
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Market Update

Futures are higher following news a government shutdown will be avoided and despite mixed economic data.

Senate Majority Leader Schumer announced a deal to fund the government and avoid a shutdown tomorrow, although this was always expected (and this does not address the Debt Ceiling).

Economic data was mixed as the Chinese manufacturing PMI fell below 50 (49.6 vs. (E) 50.1) while UK GDP handily beat estimates at 5.5% vs. (E) 4.8%, but the data isn’t moving markets.

Today the key report will be Jobless Claims (E: 335K) and markets will want to see them drop back towards 300k.  We also get the Final Q2 GDP (E: 6.7%) but at this point, that’s a very “old” number. There are also numerous Fed speakers today including more Powell/Yellen testimony along with Williams (10:00 a.m. ET), Bostic (11:00 a.m. ET), Harker (11:30 a.m. ET), Evans (12:30 p.m. ET), Bullard (1:05 p.m. ET), and Daly (2:30 p.m. ET).

Finally, today is the last trading day of the month and quarter so some additional volatility on month/quarter-end positioning shouldn’t be a surprise.