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Is Tech Still An Anchor on the S&P 500?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is Tech Still An Anchor on the S&P 500?

Futures are slightly higher following a better night of earnings and more encouraging inflation data.

Earnings from NFLX and PPG were solid after yesterday’s close and that’s helping to slightly bolster sentiment.

On inflation, Japanese CPI was slightly better than estimates (4.0% y/y vs. (E) 4.1%) and that will help to reduce hawkish expectations for the BOJ.

Today there’s just one economic report, Existing Home Sales (E: 3.97 million) and that shouldn’t move markets.  So, focus will be on Fed speak and we get two speakers today: Harker (9:00 a.m. ET) and Waller (1:00 p.m. ET).  If they reiterate the desire for Fed Funds to get above 5%, despite the recent progress on inflation, that will be a mild headwind on stocks.

On earnings, two notable results to watch today are ALLY ($0.98) and STT ($2.00).

Market Multiple Table Chart

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Table Chart
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Market Update

Futures are little changed as overnight economic data was in-line with expectations while investors look ahead to this morning’s CPI Report.

Economically, Chinese CPI was the only notable number and it largely met expectations at 1.8% y/y (vs. (E) 1.9%).  That reading will keep Chinese authorities actively stimulating the Chinese economy, which is a positive for the global economy.

Today focus will clearly be on the CPI report (E: 0.0, 6.6%), but remember the Core CPI report is the more important number (E: 0.3%, 5.7%).  Markets need to see continued declines in CPI to underwrite recent gains in stocks and bonds.

Away from CPI, we get the latest Jobless Claims reading (E: 215K) and this number needs to move higher to reflect a better balance in the labor market.  Finally, there are multiple Fed speakers today including Harker (7:30 a.m. ET), Bullard (11:30 a.m. ET), and Barkin (12:40 p.m. ET) and while we should expect typically hawkish rhetoric, they shouldn’t reveal anything new (and as such shouldn’t move markets).

Tom Essaye Quoted in MarketWatch on January 9th, 2023

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Traders made money ‘selling the rip’ in stocks last year. Why it might work again in 2023.

“A sustained break above the 200-day moving average would imply that investors are becoming fundamentally more optimistic about the market. That would require real progress toward the Fed actually stopping its rate-hike campaign. Or progress toward the economy actually achieving a soft landing. Or progress toward inflation falling somewhere that is reasonably more acceptable to the Fed,” said Tom Essaye, founder of the Sevens Report. 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.

CPI Takeaways and Updated FOMC Preview

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Does the CPI Report Mean for Markets?
  • FOMC Preview: Post CPI Report (Encore Edition)
  • Fibonacci Retracement Levels Remain Pivotal for the S&P 500 – Chart

S&P 500 futures are little changed, notably hovering within a few points of their pre-CPI levels from yesterday as traders await the December Fed decision.

Economically, U.K. CPI favorably dropped sharply from 2.0% in October to 0.4% in November, below estimates of 0.6% in the latest sign of easing global inflation pressures.

China is moving forward with economic/Covid policy meetings this week after previously saying they would be postponed pointing to a potential reopening occurring sooner than later.

Today, there is just one economic report due early in the day: Import & Export Prices (E: -0.5%, -0.6%) but unless there is a huge surprise the numbers are not likely to have an impact on equities with the Fed looming.

Turning to the Fed, the FOMC Announcement will hit the wires at 2:00 p.m. ET with markets pricing in a high likelihood of a 50 bp hike while the market will be focused on the “dot plot.” A terminal rate of 5% or above will be viewed as hawkish and likely weigh on stocks.

Finally, Fed Chair Powell’s Press Conference is at 2:30 p.m. ET and his tone could very well decide the final direction of stocks into the close today (a stubbornly hawkish stance remains a threat to equities and other risk assets right now).

A Make of Break Week for Stocks and Bonds

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • A Make or Break Week for Stocks and Bonds
  • CPI Preview:  Good, Bad & Ugly
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Year-End Rally?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  Fed Decision Wednesday and CPI Tomorrow are the key events.

Futures are slightly higher as China continues to remove COVID restrictions.  The rest of the weekend was quiet from a macroeconomic perspective.

China announced it will deactivate its COVID tracking app in the latest signal that it is gradually abandoning the “Zero COVID” policy.

Economically, reports were sparse but UK Industrial Production (0.7% vs. (E) 0.0%) and Monthly GDP (0.5% vs. (E) 0.4%) both beat expectations.

Today the economic calendar is quiet and trading should be also, as markets look ahead to the week’s key events tomorrow (CPI) and Wednesday (FOMC Decision).

 

Annual Discounts on Sevens Report, Alpha, and Quarterly Letter

We’ve recently been contacted by advisor subscribers who wanted to use the remainder of their 2022 pre-tax research budgets to extend their current subscriptions, upgrade to an annual (and get a month free), or add a new product (Alpha or Quarterly Letter).

If you have unused pre-tax research dollars, we offer month-free discounts on all our products. If you want to extend current subscriptions or save money by upgrading to an annual subscription (across any Sevens Report product), please email info@sevensreport.com.

Market Multiple Levels: S&P 500 Chart

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Levels – S&P 500 Chart
  • VIX Breaks Longstanding Downtrend in Cautious Signal

Futures are modestly lower as persistent concerns about hawkish Fed policy and fading global growth overshadow positive Covid policy news out of China and encouraging EU economic data.

Economically, German Industrial Production was better than feared at -0.1% vs. (E) -0.6% while  Q3 Eurozone GDP topped estimates at 2.3% vs. (E) 2.1% Y/Y suggesting the EU economy may be stabilizing.

China’s NHC issued new guidelines on Covid restrictions overnight that eased certain testing and quarantine requirements and will hold a press conference tomorrow which points to the potential for more progress in moving away from Covid-Zero.

Looking into today session, there is one economic report before the bell: Productivity & Costs (E: 0.4%, 3.3%) and then Consumer Credit (E: 27.3B) will be released in the afternoon. The latter report is not one we typically follow closely but there has been increasing concern about the health of household balance sheets, so a sharp move higher in outstanding credit could raise concerns about defaults in the coming quarters.

Finally, there are no Fed speakers today but stocks have been taking queues from rate markets and the dollar so if either meaningfully move higher, that will add pressure to the broader equity market today.

Less Bad Isn’t Good (Especially at the Valuations)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Bottom Line:  Less Bad Isn’t Good (Especially at these Valuations)
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Can the S&P 500 Hold Recent Gains?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  More Signs of Dis-Inflation This Week?

Futures are moderately lower despite in-line economic data and more re-opening optimism from China, as markets further digest Friday’s jobs report.

Reuters reported that COVID may be downgraded to “Category B” in China which may result in new, less restrictive guidance from the government as early as this week.

Economic data largely met expectations as the Euro Zone Composite PMI, UK Composite PMI, and Euro Zone Retail Sales reports were all basically in line.

Today the calendar is mostly quiet but the focus will be on the ISM Services PMI (E: 53.5) and if the headline can remain firm (above 50) and prices can drop further, that’ll help support stocks.

Election Preview

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Election Preview
  • Chart: Technicals Dominate S&P 500 Price Action – Key Levels to Watch

Stock futures are slightly higher and Treasury yields are largely steady ahead of today’s midterm elections.

Economically, the U.S. NFIB Small Business Optimism Index came in at 91.3 vs. (E) 91.8 while Eurozone Retail Sales met estimates at 0.4% but neither release is materially impacting markets this morning.

There are no additional economic reports today and no Fed officials are scheduled to speak.

In Monday’s Sevens Report we incorrectly said CPI was to be released on Wednesday but the report is due out on Thursday. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Bottom line, focus will be on the midterms today which will likely result in a mostly quiet session, however, there is a 3-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET that could cause a move in yields and ultimately impact trading in equities.

FOMC Meeting Preview

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • FOMC Preview
  • Chart: 3,900 Is a Key Level For the S&P 500

U.S. futures and global stocks are rallying today amid reports that China is forming a “reopening committee” as part of a new push to ease Covid restrictions (however China’s foreign ministry has denied the rumors).

The RBA raised rates by 25 bp overnight, meeting estimates while the U.K.’s Manufacturing PMI was slightly better than feared at 46.2 vs. (E) 45.8.

Today, the focus will be on economic data early with the ISM Manufacturing Index (E: 50.0) and JOLTS (E: 9.875M) both due out shortly after the opening bell. But market reactions to the data are likely to be limited as the November FOMC meeting gets underway.

Earnings will remain in focus today with UBER (-$0.17), PFE ($1.47), BP ($1.94), and SYY ($0.99) reporting ahead of the bell, while AMD ($0.55) and ABNB ($1.46) will release results after the bell.

Bottom line, the combination of mostly favorable market news flow this morning, the calendar, and trader positioning into the Fed are all contributing to this morning’s pre-market gains, however, “Fed paralysis” is likely to set in today and into tomorrow’s morning session as investors await the latest Fed decision.