Are Stagflation Risks Rising?
What’s in Today’s Report:
- Stagflation Risks Rising
Futures are slightly higher as investors weigh the prospects of an emergency oil reserve release by G7 members against news that Iran attacked multiple oil tankers overnight ahead of key U.S. inflation data.
Economically, German CPI held steady at 2.0% vs. (E) 2.0% in February which is serving to ease global inflation worries.
Looking into today’s session, domestic inflation data will be in focus early with CPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 2.4% y/y) and Core CPI (E: 0.2% m/m, 2.5% y/y) due to be released ahead of the bell. Additionally fresh insight regarding the state of the U.S. fiscal situation will be delivered in the afternoon with the release of the Treasury Statement (E: $-308.0B).
There is one Fed speaker scheduled to speak today: Bowman (8:30 a.m. ET) and investors will be looking for any signs of caution regarding rate cuts due to the still tense geopolitical backdrop in the Middle East and the subsequent impact on oil prices/inflation.
The Treasury will hold a 4-Month Bill auction at 11:30 a.m. ET and a 10-Yr Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET, the latter of which will be closely watched as a proxy for any shift in the growth/inflation outlook by bond investors in recent weeks.
Finally, there are a few earnings releases to watch today including CPB ($0.57), PATH ($0.12), and WOOF ($-0.02), however, the market’s primary focus will remain geopolitical headlines which have proven to be meaningful intraday catalysts this week. Any signs of a sooner-than-later end to the U.S.-Iran military conflict will be well received and support a further relief rally in risk assets.