Posts

Recent data have traders worried that the economy is slowing

Recent data have traders worried that the economy is slowing: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s


Stocks Are Slipping. The Market Can’t Find Middle Ground.

Recent data have traders worried that the economy is slowing more than people think, Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye tells Barron’s. He notes that if the economy slows too much, the question becomes whether rate cuts in September and December would be enough to turn things around.

“The market can’t ever find the middle,” Essaye says.

He says that sentiment has bounced back and forth between worries about hot inflation to worries that the Federal Reserve won’t be able to navigate a slowing economy. Essaye thinks the pullback in stocks can be chalked up to already-high valuations.

“It’s not that things have suddenly turned bad,” says Essaye. “It’s that we’re priced for a very still-perfect environment, and the data is implying it’s maybe not so perfect.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on June 5th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.


Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

The data is starting to show a potential soft landing

The data is starting to show a potential soft landing: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s


Only Two S&P 500 Sectors Are Rising

Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s the data is starting to show a potential soft landing, though where it goes from here is anyone’s guess.

“A soft landing was always a slowing of growth that sort of didn’t get too bad,” Essaye says. “So it appears we are kind of arriving at that point. Now, the issue is that every hard landing started with a soft landing. You don’t just jump from growth to contraction.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on June 5th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.


Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown

My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s


The Stock Market Needs a Strong Economy to Keep Rising. The Data Are Getting Worse.

“My biggest concern for this market remains that we get an unexpected economic slowdown because that’s one of the few events that can legitimately cause a material correction in stocks,” writes Sevens Report founder Tom Essaye, noting that his worry ticked up last week due to corporate earnings.

However, Essaye warns, it doesn’t always work so neatly. “Twice in my career I have seen investors cheer a slowdown, and both times the Fed was not able to cut rates at the right time to prevent the slowing from becoming a broader economic contraction,” he wrote. “That doesn’t mean they can’t do it this time, but catching a falling knife doesn’t work in real life, it doesn’t work in stock trading, and I’ve never seen it work in monetary policy.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on June 4th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.


Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Traders will be keenly focused on the EIA data

Traders will be keenly focused on the EIA data: Sevens Report Analysts Quoted in MarketWatch


Gasoline demand in focus as oil futures slip

Traders will be keenly focused on the EIA data, particularly its measure of implied gasoline demand, said analysts at Sevens Report Research, in a note.

The data “could either reinforce the thesis that U.S. demand for fuel at the pump is rebounding into the summer driving season, a trend in line with those from 2021 and 2023 that both matched annual trends of pre-Covid years when demand would peak in the summer, or if we are going to see demand destruction’ due to inflation and elevated prices at the pump like we did in 2022,” they wrote.

Also, click here to view the full MarketWatch article published on May 30th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.


If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.


Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Jobs Report Preview (Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right)

Jobs Report Preview (Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right): Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview: Too Hot, Too Cold, and Just Right Scenarios
  • ISM Services Index Takeaways – A “Warm” Report
  • EIA Data Takeaways and Oil Update

Equity markets are mixed in the pre-market as tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 futures are extending gains to new record highs while small-cap Russell 2000 futures are lower ahead of the ECB decision and more U.S. economic data. NVDA notably rose as much as 2% overnight.

Economically, Taiwan’s May CPI rose from 1.95% to 2.24% while German Manufacturing Orders were down -0.2% vs. (E) +0.5% and EU Retail Sales fell -0.5% vs. (E) -0.2%. The market is “ok” with the soft European data ahead of the widely anticipated ECB rate cut this morning.

Looking into today’s session, trader focus will be on the ECB Decision early (8:15 a.m. ET) and as mentioned, rate cuts to benchmark interest rates are expected which will leave commentary from Lagarde and any forward guidance provided critical to the market’s reaction.

In the U.S., there are no Fed speakers or notable Treasury auctions today so focus will shift to the several U.S. economic reports due to be released including: Jobless Claims (E: 216K), International Trade (E: -$75.2B), and potentially most importantly, Productivity & Costs (E: 0.2%, 4.7%).

Bottom line, any “cold” or stagflationary data has the potential to put this week’s rally on pause ahead of tomorrow’s all important jobs report.


Join thousands of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

A Concerning Divergence in Bond Markets

A Concerning Divergence in Bond Markets: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Is the Smart Market Telling Us? (Part II)
  • JOLTS Data Takeaways – Normalizing or Rolling Over?
  • Chart: JOLTS Fall Below Pre-Pandemic Trend Path

Futures are tracking European markets higher this morning on the back of “goldilocks” growth and inflation data overnight ahead of more key domestic economic data today.

Economically, China’s May Composite PMI handily beat estimates at 54.1 vs. (E) 52.7 which was a welcomed print as Chinese data has been underwhelming recently.

In Europe, the Eurozone Composite PMI rose to 52.2 vs. (E) 52.3 while April PPI fell -1.0% m/m vs. (E) -0.5%. Stabilizing growth numbers and evidence of further disinflation are exactly what the ECB want to see ahead of their first rate cut as it helps shore up the soft-landing argument.

Looking into today’s session, there are no Fed officials scheduled to speak but two important economic reports on the calendar. First, the May ADP Employment Report (E: 173K) will be released pre-market and second, the ISM Services Index (E: 50.7) is due out a half hour after the opening bell.

Investors will want to see a labor market print that is close to estimates. A number too strong will push back on the recent dovish money flows while a weak number will add to recession worries. With the ISM, a steady number above 50 with cooling price indices would be the best case scenario for risk assets leading into the jobs report Friday.


Join thousands of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

What Is the “Smart Market” Telling Us? (Part I)

What Is the “Smart Market” Telling Us? (Part I) : Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Is the Smart Market Telling Us? (Part I)
  • May ISM Manufacturing Index Takeaways
  • OPEC+ Decision Takeaways – Focus Shifts to Demand

Markets are trading with a risk-off tone globally as U.S. stock futures are tracking overseas equities lower while Treasuries maintain a strong safe-haven bid amid worries about global growth ahead of more key economic data today.

Overnight, Korean CPI fell to 2.7% vs. (E) 2.8% and Swiss CPI was unchanged at 1.4% vs. (E) 1.6%. German Unemployment was also steady at 5.9%, meeting estimates. The lack of positive response to the easing inflation data underscores increasing growth concerns.

Looking into today’s session focus will be on economic data early with JOLTS (E: 8.4 million), Factory Orders (E: 0.7%), and Motor Vehicle Sales (E: 15.8 million) all due to be released.

There are no Fed speakers or major Treasury auctions today, leaving the economic data releases the main potential market catalysts. If the data disappoints, growth worries could see the early risk-off money flows accelerate, however, “goldilocks” data could help stocks continue to stabilize after last week’s spike in volatility.


Join thousands of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Will the Trump Verdict Impact Markets?

Will the Trump Verdict Impact Markets? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Will the Trump Verdict Impact Markets?
  • When Will Higher Yields Pressure Stocks?

Futures are moderately lower again following more disappointing tech earnings and another hot inflation print.

Salesforce (CRM) missed earnings and joined a growing list of non-AI tech companies to post disappointing result (WDAY last week) and that’s weighing on futures.

Economically, Spanish CPI was hotter than expected as it rose 3.8% y/y vs. (E) 3.7%, up from last month’s 3.4%

Today includes some potentially important economic data as we get the Revised Q1 GDP report (E: 1.5%) and focus will be on the headline as well as any revisions to the PCE Price Data (if it’s revised higher, that’s a negative).  Other notable data today includes Jobless Claims (E: 217K) and Pending Home Sales (E: 0.3%) and as has been the case all year, “hot” data will be negative for stocks and bond.

There are also two Fed speakers today, Williams (12:05 p.m. ET) and Logan (5:00 p.m. ET), although unless they talk about rate hikes, they comments shouldn’t move markets.


Join thousands of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Breadth matters because it basically speaks to investor conviction about fundamentals

Breadth matters because it basically speaks to investor conviction about fundamentals: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s


The S&P 500 Is Suffering From Bad Breadth Again

“Breadth matters because it basically speaks to investor conviction about fundamentals,” Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye tells Barron’s. “The more sectors that are rallying, the stronger the perception of underlying fundamentals (a rising tide lifts all boats). If just one sector is carrying the market (poor breadth) it’s viewed as a vulnerable market because fundamentals aren’t that strong outside of the one sector.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on May 23rd, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

It’ll be Very Hard for This Market to RallyIf you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.


Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Explaining This Market to Clients (Summer Edition)

Explaining This Market to Clients (Summer Edition): Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Explaining This Market to Clients (Summer Edition)
  • Weekly Economic Preview – All Eyes on Inflation (Friday)

Futures are modestly higher, led by mega-cap tech, as traders return from the long weekend to mixed headlines.

Economically, an ECB survey showed a favorable dip in medium term (3-year) consumer inflation expectations which was well received by equity traders overnight.

Geopolitically, an Egyptian soldier was killed in a fire fight with Israeli forces at the Rafah border over the weekend while, separately, there were dozens of civilian casualties following an Israeli airstrike just north of Rafah leaving Middle East tensions as high as they’ve been in months (oil is up more than 1%).

Looking into today’s session, there are two economic reports to watch: S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: 0.3%) and Consumer Confidence (E: 95.3) while several Fed officials are scheduled to speak: Kashkari (9:55 a.m. ET), Cook (1:05 p.m. ET), and Daly (1:00 p.m. ET). The market will want to see more “goldilocks” economic data and preferably less-hawkish Fed chatter.

Additionally, there are two key Treasury auctions, the first for 2-Yr Notes at 11:30 a.m. ET, and the second for 5-Yr Notes at 1:00 p.m. ET. With the total amount being auctioned just shy of $150B, demand for the Notes will be closely watched and weak auction outcomes could push yields higher and weigh on stocks with key inflation data looming later in the week.


Join thousands of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.