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Is Investor Sentiment Getting Too Bullish?

How Important Is AI to This Market? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Is Investor Sentiment Getting Too Bullish?
  • Why the FOMC Minutes Weren’t Hawkish
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Update

Futures are solidly higher following stronger than expected NVDA earnings and guidance.

NVDA results beat across the board as earnings, revenue and guidance all beat estimates while the company announced a 10:1 stock spilt and increased the dividend.  NVDA is up 6% pre-open and pushing futures higher.

Economically, EU and UK May flash PMIs were mixed but both above 50, importantly signaling economic expansion.

Today focus will switch back to economic data and the key report today will be the May Flash PMI (E: 51.0).  For now, investors still view “bad data as good for stocks” as it makes rate cuts more likely so a small miss vs. expectations should extend the early rally.  We also get the latest Jobless Claims (E: 220K) and again a small miss will be welcomed by investors.  Turning to the Fed, the surge of speakers subsides today as we only have one speaker, Bostic (3:00 p.m. ET) and he shouldn’t move markets.


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No relation to the recent geopolitical tensions

No relation to the recent geopolitical tensions: Sevens Report Research Analysts, Quoted in Morningstar


Oil prices settle lower as traders fret over the outlook for demand

Analysts at Sevens Report Research wrote in Tuesday’s newsletter that the crash was deemed to be “an accident and had no relation to the recent geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel, which allowed for some of the fear bids added on Friday ahead of the weekend to come unwound” at the start of Monday’s trading.

Also, click here to view the full MarketWatch article published on Morningstar on May 21st, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

Oil Inventories

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If Nvidia’s earnings are soft, you’ll see some weakness in tech

If Nvidia’s earnings are soft, you’ll see some weakness in tech: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s


Why the Stock Market Can Rally, Even if Nvidia Earnings Disappoint

“I think if Nvidia’s earnings are soft, you’ll see some weakness in tech, especially, although I don’t think that a bad Nvidia earnings print carries with it the same danger that it would have seen in February or November,” Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye tells Barron’s.

“While a bad Nvidia print will be bad for tech and probably bad for the S&P 500, because tech is such a big weight, for things like the Dow, the Russell 1000, RSP (the equal-weight S&P 500), I don’t think it’s a derailing event,” Essaye says. “I’d probably be looking to buy any dip on that.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on May 21st, 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.


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How Important Is AI to This Market?

How Important Is AI to This Market? Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How Important Is AI to This Market?
  • Chart: Key Levels to Watch in NVDA Today
  • Fed’s “SHED” Release Takeaways Support Soft Landing

Futures are mildly lower as UK core inflation data failed to “cool” as much as hoped in April while traders await NVDA earnings after the close today.

Economically, the UK’s Core CPI figure came in at 3.9% vs. (E) 3.7% y/y in April, down from 4.3% in March which was a mild disappointment for broader global disinflation hopes.

Looking into today’s session it is a fairly busy day from a catalyst standpoint as we will get the latest Existing Home Sales report (E: 4.195 million) later this morning while the Fed’s Goolsbee is scheduled to speak at 9:40 a.m. ET.

As we move into the afternoon traders will be watching the results of a 20-Yr Treasury Bond auction (1:00 p.m. ET) before waiting on the release of the latest FOMC meeting minutes (2:00 p.m. ET).

Finally, some late season earnings could move markets with two notable retailers releasing results in the premarket: TGT ($2.05), TJX ($0.87) before all eyes turn the widely anticipated release of NVDA earnings ($5.55) after the close.

Bottom line, with stocks sitting on record highs investors will need to see economic data that remains “goldilocks,” the absence of any hawkish Fed surprises (i.e. consideration of rate hikes), steady yields, good retailer earnings, and solid guidance from AI bellwether NVDA to meaningfully advance beyond current levels.


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Even after the revisions, the data was really mostly in line.

Even after the revisions, the data was really mostly in line: Sevens Report Editor, Tom Essaye, Quoted in Barron’s


The Market Is in a Trance. Wednesday’s Inflation Data Could Break It.

But Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told Barron’s in a phone interview that even after the revisions, the data was really mostly in line.

“The markets could be entering an extension of the sweet spot that they were in earlier in the year,” Essaye says. “If you’re looking out, there are definitely some things you want to pay attention to, because some of this data is starting to point in a not-great direction. But it’s not necessarily a reason to sell now.”

“We were in the bullish trance, and now Powell has kind of put us back into it by saying, ‘Well, no, we’re not going to hike rates. Probably going to cut rates once or twice’ or whatever,” Essaye says. “That kind of got us back into it. So it’s going to take a hot data point.”

Also, click here to view the full Barron’s article published on May 14th, 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.

“Good, bad and ugly” outcomes for the April consumer-price index reading.

“Good, bad and ugly” outcomes for the April consumer-price index reading: Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research, Quoted in Morningstar


Stock market could suffer ‘ugly’ day if April CPI comes in above this level

Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research, took a look Tuesday at potential “good, bad and ugly” outcomes for the April consumer-price index reading.

So what would provoke an ugly reaction? Essaye puts the threshold at 3.9%.

A core reading at or above that threshold would be likely to spark a “solid selloff,” further entrenching the idea that inflation remains sticky and rates will be higher for longer, Essaye wrote. That has the potential of undoing much of the rally seen over the last two weeks, as investors would likely scale back rate-cut expectations, penciling in just one cut in December.

Also, click here to view the full MarketWatch article published on Morningstar on May 14th, 2024. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

Oil Inventories

Lastly, 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.

Advisor Considerations of the “T+1” Settlement Change

Advisor Considerations of the “T+1” Settlement Change: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Practice Management Update: Examining the Upcoming Move to T+1 Settlement
  • Long-Term S&P 500 Chart: Greatest Volatility Risk Since January 2022

Futures are flat this morning as economic data was mixed in Europe and global traders await NVDA earnings (tomorrow) to gauge the outlook for AI industry growth.

In Europe, German PPI fell -3.3% vs. (E) -3.1% underscoring that disinflation trends remain underway in the EU while the UK’s CBI Industrial Trends Order Balance dropped -33% vs. (E) -20% adding to global factory sector worries.

Looking into today’s session, there are no economic reports to watch but a handful of Fed speakers on the calendar this morning: Barkin (9:00 a.m. ET), Waller (9:00 a.m. ET), Williams (9:05 a.m. ET), Bostic (9:10 a.m. ET) and Barr (11:45 a.m. ET).

At this point, the higher-for-longer mantra has been absorbed by markets and it would take renewed talk of rate hikes to meaningfully move markets, especially as traders settle in and await tomorrow’s post-bell earnings release from NVDA which is widely viewed as the most important catalyst of this week.


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Short vs. Long Term Market Outlook (Is Falling Inflation & Slowing Growth Good for Stocks?)

Short vs. Long Term Market Outlook: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Short vs. Long Term Market Outlook (Is Falling Inflation & Slowing Growth Good for Stocks?)
  • EIA Update and Oil Market Analysis

Futures are little changed as market digest Wednesday’s new high amidst more dovish global data.

Japanese GDP (-0.5% vs. (E) -0.4%), Aussie Unemployment (4.1% vs. (E) 3.9%) and Italian HICP (their CPI, 0.9% vs. (E) 1.0% y/y) all pointed towards falling inflation and slowing global growth, which investors welcome (for now).

Today is a busy day full of data and Fed speak.  Broadly speaking, if the data/Fed speak is dovish and Treasury yields drop, it’ll extend the rally.

Notable economic data today includes (in order of importance):  Jobless Claims (E: 219K), Philly Fed (E: 7.8), Industrial Production (E: 0.1%) and Housing Starts (E: 1.435MM).

On the Fed, there are numerous speakers including:  Barr (10:00 a.m. ET), Barkin (10:00 a.m. ET), Harker (10:30 a.m. ET), Mester (12:00 p.m. ET), Bostic (3:50 p.m. ET).  But, unless they all start talking about rate hikes (very unlikely), their commentary shouldn’t move markets.


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Key Levels to Watch: S&P 500, 10Y, Gold, VIX

Key Levels to Watch: S&P 500, 10Y, Gold, VIX: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • CPI Technical Preview: S&P 500, 10Y, Gold, VIX
  • Trading Color – The “Chase” Higher Continued Yesterday
  • PPI Takeaways: Downside Revisions Spark Dovish Money Flows

Futures are flat while European stocks are modestly higher thanks to market-friendly economic data overnight ahead of today’s U.S. CPI report.

GME and AMC are both notably up another 10%+ in pre-market trading suggesting the meme-stock frenzy is poised to continued today.

Economically, French CPI met estimates at 2.2% y/y while Eurozone Industrial Production was up 0.6% vs. (E) -0.5% helping to ease lingering worries about the threat of global stagflation.

Today, focus will be acutely on economic data in the premarket with CPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 3.4% y/y) and Core CPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 3.6% y/y) the most important release to watch. Downside revisions to March like we saw in yesterday’s PPI report and a goldilocks headline should see stocks extend gains and test or break through current records.

However, in order for the equity rally to continue it is important that Retail Sales (E: 0.4%), the Empire State Manufacturing Index (E: -10.0), and the Housing Market Index (E: 51.0) don’t offer and negative surprises as there is a tentative and complacent feel to the current test of the all-time-highs.

After the economic data is digested, there are two Fed officials scheduled to speak today: Kashkari (12:00 p.m. ET) and Bowman (3:20 p.m. ET). Investors have become comfortable with the higher-for-longer tone recently, but any mention of hikes could pressure markets here.


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CPI Preview: Good, Bad, & Ugly

CPI Preview: Good, Bad, & Ugly: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.


What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Thoughts on the Meme-Stock Revival
  • CPI Preview: Good, Bad, & Ugly
  • Chart – NY Fed’s Consumer Survey Contains Hot Inflation Print

Global markets are little changed this morning as traders digest mostly better-than-expected economic data from Europe and await today’s PPI report and commentary from Fed Chair Powell.

“Meme stocks” GME and AMC are notably up 58% and 64%, respectively, in pre-market trading this morning (more on that in today’s report).

Economically, German CPI met estimates at 2.2% y/y while Economic Sentiment in the German ZEW came in at 47.1 vs. (E) 45.0. Domestically, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index beat with a headline of 89.7 vs. (E) 88.3 but the data is having a limited impact on markets this morning.

Looking into today’s session, focus will be on PPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 2.2% y/y) and Core PPI (E: 0.2% m/m, 2.3% y/y) due out at 8:30 a.m. ET. A “hot” print would spark hawkish, risk-off money flows while a cooler-than-expected report could see the S&P 500 test all-time-highs as CPI whisper numbers are dialed back.

Finally, there are a handful of Fed speakers today including Cook (9:10 a.m. ET) ahead of the bell and Schmid (8:15 p.m. ET) later this evening. Most importantly though, Powell will speak at 10:00 a.m. ET and if he is more hawkish than two weeks ago at the May FOMC meeting, that will put upward pressure on rates and weigh, potentially heavily, on stocks.


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