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Jobs Report Preview (Two Sided Risks)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Jobs Report Preview:  Two Sided Risks
  • EIA Analysis and Oil Update
  • Why Yesterday’s Service PMI was a Negative for Markets

Futures are little changed following a mostly quiet night of news as markets digest this week’s underwhelming economic data ahead of the jobs report and long weekend.

Economic data overnight was better than expected as the Chinese Composite PMI beat estimates (57.8 vs. (E) 55.0) as did German Industrial Production (2.0% vs. (E) 0.0%).

Regional banks remained stable overnight following WAL’s update on deposit statistics yesterday.

Today focus will be on Jobless Claims (E: 201K) and a speech by Fed president Bullard (10:00 a.m. ET).  Investors will want to see claims move higher, above 200k, to signal some moderation in the labor market, while we can expect Bullard to be hawkish, although keep in mind he does not represent the consensus at the FOMC (and as such his comments shouldn’t move markets, unless they’re a dovish surprise).

Why Wasn’t “Bad” Data “Good” for Stocks Yesterday?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Wasn’t “Bad” Data “Good” for Stocks Yesterday?
  • JOLTS and Factory Orders Takeaways

Stock futures are modestly lower this morning while short duration yields are on the rise amid some hawkish central bank developments but soft economic data overnight.

Internationally, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised rates by 50 bp vs. (E) 25 bp to 5.25% citing inflation that is still too high while RBA Governor Lowe pushed back on hopes that their rate hiking campaign is over. In Europe, the Eurozone Composite PMI fell to 53.7 vs. (E) 54.1.

Today, market focus will remain on economic data with the ADP Employment Report (E: 200K), International Trade in Goods and Services (E: -$68.7B), and ISM Services Index (E: 54.4) all due to be released this morning. Investors will be looking for further signs of moderation in the labor market (but not a collapse) and easing price pressures in the ISM report in order to restore optimism about a soft landing.

Additionally, the Fed’s Mester will speak at 8:30 a.m. ET and her recent comments about Fed funds pushing beyond 5% have contradicted what rates markets are pricing in for this year, so a reiteration of that view could push yields higher and weigh on equities.

 

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Tom Essaye Quoted in Forbes on March 30th, 2023

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Dow Jumps 200 Points As Lack Of ‘Drama’ Spurs Gains

“To say a lot has transpired in the markets over the past three weeks would be an understatement,” Sevens Report analyst Tom Essaye wrote in a Thursday note to clients. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on March 29th, 2023

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Markets Pop as Banking Fears Ease, Tech Stocks Rally

“The UBS move is easing some of the angst surrounding the recent turmoil in the banking sector,” wrote Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research. Click here to read the full article.

What Drove the Q1 Rally

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • What Drove the Q1 Rally?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Does A Soft Landing Become More Likely?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  ISM Manufacturing today, Jobs Report Friday.

Futures are little changed as oil prices are higher following a surprise OPEC+ production cut, while investors digest the recent rally.

OPEC+ announced a surprise production cut of 1.16 million bpd and oil rallied as much as 8% on the news, although it has backed off those highs (up about 5% currently).

Economically, the EU and UK manufacturing PMIs were generally in line with expectations and aren’t moving markets (47.3 for the EU and 47.9 for the UK).

Today focus will be on the ISM Manufacturing PMI (E: 47.5) and oil prices, and a continued steep rise in either (so a hotter than expected PMI or oil moving sharply higher from current levels) will be a headwind on stocks.

 

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Bull Case vs. Bear Case Part II (Tactical Ideas and My Opinion)

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Bull Case vs. the Bear Case Part II (Tactical Ideas and My Opinion)

Futures are little changed as global inflation and regional bank liquidity stress both remain elevated.

The Fed’s balance sheet shrank slightly as discount window borrowing dropped –22 bln. while BTFP lending increased 10.7 bln. as bank liquidity stress didn’t get much worse, but it didn’t get much better, either.

On inflation, EU HICP fell to 6.9% from 8.5% y/y, but core HICP rose to 5.7% from 5.6%, reflecting still sticky inflation.

For the final day of the first quarter focus will be on inflation and specifically the Core PCE Price Index (E: 0.4%, 4.7%) and investors need to see that number at or below expectations to further the “Fed Pivot” idea that’s supporting stocks.  We also get Consumer Sentiment (E: 63.4) and the five-year inflation expectations and there’s one Fed speaker Williams (3:05 p.m. ET).  As mentioned, if the data and Williams support the “Fed Pivot” idea, stocks can extend the rally.  If they refute that idea, stocks could give back some of the recent gains.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Barron’s on March 24th, 2023

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Stocks Gain as Volatile Week Ends

“Bottom line, banks have reemerged as the primary influence on markets in the back half of the week and if the weakness in the sector continues today, stocks will have a very hard time extending yesterday’s modest bounce,” says Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research. Click here to read the full article.

Sevens Report Co-Editor, Tyler Richey, Quoted in MarketWatch on March 23rd, 2023

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Oil futures end lower on recession worries

“However, the banks are the main driver of oil, and really all risk assets, as fading confidence in the financial system is reigniting fears that another crisis may be looming, after we saw some of the biggest bank failures since 2008 in early March,” Tyler Richey, co-editor at Sevens Report Research, told MarketWatch. Click here to read the full article.

The Bull Case vs. the Bear Case

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Bull Case vs. the Bear Case
  • Weekly Oil Update and EIA Analysis

Futures are modestly higher and are extending Wednesdays’ gains following better than expected inflation data overnight.

Spanish CPI, which was the first inflation indicator to warn of the stall in disinflation, rose just 3.3% y/y, less than the 3.8% expectation and much lower than the 6% y/y reading last month. That’s offering some initial hope that disinflation has restarted.

Today focus will be on economic data, with Jobless Claims (E: 195K) the key report, although we also get the Final Q4 GDP (E: 2.7%).  There are also two Fed speakers today, including Collins (12:45 p.m. ET) and Barkin (12:45 p.m. ET) and markets will look for additional confirmation that the Fed has finally pivoted.

The True Indicator of Banking Stress

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The True Indicator of Banking Stress
  • Case Shiller Home Price Index and Consumer Confidence: Charts

Stock futures are trading solidly higher with overseas markets following some positive bank headlines out of Europe and strong price action in Asian tech shares.

BABA announced a corporate restructuring plan that sent shares higher by 14% overnight, boosting sentiment across Asian equity markets and buoying U.S. equity futures with tech leading the way higher.

In Europe, it was reported that UBS has brought back former CEO Sergio Ermotti to oversee the CS takeover which is further easing some of the angst surrounding the recent turmoil in the banking sector.

Looking into today’s session, there is one more housing data release to watch: Pending Home Sales (E: 1.0%) before Fed Vice Chair Barr continues with his Congressional testimony regarding recent bank failures at 10:00 a.m. ET. There is also a 7-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Bottom line, equity markets appear to be stabilizing but the tape does remain thin and tentative with the “pain trade” to the upside. One materially negative headline out of the banking sector or regarding Fed policy, however, could reignite the volatility of recent weeks.