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Equity Risk Premium Hits 2007 Levels

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Equity Risk Premium at 2007 Levels
  • February Composite PMI Flash Takeaways
  • Why Are Rising Rates Causing Stocks to Drop Now?
  • S&P 500 Chart: Trend Support From the October Lows In Focus

U.S. equity futures are little changed this morning following yesterday’s steep losses as Treasuries have stabilized ahead of today’s Fed meeting minutes release.

Economically, German CPI met estimates at 8.7% y/y but that remains a historically very high reading which continues to warrant aggressive policy from the ECB in the months ahead.

Looking into today’s session, there are no notable economic reports which will leave investors primarily focused on the FOMC meeting minutes release (2:00 p.m. ET). Before that release, the Treasury will hold a 5-Yr Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET which could move bond markets, and if we see new highs in yields, expect additional pressure on stocks.

Finally, the Fed’s Williams speaks after the close at 5:30 p.m. ET and his comments could move markets in after-hours trading if he is materially hawkish.

Market Multiple Levels: S&P 500 Chart

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Market Multiple Levels: S&P 500 Chart (Printable/Shareable PDF Available)
  • NY Fed Inflation Expectations Data Takeaways
  • Key Levels to Watch Today in the Dollar and Treasuries

Stock futures are modestly higher thanks to good economic data overnight as traders await today’s U.S. CPI report and more Fed speak.

Economically, the U.K.’s Unemployment Rate held steady below 4% but wage growth favorably slowed to 5.9% in January from 6.5% in December.

Meanwhile the NFIB Small Business Optimistic Index in the U.S. met estimates at 90.3 which saw S&P 500 futures hit new pre-market highs at the top of the 6:00 a.m. hour ET.

Today, focus will be on economic data early with CPI (E: 0.5% m/m, 6.2% y/y) and Core CPI (E: 0.3% m/m, 5.5% y/y) due out before the opening bell. Cooling inflation pressures have largely been priced in recently so a low print could see stocks add to YTD gains, but the risk is for a hot print to spark a significant wave of selling amid further hawkish shifting money flows across asset classes.

Moving through the day, there are three Fed speakers to watch: Logan (11:00 a.m. ET), Harker (1:00 p.m. ET), and Williams (2:05 p.m. ET) and they will all likely echo the hawkish tone coming from other Fed officials recently but their comments should not have a major impact on markets.

Earnings season is winding down but a few notable companies reporting today include: KO ($0.45), MAR ($1.84), ABNB ($0.27).

Will the October Lows Hold?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Subscriber Q&A: Will the October Lows Hold and What Is Going On Below the Market’s Surface?
  • The Gap Between the Fed and Markets is Closing
  • Chart: 2-Yr Yield Approaches 2023 Highs

Stock futures are little changed while the dollar and Treasuries are steady following a quiet night of news as traders await Powell’s speech today.

Economically, German Industrial Production fell -3.1% vs. (E) -0.6% in December which is rekindling recession worries this morning and helping support the stabilization in bond markets.

Looking into today’s session focus will be on Powell’s speech at 12: 40 p.m. ET as traders brace for the Fed Chair to potentially push back on the market’s dovish reaction to last week’s FOMC decision, something that happened multiple times in 2022 sparking big waves of volatility across asset classes each time.

Expectations for Powell’s speech have already become more hawkish since the January jobs report, however, so he would need to be explicit and firm about raising rates beyond 5% and not cutting rates in 2023 to cause a meaningfully hawkish reaction.

Beyond Powell, there are two lesser followed economic reports to watch: International Trade in Goods Services (E: -$68.8B) and Consumer Credit (E: $25.0B) although neither should have a material impact on markets while the Fed’s Barr also speaks this afternoon (2:00 p.m. ET).

There is a 3-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET and the outcome will offer some evidence of bond traders’ initial take on Powell’s comments. If the auction tails significantly, expect some hawkish follow-through money flows into the afternoon.

Finally, earnings season continues with a couple of notable reports after the close today: CMG ($8.88) and PRU ($2.57).

CPI Day and FOMC Preview

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • FOMC Preview
  • CPI Preview (Abbreviated Version)
  • Chart – NY Fed Survey Inflation Expectations Fall Sharply

Stock futures are extending yesterday’s gains as traders await today’s CPI report amid mixed news from overnight.

In China, a $143B stimulus package aimed at the semiconductor industry helped offset the delay of an economic/Covid policy meeting due to a surge in Covid cases.

Economic data was mixed overnight but there were no surprises material enough to derail the tentative pre-CPI rally this morning.

Today, traders will be keenly focused on the November CPI report at 8:30 a.m. ET with the headline expected to come in at 0.3% M/M and 7.3% Y/Y while the Core figure is expected to be 0.4% M/M and 6.1% Y/Y. Bottom line, a print below 7.3% on the headline and below 6.1% in the core figure will be well received by investors but an upside miss in either could trigger a sharp reversal of this most recent move higher in the broader stock market.

Once markets digest the CPI report, money flows are likely to take on a positioning tone with tomorrow’s Fed decision looming and a limited list of catalysts for the remainder of the day. There is a 30-Yr Treasury Bond auction at 1:00 p.m. ET that could move rates and have a mild impact on stocks.

Tom Essaye Quoted in CNBC on December 7th, 2022

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Bond yields fall as Wall Street worries about higher Fed rates

“Bottom line, the economic outlook is turning for the worse (outside of the labor market) and if that continues, it will support the long end of the curve,” wrote Tom Essaye of the Sevens Report. Click here to read the full article.

Tom Essaye Quoted in Market Watch on November 25th, 2022

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U.S. bond market holds steady in shortened post-Thanksgiving session

“Looking at the curve, the 10s-2s yield curve spread remained near a multidecade low of nearly minus-80 basis points. That deep of an inversion suggests that the Fed’s current policy and expected path of future policy are far too restrictive for the state of the economy and growth expectations, which will almost certainly end in a recession — and potentially a severe one given the scope of the current inversions across the Treasury yield curve,” said Tom Essaye, editor of Sevens Report Research, in a note. Click here to read the full article. 

Was Last Week’s CPI Report A Bullish Gamechanger?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Was Last Week’s CPI A Bullish Gamechanger?
  • Weekly Market Preview:  Can Yields Keep Falling?
  • Weekly Economic Cheat Sheet:  More Key Inflation Readings This Week

Futures are modestly lower following some hawkish Fed comments and as investors digest last week’s big rally.

Fed Governor Waller made comments on Sunday that the Fed still has “a ways to go” before ending rate hikes, which is sapping some of last week’s soft CPI enthusiasm.

Positively, China continued progress towards abandoning “Zero COVID” and announced a stimulus plan for supporting the residential real estate market.

Today there are no notable economic reports and only one Fed speaker, Williams at 6:30 p.m. ET, but that won’t impact today’s trading.  So, we’d expect digestion of last week’s gains.  Politically, the Republican’s are still expected to win the House, but it will be close.  If Democrats look like they may win the House, that will likely weigh on markets as investors want a split government.

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.

How (and Why) We Calculate Real Interest Rates

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • How (and Why) We Calculate Real Interest Rates

Futures are moderately lower following a disappointing night of earnings.

Thursday night was the first bad night of earnings as SNAP and WHR both posted underwhelming results, while numerous European companies also missed estimates.

Economically, the Japanese CPI ran hot (3.0% vs. (E) 2.9%), like virtually every other inflation indicator this week.

Today there are no economic reports and just one Fed speaker, Williams (9:10 a.m. ET), but he shouldn’t move markets.

Instead, the focus will continue to shift toward earnings and the markets needs some good results to rally today.  Reports we’re watching today include: VZ ($1.28), AXP ($2.38), SLB ($0.55), HCA ($3.89).

Economic Breaker Panel

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Economic Breaker Panel (October Edition)
  • Oil Update and EIA Analysis

Futures are slightly lower following a night of mixed earnings results and yet another firm inflation report.

TSLA missed on revenue and production targets and the stock fell –5% after hours, although overall earnings reports were more mixed than negative overnight.

German PPI was the latest global inflation indicator to run hotter than estimates (2.3% vs. (E) 1.5%) reinforcing that global inflation is proving “sticky.”

Today’s focus will be on economic data and the key reports are (in order of importance): Philly Fed (-5.0), Jobless Claims (E: 235K), and Existing Home Sales (E: 4.695M).  If we can see a moderation in the data (especially in the price indices in Philly Fed) then stocks can rally.  We also get numerous Fed speakers including: Harker (12:00 p.m. ET), Jefferson (1:30 p.m. ET), Cook (1:45 p.m. ET), and Bowman (2:05 p.m. ET) but none of them should move markets.

Finally, earnings season rolls on although the critically important results really increase next week.  Some reports we’re watching today include:  AAL ($0.54), SNAP ($0.00), and WHR ($5.59).