Friday, June 7, 2019

The Morning Call--Good news is good news, bad news is good news


The Morning Call

6/7/19

The Market
         
    Technical

The Averages (25720, 2843) had yet another good day yet on even lower volume and only marginally improved breadth.  However, both closed above the upper boundaries of their very short term downtrends for a second day, voiding those trends. 

The Dow ended above its 100 DMA (now resistance; if remains there through the close Monday, it will revert to support) and above its 200 DMA for a second day (now resistance); if it remains there through the close next Monday, it will revert to support. 

The S&P closed above its 200 DMA (now support) and above its 100 DMA for a second day (now resistance; if it remains there through the close today, will revert to support). 

Clearly, the indices are testing multiple resistance levels and so far successfully.  However, until those challenges are completed positively, my assumption is still that the direction is lower.

 VIX fell 1%---pretty paltry for a big up price day.  Still it finished in a very short term uptrend and above its 100 DMA (now support).  However, it ended below its 200 DMA for a second day (now support; if it remains there through the close on Monday, it will revert to resistance).  So, like stocks, it is on the cusp of change.

TLT was up 3/8%, finishing above both MA’s (now support) and in a very short term uptrend.  It seems to be working off its overbought condition by running in place; so, more downside may not be as likely as I thought a couple of days ago.

The Fed, QE and why rates are going to zero.

Ditto.  From one of my favorites.

The dollar declined 3/8%, but remained in a short term uptrend and above both moving  averages (now support).  It still has one more lower gap up open that needs to be filled.

GLD rose 3/8 %, closing within a short term uptrend and above both MA’s (now support). 

Bottom line:  the indices are working their way through numerous resistance levels formed during the decline off the May double top, though volume and breadth have been anemic at best.  If they are ultimately successful then the question becomes they will challenge the double top (assuming the validity of the technical saw that ‘there are no triple tops’, then that challenge should be successful) or fall short further cementing the likelihood of a double top.

UUP, TLT and GLD continued to act like safety trades.

            Thursday in the charts.

    Fundamental

       Headlines
           
            Yesterday’s data was mixed: weekly jobless claims and the April trade deficit were slightly less than anticipated while the Q1 nonfarm productivity and unit labor cost numbers offset each other.
           
            Overseas, May German factory orders were better than estimates while its construction PMI was below; Q1 EU employment and GDP growth were both in line.

            ECB downgrades EU economic growth forecast.
           
            Not a lot of sizzling headlines yesterday.  What we got was mostly trade related:
      
            China’s threat to embargo rare earth shipments to the US ring hollow.

            But allowing the yuan to depreciate is still likely.

            Mexican tariffs?  Maybe not. Well, maybe.

            But they are trying---blocking immigrants at southern border and freezing bank accounts of known human traffickers.

            Bottom line: of course, a dovish Fed remains, in my opinion, the driving force behind stock prices.           

The death of the virtuous cycle.

            More on valuation.

            The total return roller coaster.

            May dividends by the numbers.

    News on Stocks in Our Portfolios
 
           

Economics

   This Week’s Data

      US

            May nonfarm payrolls rose 75,000 versus expectations of 185,000; the unemployment rate was 3.6%, in line.

     International

            April Japanese YoY household spending was up 1.3% versus estimates of +2.6%; cash earnings (income) fell 0.1% versus -0.7%; its leading economic indicators came in at 95.5 versus 96.1.

            The April German trade balance was E17 billion versus consensus of E21.1 billion; industrial production was -1.9% versus projections of -0.4%.

    Other

            Household net worth increased in the first quarter.

            Heavy duty truck orders falling.

What I am reading today

            Russian comedian’s prank call to Adam Schiff.

            The day that brave men changed the world.

            The failure of Common Core education reform.

            The misuse of data on extreme poverty.

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