Thursday, February 24, 2022

The Morning Call---He did it.

 

The Morning Call

 

1/24/22

 

 

The Market

         

    Technical

                   

            Wednesday in the charts.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/commodities-soar-ruble-routed-tech-wrecked-sp-enters-correction

                          

Given the value destruction that is going on, I thought an update of the S&P chart would be helpful. Yesterday, the S&P reset its 200 DMA from support to resistance. It also began a challenge of the lower boundary of its short term trading range. If it remains there through the close on Friday, it will reset to a downtrend. I include the Fibonacci retracement levels in this chart to give some feel for potential support levels. As you can see, the 23.6% retracement level is in the proximity of the lower boundary of the short term trading range. If those levels fall, then the Fibonacci levels are the only real support until the S&P reaches the lower boundary of its intermediate term uptrend.

 

Of course, given the overnight news about the Russian incursion into Ukraine, I would not make any technical assumptions about the course of today’s pin action. Although I will add that, in my opinion, Fed policy is by far a more important variable in determining equity prices than what is going on in Ukraine,

 

 


 

            Gold fights off rising rates and Bitcoin.

            https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-23/gold-fights-off-rising-rates-bitcoin-to-be-haven-in-tough-times?srnd=premium&sref=loFkkPMQ

 

            And, finally, more than half the gold mining stocks are not in a bear market.

            https://sentimentrader.com/blog/gold-mining-stocks-havent-done-this-for-more-than-a-year/

 

    Fundamental

 

       Headlines

 

              The Economy

 

                        US

 

The second estimate of Q4 GDP growth was 7.0%, in line; the price index was 7.2% versus 6.9%; real consumer spending was 3.1% versus 3.3%.

 

Weekly jobless claims totaled 232,000 versus expectations of 235,000.

 

The January Chicago national activity index came in at .69 versus consensus of .15.

 

                        International

 

                        Other

 

                          Oil prices and recessions.

                          https://econbrowser.com/archives/2022/02/predictions-oil-prices-and-recoveries-and-recessions

           

                          Architecture billings continue to grow.

                          https://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2022/02/aia-architecture-billings-continue.html

 

            Inflation

 

              M2 growth continues at a rapid pace.

              http://scottgrannis.blogspot.com/2022/02/m2-growth-continues-at-rapid-pace.html

 

              A counterpoint---of sorts.

              https://www.capitalspectator.com/inflation-outlook-23-february-2022/

 

              JP Morgan says the risk of much higher commodity prices is substantial.

              https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/jpmorgan-publishes-terrifying-take-what-ukraine-crisis-will-do-commodity-prices

 

              Edible oil prices soar.

              https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/record-high-global-food-prices-could-be-imminent-edible-oil-soars

 

            Geopolitics

 

Well, I was wrong in assuming Russia wasn’t going to invade Ukraine. However, I am sticking with my assumptions about Putin’s objectives with respect to Ukraine and that Ukraine’s fate is not an existential threat to the US or even the EU. Putin’s objective all along has been to force the US and NATO to live up to the 1991 agreement (which I have documented repeatedly in these pages) not to extend NATO eastward. I think that this article is a good synopsis of the current state of affairs.

              https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/mcmaken-russian-weakness-russian-threat-west

 

              Will sanctions hurt the EU more than Russia?

              https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2022/02/washington-is-considering-escalating-financial-war-against-moscow-despite-risks-to-europes-banking-system.html

 

    Bottom line.

 

            Ukraine is not the problem.

            https://alhambrapartners.com/2022/02/21/weekly-market-pulse-ukraine-isnt-the-problem/

 

Five commodities that could explode if Ukraine/Russia turmoil escalates.

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2022/02/5-commodities-that-could-explode-as-the-ukraine-crisis-escalates.html

 

Earnings estimates will disappoint as the Fed tightens.

https://www.advisorperspectives.com/commentaries/2022/02/23/earnings-estimates-will-disappoint-as-fed-tightens-policy

 

    News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

 

 

What I am reading today

 

            The implications of a four day week.

            https://www.adamsmith.org/blog/we-agree-we-really-should-be-getting-excited-about-this-four-day-week-thing

 

 

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