Thursday, August 31, 2023

The Morning Call---Wither September?

 

The Morning Call

 

8/31/23

 

The Market

         

    Technical

 

Wednesday in the charts.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/stocks-gold-gain-dollar-pain-soft-landing-narrative-implodes

 

Note: the S&P continued its climb, voiding that very short term downtrend, resetting its 50 DMA from resistance to support and opening the way for a run higher.  There is mixed technical opinion (see below) on that point.  And on the fundamental side, stocks moving up on lousy economic data begs the question, has a recession already been discounted?   I know that I said that I would be nibbling at equities if the S&P pushed back above its 50 DMA.  But with stocks already handsomely priced, September being a notoriously bad month for the Market and the sudden rush of poor economic data, I am too chicken to follow my own advice. I am adding to our long Treasury position.

 

Will September kill the Market’s bullishness?  (Note: the article was clearly written before S&P surge above its 50 DMA on Tuesday.  However, the remainder of the article is still a reminder that September can be rough on your portfolio)

            https://investorplace.com/2023/08/will-september-kill-the-market-bullishness/

 

            Bad is good, again.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/bad-good-again-goldman-flows-guru-says-new-bullish-stromfront-brewing-stocks

 

            Counterpoint.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/bad-news-good-news-juice-stocks-might-soon-run-out

 

            Bonds to buy.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/the-market-ear/big-bond-buy-0

 

    Fundamental

 

       Headlines

 

              The Economy

 

                        US

 

                          July pending home sales rose 0.9% versus estimates of -0.6%.

                          https://www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/2023/08/30/pending-home-sales-edge-higher-second-straight-month

 

July personal income was up 0.2% versus predictions of +0.3%; July personal spending was up 0.8% versus +0.7%.

 

The July PCE price indicator came in at +0.2%, in line.

https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/feds-favorite-inflation-indicator-jumps-higher-july-wage-growth-slowed

 

August initial jobless claims totaled 228,000 versus consensus of 235,000.

 

                        International

 

July preliminary Japanese industrial production was down 2.0% versus forecasts of down 1.4%; July retail sales were up 2.1% versus -0.1%; July YoY housing starts were off 6.7% versus -0.8%; July YoY construction orders were up 8.7% versus +2.1%.

 

July German retail sales fell 0.8% versus projections of +0.3%; the August unemployment rate was 5.7%, in line.

 

The July EU unemployment rate was 6.4%, in line; August flash CPI was +0.6% versus +0.3%.       

 

The August Chinese manufacturing PMI was 49.7 versus expectations of 49.5; the August nonmanufacturing PMI was 51.0 versus 51.1.

 

                        Other

 

            Recession

 

              An early warning?

              https://www.capitalspectator.com/is-us-economic-resilience-peaking/

 

              EV inventories piling up.

              https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/we-have-turned-away-inventory-us-ev-market-struggles-cars-pile-dealer-lots

 

              Investor home purchases crashing.

              https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/airbnb-bubble-bursts-investor-home-purchases-crash-45-biggest-drop-2008

 

            China

 

              China’s unsustainable, unbalanced growth model.

              https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2023/08/hoisted-from-comments-chinas-unsustainable-unbalanced-growth-model-and-its-current-economic-wobbles.AC

 

                           China attempts to stabilize finances of troubled shadow banks.

              https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-30/china-asks-citic-to-examine-finances-of-shadow-bank-zhongrong?srnd=premium&sref=loFkkPMQ

 

  How do we manage China’s decline?

  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/29/opinion/china-economy-decline.html

 

  Here is something new and different: an analysis of the Chinese economy that isn’t totally downbeat.           

https://www.advisorperspectives.com/commentaries/2023/08/30/china-contagion-contained

 

    News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

 

 

What I am reading today

 

            The last time (must read)

            https://www.raptitude.com/2021/09/the-last-time-always-happens-now/

 

            The relentless rise of stablecoins.

            https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2023/08/the-relentless-rise-of-stablecoins.html

           

                        Win big, lose big---the range of outcomes.

            https://www.mr-stingy.com/range-of-outcomes/

 

Visit Investing for Survival’s website (http://investingforsurvival.com/home) to learn more about our Investment Strategy, Prices Disciplines and Subscriber Service.

 

 

 

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