Friday, September 15, 2023

The Morning Call---Goldilocks?

 

The Morning Call

 

9/15/23

 

The Market

         

    Technical

 

            Thursday in the charts.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/stocks-yields-crypto-crude-jump-inflation-expectations-soar

 

Note: the S&P finished the day back above its 50 DMA (if it remains there through the close today, it will revert to support) and, in the process, set a fourth higher low (clearly a plus).  On the other hand, this the third time it has crossed over the DMA in a week---suggesting investor confusion and uncertainty.  That said, what is amazing is that equities had such a blow out day in the face of highly inflationary economic news.  Strangely, the narrative of the day was that, the news notwithstanding, the Fed was done raising rates, the ECB was done raising rates and China lowered rates.  To be sure, if the major central banks are through tightened, that would be reason enough for a lift in stock prices since it would imply the inflation has been whipped and the central banks are easing to avoid a recession (i.e., the Goldilocks story line).  It is just odd that that scenario would present itself on a day in which the economic news suggested just the opposite.  However, if that is what the Market is discounting, then that is what it is discounting and there is little use in fighting the tape.  But before I buy into that narrative, I would like to see some follow through is stock prices and, at least, a hint that yesterday’s economic news was an outlier.

 

            Today’s triple witch is the largest September op-ex on record.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/34-trillion-tomorrows-triple-witch-biggest-september-op-ex-record

 

            Sucking fear out of the Market.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/the-market-ear/fear-freefall

 

    Fundamental

 

       Headlines

 

              The Economy

 

                        US

                             

The September NY Fed manufacturing index came in at +1.9 versus projections of -10.0.

 

                        International

 

The July EU trade balance was E6.5 billion versus estimates of E20.0 billion.

 

August Chinese YoY industrial production was up 4.5% versus expectations of +3.3%; YoY retail sales were up 4.6% versus +3.0%; YoY fixed asset investments were up 3.2% versus +3.3%.

 

                        Other

               

             The Fed

 

Despite the hot PPI number, the market is still not pricing in a rate hike next week. 

                https://www.capitalspectator.com/markets-still-no-fed-rate-hike-after-hot-inflation-report/

 

                     ECB hikes rates for the tenth time; though it appears that it may be the last.

                https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/ecb-unexpectedly-hikes-25bps-record-400

               

                The Chinese central bank cut rates.

                https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/china-boosts-economy-second-rrr-cut-year

 

            Fiscal Policy

 

              The ‘green’ crowd continues to try to impose its will on unwilling Americans.

              https://www.clubforgrowth.org/key-vote-alert-house-yes-on-the-preserving-choice-in-vehicle-purchases-act-h-r-1435/

 

  Tax cuts are here to stay and so are exploding budget deficits.

  https://www.wsj.com/politics/tax-cuts-budget-deficits-republicans-democrats-4f2a0d33?mod=hp_lead_pos1&utm_campaign=What%20I%20Am%20Reading&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=274097969&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-98nsuqo6xyanL1NHYmGomiAPqYWGjwvVALdVrPxAd5nHeM0qeLM926cQN49O8cNvJPB9Jutj-1Knqv1ZMNdEt5YGiS0w&utm_content=274097969&utm_source=hs_email

 

Recession

 

  Mortgage demand stalls at a level not seen since 1996.

  https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/13/mortgage-demand-stalls-at-a-level-not-seen-since-1996.html?utm_campaign=What%20I%20Am%20Reading&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=274097969&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_VYGUHUeinmFaF9Wa5Pve7PIDFXn7u2Z4BXzyg4_hxwpeM_v3-wFo9PLVrlUgtf1EwFncD6VBDRxhSBK1fJnrEHO_6tQ&utm_content=274097969&utm_source=hs_email

 

  The bond market has never forecasted recession for this long.

  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-14/the-bond-market-has-never-sounded-recession-alarms-for-this-long?srnd=premium&sref=loFkkPMQ

 

  Three things are going to negatively impact Q4 GDP.

  https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/here-are-three-things-about-slam-q4-gdp

 

            China

 

              Xi reprimanded by communist party elders.

              https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/China-up-close/Analysis-Xi-reprimanded-by-elders-at-Beidaihe-over-direction-of-nation

 

              Peak China gloom?

  https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/peak-china-gloom-or-geopolitical-quagmire-2023-09-13/?utm_campaign=What%20I%20Am%20Reading&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=274097969&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8DRcd4hvrBmLhpvPpjgc3ygSxkGWWrMPjHZkbFaAnHap-2e6t6TMp4W5uf-tf15cpjYghEALFmfN2nl0IS9C1BtZHDWw&utm_content=274097969&utm_source=hs_email

 

     Bottom line

 

            Ray Dalio says no to bonds.

            https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-14/ray-dalio-says-he-doesn-t-want-to-hold-bonds-cash-is-good?srnd=premium&sref=loFkkPMQ

 

            This analyst disagrees.

            https://www.ft.com/content/10deb3ad-d67c-42d4-8d4d-1b73eefa094c

 

            Birinyi’s axioms.

            https://ritholtz.com/2023/09/birinyis-axioms/

 

This kind of speculative activity by rookies tends to occur in the later stages of a bull market.

https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/options-individual-investors-risk-gambling-a97bee1a?st=y4rblsho42am2ik&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

 

    News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

 

Kroger (NYSE:KR) declares $0.29/share quarterly dividend, in line with previous.

 

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) declares $0.90/share quarterly dividend, in line with previous.

 

What I am reading today

 

            Quote of the day.

            https://cafehayek.com/2023/09/quotation-of-the-day-4389.html

 

 

 

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