Friday, December 20, 2024

The Morning Call--Equties at make or break level

 

The Morning Call

 

12/20/24

 

The Market

         

    Technical

 

            Thursday in the charts.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/market-recaps/bonds-bitcoin-battered-despite-soft-data-slump-gold-dollar-jump

 

Note: the S&P pushed back above its 50 DMA intraday but failed to hold that level---closing down on the day. That resets the 50 DMA to resistance and opens the door for challenges of its 100 DMA and the lower boundary of its very short term uptrend.

 

            Fragile markets haunted by VIX, liquidity and leverage.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/the-market-ear/fragile-markets-haunted-vix-leverage-and-liquidity

 

            Equities at make or break levels.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/the-market-ear/equities-make-or-break-levels-stress-surges

 

            The latest from Goldman’s trading desk.

            https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/goldman-most-asked-question-coming-today-when-does-cta-selling-begin

 

    Fundamental

 

       Headlines

 

              The Economy

 

                        US

 

                          November existing home sales rose 4.8% versus forecasts of +1.0%.

                          https://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2024/12/nar-existing-home-sales-increased-to.html

 

The November leading economic indicators were up 0.3% versus projections of -0.1%.

 

November personal income rose 0.3% versus consensus of up 0.4%; November personal spending was up 0.4% versus 0.5%.

 

November PCE YoY price index was up 2.4% versus expectations of +2.5%; the core PCE price index was up 2.8%, in line.

 

The December Kansas City Fed manufacturing index was reported at -5 versus estimates of +4.

 

                        International

 

The November Japanese YoY CPI was up 2.9% versus predictions of +2.5%; YoY core CPI was up 2.7% versus +2.6%.

 

The November German PPI was up 0.5% versus forecasts of +0.3%.

 

November UK YoY vehicle production dropped 30% versus projections of down 12%; November retail sales were up 0.2% versus +0.5%; ex fuel, they were up 0.3% versus 0.0%.

 

                        Other

 

                          Inconsistencies in the reported data.

                          https://mishtalk.com/economics/the-bea-revises-gross-domestic-product-gdp-higher-but-income-gdi-lower/

 

            Monetary Policy

 

              A deeper dive into Wednesday’s FOMC meeting results.

              https://wolfstreet.com/2024/12/18/fed-cuts-by-25-basis-points-to-4-25-4-50-sees-only-2-cuts-in-2025-sees-higher-inflation-higher-longer-run-rates-qt-continues/

 

Did the Fed just make another mistake? Historically, that wouldn’t be atypical. These guys always seem to find a way to screw up a wet dream. But that is not why I am linking to this article. The reason is that part of its thesis is that the Fed mistakenly made its decisions using (deliberately) faulty data produced by the current administration.  I am not making a judgment on that notion---though the cynic in me wouldn’t be surprised. But rather my point is to posit just how much more confusing than normal (which is itself is always open to debate) the data and its interpretation are at the moment---and hence the risking of Your Money on a particular economic scenario.

  https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/powell-made-big-mistake-record-plunge-job-finding-rate-hints-imminent-unemployment-surge

 

            Fiscal Policy

           

              Will spendthrift republicans really embrace DOGE?

              https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2024/12/18/elon-musk-doge-federal-budget-chip-roy/76921636007/

 

              Apparently not.

              https://www.zerohedge.com/political/johnson-meets-trump-team-throw-federal-funding-hail-mary

 

              A tsunami of executive orders.

              https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/powell-made-big-mistake-record-plunge-job-finding-rate-hints-imminent-unemployment-surge

 

            Inflation

 

              Market now focused on reflation risk.

              https://www.capitalspectator.com/markets-focus-on-reflation-risk-after-fed-cuts-rates/#more-23284

 

     Investing

 

This author has the prognosis right, he just has (in my opinion) the diagnosis wrong---the Maga Seven were smoking long before Trump got elected.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/remember-to-keep-your-head-as-trumphoria-grips-wall-street-7f0f7022?st=dZYAJD

 

            Outlook for 2025 S&P dividends.

            https://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-outlook-for-s-500-dividends-near.html

 

            There is a time to make money and a time not to lose money.

            https://traderfeed.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-psychology-of-handling-large.html

 

            The bond vigilantes are butting heads with the ruling class.

            Bond Vigilantes Butting Heads With Washington's Profligate Crowd

 

    News on Stocks in Our Portfolios

 

FedEx press release (NYSE:FDX): Q2 Non-GAAP EPS of $4.05 beats by $0.12.

Revenue of $22B (-0.9% Y/Y) misses by $90M

 

            FedEx is spinning off its freight division.

            FedEx Freight to be separated and listed as a new public company (NYSE:FDX) | Seeking Alpha

 

Nike press release (NYSE:NKE): Q2 GAAP EPS of $0.78 beats by $0.15.

Revenue of $12.35B (-7.8% Y/Y) beats by $240M; and down 9 percent on a currency-neutral basis.

 

Kroger (NYSE:KR) on Thursday said it has entered into accelerated share repurchase agreements (ASR) to repurchase, in aggregate, $5 billion in shares of common stock.

 

What I am reading today

 

           

 

 

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