Weekly Update

Key Economic Indicators to Watch

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Published August 12, 2022

 

The article below from Zacks provides a good overview of the key economic indicators to look for as we move into the second half of the year.

“The Federal Reserve is actively trying to curb demand in the economy by raising rates, and all the talk is about whether they can usher a ‘soft-landing’ without triggering a deep recession. So, the Fed will be a key factor to watch in the second half of the year. But I also have three other economic fundamentals investors should put on their watchlists, as they could be key in determining the path of the economy and markets over the next year. (more…)

Weekly Update

Market Recovers to Resistance

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Published August 5, 2022

 

 

The stock market is at a crossroads having recovered the entirety of its June plunge. Prior to that plunge, stocks ran in place for several days as the bulls and bears fought mightily. That standoff was won by the bears, and the plunge ensued. The counter-rally, once it got going, has been almost as swift. (more…)

Weekly Update

Bulls Find Some Traction

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Published July 29, 2022

 

In a bull market, investors buy the rumor and sell the news, with the selling being typically light. In a bear market like we are in now, this week showed us it is the opposite. Investors fear the news, sell stocks down on the fear, buying them back when the news, though bad, is not quite as terrible as it could be. So it was with the Federal Reserve announcement this week. (more…)

Weekly Update

The U.S. Dollar Is the Standout This Year

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Published July 22, 2022

The only consistent winner during this bearish stock market period has been the U.S. dollar. Commodities had a brilliant run (blue line below) but have fallen off substantially in recent weeks. Bonds have followed stocks into the cellar in a rare case of very high correlation between the two major asset classes. Only the U.S. dollar (green line below) has held up. (more…)

Weekly Update

Labor Market Details Reveal a Weakening Condition

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Published July 15, 2022

 

Last week we noted that some economists argue we are not approaching (or in) recession because the labor market is too strong to suggest that. This week, we follow Schwab’s Liz Ann Sonders as she takes a deep dive into the state of the labor market and comes to a different conclusion, namely that the labor market, though strong, has been trending weaker. Here’s Schwab’s Sonders with all kinds of analysis to back up her view. (more…)

Weekly Update

Not a “Real” Recession

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Published July 8, 2022

At some point, all the bad news gets priced into stocks. We will see if that has happened in the coming weeks when companies report their quarterly earnings. The bearish market case says that falling corporate earnings are the next shoe to drop. The bullish case points to a myriad of seasonal factors, such as mid-term election market history, to suggest that the worst is behind us in stocks. (more…)

Weekly Update

The Drivers of Shelter Inflation

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Published July 1, 2022

Housing is a critical piece of the economy. Not only is a home the single largest investment most people make, but the industry built around housing – furniture, repair, mortgage finance, et al. – represents a major component of consumer spending. Many homeowners over the past year or two have seen the value of their house soar. That spike in prices has rippled through to higher rents, which is a significant component of reported inflation. Thus, the financials of the housing industry are very important. (more…)

Weekly Update

Consumer Sentiment Reaches Extreme Levels

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Published June 24, 2022

 

While no one has any clue which way the stock market goes from here, what we do know is that the magnitude of negative sentiment is extreme. The last time we saw consumer sentiment at these levels was in 1980, a dismal period for the economy. The current sentiment reading seems very much at odds with what’s really going on in the economy. (more…)

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Doom and Gloom

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Published June 17, 2022

 

Investors got what they thought they wanted this week when the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates by a full 0.75% and talked even tougher about fighting inflation. But a little post-rate hike relief rally gave way to yet another selloff the following day.

Investors have quickly shifted from worrying about inflation to fully embracing talk of a recession and downward revisions in corporate earnings. By many accounts, the recession is already here. It certainly felt gloomy and heavy in markets this week. (more…)

Weekly Update

Still Stormy Out There

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Published June 10, 2022

Investors are facing a tremendous amount of uncertainty these days as inflation continues to push out the timeline for when the Federal Reserve might pause interest rate hikes. Friday’s “hot” inflation data offered the Fed no new cover for backing off their inflation-fighting posture. (more…)