Markets sold consistently across the week. Is there more red to expect in coming weeks?
Monday S&P 500 1.20% | NASDAQ 1.79%
Happy Tax Day! Retail sales expanded more than expected in March. Three major companies reported earnings, all three met expectations, all of which were financials. This was not surprising as financials usually head up earnings season. They also give us a good indication of how earnings season should go. Retail sales, however, took center stage as a strong consumer reduces the need for Federal Reserve Board (FRB) rate cuts. This caused an outsized move downward as investors anticipate less stimulus for 2024.
Tuesday S&P 500 0.21% | NASDAQ 0.12%
Housing data for March came in weaker than market expectation. Ten major companies reported earnings, with two missing expectations. Although mild, the losses continued. FRB Chair Powell indicated that inflation’s recent strength does not give the board confidence to start easing policy.
Wednesday S&P 500 0.58% | NASDAQ 1.15%
11 major companies reported earnings on the day, with three missing expectations. Focus was squarely on earnings as there was little economic data on the day. Tech stocks took a hit as AI chip orders for a specific company did not meet expectations. As would be expected this hit the tech heavy NASDAQ harder than the S&P 500.
Thursday S&P 500 0.22% | NASDAQ 0.52%
Initial unemployment claims remain benign. Existing home sales also slowed in March. 11 major companies reported earnings on the day, with one missing expectations. Markets were down for the day, but in a less dramatic fashion. Robust employment data typically is not favorable information when hoping for an FRB rate cut (as investors are).
Friday S&P 500 0.88% | NASDAQ 2.05%
Six major companies reported earnings on the day, with one missing expectations. NASDAQ led the way lower as Tech and communications got hit hardest. The best performers on the day were defensives, like utilities, healthcare, staples, and also financials.
Conclusion S&P 500 3.05% | NASDAQ 5.52%
The week was bloody. There was not a single up day for the S&P 500 or the NASDAQ Composite. The moves were not founded in fundamental data, as earnings did well. Some forward guidance shows warning of slowing revenues throughout the year, but that is normal for the last two years. Economic data, which signals the economy is doing well, has actually pushed stocks lower. The stronger the economy, the less likely the FRB is to act in reducing rates. The sell-off has extended to approximately 6%. It may take a breather in the coming days but expect that we are not done.
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July gained more than we have seen since 2020. Is it sustainable or should the bears be feared?
Monday S&P 500 0.13% | NASDAQ 0.43%
It was a rocky start to the week. Earnings did not really get under way for the week until after market close. Tuesday carried a much thicker representation of earnings data. Early trade was quite likely focused on affairs in Ukraine that continue to make global foods supplies questionable. This impacts inflationary pressures.
Tuesday S&P 500 1.17% | NASDAQ 1.88%
Inventory was the story of the day Tuesday. Walmart reported a need to slash prices even further to induce buying. This is in an effort to alleviate an inventory buildup. This news and what it could mean for other retailers sent stocks lower. This might just be an opening salvo on how inflation gets defeated…
Wednesday S&P 500 2.62% | NASDAQ 4.06%
Markets opened in the green in anticipation of the FRB press conference later in the day. That meeting did not disappoint. The FRB raised interest rates 0.75% to 2.50%, the top end of neutral. Markets applauded the move, but more so the language surrounding the move. They sounded more dovish towards future rate hike activity given economy weakness.
Thursday S&P 500 1.21% | NASDAQ 1.08%
Welp… 2nd quarter GDP came in at -0.9%. This was the second consecutive quarter of negative GDP. With no additional context this signals a technical recession. The necessary additional context is that consumers, which makes up 70% of GDP, was positive 1% on the quarter. The drag on GDP was that much of the bottlenecks since last year have cleared and created heavy corporate inventories. Those inventories act as a negative on economic growth. Ultimately, markets rose on the decreased likelihood of an aggressive FRB.
Friday S&P 500 1.45% | NASDAQ 1.88%
Inflation, inflation, inflation… Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), the FRB’s preferred measure of inflation firmed in June. Headline PCE rose to 6.8%, while core PCE rose to 4.8% (removing fuel and food). On a positive note, earnings data out Friday was strong with only 2 major companies missing expectations.
Conclusion S&P 500 4.26% | NASDAQ 4.70%
Breaking with recent trends, last week gained for the second week in a row. The month of July proved to be a strong month for equities. The S&P 500 rose 9.11% and the NASDAQ was up by 12.35% in the month of July. Given that we are in a bear market, last week’s strength should be short lived. Some air will likely be taken out of those gains.
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Any and all third-party posts or responses to this blog do not reflect the views of the firm and have not been reviewed by the firm for completeness or accuracy.