Short Term

Expectations for future inflation fall

Expectations for future inflation fall

This could lead the Federal Reserve to move more cautiously on raising interest rates, say, a 25 basis point increase rather than 50 at the central bank’s March 16 meeting. If, that is, you think any piece data is likely to change the Fed’s mind. U.S. consumers lowered their expectations for future inflation in January, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The median expectation for inflation one year from now fell in this survey for the first time since October 2020, to 5.8% from the 7.5% current inflation rate.

Trick or trend: As oil breaks above $95 a barrel, U.S. producers add drilling rigs

Trick or trend: As oil breaks above $95 a barrel, U.S. producers add drilling rigs

Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, broke above $95 a barrel on Friday to an intraday high of $95.66 before closing at $94.44, up 3.31%. U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate closed ahead 3.58% to $93.1 after trading as high as $94.66. The short-term reason was increased fear of a wider shooting conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Long-term term, reason higher projections of global oil demand in 2022 from the International Energy Agency. The IEA raised its 2022 demand forecast and said it now expects global demand to expand by 3.2 million barrels per day this year. That would take demand to an all-time record.

So what was Monday? A bottom for stocks, just one of those oversold bouncy things, or something else?

So what was Monday? A bottom for stocks, just one of those oversold bouncy things, or something else?

Yesterday stocks reversed direction big time. After days of pounding lower the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 1.89% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.17% The NASDAQ Composite climbed 3.41% and the NASDAQ 100 tacked on 3.29%. Even the small cap Russell 2000 gained 3.05%. On those numbers I ‘d say the days action looks like a big oversold bounce off of a truly terrible January. But dig a little deeper and it looks like something else–or maybe additional somethings–was going on.

Expectations for future inflation fall

What happens when/if the Federal Reserve does nothing, says (almost) nothing tomorrow?

At the moment, Wall Street is memorized by tomorrow’s meeting of the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate setting body, the Open Market Committee. The meeting is almost certain to result in no action on interest rates or Treasury purchases or balance sheet draw downs. The Fed likes to announce policy actions at meetings replete with economic updates (the Dot Plot) and press setups. Those are missing at this meeting and present for the March 16 meeting. That’s the date when we’re likely to see the Fed actually do something. So what happens when the Fed does nothing and says nothing?

History says stock do well when the Fed raises interest rates–it’s likely to be different this time

History says stock do well when the Fed raises interest rates–it’s likely to be different this time

According to stock market history, stock investors should be “happy” that the Federal Reserve is about to start raising interest rates. Stocks have risen at an average annualized rate of 9% during the 12 Federal Reserve interest rate increase cycles since the 1950s and delivered positive returns in 11 of those instances, Keith Lerner, Truist’s co-chief investment officer told Bloomberg. There’s one exception. The 1972-1974 period, which coincided with the 1973-1975 recession. Which may, unfortunately, be more applicable to the current period than all those other historical examples.

Putting on those emerging market hedges ahead of schedule–today, right now–buying EWZ and EWW Put Options

Putting on those emerging market hedges ahead of schedule–today, right now–buying EWZ and EWW Put Options

When I posted over the weekend that coming increase in interest rates from the Federal Reserve and the possibility of soaring energy prices from a Russia/Ukraine conflict and the ensuring sanctions by Western allies against Russia constituted a double whammy on emerging market assets and developing economies. A strong dollar and higher U.S. interest rates would exacerbate a looming debt crisis (yes, yet again) in the developing world, and higher oil and natural gas prices (and tighter supplies) would hit developing economies really really hard. I said then that I’d be looking for hedges to insure against and profit from the downside risk in emerging market assets. Well, things have moved faster than I expected

2 Threats to Emerging Markets: Is This a Developing Short?

2 Threats to Emerging Markets: Is This a Developing Short?

Emerging markets and developing economies are looking at two very big and relatively near-term threats. First, and we know this one is coming, interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve could trigger a new debt crisis. Developing country debt repayments to creditors are already running at their highest level in two decades–even before higher U.S. interest rate and a strong dollar increase the burden on emerging markets and currencies.

Putting on hedges for a Russia-Ukraine conflict today (as in NOW)

Putting on hedges for a Russia-Ukraine conflict today (as in NOW)

On Saturday, January 15, in my “Saturday Night Quarterback” post wrote that conflict (a more comprehensive term than “war) between Russia and Ukraine remained a low probability event–but that the probability wasn’t zero and the the odds of conflict had increased in the past month. What’s happened since then? The odds of conflict have climbed

It’s official: NASDAQ Composite is in a correction (thanks to the continued rout in tech stocks)

It’s official: NASDAQ Composite is in a correction (thanks to the continued rout in tech stocks)

The Nasdaq Composite Index closed down 1.15% on Wednesday, January 19. That marked the first close for the index in correction territory since March. (The common definition of a correction is a drop of 10% or more.) The technology-heavy index is down 8.3% so far in 2022 closing t 14,340.25 on Wednesday. That’s 10.69% below the November 19 record high.

It’s official: NASDAQ Composite is in a correction (thanks to the continued rout in tech stocks)

Special Report: When will the selling stop? When to buy? Picks #4-#7 of 10

In the first section of this Special Report: When will the selling stop? When to buy What to buy” posted back on January 11, I said that I’d look to buy in tiers. And thus stagger my buying to take account of any earnings season selling and any volatility around the Fed’s January 26 meeting. In the first tier, I said, back on January 11, I said I’d look for former momentum and earnings growth favorites, especially in the technology sector, that had taken big hits in the selling from the November 19 high. The three first tier buys were Nvidia (NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and and the first three buys back on January 11 were Nvidia (NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD, and Adobe (ADBE). I said I’d name my second tier picks after bank earnings. Which means today.