The S&P 500 is testing its all-time high at 2950. Bearish divergence on Twiggs Money Flow warns of secondary selling pressure. Respect of resistance is likely and would signal retracement to test support at 2750.
The 10-Year Treasury yield has fallen to 2.0%, indicating that the Fed is expected to cut interest rates in the second half of 2019.
Stocks are still running on hope of a deal in the US-China trade dispute. Xi Jinping and Donald Trump will meet this weekend to discuss the way forward. Chinese preconditions for a trade agreement are likely to include the US lifting its ban on the sale of technology to telecommunications giant Huawei and removal of US tariffs on Chinese imports, according to The Wall St Journal. The US is unlikely to accede and chances of a deal are slim to nonexistent.
Trump doesn’t seem concerned: “My Plan B with China is to take in billions and billions of dollars a month and we’ll do less and less business with them……My plan B’s maybe my plan A.” (Bloomberg)
Plan B is the likely outcome, with a moderate impact on US corporate earnings and Fed rate cuts to keep the market on track. Risks rise while the potential upside declines. It’s a good time to be cautious.
We must recognize that as the dominant power in the world we have a special responsibility. In addition to protecting our national interests, we must take the leadership in protecting the common interests of humanity……There is no other country that can take the place of the United States in the foreseeable future. If the United States fails to provide the right kind of leadership our civilization may destroy itself. That is the unpleasant reality that confronts us.
~ George Soros: The Age of Fallibility