US & Canada Archives - Page 85 of 172

February 5, 2014

Crude: Nymex WTI down-trend

Nymex Light Crude is headed for another test of resistance at $100/barrel. Respect of resistance is likely, given the primary down-trend, and would suggest another test of primary support at $92/barrel. Breach of primary support would offer a target of $84/barrel*. Recovery above $100 is unlikely and another 13-week Twiggs Momentum peak below zero would strengthen the bear signal. Brent crude is headed for another test of support at $104/barrel. Breach would join Nymex crude in a primary down-trend.

Brent Crude and Nymex Crude

* Target calculation: 92 – ( 100 – 92 ) = 84

February 5, 2014

Taxes and corporate profits

A secondary element — when compared to wages, raw materials and interest rates — is the impact of a lower effective tax rate [blue line] on US corporate profits (CP/GDP). Part of the post-GFC fall in the effective corporate tax rate can be attributed to tax losses, incurred during the GFC and used to shield current income. Tax savings are likely to be short-lived, with effective tax rates returning to pre-GFC levels around 24%.

Effective Corporate Tax Rate

February 5, 2014

Interest Rates and the Dollar: Not much change

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes is headed for a test of primary support at 2.50 percent after penetrating the rising trendline. Bearish divergence on 13-week twiggs Momentum strengthens the signal and reversal below zero would warn of a primary down-trend. Breach of 2.50 remains unlikely, but would offer a target of 2.00 percent*.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 2.50 – ( 3.00 – 2.50 ) = 2.00

Despite falling yields, the Dollar Index is testing resistance at 81.50. Breakout would signal a primary advance to 83.00*. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Momentum above zero would strengthen the signal. Reversal below 79.70 is less likely, but would warn of another test of support at 79.00.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 81.5 + ( 81.5 – 80 ) = 83

February 5, 2014

Wages and corporate profits

Employee Compensation as a percentage of Net Value Added (by US Corporate Business) has fallen sharply since the GFC, boosting corporate profits. Again we can observe an inverse relationship, with corporate profits spiking when compensation rates fall, and vice versa.

Employee Compensation compared to Net Value Added

A sharp fall in unemployment would send wage rates soaring, as employers bid for scarce labor. But that is not yet on the horizon and we are likely to experience soft wage rates until the economy recovers.

February 5, 2014

Interest rates and corporate profits

Low interest rates clearly boost corporate profits. The inverse relationship is evident from the strong profits recorded in the 1950s, when corporate bond rates were lower than at present, and also the big hole in profits in the 1980s, when interest rates spiked dramatically during Paul Volcker’s reign at the Fed.

Corporate Profits and AAA Bond Yields

The outlook for inflation is muted and the rise in interest rates likely to be gradual over several years, rather than a sharp spike, if the Fed has its way.

February 5, 2014

Commodity prices effect on corporate profits

Sharp spikes in the US Industrial Commodities PPI (producer price index) often precede a drop in Corporate Profits (expressed below as a ratio to GDP). And sharp falls in the PPI tend to precipitate a surge in profits.

US Corporate Profits/GDP compared to Industrial Commodities PPI - 5 Years

The 5-year chart above shows PPI growth close to zero since 2012. With wages, raw material costs and interest rates near long-term lows, there is little wonder that corporate profits have surged. The question is: how long will the three remain low? That depends on how fast the global economy recovers. And how long rising demand (from the recovery) is able to withstand rising input costs.

For the chartists: A Long-term View

A long-term view of Corporate Profits/GDP compared to Industrial Commodities PPI shows the relationship is not a perfect inverse, but profits clearly tend to run counter to the rate of PPI growth.

US Corporate Profits/GDP compared to Industrial Commodities PPI

February 5, 2014

A Mis-Leading Labor Market Indicator | Liberty Street Economics

From a paper by Samuel Kapon and Joseph Tracy at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York:

As the economy recovered and growth resumed, the unemployment rate has fallen to 6.7 percent. …..The employment-population (E/P) ratio frequently is used as an additional labor market measure. The E/P ratio is defined as the number of employed divided by the size of the working-age, noninstitutionalized population. An advantage of the E/P ratio over the unemployment rate is that it is not impacted by discouraged workers who stop looking for employment.

Employment-population (E/P) ratio

Since the end of the recession, the E/P ratio has largely remained constant—that is, virtually none of the decline in the E/P ratio from the Great Recession has been recovered to date. An implication is that the 7.6 million jobs added since the trough of employment in February 2010 has essentially just kept pace with growth in the working-age population. In its failure to recover, the E/P ratio would seem to depict a much weaker labor market than indicated by the unemployment rate. An important question is whether this is a correct or a misleading characterization of the degree of the labor market recovery…….

Hat tip to Barry Ritholz.

February 4, 2014

US correction confirmed

The S&P 500 broke support at 1770, confirming a secondary correction. At times like this it pays to look at monthly charts to gain a long-term perspective. The first line of support is at 1700. Respect of the secondary trendline would flag a weak correction indicative of a strong up-trend. Breach of that level, however, would suggest a strong correction to 1550 and the primary trendline. The scale of the bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow, when compared to the divergence in 2007, suggests medium-term selling pressure — typical of a secondary correction rather than a (primary) reversal.

S&P 500

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) crossed to above 20, suggesting moderate risk, but not yet cause for concern.

VIX Index

The Nasdaq 100 retreated below 3500, warning of a correction. Again, the bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow appears secondary and no threat to the primary up-trend.

Nasdaq 100

February 4, 2014

Dow scare tactics

I wish I had a dollar for every time the 1929 Dow has been superimposed over the current index. Like this effort at Zero Hedge.

Dow Jones

Why did the analyst select a period of two years? Because that is the period that fits.

Dow Jones

If we compare the period 1920 to 1933 to the last 13 years, 2001 to 2014, there is a significant difference.

Dow Jones 2001 to 2014

By 1929 the Dow had climbed roughly 400%, while by 2014 the Dow gained roughly 50% over a similar time period.

Superimposing charts one on top of the other has no sound basis in technical analysis and should be viewed as an attempt to scare the market into a sell-off. A correction may be overdue, but there are always potential buyers hoping for much lower prices.

Hat tip to John B. for sending me the Zero Hedge chart.

January 29, 2014

US interest rates and the Dollar

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes broke support at 2.75 percent after penetrating the rising trendline. Both warn of trend weakness. Bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Momentum strengthens the signal and reversal below zero would warn of a primary down-trend. Breach of support at 2.50 still seems unlikely, but would offer a target of 2.00 percent*.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 2.50 – ( 3.00 – 2.50 ) = 2.00

The Dollar Index, on the other hand, appears headed for another test of resistance at 81.50. Breakout would signal a primary advance to 83.00*, while recovery of 13-week Twiggs Momentum above zero would strengthen the signal. Reversal below 79.80 cannot be ruled out, with long-term rates falling, and would warn of another test of primary support at 79.00.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 81.5 + ( 81.5 – 80 ) = 83