Tag: Light Vehicle Sales

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Markets move to Risk-Off

Bitcoin broke support at $64K, warning that financial markets are moving to risk-off . Traders and investors reduce their exposure to risk and focus on protecting their capital. Follow-through below $62K would confirm, warning of a sharp fall (in BTC) and a stock market correction.

Bitcoin

The 10-Year Treasury yield has climbed to 4.67%, confirming our target of 5.0%.

10-Year Treasury Yield

The Japanese Yen fell to 154 against the Dollar, increasing pressure on the Bank of Japan to loosen the cap on long-term JGB yields — to protect the Yen. The result of such a move would be an outflow of Japanese investors from the US Treasury market, increasing upward pressure on UST yields and downward pressure on the Dollar.

USDJPY

Fed Monetary Policy

From CNN:

The US economy’s enduring strength and a “lack of progress” on inflation means the central bank likely won’t cut interest rates at its upcoming policy meeting just two weeks away, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday.

“The recent data have clearly not given us greater confidence” that inflation is headed toward the central bank’s 2% goal, Powell said during a moderated discussion hosted by the Wilson Center. Instead, he said, there are indications “that it is likely to take longer than expected to achieve that confidence.”

Stocks

The S&P 500 broke support at 5100, warning of a correction. Lower Trend Index peaks reflect selling pressure. Our target is 4950.

S&P 500

The Equal-Weighted Index ($IQX) continued its downward path after breaking support at 6650, presenting a target of 6250.

S&P 500 Equal-Weighted Index

US Consumers

Real retail sales ticked up in March to remain on trend.

Real Retail Sales

Light vehicle sales also remain reasonably strong, at 15.5 million units (annualized) in March.

Light Vehicle Sales

Gold & the Dollar

The Dollar Index climbed above 106, strengthened by safe haven demand and the appeal of higher long-term yields. Our target is the October 2023 high at 107.

Dollar Index

Gold is again testing resistance at our target of $2400 per ounce, currently at $2383. The Shanghai Gold Exchange continues to display a premium on its international gold contract (iAu99.99) at 558.3 Yuan which translates to $2399 per Troy ounce (31.10348 grams). The domestic contract trades at an even higher price of 569 per gram but is subject to capital controls. The price premium should ensure a constant inflow of physical gold from other exchanges to China for as long it is maintained.

Spot Gold

Silver retraced from resistance at $29 per ounce and is testing support at $28. The lower Trend Index peak warns of selling pressure. Breach of $28 would warn of a correction to $26. Breakout above $29 is less likely in the short-term but would signal a fresh advance, with a medium-term target of $34.

Spot Silver

Crude & Commodities

Brent crude is in a narrow consolidation (pennant) at $90 per barrel. Continuation is likely and would test resistance at $96 per barrel.
Brent Crude

Nymex crude has retraced to test short-term support at $85 per barrel. Respect is likely and would indicate an advance to our target at $90.
WTI Light Crude

Conclusion

Geopolitical risk dominates, with an Israeli retaliatory attack on Iran expected before the end of the month.

Rising crude oil prices are likely to increase inflationary pressure and the yield on long-term Treasuries, with the 10-year yield expected to test 5.0%.

Safe haven demand from investors is concentrated on Gold, with bond prices falling and stocks warning of a correction. We expect a short retracement to test support levels but respect is likely and would signal another advance.

Bitcoin is diverging from Gold as investors grow more risk averse. Breach of support at $62K would confirm a correction, with support expected at $52K.

Acknowledgements



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Rising Crude and Gold warn of inflation

Brent crude continued its advance, closing at almost $89 per barrel on Tuesday. Our target is $94 per barrel would increase inflationary pressure in the months ahead and possibly delay Fed rate cuts.

Brent Crude

Rising crude oil prices have forced cancellation of plans to restock the strategic petroleum reserve (Bloomberg). US crude and petroleum inventory (including SPR) is testing the lows from January 2023.

Crude & Petroleum Inventory

Treasury Market

10-Year Treasury yields broke resistance at 4.35% but is retracing to test the new support level. Respect would confirm an advance to test resistance at 5.0%. Failure of support is less likely but would warn of another test of 4.05%.

10-Year Treasury Yield

Federal debt at 120% of GDP, deficits of 6% of GDP, and a growing interest rate burden limit the available options.

Federal Debt/GDP

The Fed can suppress long-term interest rates but the cost — in terms of inflation — is likely to be high.

Federal Debt Interest Burden

The US is well along the path to fiscal dominance as explained in this 2023 paper from the San Francisco Fed:

Fiscal dominance refers to the possibility that the accumulation of government debt and continuing government deficits can produce increases in inflation that “dominate” central bank intentions to keep inflation low….If global real interest rates returned tomorrow to their historical average of roughly 2 percent, given the existing level of US government debt and large continuing projected deficits, the US would likely experience an immediate fiscal dominance problem. Even if interest rates remain substantially below their historical average, if projected deficits occur as predicted, there is a significant possibility of a fiscal dominance problem within the next decade.

The essence of fiscal dominance is the need for the government to fund its deficits on the margin with non-interest-bearing debts. The use of non-interest-bearing debt as a means of funding is also known as “inflation taxation.” Fiscal dominance leads governments to rely on inflation taxation by “printing money” (increasing the supply of non-interest-bearing government debt).

The rise in Gold — currently at $2270 per ounce — reflects bond market fears of an inflation rebound.

Spot Gold

The same inflation fears are also driving demand for stocks.

S&P 500

US Economy

The US economy continues to display resilience, with job openings holding steady at 8.8 million in February, exceeding unemployment by a wide margin of 2.3 million.

Job Openings & Unemployment

Light vehicle sales remain robust at a seasonally-adjusted 15.8 million annual rate in February, reflecting consumer confidence.

Light Vehicle Sales

However, heavy truck sales (41.6K in February) are trending lower — with the 6-month moving average crossing below the 12- month MA — reflecting declining business confidence.

Heavy Truck Sales

Conclusion

The economy remains robust but fears of an inflation rebound are growing, fueled by rising crude oil prices and large fiscal deficits. The odds of Fed rate cuts in the second half of the year are shrinking but there are still two possible scenarios:

  1. A sharp decline in economic activity could still prompt the Fed to cut rates despite inflationary fears. That would be a strong bear signal for stocks.
  2. Fiscal dominance, with the deliberate use of inflation as a tax in order to restore the ratio of debt-to-GDP to more sustainable levels. This involves shrinking the public debt in real terms by expanding GDP through inflation. A strong bull signal for real assets such as Gold, Stocks and Commodities.

Acknowledgements

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Rising long-term rates could spoil the party

Real GDP for the September quarter reflects an annual growth rate of 2.9% for the US, well below the Atlanta Fed GDPNow estimate of 5.4%. Growth in weekly hours worked declined to 1.5% for the 12 months ended September, indicating that GDP is likely to slow further in the fourth quarter.

Real GDP & Estimated Total Weekly Hours

New Orders

Manufacturers’ new orders for durable goods, adjusted for inflation, shows signs of strengthening.

Manufacturers' New Orders: Durable Goods

Transport

Transport indicators show a long-term down-trend but truck tonnage has grown since May 2023.

Truck Tonnage

Container (intermodal) rail freight likewise grew for several months but then turned down in August..

Rail Freight

Growth in weekly payrolls of transport and warehousing employees slowed to an annual rate of 3.6% in September but remains positive.

Transport & Warehousing Weekly Payrolls

Consumer Cyclical

Light vehicle sales continue to trend higher, suggesting consumer confidence.

Light Vehicle Sales

Housing

New housing starts (purple) have been trending lower since their peak in 2022 but new permits (green) are now strengthening.

Housing Starts & Permits

New single family houses sold are trending higher.

New Home Sales

Despite a steep rise in mortgage rates. In a strange twist, higher rates have reduced the turnover of existing homes on the market, with owners reluctant to give up their low fixed rate mortgages. Low supply of existing homes has boosted sales of new homes, lifting employment in residential construction.

30-Year Mortgage Rate

The National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index (HMI), however, reflects falling sentiment — likely to be followed by declining new home sales and housing starts.

NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index

HMI is a weighted average of three separate component indices. A monthly survey of NAHB members asks respondents to rate market conditions for the sale of new homes at the present time; sales in the next six months; and the traffic of prospective buyers. (NAHB)

Financial Markets

The ratio of bank loans and leases to GDP declined to 0.44 in the third quarter but remains elevated compared to levels prior to 2000.

Bank Loans & Leases

The cause of ballooning debt is not hard to find, with negative real interest rates for large parts of the past two decades.

Real Fed Funds Rate

Now real rates are again positive and money supply is contracting relative to GDP, the days of easy credit are at an end. A significant contraction of credit is likely unless the Fed intervenes, either by cutting rates or expanding its balance sheet to inject more liquidity into the system.

M2 Money Supply/GDP

Commercial banks continued to raise lending standards in Q3, making credit less accessible.

Bank Lending Standards

Conclusion

This is not a normal market cycle and investors need to be prepared for sudden shifts in financial markets.

The US economy is slowing but cyclical elements like light vehicle sales and new home sales are holding up well.

The rise in long-term Treasury yields, however, is likely to cause a sharp credit contraction if the Fed does not intervene by cutting rates or expanding its balance sheet (QE).

10-Year Treasury Yields

The Fed is reluctant to intervene because this would undermine their efforts to curb inflation. But they may be forced to if there is a credit event that unsettles financial markets.

Moody's Baa Corporate Bond Yield minus 10-Year Treasury Yield

Fed intervention is unlikely without a steep rise in credit spreads. But would be especially bullish for Gold.

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Strong US retail activity unlikely to last

Real retail sales remain strong, holding above the pre-pandemic trend (dotted line) in September.

Real Retail Sales

Supported by a strong jobs market, with low unemployment.

Unemployment Rate

The labor market remains tight, with employers holding on to staff — cutting weekly hours rather than resorting to layoffs.

Average Weekly Hours Worked

The consumer sentiment trough in June 2022 coincided with a peak in gasoline prices. Sentiment has been rising over the past 12 months but this could be derailed by a spike in gas prices.

University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment & Gasoline Prices

The up-trend in light vehicle sales reflects growing consumer confidence.

Light Vehicle Sales

The NAHB homebuilder sentiment index (blue below) is falling sharply, however, warning that the recent recovery in new building permits (red) is about to reverse. Residential housing is a major cyclical employer and a collapse of building activity would warn that recession is imminent.

NAHB Sentiment Index

Industry & Transport

Industry indicators show gradually slowing activity but no alarming signs yet. CSBS Community Bank Sentiment index indicates slightly improved business conditions in Q3.

CSBS Community Banks Index - Business Sentiment

Investment in heavy trucks — a useful leading indicator — remains strong.

Heavy Truck Sales

Intermodal rail freight traffic — mainly containers — declined in August after a four-month rally. But the longer-term trend is down.

Rail Freight

Truck tonnage increased in August for the fifth month but earlier breach of the long-term up-trend (green) warns of weakness ahead.

Truck Tonnage

Manufacturers new orders for capital goods, adjusted by PPI, indicates declining activity which is likely to weigh on future growth.

Manufacturing Orders: Capital Goods

Conclusion

The tight labor market supports strong consumer spending but high mortgage rates are likely to slow homebuilding activity causing a rise in cyclical employment. A sharp increase in crude oil could also cause higher gasoline prices which would damage consumer sentiment.

Industry and transport activity is gradually weakening but has not yet caused alarm.

“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked.

“Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually, then suddenly.”

~ Ernest Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises

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Tech heavyweights pause for breath

Good progress has been made combating the pandemic but daily COVID cases seem to be struggling to break through a floor between 50 and 60 thousand. The vaccine roll-out is ahead of schedule but people need to stop listening to idiots like Rand Paul — who went to the Senate gym while infected — and listen to the Chief Medical Adviser whose advice is to wear a mask.

Daily US COVID Cases

Stocks have paused after the recent run up in Treasury yields. When both stocks and bonds are being sold, there is nowhere to hide.

The Nasdaq 100 is testing support at 12000. At this stage the correction looks mild, with declining Trend Index remaining above zero, but breach of 12000 would signal a test of the Sep 2020 low.

Nasdaq 100

The S&P 500 is performing better but Volatility troughs above 1.0% still warn of elevated risk.

S&P 500 & Twiggs Volatility 21-Day

The big five tech stocks are a mixed bag. Alphabet (GOOGL) and Facebook (FB) show strength. Microsft (MSFT) looks stable, while Mazon (AMZN) and Apple (AAPL) are trending lower.

AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, FB, MSFT

When leaders no longer lead normally signals the final stage of a bull market. The chart below shows the Russell 2000 small caps ETF (IWM) clearly outperforming the large cap Nasdaq (QQQ) and S&P 500 (IVV) indices with all the tech heavyweights.

IVV, IWM, QQQ

@Schuldensuehner

The steeper yield curve benefits banks, who profit from the wider net interest margin. Major banks have climbed 60% to 80% over the past six months, with Goldman Sachs (GS) leading and Bank of America (BAC) the laggard.

Major Banks

Consumer durables sectors are, again, a mixed bag. Household Goods (HG) is flat, Apparel Retail (RA) is climbing steadily, while Automobiles (AU) is down sharply — mainly because of Tesla (TSLA).

Consumer Durables

Though light vehicle sales were down a million units in February.

Light Vehicle Sales

And heavy truck sales were down 4,000 units compared to January.

Heavy Truck Sales

Prospects for the tire industry are improving. Goodyear (GT) retraced to test its new support level after breaking out above its high from late 2019. Respect would confirm another advance.

Goodyear Tyre Co. (GT)

Conclusion

The recovery is going to be a long hard slog with frequent setbacks. Banks are doing nicely but stocks generally are over-priced and ripe for a major adjustment. There are signs that this is the final stage of the bull market and market risk is elevated.

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USA: Sales up, daily COVID-19 cases down but jobs still scarce

Daily new COVID-19 cases in the US are clearly falling as the vaccine roll-out takes effect.

USA: COVID-19 Daily Cases

But daily deaths are still rising and may take another few weeks to level off.

USA: COVID-19 Daily Deaths

January payroll figures show the economic recovery has stalled, with total jobs contracting by 6.08% compared to January 2020.

Payroll Growth

Hours worked are down 4.4% compared to last year.

Real GDP & Hours Worked

Average hourly earnings jumped 5.44% for production and non-supervisory workers but these are distorted by strong job losses in the lowest pay grades.

Hourly Wage Rates

Retail sales (excluding food) have also been artificially boosted by government stimulus which added roughly 20% to disposable income.

Retail Sales Excluding Food

Light vehicle sales are similarly boosted.

Light Vehicles

While housing starts are climbing in response to record low mortgage rates.

Housing Permits & Starts

Total unemployment claims (state and federal) declined to a still high 17.8 million for the week ended January 16th.

DOL: State & Federal Unemployment Claims

The proposed Biden stimulus will support households and businesses but employment is likely to remain weak until the COVID-19 outbreak is clearly under control.

Conclusion

Economic activity is expected to remain weak in the first half of 2021. A key determinant will be the length of time it takes to bring the COVID-19 outbreak under control. Subsequent recovery is likely to need strong fiscal support, with federal debt expected to grow faster than GDP in 2021. This will require continued Treasury purchases by the Fed and commercial banks, with interest rates remaining low throughout 2021.

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Nasdaq: Devil take the hindmost

I am fond off quoting Jesse Livermore’s maxim “You don’t argue with the tape” but Livermore was a keen student of market conditions and based his decisions on far more than just price action in the market.

We are witnessing a spectacular stock market rally, driven by retail investors and hedge funds piling into the market while institutional investors are sitting on the sidelines.

The Nasdaq 100 broke through resistance at 10,000, new highs signaling a fresh primary advance. Bearish divergence on Twiggs Money Flow index may warn of selling pressure but it is hard to argue with the tape. Only a fall below 9500 would signal another decline and that seems unlikely at present.

Nasdaq 100

Even retail sales (ex food) have recovered sharply, from -15.3% in April to -1.4% in May (annual % gain).

Retail Sales (ex Food)

Light vehicle sales are more sluggish but June sales of 13.05 million are still a sizable bounce.

Light Vehicle Sales

So why are many old investment hands acting with such caution?

We know that the efforts to contain the COVID19 outbreak are struggling, with over 60,000 new cases per day, but the economy still seems in good shape.

COVID19 Daily Cases

Source JHU CSSE

Let’s look at where the money is coming from.

Federal Debt

Treasury debt has expanded by more than $3 trillion in the last four months (March 9 – July 9) as the government does everything in its power to cushion the economy from an unprecedented shutdown. Rescuing airlines, bailing out Boeing, emergency business loans, job preservation schemes, and supporting Fed purchases of a wide variety of financial assets to keep the plumbing of financial markets open. Every way they can, government has been flooding the market with money and some of that has found its way to the stock market. Whether through boosting stock purchases, enabling companies to raise debt or boosting consumer spending to buoy up sales, the market is flying on borrowed money.

Steep up-trends like this typically end in a blow-off. A trend is self-reinforcing if rising prices attract more investors who in turn bid up prices even further. A steady influx of new investors is required to sustain the trend, else it dies.

Similar self-reinforcing cycles are evident in nature, where they expand violently outward at an exponential rate until they run out of fuel. The fuel driving the event may differ, from dry tinder in a forest fire, warm ocean temperatures in a hurricane, consumable vegetation in a locust plague, …..or exposed population in a virus outbreak. The cycle expands, feeding on itself, until the fuel is exhausted.

A stock market blow-off is no different. The up-trend will continue for as long as rising prices are able to attract new investors. It will stop when the source of new money dries up. In this case, when Treasury tries to slow the unsustainable growth in federal debt. Then it becomes a case of devil-take-the-hindmost as a preponderance of sellers attempt to offload their stocks on a rapidly shrinking pool of buyers.

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Still cautious

Inflationary pressures are easing, with average hourly earnings growth declining to 3.35% in June, for Production and Non-Supervisory Employees, and 3.14% for Total Private sector.

Average Wage Rates

But this warns that economic growth is slowing. Annual growth in hours worked has slowed to 1.25%, suggesting a similar decline in GDP growth for the second quarter.

Real GDP and Hours Worked

Jobs growth held steady at 1.5% for the 12 months ended June 2019, after a decline from 2.0% in January.

Payroll Growth

Further decline in jobs growth is likely in the months ahead and a fall below 1.0% would warn that recession is imminent.

The Case Shiller index warns that growth in housing prices is slowing.

Case Shiller Index

Growth in construction expenditure (adjusted for inflation) has stalled.

Construction Expenditure/CPI

Retail sales growth is faltering.

Retail Sales

Units of light vehicle sales has stalled.

Light Vehicle Sales

And capital goods orders (adjusted for inflation) are faltering.

Manufacturers Orders for Capital Goods

One of the few bright spots is corporate bond spreads — the difference between lowest investment grade (Baa) and equivalent Treasury yields — still low at 2.3%, indicating that credit risk is benign.

Corporate Bond spreads

The S&P 500 broke through 2950 and is testing 3000. The 3000 level is an important watershed, double the 2000 and 2007 highs at 1500 (1552 and 1576 to be exact), and I expect strong resistance.

S&P 500

A rising Trend Index indicates buying pressure but this seems to be mainly stock repurchases and institutional buying. Retail money, as indicated by investment flows into ETFs, favors fixed income over equities despite the low yields.

ETF Flows source: ETF.com

It’s still a good time to be cautious.

The prevailing wisdom is that markets are always right. I take the opposite position. I assume that markets are always wrong……I watch out for telltale signs that a trend may be exhausted. Then I disengage from the herd and look for a different investment thesis. Or, if I think the trend has been carried to excess, I may probe going against it. Most of the time we are punished if we go against the trend. Only at an inflection point are we rewarded.

~ George Soros

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US Retail & Light Vehicle Sales slow

Retail sales growth (excluding motor vehicles and parts) slowed to 2.4% over the 12 months to June 2017.

Retail Sales ex Motor Vehicles & Parts

Source: St Louis Fed & US Bureau of the Census

Seasonally adjusted light vehicle sales are also slowing.

Light Vehicle Sales

Source: St Louis Fed & BEA

Seasonally adjusted private housing starts and new building permits are starting to lose momentum.

Housing Starts & Permits

Source: St Louis Fed & US Bureau of the Census

The good news is that Manufacturer’s Durable Goods Orders (seasonally adjusted and ex Defense & Aircraft) are recovering.

Manufacturing Durable Goods Orders ex Defense & Aircraft

Source: St Louis Fed & US Bureau of the Census

Cement and concrete production continues to trend upwards.

Cement & Concrete Production

Source: US Fed

And estimated weekly hours worked (total nonfarm payroll * average weekly hours) is growing steadily.

Estimated Weekly Hours Worked

Source: St Louis Fed & BLS

All of which suggest that business confidence is growing and consumer confidence is likely to follow. Bellwether transport stock Fedex advanced to 220, signaling rising economic activity in the broader economy.

Fedex

Target: 180 + ( 180 – 120 ) = 240

The S&P 500 broke resistance at 2450, making a new high. Narrow consolidations and shallow corrections all signal investor confidence typical of the latter stages of a bull market. The immediate target is 2500* but further gains are likely.

S&P 500

Target: 2400 + ( 2400 – 2300 ) = 2500

The stock market remains an exceptionally efficient mechanism for the transfer of wealth from the impatient to the patient.

~ Warren Buffett

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US: Why the enthusiasm?

Retail sales are surging, with Retail & Food (ex-Motor Vehicles) growing above 5% a year for the first time since 2012.

Retail & Food Sales

Light vehicles sales are back at their 2000-2006 norm of 17.5 million units a year, reflecting consumer confidence.

Light Vehicle Sales

Housing remains soft but growth in new starts and building permits continues.

Housing

Durable goods orders are also soft but unlikely to remain so if retail sales growth continues.

Durable Goods Orders

Inflationary pressures are likely to rise. Which is why the Fed expects to increase the pace of interest rate hikes in 2017.

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