Employment lifts but S&P 500 tentative

Growth in total non-farm payrolls ticked up to 1.76% for the 12 months to April 2019, supporting Fed reluctance to cut interest rates.

Payroll Growth

The Philadelphia Fed Leading Index has been revised upwards, above a comfortable 1.0%.

Leading Index

Real GDP growth came in at a healthy 3.2% for the 12 months ended 31 March 2019 but growth in total hours worked sagged to 1.47%, suggesting that GDP growth is likely to slow.

Real GDP and Total Hours Worked

Growth in average hourly earnings came in at 3.23% (total private), suggesting that inflationary pressures remain under control. Little chance of a Fed rate hike either.

Average Hourly Earnings

The S&P 500 retracement respected support at 2900. Rising Money Flow indicates buying pressure but gains seem tentative.

S&P 500

US growth looks to continue but commodity prices warn that global growth is slowing.

Nymex crude penetrated its lower trend channel, warning of a correction. Despite the supply impact of increasing sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, and the threat of supply disruption in Libya.

Nymex Light Crude

A similar correction on DJ-UBS Commodities index reinforces that global demand is slowing.

DJ-UBS Commodities Index

Gold rally expected to falter as Dollar strengthens

China’s Yuan continues to weaken while the Dollar index strengthens. Follow-through above 97 would signal another primary advance.

Dollar Index

A strengthening Dollar would weaken demand for Gold. The bear rally is likely to meet stubborn resistance at $1250. Reversal below support at $1180 would warn of a decline to the 2015 low at $1050/ounce.

Spot Gold in USD

The monthly chart of Spot Silver also shows a strong down-trend, testing primary support at $13.50/ounce.

Spot Silver

Crude oil is also showing signs of weakness, with a bearish divergence on the Trend Index. Breach of support at $65/barrel would warn of a primary down-trend.

Nymex Light Crude

In the long-term, gold and oil tend to rise and fall together.

Crude and commodities test support

Nymex Light Crude is testing primary support at $92/barrel while 13-week Twiggs Momentum (below zero) warns of a down-trend. Brent Crude is also approaching primary support, at $99/barrel. Breach of support would confirm a down-trend.

Nymex WTI Crude

Commodity prices are falling as the Dollar strengthens. Dow Jones UBS Commodity Index is approaching primary support at 122, while 13-week Twiggs Momentum (below zero) again warns of a down-trend. Breach of primary support would confirm.

Dow Jones UBS Commodity Index

Aluminum alloy, however, continues its primary advance.

Alumina

And nickel is likely to follow, having broken resistance at 18500.

Nickel

Crude and bulk commodities fall but nickel, aluminum rally

Crude oil prices are falling. Nymex Light Crude is testing primary support at $92/barrel and Brent Crude at $99/barrel. Breach of support would signal a down-trend.

Nymex WTI Crude

Commodity prices remain low, in line with sluggish world trade.

But that does not tell the full story.

Bulk commodity prices are falling as Chinese construction slows…

Bulk Commodities

…While copper prices recovered above 7000/tonne. Penetration of the declining trendline suggests that the down-trend is slowing. Breakout above 7400 would strengthen the signal.

Copper

And aluminum alloy…

Alumina

…and nickel show surprising strength, signaling an up-trend.

Nickel

Dollar surges as crude falls

  • Dollar surges
  • Treasury yields rally, but the trend is down
  • Crude oil prices fall
  • Gold uncertainty continues

Interest Rates and the Dollar

The Dollar Index followed through above resistance at 81.50, signaling a long-term advance to test the 2013 highs at 84.50. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Momentum above zero strengthens the signal. Reversal below 81.50 is most unlikely, but would warn of another test of support at 80.00.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 81.50 – ( 81.50 – 79.00 ) = 84.00

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes recovered above support at 2.40 percent, but the primary trend is downward. Respect of the descending trendline is likely and reversal below 2.40 would confirm a decline to 2.00 percent*. 13-Week Twiggs Momentum holding below zero strengthens the bear signal. Recovery above the descending trendline is unlikely, but would suggest a rally to 2.65/2.70 percent.

10-Year Treasury Yields

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

There are two factors driving the fall in long-term interest rates. The first is aggressive purchases of US treasuries by China in order to maintain a weak yuan. The second is the abysmal state of the employment market when we look past the official unemployment figures. Employment levels for males in the 25 to 54 age group remain roughly 6% — and females 5% — below their previous high.

Employment levels

Gold

Gold is consolidating in a triangle pattern, between $1200 and $1400/ounce. Price action is now too close to the apex (“>”) of the triangle for breakouts to be reliable, but breach of support at $1280 would test $1240, while breakout above $1320 would test $1350. Oscillation of 13-week Twiggs Momentum close to zero continues to signal hesitancy. In the longer term, recovery above $1350 would indicate a primary up-trend, while breach of support at $1240/$1250 would signal a down-trend.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1200 – ( 1400 – 1200 ) = 1000

Declining crude prices may be contributing to lower inflation expectations and weaker gold demand (as an inflation hedge). Brent Crude breach of $99/barrel would confirm a primary down-trend as would Nymex WTI crude below $92/barrel.

Gold and Crude

Commodities weaken on soft demand

Crude oil prices fell sharply in July, especially Brent Crude [pink] which is testing support at $104/$106 per barrel. Breach of that support level, or $98/$100 for Nymex Light Crude, would signal a primary down-trend.

Nymex WTI Crude

Commodity prices have weakened in sympathy, with Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index falling sharply since breaking support at 133. Expect another test of long-term support at 122/124. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Momentum below zero strengthens the bear signal.

Dow Jones UBS Commodities Index

Retreat of the Baltic Dry Index — which reflects bulk commodity shipping rates — to its 2008 low, shows similar weakness for iron ore and coal.

Baltic Dry Index

Waning demand from China is driving down prices.

Here’s The Real Reason The Price Of Crude Oil Is So Strong

This month’s decoupling of oil from other risk assets, could be foretelling skittishness over recent events in Iran and Syria (where a growing chorus is calling for action against Assad’s brutality), and even over today’s report from the AFP that thousands of Kuwaitis stormed parliament after demanding the prime minister’s resignation.

Additionally, borderline hostile rhetoric towards Iran after a recent explosion at a missile base is putting more focus on their tensions with Israel…..

via Here’s The Real Reason The Price Of Crude Oil Is So Strong.

Commodities and crude

The CRB Commodities Index remains in a primary down-trend. Respect of the descending trendline, with reversal below 315, would warn of another decline. Breakout above the descending trendline is less likely, but would indicate that the down-trend is weakening. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum penetrated its descending trendline but remains below zero, suggesting that the down-trend has slowed but not reversed.

CRB Commodities Index

* Target calculation: 295 – ( 325 – 295 ) = 265

Copper rallied to test its descending trendline at $8000/tonne. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum deep below zero indicates a strong primary down-trend. Breakout above $8000 would indicate that the down-trend is weakening, while respect of the descending trendline would warn of a decline to 6000*.

Copper Grade A

* Target calculation: 7000 – ( 8000 – 7000 ) = 6000

Brent Crude broke out above its trend channel, indicating that it is forming a base above $100/barrel. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum recovered above zero to confirm the breakout. Expect retracement to test primary support at $100, but respect is now likely and would suggest a primary up-trend.

Brent Crude Afternoon Markers

* Target calculation: 5600 – ( 6600 – 5600 ) = 5100

Nymex WTI crude is rising sharply, closing the divergence from Brent crude. News of the Seaway pipeline reversal that will relieve congestion at the Cushing, Oklahoma hub sent crude futures soaring. Expect a short retracement followed by an advance to $115.

Nymex WTI Crude

Conclusion: Commodities remain in a primary down-trend caused by the strengthening dollar. Brent crude is forming a bottom, but rising crude prices are likely to dash hopes of an early economic recovery. Falling commodity prices should cause sympathetic weakening of the Australian Dollar and Canadian Loonie.

Brent Nymex WTI Crude

Brent crude respected its declining trendline and is likely to re-test support at $104. Failure would warn of a correction to the long-term, rising trendline at 95*.

Brent and Nymex WTI Crude Oil

* Target calculation: 105 – ( 115 – 105 ) = 95

Crude

The strengthening dollar caused crude prices to soften, with Brent crude headed for another test of support at $104/$105 per barrel. Failure of support would warn of a down-swing to $90, but breakout above the descending trendline is equally likely and would suggest a new primary advance.

Brent Crude Afternoon Markers (2nd nearest future contract)

* Target calculation: 105 – ( 120 – 105 ) = 90

The spread between Brent and Nymex WTI crude narrowed to $20. An increase in supply from Libya or Nigeria would help to lower Brent prices further.