Strong US Jobs Data And Hawkish Fed Speak Keeps Tightening Expectations Elevated

August 8, 2022 — Mitul Kotecha

US bond yields rose sharply on Friday, particularly on the front end of the curve in the wake of the above consensus US July jobs report, which showed a strong 528,000 (consensus 250,000) increase in non-farm payrolls and the unemployment rate dropping to 3.5% (consensus 3.6%).  The three-month moving average of US jobs gains now total 437,000. However, the drop in the unemployment rate was due in part to a drop in the participation rate so it wasn’t all good news.  Wage growth was firm, with average hourly earnings up 5.2% y/y. Overall the data highlighted a still strong jobs market and markets are now pricing in a greater probability of 75 basis points hike by the Federal Reserve at its September meeting. 

The firm US jobs data accompanied hawkish Fed speak over the past week, with various Fed officials pushing back against more dovish rate expectations that had been built into markets over recent weeks. The Fed’s Evans, Kashkari and Daly are scheduled to speak this week and are likely to maintain the run of hawkish Fed comments, pushing back against residual expectation of an early peak in the Fed Funds rate. Despite weaker closes for equities on Friday, stocks still ended higher over the week, but may struggle given the renewed hawkish shift in rate expectations.  That said, with the bulk of second quarter earnings out of the way equities have held up well. 

The data and Fed speakers also give further reason to be cautious on extrapolating the recent pull back in the US dollar, with the currency bouncing at the end of the week and starting this week on a firm note.  The USD index has bounced off trend line support and has bounced off its 50-day moving average level, which has been a good support over recent months.  In the near term some consolidation in the USD is likely though this week’s US CPI inflation report is likely to provide more direction.  Conversely, while the euro appears to have found a short-term bottom, it’s hard to see a significant bounce in the currency. 

Data over the weekend revealed a stronger than expected increase in Chinese exports in July at 18% y/y (cons. 14.1%) and lower imports at 2.3% y/y (cons. 4.0%), resulting in a surge in the trade surplus to $101.26bn (cons. $89.04bn).  The weak imports data highlights ongoing pressure on domestic demand while exports will likely struggle to maintain firm momentum amid a likely slowing in external demand.  China’s July inflation data this will be in focus (Wed) this week while more reaction by China to last week’s visit by Speaker to Pelosi to Taiwan will also be expected. 

In the US, the key data will be the July CPI report (Wed); the consensus expects elevated readings of 8.7%/6.1% y/y for total/core prices.  Headline CPI will have moderated from June, but core CPI is likely to have ticked higher.  Long term inflation expectations as measured in the University of Michigan August confidence survey (Fri) will also be in focus.  On the policy rate front, a 25bp hike from the Bank of Thailand kicks of its tightening cycle (Wed) and a 75bp hike from Mexico’s central bank, Banxico.  However, unlike Thailand Banxico is likely nearing the end of its tightening cycle.   

Advertisement
Posted in Asian currencies, Bond markets, bonds, central banks, China, Currencies, Economy, emerging markets, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, FX, Geopolitics, inflation, Interest rates, Mexico, Monetary Policy, Politics, Thailand, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

When Bad Means Good

May 10, 2021 — Mitul Kotecha

Bad meant good on Friday as weaker than expected US April jobs data helped to dampen concerns over inflation risks and higher rates. At a time when markets were becoming increasingly fearful of rising inflation risks the softer US jobs data will act as a balm on such fears. It also complicates matters ahead of bipartisan talks between President Biden and congressional leaders this week. Democrats will likely use the data to outline their case for more stimulus to boost growth, while Republicans will highlight that excessive unemployment benefits are holding back hiring.  

US Payrolls increased by 266,000 in April, well below the 1 million consensus and the unemployment rate rose to 6.1% from 6.0%, above the 5.8% consensus.  The data supports the view of most Fed officials that progress has not been “substantial” enough for them to start signaling tapering.  Unsurprisingly Markets pushed back the pricing of the first rate hike from early-2023 to May 2023 in the wake of the weaker US jobs data. The US dollar (USD) took a hit and looks likely to kick off the week on the back foot.  High yielding currencies will likely benefit the most.  

This week inflation releases will come under scrutiny, with CPI data in the US (Wed), China (Tue) and India (Wed) in focus, albeit for different reasons.  In the US, base effects will likely push inflation higher, with a sharp pick up in core CPI in particular likely.  A similar story is expected in China, but base effects will likely act in the opposite direction in India.  Other highlights this week include a likely modest decline in US retail sales (Fri), further easing in China’s credit aggregates (9-15 May) and a material improvement expected to be revealed in Australia’s Federal Budget (Tue).  Last but not least, central banks in Mexico and Philippines (both Thu) are expected to leave policy unchanged.

Separately, markets will digest the outcome of UK local elections, especially those in Scotland, which revealed that pro-independence parties (SNP and Scottish Greens) gained a majority in the Scottish parliament. A constitutional battle with the Conservative UK government looms though UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is showing no signs of acceding to demands for a new Scottish referendum.  There will also be focus on the aftermath of the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline in the US, which has already pushed energy prices higher.  And finally, the much anticipated (among Krypto traders) appearance of Elon Musk on SNL hit Dodgecoin, after he called it “a hustle”. 

Posted in Asia, Asian currencies, Biden, Bond markets, Brexit, central banks, China, Commodities, COVID-19, Currencies, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, equity markets, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, Fiscal/Budget, FX, India, Indonesia, Interest rates, Japan, Monetary Policy, Trade, UK, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Market Volatility Continues To Compress

July 5, 2020 — Mitul Kotecha

The US Independence Day holiday kept trading, market activity and volatility subdued for much of last week.  In any case equity markets and risk assets have been struggling on the topside and appear to be losing momentum.  Markets are being buffeted by conflicting forces; economic news has beaten expectations. For example, the US June jobs report was better than expected though total job gains of 7.5 million in recent months are still only around a third of total jobs lost.  In contrast, worsening news on Covid 19 infections, with the WHO reporting a one day record high in global infections, threatens to put a dampener on sentiment.  Consolidation is likely, with Summer trading conditions increasingly creeping in over the weeks ahead. As such volatility is likely to continue to be suppressed, aided by central banks’ liquidity injections.

Over recent weeks geopolitical risks have admittedly not had a major impact on markets but this doesn’t mean that this will remain the case given the plethora of growing risks.  China’s installation of new security legislation into Hong Kong’s basic law and the first arrests utilizing this law were in focus last week.  A US administration official has reportedly said that the president is considering two or three actions against China, and markets will be on the lookout for any such actions this week, which could include further sanctions against individuals are more details of what the removal of HK’s special trading status will entail.  Meanwhile the US has sent two aircraft carriers to the South China Sea reportedly to send a message against China’s military build up in the area, with China’s PLA conducting a five-day drill around the disputed Paracel Islands archipelago.

Data releases and events this week are unlikely to lead to a change in this dynamic.  At the beginning of the week attention will focus on further discussions between the UK and EU over the post Brexit landscape while in the US the June non-manufacturing ISM survey will garner attention.  So far talks on a trade deal between the UK and EU have stalled though there were hints of progress last week, even as officials admitted that “serious divergencies remain”.  The US ISM non-manufacturing survey is likely to move back to expansion (above 50) but is increasingly being threatened by the increase in Covid infections, which could yet again dampen service sector activity. On the policy front there will be fiscal updates from the UK and Canada on Wednesday against the backdrop of ramped up spending, and monetary policy decisions by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and BNM in Malaysia on Tuesday.  The RBA is widely expected to keep policy unchanged while BNM may cut rates by 25 basis points.

 

Posted in Asia, Asian currencies, Australia, Brexit, Canada, central banks, China, coronavirus, COVID-19, Currencies, Economics, Economy, equity markets, Europe, Federal Reserve, FX, Hong Kong, Interest rates, Malaysia, Monetary Policy, Trade, Trump, UK, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Don’t Fight The Fed, Markets Are Teflon Coated

June 7, 2020 — Mitul Kotecha

The rally in equity markets since their late March lows has been tremendous.  Despite an unrelenting chorus of doomsayers who like me have worried about the shape of recovery, markets have been impervious to bad news.  At the end of last week the May US employment report provided the latest catalyst to boost markets, after the release of data showing a shock 2.5 million increase in non-farm payrolls compared to consensus expectations of a 7.5 million decline.  The unemployment rate also surprisingly fell, to 13.3%, compared with 14.7% in April.  The data was taken as an indication that the US economy was resuming activity more quickly than expected.   As a result, the S&P 500 closed 2.6% higher on the day and almost 5% higher over the week. Another support factor for markets over the week was the European Central Bank’s expansion of its stimulus package, adding a more than expected EUR 600 billion to its asset purchase programme.

The lesson here is to not fight the Fed.  While many of us have been looking at fundamentals and surmising that fundamentals do not justify the rally in stocks, the reality is that this rally is not about fundamentals, well at least fundamentals in the traditional sense of the word.  The Fed and global central banks have been pumping in vast quantities of liquidity via quantitative easing, and this has led a massive increase in money supply in excess of economic growth.  This excess has had to find a home and equities have been such a home.  As of last week the S&P 500 recorded its biggest ever 50-day rally, up 37.7% and shows no sign of turning even as forward price/earnings ratios look increasingly stretched and economic activity appears likely to return only slowly, not withstanding the jump in May payrolls.

There are clearly plenty of risks on the horizon as mentioned in my previous blog posts, with a key one being the fraught relationship between the US and China.  However, for now markets don’t really care or at least are choosing not to care.  What started as a narrowly based risk rally has increasingly drawn in a wider base of investors who have increasingly been caught in what is commonly termed as FOMO or the fear of missing out.  This is dangerous to say the least, as it suggests that investors are only jumping on to avoid missing out on the rally rather than due to any fundamental rationale.  Nonetheless, the risk of not joining the rally is to miss out on even further potential gains.  The rally in risk assets has continued to hurt the dollar, which slid further over the last week, but is looking somewhat oversold based on some technical indicators.

Direction this week will come from the FOMC meeting on Wednesday although it seems unlikely that the Fed will announce anything new.  Markets will be particularly watchful for any indication on whether the Fed is moving towards enhancing its forward guidance.  In the Eurozone, the Eurogroup meeting will garner attention as Finance Ministers discuss the EU’s proposed Recovery Fund.  In Asia, China’s May trade released earlier today data will set the tone for the week.  The data revealed that China’s May exports fell less than expected, dropping 3.3% y/y USD terms, while imports dropped much more than expected, falling by 16.7% y/y.   Importantly, Chinese imports from the US declined further, highlighting the lack of progress towards the targets set out in the “Phase 1” trade deal.

Posted in Asia, Asian currencies, Australia, central banks, China, coronavirus, COVID-19, Currencies, ECB, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, equity markets, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, FX, Interest rates, Monetary Policy, Trade, Trump, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Covid-19 Economic Toll Worsening

May 3, 2020 — Mitul Kotecha

Unease about the economic toll of Covid-19 is starting to dent the rebound in equity markets.  The disconnect between the strength of the rally in equities and the reality on the ground has become increasingly visible following recent earnings releases including from tech heavyweights Apple and Amazon, and dismal economic data which included sharp falls in US and Eurozone Q1 GDP data.  Q2 will look even worse as most of the economic damage was inflicted in April, suggesting that the pain is just beginning.

Meanwhile geopolitical tensions between the US and China are adding another layer of pressure on markets, with US President Trump stating that he had seen strong evidence that Covid-19 originated from a laboratory in Wuhan.  Trump’s comments have raised the spectre of a renewed trade war between the two countries at a time when in any case it was looking increasingly difficult for China to live up to its end of the agreement to purchase a substantial amount of US goods in the wake of a Phase 1 deal.

Some of the economic pain emanating from the shutdowns will be on show this week, with the US April jobs report likely to reveal a sharp rise in the jobless rate and massive decline in non-farm payrolls, with markets looking for an increase to around 16% and a drop of 22 million, respectively.  Already jobless claims have risen to over 30 million, with the only silver lining being that the rate of increase in claims has declined over recent weeks.  The extremely sharp deterioration in job market conditions threatens to weigh heavily on recovery.

The US dollar fell towards the end of March due in part to month end rebalancing (given US equity and bond market outperformance over the month), but also due to a general improvement in risk sentiment, reducing any safe have demand for dollars.  If as is likely markets become increasingly nervous about the sustainability of the rally in risk assets, the USD is likely to move higher during the next few weeks. Even in an environment where global equities sell off, US assets are still better placed in terms of return potential than those elsewhere, implying US dollar outperformance.

In terms of data and events focus this will turn to the Bank of England and Reserve Bank of Australia policy meetings.  Neither are likely to cut interest rates further, but the BoE could announced a further increase in asset purchases, while conversely the RBA is likely to maintain its asset purchases tapering path.  Aside from the US jobs data noted above, the other piece of data globally that will be watched carefully is China’s April trade report.  A weak outcome is likely for sure, but the extent of deterioration in exports and imports, will have very negative global consequences.

Posted in Australia, Bank of England, central banks, China, coronavirus, COVID-19, Currencies, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, equity markets, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, FX, Interest rates, Monetary Policy, Trade, Trump, UK, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
%d bloggers like this: