Monday, June 23, 2025

Stocks Reversing Higher into Final Hour on De-escalating Mid-East Tensions, Lower Long-Term Rates, Plunging Oil, Homebuilding/Transport Sector Strength

Economic Gauges:
  • Bloomberg Emerging Markets Currency Index 36.95 +.21%
  • US 10-Year T-Note Yield 4.32% -5.0 basis points
  • 3-Month T-Bill Yield 4.26% -4.0 basis points
  • China Iron Ore Spot 94.2 USD/Metric Tonne +.3%
  • Dutch TTF Nat Gas(European benchmark) 40.52 euros/megawatt-hour -.99%
  • Citi US Economic Surprise Index -20.8 +3.1 points
  • Citi Eurozone Economic Surprise Index 24.4 -5.1 points
  • Citi Emerging Markets Economic Surprise Index 28.4 -1.6 points
  • S&P 500 Current Quarter EPS Growth Rate YoY(9 of 500 reporting) +1.3% -.1 percentage point
  • S&P 500 Blended Forward 12 Months Mean EPS Estimate 278.87 +.36:  Growth Rate +9.6% unch., P/E 21.5 +.1
  • S&P 500 Current Year Estimated Profit Margin 13.25% +1.0 basis point
  • NYSE FANG+ Current Quarter EPS Growth Rate YoY(0 of 10 reporting) n/a
  • NYSE FANG+ Blended Forward 12 Months Mean EPS Estimate 433.96 +.62: Growth Rate +16.2% +.2 percentage point, P/E 32.5 unch.
  • Bloomberg US Financial Conditions Index .29 +25.0 basis points
  • Bloomberg Euro-Zone Financial Conditions Index .91 -27.0 basis points
  • Bloomberg Global Trade Policy Uncertainty Index 4.8 +.5
  • US Yield Curve 49.0 basis points (2s/10s) +2.5 basis points
  • US Atlanta Fed GDPNow Q2 Forecast +3.4% unch.
  • US Recession Within 6 Months Probability(3M/18M Forward Yld Curve Spread) 40.3% +.6 percentage point
  • Cleveland Fed Inflation Nowcast Core PCE YoY +2.58% unch.: CPI YoY +2.62% unch.
  • 1-Year TIPS Spread 2.65 -6.0 basis points
  • 10-Year TIPS Spread 2.31 -3.0 basis points
  • Highest target rate probability for Sept. 17th FOMC meeting: 65.3% (+5.0 percentage points) chance of 4.0%-4.25%. Highest target rate probability for Oct. 29th meeting: 46.2%(+9.6 percentage points) chance of 3.75%-4.0%. (current target rate is 4.25-4.5%)
Polymarket:
  • Iran Military Response to US forces by 6/30 27.0% -47.0 percentage points
  • Another US military action against Iran by 6/30 25.0% -39.0 percentage points
  • Will Iran Close the Straight of Hormuz in 2025? 26.0% -8.0 percentage points
  • US-EU Trade Agreement by July 9th 51.0% +4.0 percentage points 
  • Reconciliation Bill Passed by July 31st 73.0% +4.0 percentage points 
Overseas Futures:
  • Nikkei 225 Futures: Indicating +302 open in Japan 
  • China A50 Futures: Indicating -35 open in China
  • DAX Futures: Indicating +228 open in Germany
Portfolio:
  • Higher: On gains in my utility/financial/tech/consumer discretionary/industrial sector longs
  • Disclosed Trades: Covered some of my (IWM)/(QQQ) hedges and emerging market shorts
  • Market Exposure: 75% Net Long

Tomorrow's Earnings/Economic Releases of Note; Market Movers

Earnings of Note 
Company/Estimate 

Before the Open:
  • (CCL)/.25
  • (SNX)/2.71 
After the Close: 
  • (AVAV)/1.40
  • (BB)/.00
  • (FDX)/5.88
  • (WOR)/.83 
Economic Releases

8:30 am EST

  • The Philly Fed Non-Manufacturing Activity for June. 
  • The 1Q Current Account Balance is estimated to widen to -$445.5B versus -$303.9B in 4Q. 

9:00 am EST

  • The FHFA House Price Index MoM for April is estimated unch. versus a -.1% decline in March.
  • The S&P CoreLogic CS 20-City MoM SA for April is estimated unch. versus a -.12% decline in March.
10:00 am EST
  • The Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index for June is estimated to fall to -10.0 versus -9.0 in May.
  • The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index for June is estimated to rise to 99.8 versus 98.0 in May.  

Upcoming Splits

  • None of note
Other Potential Market Movers
  • The Fed's Powell testifying to House, Fed's Hammack speaking, Fed's Barr speaking, 2Y T-Note auction, weekly US retail sales reports, (MA) annual meeting, (DASH) annual meeting, (OKTA) annual meeting, (CF) investor day, JPMorgan Energy/Power/Renewables/Mining Conference and the Northland Growth Conference could also impact global trading tomorrow.
US Equity Market Hours
  • 9:30 am - 4:00 pm EST

Mid-Day Market Internals

NYSE Composite Index:

  • Volume Running +6.5% Above 100-Day Average 
  • Nasdaq/NYSE Volume Ratio 14.7 -.3
  • 7 Sectors Declining, 4 Sectors Rising
  • 42.1% of Issues Advancing, 55.4% Declining 
  • TRIN/Arms 1.61 +78.9%
  • Non-Block Money Flow -$147.9M
  • 45 New 52-Week Highs, 38 New Lows
  • 41.6% (-.1%) of Issues Above 200-day Moving Average
  • Average 14-Day RSI 50.2 -3.2
Other:
  • Bloomberg Global Risk-On/Risk-Off Index 68.5 -.8%
  • Bloomberg Cyclicals/Defensives Index 241.1 -.2%
  • Morgan Stanley Growth vs Value Index 165.4 -.56%
  • CNN Fear & Greed Index 53.0 (NEUTRAL) -2.0
  • Polymarket: Iran Military Response to US forces by 6/30 75.0% +19.0 percentage points
  • Polymarket: Another US military action against Iran by 6/30 64.0% +10.0 percentage points 
  • Polymarket: Will Iran Close the Straight of Hormuz in 2025? 49.0% unch.
  • 1-Day Vix 14.8 -19.7%
  • Vix 21.5 +4.1%
  • Total Put/Call .94 +5.6%

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Monday Watch

Around X:

  • @Business 
  • @Zerohedge 
  • @WSJ
  • @GatewayPundit
  • @FoxNews  
  • @C_3C_3
  • @WallStreetApes
  • 1) Barack Obama made 3 CASH PAYMENTS to Iran. - January 17, 2016: $400 million. - January 22, 2016: $1.3 billion. - February 5, 2016: $10 million. Obama was paying his organization. 2) Donald Trump “Barack Obama is the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder”. Make sense yet? (video)
  • @nicksortor
  • @VigilantFox
Night Trading
  • Asian indices are -1.25% to -.5% on average.
  • Asia Ex-Japan Investment Grade CDS Index 81.5 +1.75 basis points.
  • China Sovereign CDS 55.0 +2.75 basis points.
  • China Iron Ore Spot 93.7 USD/Metric Tonne +.2%.
  • Polymarket: Iran Military Response to US forces by 6/30 56.0% +4.0 percentage points
  • Polymarket: Another US military action against Iran by 6/30 54.0% -9.0 percentage points 
  • Polymarket: Will Iran Close the Straight of Hormuz in 2025? 49.0% +19.0 percentage points
  • Swiss Franc/Offshore Chinese Renminbi Cross 8.77 -.02% 
  • Bloomberg Emerging Markets Currency Index 36.86 -.04%.
  • Bloomberg Global Risk-On/Risk Off Index 69.3 +.4%.
  • US 10-Year Yield 4.40% +2.0 basis points.
  • Volatility Index(VIX) futures 21.6 +2.3%. 
  • Euro Stoxx 50 futures -.53%.
  • S&P 500 futures -.41%.
  • NASDAQ 100 futures -.53%.

BOTTOM LINE: Asian indices are mostly lower, weighed down by technology and consumer discretionary shares in the region. I expect US stocks to open modestly lower and to maintain losses into the afternoon. The Portfolio is 25% net long heading into the week.

Saturday, June 21, 2025

Today's Headlines

Around X:

  • @realDonaldTrump
  • @Business
  • @Zerohedge 
  • @MarioNawful
  • CHINA THREATENS U.S. WITH GLOBAL BLOWBACK IF IT BACKS ISRAEL. A top Chinese Communist Party official warned that if the U.S. or its allies jump into the war on Israel’s side, they won’t be the only ones showing up armed. He called the conflict against Iran an "unjustified and undeclared act of aggression" and argued Tehran has every legal right to fire back. The most eyebrow-raising part? “Other major countries want to fight together with Iran.” Not exactly subtle. Beijing may not be launching missiles, but it’s clearly lighting rhetorical ones. (video)
  • BarronsOnline
  • Had bullish commentary on (PINS) and (TPR).
  • @IGSquawk 
  • Polymarket
  • Fordow nuclear facility destroyed before July? 79% Chance.
  • Will Iran close the Strait of Hormuz in 2025? 54% Chance.
  • @WSJ
  • @CNBC
  • @Osint613
  • @LauraLoomer
  • @FoxNews 
  • @GatewayPundit 
  • @WallStreetApes
  • @EYakoby
  • @unusual_whales
  • @GordonGChang
  • @DC_Draino
  • @FirstSquawk
  • @SpartaJustice
  • @GlobalMktObserv
  • China's official holdings of US Treasuries have dropped for the 2nd month straight: The value of Treasuries held by China has fallen $27 billion to $757 billion in April, the lowest in 16 YEARS. However, China is likely owning $300-$700 billion through Belgium and Luxembourg. (graph)
  • US economic activity is deteriorating: The US Economic Surprise index dropped to the lowest level in 9 months. Most recently, US retail sales and industrial production readings disappointed. (graph)
  • @mitchellvii
  • @LeadingReport
  • @cb_doge
  • @LawrenceSellin
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