Friday, December 20, 2024

Stocks Surging into Final Hour on More Dovish Fed Commentary, Lower Long-Term Rates, Dollar Weakness, Tech/Alt Energy Sector Strength

Economic Gauges:

  • Bloomberg Emerging Markets Currency Index 37.2 +.2%
  • 3-Month T-Bill Yield 4.32% -1.0 basis point
  • China Iron Ore Spot 100.4 USD/Metric Tonne -.2%
  • Dutch TTF Nat Gas(European benchmark) 44.1 euros/megawatt-hour +2.4%
  • Citi US Economic Surprise Index 10.2 -2.6 points
  • Citi Eurozone Economic Surprise Index -5.9 +1.2 points
  • Citi Emerging Markets Economic Surprise Index -2.4 unch.
  • S&P 500 Current Quarter EPS Growth Rate YoY(19 of 500 reporting) +21.2% -5.1 percentage points
  • S&P 500 Blended Forward 12 Months Mean EPS Estimate 270.85 -.51:  Growth Rate +13.5% -.2 percentage point, P/E 22.0 +.2
  • S&P 500 Current Year Estimated Profit Margin 12.55% unch.
  • NYSE FANG+ Current Quarter EPS Growth Rate YoY(0 of 10 reporting) n/a
  • NYSE FANG+ Blended Forward 12 Months Mean EPS Estimate 386.68 +.14: Growth Rate +23.3% unch., P/E 34.7 +.4
  • Bloomberg US Financial Conditions Index .38 +8.0 basis points
  • Bloomberg Euro-Zone Financial Conditions Index 1.17 +15.0 basis points
  • US Yield Curve 20.5 basis points (2s/10s) -4.75 basis points
  • US Atlanta Fed Q4 GDPNow Forecast +3.08% -8.0 basis points
  • US Recession Within 6 Months Probability(3M/18M Forward Yld Curve Spread) 24.2% unch.
  • Cleveland Fed Inflation Nowcast Core PCE YoY +2.87% -10.0 basis points: CPI YoY +2.86% unch.
  • 10-Year TIPS Spread 2.30 -1.0 basis point
  • Highest target rate probability for March 19th FOMC meeting: 48.3% (+3.3 percentage points) chance of 4.0%-4.25%. Highest target rate probability for May 7th meeting: 48.2%(+2.0 percentage points) chance of 4.0%-4.25%. (current target rate is 4.25-4.5%)
Overseas Futures:
  • Nikkei 225 Futures: Indicating +485 open in Japan 
  • China A50 Futures: Indicating +37 open in China
  • DAX Futures: Indicating +243 open in Germany
Portfolio:
  • Higher:  On gains in my tech/industrial/financial/consumer discretionary/utility sector longs
  • Disclosed Trades: Covered some of my (IWM)/(QQQ) hedges and some of my emerging market shorts
  • Market Exposure: Moved to 755% Net Long

Bear Radar

Style Underperformer:

  • Small-Cap Value +1.6%
Sector Underperformers:
  • 1) Pharma -.7% 2) Shipping +.3% 3) Oil Service +.3%
Stocks Falling on Unusual Volume: 
  • ODFL, XPO, X, GPCR, NN, BNED, RXST, MESO, NVO, SCHL and IIPR
Stocks With Unusual Put Option Activity:
  • 1) CNC 2) NTR 3) EXE 4) TSEM 5) CAG
Stocks With Most Negative News Mentions:
  • 1) X 2) OP 3) CELH 4) WGO 5) SCHL
Sector ETFs With Most Negative Money Flow:
  • 1) XLP 2) XLC 3) XLB 4) ARKK 5) KBWB

Bull Radar

Style Outperformer:

  • Mid-Cap Growth +2.1%
Sector Outperformers:
  • 1) Alt Energy +5.2% 2) Digital Health +3.9% 3) Semis +2.7%
Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume:
  • RGTI, CLW, IONQ, RCAT, AVO, QUBT, DNA, SEDG, SERV, OUST, BTDR, AAOI, SKYT, XMTR, SIRI, HSAI, RDW, INOD, MSTR, YY, CRGX, NX, EXPI, FNKO, GRAL, SPIR, OKLO, RNDM, ARQQ, AHCO, PLTR, NTGR, CUK, PPTA, ARQT, SUPV, NCLH, ARQT, DXCM, QTRX, TEM, GTLB, BBAR, MTCH, REPL, WS, IDYA, JACK, OSCR, BLFS, VKTX, VIK, KNF, PII, BCAX, FMC, VCYT, MTZ, CYTK, KRC, CAL, CURB, BIRK, PI, AXGN, CRGY, VSTS, PODD, AB, LASR, KNTK, AVGO, ACVA, ABNB, FND, DECK, OXY, ALHC, BRKL, GRND, EXR, BHLB, KKR, SWK, IRM, RCL, VNO, HII, MNDY, TGLS, AIN, SITC, SA and PSA
Stocks With Unusual Call Option Activity:
  • 1) CNC 2) CE 3) JCI 4) EWCZ 5) CRVS
Stocks With Most Positive News Mentions:
  • 1) HUMA 2) QBTS 3) AADI 4) IONQ 5) CCL
Sector ETFs With Most Positive Money Flow:
  • 1) XLI 2) VGT 3) XLE 4) LABU 5) FTEC
Charts:

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

Earnings of Note 
Company/Estimate 

Before the Open:
  • None of note
After the Close: 
  • None of note
Economic Releases

8:30 am EST

  • The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for Nov.
  • Durable Goods Orders for Nov. is estimated to fall -.3% versus a +.3% gain in Oct.
  • Durables Ex Transports for Nov. is estimated to rise +.3% versus a +.2% gain in Oct.
  • Cap Goods Orders Non-Defense Ex-Air for Nov. is estimated to rise +.1% versus a -.2% decline in Oct.

10:00 am EST

  • New Home Sales for Nov. is estimated to rise to 665K versus 610K in Oct.
  • Conference Board Consumer Confidence for Dec. is estimated to rise to 113.0 versus 111.7 in Nov.

Upcoming Splits

  • (CRVL) 3-for-1
Other Potential Market Movers
  • The 2Y T-Note auction and the Dallas Fed PCE for Nov. could also impact global trading on Monday.
US Equity Market Hours
  • 9:30 am - 4:00 pm EST

Afternoon Market Internals

NYSE Composite Index:

  • Volume Running +36.0% Above 100-Day Average 
  • Nasdaq/NYSE Volume Ratio 9.0 -3.3
  • 0 Sectors Declining, 11 Sectors Rising
  • 80.6% of Issues Advancing, 17.7% Declining 
  • TRIN/Arms .51 -23.9%
  • Non-Block Money Flow +$160.2M
  • 19 New 52-Week Highs, 160 New Lows
  • 53.2% (+5.0%) of Issues Above 200-day Moving Average
  • Average 14-Day RSI 32.0 +10.0
Other:
  • Bloomberg Global Risk-On/Risk-Off Index 66.1 +4.5%
  • Bloomberg Cyclicals/Defensives Index 252.7 -.1%
  • Russell 1000: Growth/Value 21,998.2 +.02%
  • CNN Fear & Greed Index 28.0 (FEAR) +1.0
  • 1-Day Vix 16.9 -27.4%
  • Vix 19.5 -19.1%
  • Total Put/Call .97 -7.6%

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Friday Watch

Night Trading 

  • Asian equity indices are -1.0% to unch. on average.
  • Asia Ex-Japan Investment Grade CDS Index 76.25 +.25 basis point.
  • China Sovereign CDS 65.75 unch.
  • China Iron Ore Spot 101.0 USD/Metric Tonne -.8%
  • Bloomberg Emerging Markets Currency Index 37.0 -.08%.
  • Bloomberg Global Risk-On/Risk Off Index 63.1 -.1%.
  • Volatility Index(VIX) futures 21.6 -.7%.
  • Euro Stoxx 50 futures -.5%
  • S&P 500 futures -.31%.
  • NASDAQ 100 futures -.51%.  
Morning Preview Links

BOTTOM LINE: Asian indices are mostly lower, weighed down by technology and commodity 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 day.