Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Apr. 1-5, 2013

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases. 

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Bull

+ A healthy trend in U.S. truck sales signals underlying strength in heavy equipment industries:

• Manufacturing remains a strong source of growth as per Markit’s PMI, which printed 54.6 for March.  New export orders surprised to the upside, signaling expansion in foreign orders, while order backlogs potend further strength ahead for the sector. The report mirrors strength in the February Factory Orders (ex-defense) indicator, which rose a strong 2.4%, reestablishing a strong uptrend.
• The housing recovery continues to show traction, evident by a strong construction spending report for February.  YoY, overall construction rebounded to 7.9% vs. 6.1% in January.

+  Global economic activity is stabilizing: 

• German factory orders over the past 3 months show a distinctive carving of a bottom and confirm improving data out of the Ifo survey.  Furthermore, Italian and Spanish 10-yr yields quietly plunged (higher bond prices) over the week (see 3-month view), a sign that market participants have clearly overreacted with the Cyprus bailout.  European credit markets are signaling that the coast is clear.  
• Chinese Official and HSBC Manufacturing PMIs rose in March, the former rising to an 11-month high.  Moreover, Non-manfacturing PMIs surge from 54.50 to 55.60 (official gauge) and from 52.1 to 54.3 (HSBC gauge).  These results signal a stronger expansion taking place. 

+ Stocks largely recover from triple-digit losses today despite a sub-par jobs report.  The Fed is “Full Steam Ahead” with QE.  The Fed will continue to aid the the recovery.  Furthermore, today’s job report actually has some bright spots.  Leading indicators of employment, such as temporary help employment and construction jobs, are indicating a strengthening job market and economy.  “‘Jobs day’ chatter is irresistible but almost without content. Monthly jobs numbers provide imperfect portraits of the recent past, and they are very poor predictors of the labor market’s future.”   

Bear

- Job creation slowed substantially in March (slowest in 9-months; Labor-force participation at 1979 levels), while corporate layoffs are 30% above year ago levels according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Challenger, Gray, & Christmas respectively.  Moreover, an additional spike in Jobless Claims, now at 385K, and a 3rd consecutive decline in the Rasmussen Employment Index further confirms that rose-shaded glasses worn by economists need to be put away quickly.  The U.S. economy is extremely vulnerable to further fiscal contraction and a weakening global economy.

- Markit’s rosy view of U.S. manufacturing isn’t confirmed by the Institute of Supply Management, which reported a significant weakening in growth in March.  The index fell from 54.3 to 51.3.    

- On the global front,

• The BOJ goes all in on money printing, promising to double the size of its monetary base by 2015, in order to defeat deflation.  The action has immediately drawn warnings from a number of prominent investors of a potential avalanche of Yen selling.  
• Canada prints its worst job number since February 2009.  
• Brazilian industrial production disappoints, forcing its central bank to keep rates on hold despite hot inflation.  The country has become an unfortunate victim of rampant central bank printing.  
• In Europe, unemployment hit another record high in February. Spain plans to revise its growth forecast lower (surprise surprise) and will ask for more time to reduce its budget deficit.  And, while many are pointing at no signs of a bank run in Cyprus, the numbers may be telling a different story.  
• The situation in North Korea continues to escalate and U.S. seems to be taking matters pretty seriously.  

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Mar. 25-29, 2013

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases. 

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Bull

+ Cyprus is committed to the Eurozone.  Its sacrifice is a signal of resilient and solid political will.  The Bears continue to dwell on crisis after crisis, but they fail to recognize that these are clear buying opportunities.  Europe is too invested in the project to turn back now; they will create solution after solution, leading to further integration.  Smart investors sniff this trend of “no turning back” (a trend confirmed by 2-yr swap spreads)… 

+ …Risk markets continue to appreciate despite Eurozone worries — the S&P 500 and Dow Industrials have hit record highs.  Stale global growth will begin to rebound due to continued resolution in Europe as well as positive spillover effects from a clearly strengthening U.S. economy:

• The Chicago Fed National Activity Index, a comprehensive indicator of US economic growth, indicates improved economic activity in February. The index’s 3-month moving average marked its fourth straight reading over zero, a level that implies an above-trend pace of growth.
• Moreover, the ECRI’s Leading Indicator is in solid growth territory, evidence of continuing growth over the short to medium-term.  Lakshaman Achuthan is hiding under a rock at this point.   
• Meanwhile, the consumer continues to chug along, defying bearish forecasts of weakness resulting from an increase in payroll taxes, gnawing sequestration, and historically high gas prices. Personal consumption and expenditures increased in February by the most in five months, while January’s reading of 0.2% was revised higher to 0.4%. Even better, because income growth was strong as well, the national savings rate actually increased from 2.6% from 2.2%.  Job creation, along with increasing home values (at the fastest rate since mid-2006 as per the Case-Shiller Index), are offsetting the bearish aforementioned effects. “The economy is in a very good place right now ahead of fiscal restraint. This recovery is sustainable. Consumers are in the drivers seat,” said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd.  This is especially true when looking at forecasts for March auto sales.   
• An important leading indicator of the housing market, lumber prices, points to residential investment taking a central role in economic growth over the coming years.  

• The Fed’s got the economy’s back.  Dudley,  Rosengren, Evans, and Kocherlakota all announce their support for further easing until economic growth is soundly ensured.  Bernanke says that continued easing will not “beggar thy neighbor,” but instead “enrich-thy-neighbor.”  Stronger domestic economic growth will spill over to increased aggregate demand, increasing trade flows.     
• In manufacturing, the Dallas Fed reported that manufacturing activity in the region increased, while Durable Goods Orders rebounded in February. Overall, the figures suggest that industrial activity continues to expand at a moderate pace.

+ Corporate profits remain at record levels, but this is little reason to believe that they will mean revert.  Through a domestic lens, profits are indeed high vs. the historial average, but from a global perspective, profits are only a little above average and have room to grow.  Because globalization has resulted in many US corporations obtaining revenue streams from abroad, earnings will grow on an improving global economy.  “Conventional thinking sees unsustainably high corporate profits and expects a reversion to the mean. Global thinking sees no a priori reason to worry at all.” 

Bear

- Conditions in Europe are approaching a boiling point.    

The Cyprus bailout is a Pyrrhic Victory, setting two ominous precedents:  

• First, Capital controls have now created two euros, a Cyprus euro, now worth less than a true euro due to its decreased fungibility.  Furthermore, controls are likely to precipitate a liquidity and economic crisis in the country, leading to a “larger than expected” economic contraction and an eventual need for an additional bailout.  Massive job losses are coming as the country’s banking sector, a pivotal source of economic growth is decimated.  Its “solid political will” to stay in the EMU will be tested shortly with the advent of a depression.  
• Second, depositors’ skin is now in the game, which may lead to capital flight from other periphery countries.  —— Where can I find uninsured deposits as a percent of total deposits in the Spainish and Italian banking systems?

Moreover, Dutch Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem does his best to further rock the boat by announcing that the Cyprus deal would be a template; a statement quickly refuted by the EU   (when it becomes serious you have to lie right?).  Furthermore, how can Bulls say that political will remains solid when you have comparisons of Merkel to Hitler on “El Pais” (Spain’s largest newspaper) and Luxembourg’s PM saying “Germany and Merkel are striving for hegemony…”?  It’s not only European countries who are ticked off at the Cypriot bailout package.  So….who’s next in line for the Eurozone’s 6th bailout package and a guaranteed depression?  Heeeere’s Slovenia!   

Deterioration seen this week wasn’t limited to Cyprus.  Italian yields rose on lack of a solution to the lingering political deadlock in the country.  Levels to watch on Italian 10-yr yield = 4.87 to 4.89.  A strong break over these levels will signal further trouble for equity markets worldwide.  Economic wise, the data still look bearish for the country: Industrial Orders in January fell another 1.4%, while Retail sales fell 0.5% in February.

-  Red flags are waving in terms of global growth.  The level of complacency throughout the investment community is at deafening levels.  All of a sudden the Phd in economics, copper, is disregarded as a bellwether indicator of global growth.  Perhaps because its clearly not confirming the bullish narrative - (the red metal broke through its multi-year symmetrical triangle pattern to the downside).  What’s more, South Korean GDP disappointed, as did industrial production.  Was this due to Abenomics? - (keep an eye on a possible rising wedge for the Kospi).    

- Is manufacturing in the US really picking up? Most of the rebound in Durable Goods Orders was due to the volatile transportation sector. Core durable goods, a gauge of business spending, actually fell at the steepest rate since July last year (-2.7%), surpassing economists’ forecasts of a 1.2% drop. Meanwhile, the Chicago purchasing managers index came at a disappointing 52.4 versus analyst expectations of 56.1. New Orders plunged 9 pts and Backlogs are now negative.

- Is the housing recovery real?  Not when mortgage purchase applications, a measure of true sustainable demand and not investor buying, is not confirming.  Furthermore, for all the talk of large YoY gains, it’s important to see the forest for the trees; home prices are still down 30% from their peak 7 years ago.   

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Mar. 4-8, 2013

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases. 

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Bull

+ The U.S. economy clearly remains on the recovery track:

• On Wednesday, we had our first clue that job creation in February was robust, with ADP reporting that 198,000 private sector jobs were created; the advance was broad based across industries. On Thursday, investors received news that the 4-week average of jobless claims fell to its lowest level of the recovery. Finally on Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced in its payrolls report that 236,000 jobs were generated (see graph below), much better than the consensus estimate of 171,000; additionally, the unemployment rate fell 0.2% to 7.7% versus a consensus estimate of 7.8%.

• The Institute of Supply Management reported that the service sector, which accounts for close to 80% of the economy according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, grew at a vigorous pace (Composite Index = 56.0). Even better, within the report, new orders spiked 3.8 points to 58.2 (50 demarcates expansion from contraction); meanwhile, the backlogs subindex surged 5.5 points to a solid 55.0, its highest level in 21 months. Orders are piling up (positive backlogs) and new orders are coming in at a quickening pace. These leading indicators exhibit that the bulk of the economy is slated to grow over the coming months. 
• While factory orders for January showed a contraction of 2.0%, the result was heavily skewed by the transportation sector. Beneath the headline number, we see renewed growth in business investment. Core capital-goods orders, which encompass those of non-defense and excluding aircraft, were revised upwards from 6.3% in last week’s Advance Durable Goods report to 7.2%.
• The recovery is set to continue as we have entered a period of “Nirvana for housing.”  Improved debt to income metrics, pointing to household deleveraging in its late innings; increased residential investment and housing starts, which are usually the best leading indicators for the economy; the end of the drag from state and local government layoffs; loosening household credit; and an accommodative Fed are strong tailwinds that will support economic growth in over the next few years.  You can add rising home prices to that list.   
• According to the Fed’s Flow of Funds Accounts report, households’ real net worth is about 8.5% below pre-recession highs; however, if net worth rises at the same rate it did last year we could see a complete recovery from losses sustained during the “Great Recession” by year-end.   

+ Further signs surface that the global economy is stabilizing.  In Europe, region-wide retail sales surprised to the upside in January, climbing 1.2% versus analysts’ forecasts of a 0.3% rise.  This result cancelled out a 0.8% decline in December. Furthermore in China, exports are beginning to increase signaling increased demand from its trading partners.  Meanwhile in Japan, the Nikkei equity index is up roughly 40% over the past 3.5 months.  A weaker Yen is proving the difference as exporters become more competitive in global markets.  

Bear

-  A clear divergence between Germany and the rest of the periphery countries in Europe (see chart below) highlights the risk of the euro chipping away at European unity (French unemployment just hit its highest level since 1999; youth unemployment is at a record high).  The downturn in the region has intensified.  An increasing number of investors believe a strong Euro, due to other central banks easing to high heaven, is an impetus (Eurozone exports plunged at the fastest rate in almost 4 years during Q4).    

Meanwhile, Fitch downgrades Italy’s credit rating due to a strong showing from Beppe Grillo’s 5-Star Movement, increasing political risk to the Eurozone. “The inconclusive results of the Italian parliamentary elections on February 24-25 make it unlikely that a stable new government can be formed in the next few weeks,” Fitch said.  While Germany may be showing strength, is it sustainable?: check out both January new factory orders and car sales.  Meanwhile, Brussel’s prescription for record unemployment in Spain?: raise taxes (brilliant!)

- China institues its harshest property measures yet, leading to a 9.2% plunge in the Shanghai Property Index.  Uncontrolled advances in real estate prices are a symptom of short-sighted rampant monetary easing by major central banks worldwide.  China’s getting irritated by Japan’s Shinzo’s Abenomics.  Currency wars and beggar-thy-neighbor policies greatly increase the prospect for armed conflict.

- Preliminary negative signs of the increase in payroll taxes are slowly sprouting behind the incessant news of new all-time highs for the DJIA. The International Council of Shopping Centers reported that in February US chain store sales rose 1.7%, below the organization’s guidance of 2 to 2.5%.  Meanwhile, the Beige Book released this week also noted slowing retail sales through late February. Deteriorating sales trends will lead to an excess of inventories (keep an eye on the inventories to sales ratio) and ultimately slowing production.  On the job front, the Challenger job-cut report indicates that layoff announcements for February rose to a level seen only twice over the past 16 months.  Moreover, Friday’s news of a falling unemployment rate is likely transitory; the sequester will result in increased unemployment.  Another warning shot comes from Gallup’s Consumer Confidence survey, which has notably deteriorated since the sequester began.

-  The president of the Dallas Fed states the obvious to those who see the forest for the trees. Monetary policy is clearly not a panacea for economic growth. Despite unprecedented amounts of monetary stimulus, lack of credit demand (an idiosyncrasy of a balance-sheet recession) makes transmission of monetary policy to the general economy very difficult. The only credit demand we’re seeing is that related to student loan debt.  

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Feb. 18-22, 2013

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases.  

Bull

+ The U.S. economy is set to continue its recovery.  The Conference Board’s leading indicator increased 0.2% in January.  ”The indicators point to an underlying economy that remains relatively sound but sluggish,” said Ataman Ozyildririm, economist at The Conference Board.  Meanwhile the ECRI’s leading indicator growth-rate remains in solid positive territory at 7.6% for the week ending February 15th — Lakshman Achuthan has egg all over his face due to his premature recession call.  

+ U.S. Manufacturing is undergoing the beginnings of another inventory build.  The American Trucking Association reports that its tonnage indicator rose for the 3rd consecutive month in January, notching its highest ever reading.  Meanwhile, Markit reports that its PMI registered further expansion for the sector. Chris Williamson, Chief Economist at Markit said: “U.S. manufacturers reported the largest monthly rise in production for almost two years in February, suggesting that the economy is set to rebound from the weak patch seen late last year and allying fears of a double-dip recession.”

+  While the Conference Board has reported declining confidence from the U.S. consumer, on the whole, it has stabilized.  Gallup reports that its measure of consumer confidence remains near a 5-year high.  Bloomberg’s Consumer Comfort Survey is carving out a bottom, as is the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment survey, which last week signaled a 3rd consecutive increase.  

+ Home prices continue to increase (due to falling inventory levels) and will support consumer and investment psychology.  Zillow reports that their pricing index’s 15th consecutive increase was also at the largest annual rate since early 2006.  Meanwhile “the number of American households behind on mortgage payments fell to the lowest level in four years at the end of 2012,” according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.  In the commercial real-estate sector, the AIA announces a strong surge in its Architecture Billings Index.   

+ Global trade flows have bottomed and look to pick up throughout 2013.  Japanese exports for January grew for the first time in 8 months, rising 6.4% on a year over year basis.  Exports to China increased for the first time in 8 months, while exports to the U.S. jumped more than 10%.  Meanwhile, Markit reports that increased demand from Asia is percolating to other major economies, such as Germany.

Bear

- Things are taking a turn for the worse in Europe.  Markit reports a deepening downturn in February, tempering expectations for an end to the region’s economic malaise any time soon.  Moreover, Italian leading indicators point to further weakness ahead (elections are coming up this weekend!) and Euro-wide car sales slump to levels last seen in 1990.  Unfortunately, bullish German business conditions (due to the country’s reluctance to rebalance its economy, which is sorely needed for a long-lasting Eurozone solution) only serve to create complacency in the country.  Perhaps such good economic conditions will make German citizens feel like their economy will not suffer if it left the Eurozone.  A Taylor-Rule analysis of Germany vs. France clearly demonstrates why a one-size-fits-all monetary policy is tearing the region apart.  Meanwhile, financial institutions in Europe remain very vulnerable and Friday’s news that only half of the LTRO money will be repaid speaks volumes of the distrust still present in the banking system.  Liquidity schemes such as the LTRO only mask the underlying fundamental  problems plaguing the Eurozone.  They do nothing to solve them.  

- Market action this week accentuates the extent to which Fed officials have warped financial markets.  After a surprising hawkish set of FOMC minutes, the S&P 500 tumbled over 2 percent.  The weakest multi-year economic recovery on record has only occurred because of unprecedented monetary stimulus.  Any hint of ceasing, or even reducing the dosage of Bernanke’s monetary drug will induce sharp sell offs in risk markets.  The foundations of the global economy remain unhinged and pose grave long-term risks to the investment outlook.  Indeed many are becoming worried with the degree to which the Fed has likely affected long-term economic growth.      

- Quietly, gas prices have increased for 32 consecutive days and endanger PE-multiple expansion.  Along with the expiration of the payroll tax cut and the significant possibility of sequestration, investors will be surprised by deteriorating consumer trends.  

- China’s Shanghai Composite falls roughly 5% as officials signal more tightening measures for the property market.  Despite a rallying U.S. equity market, China’s equity measures remain mired in a long-term downward trend, which is a red flag.  Want another red flag?  Copper plunges more than 5% for the week.  A look at the 3-yr price chart shows us that a bearish solution to a symmetric triangle is looking increasingly probable.    

- An awkward moment for U.S./Chinese relations occurs with Mandiant announcing that the Chinese military accounts for a large number of cyber-attacks on America, an accusation immediately disputed by Chinese officials who point out that the U.S. also accounts for a large number of cyber-attacks on their country as well.  

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Feb. 11-15, 2013

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases. 

Weekly Market Performance

->) S&P 500: -0.1%

->) Dow Industrial Average: -0.2%

->) Nasdaq: -0.1%

Markets on Watch

->) FTSE MIB (Italy):  -0.8%;  ->) 10-yr BTP Yield: -3.8%

->) IBEX 35 (Spain): -0.3%;  ->) 10-yr Obligaciones Yield: -3.5%

Bull

+  Obama’s State of the Union Speech (SOTU) will inspire confidence throughout the middle class.  Improvements in infrastructure and education, as well as retraining the labor force to compete in today’s dynamic global economy, are sound economic policies that will reignite the American competitive spirit and consequently the economy.  Meanwhile, the U.S. energy boom quietly proceeds.  

+ The U.S. job market continues to heal as per high-frequency indicators such as Weekly Jobless Claims.  The 4-week average for New Jobless Claims is near its lowest level of the recovery.  Firms are confident in the outlook and are not cutting staff.  

+ U.S. housing data continues to look up, according to individual city figures.  Additionally, commercial real estate price trends show improvement.   

+ Consumer confidence in the U.S., which had been a growing thorn for the bulls, is finally starting to turn.  University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment survey rises to its highest reading in 3 months with a preliminary February reading of 76.3 vs. a final January reading of 73.8.  Bloomberg’s Consumer Comfort Index is carving out a bottom, printing its highest reading in a month.  Improving confidence is percolating to weekly sales metrics.  Redbook reports that consumption in February has started off on a strong note.  Growing confidence is also finding its way into financial markets.  

+  While January U.S. Industrial Production came in negative, the result came after two very strong months and shouldn’t heighten concern of a reversal of fortune for the sector.  Moreover, other indicators point to stabilization and possibly the beginnings of a new inventory-build.  The New York Empire Manufacturing survey, prints its first positive number in more than half a year in February.  Within the report, confidence in improving future conditions remains constructive.

+  Internationally, G-7 officials affirm their commitment to “market-determined” exchange rates.  Major governments understand that weakening their respective currencies will disadvantage their trading partners.  Cooler heads will prevail.  Meanwhile, financial conditions in the Eurozone have clearly improved.  Along with an overall pace of slower contraction in the EMU, the worse has likely passed.  Stabilization is developing.  

Bear

- Yes Obama’s speech had great ideas on boosting economic growth, if you believe that more government intrusion into the private sector (by picking winners and losers) and higher taxes are sound policies.  Overall, political paralysis looks set to continue; nothing will get done.   

- From a valuation and earnings perspective, U.S. risk markets are significantly overbought.  Additionally, buybacks (usually financed by debt) have in the past represented turning points in equity returns.  Furthermore, BofA’s proprietary sentiment indicator is screaming “sell.”  All this is taking place, while the sequester budget cuts are close to becoming reality.

- Redbook’s report of strong February U.S. consumption growth isn’t confirmed by Walmart’s “sales disaster” in February.  Higher payroll taxes and rising gas prices will be too much for the consumer to bear in the coming months.  Furthermore, oil looks set to continue its rise (pressuring gas prices higher), when looking at recent   developments in the Middle East.

- Small Business, the engine of job creation in America, remains in a multi-year slump, notching a feeble 88.9 in January vs. 88.0.  The average during recovery/expansion is roughly 97.  Without this important cohort of the American economy, job creation will remain tepid.

- Fed officials lack confidence in implementing policy.  Large disparity of opinions among Fed Presidents is detrimental to investor confidence and implies a lack of Fed control of current economic and financial conditions.  San Fran Fed’s Janet Yellen (Bernanke’s right hand dove) and St. Louis Fed’s James Bullard further convince investors that easy monetary policy is here to stay.  Meanwhile, Esther George of the Kansas City Fed, Richmond Fed’s Jeffrey Lacker, and Philly Fed’s Charles Plosser all caution of market disruptions once the Fed is obligated to tighten monetary policy, thereby limiting the Fed’s ability to unwind monetary largesse and risking longer-term inflation.  Sandra Pianalto of the Cleveland Fed believes the FOMC should elect to reduce their scheduled purchases through year-end. 

- The ugly European data continues: French, German, and Italian (remember that they have elections coming up) Q4 GDPs all print below expectations; meanwhile, Spanish Industrial New Orders for January print worse than expected at -3.1%.  Worse, Europe is supposed to be restructuring its economy, with Germany becoming more of an importer; the latest German Trade data is disappointing in this respect.  In the U.K. a disappointing January Retail Sales report (4th consecutive decline) fans fears of a triple-dip recession.  

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Feb. 4-8, 2013

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases.  

Bull:

+ The service sector, which accounts for almost 80% of the U.S. economy, remains in growth mode.  The Institute of Supply Management’s Non-Manufacturing survey reports a healthy 55.2 composite reading and an extremely bullish Employment subindicator of 57.5, its strongest reading since February 2006.  Furthermore, Export New Orders crossed into expansion territory and imply improving global trade conditions.  Indeed, today’s U.S. International Trade report “suggests exports — a key engine of the U.S. recovery — are finding their footing after stalling last year…”

+ The global expansion thesis is further boosted by Singaporean manufacturing ending its spell of contraction, German Factory Orders showing signs of bottoming (mirroring improvement in recent Ifo surveys), and Japanese Machinery Orders increasing for the 3rd consecutive month. 

+ The bears have severely erred on their assumption that China wouldn’t be able to execute a soft landing.  In addition to improving manufacturing surveys, HSBC’s Services PMI survey is now solidly in expansion territory, notching a reading of 54 from 51.7 in December.  China is in position to lead the global recovery again.

+ The U.S. consumer remains quite resilient.  Chain Store sales surge the most since September 2011 and are much better than expected, while Gallup’s Consumer Spending report shows a 4-week average YoY gain of almost 30%.

+ Fed officials are optimistic that a positive wealth effect has taken hold and Q4 GDP numbers reflect only a transitory blip (due to weather-related events) towards continued recovery (Q4 GDP will be positive when the second revision is published).  Rising home values as well as gains in U.S. stock markets have improved consumer psychology.  Furthermore, investors can take solace that the FOMC won’t be backtracking on its promise to continue providing monetary stimulus even in the face of improving economic conditions.

+  The U.K. has seen a string of improving economic numbers this week: the Services Purchasing Manager’s Index swings into expansion in January; Same Store Sales improve 1.9% as well; and Industrial Production for December prints better than expected.  In addition, investors are nodding at recent economic improvement in Europe.      

Bear:

The European political and economic storm looks to pick up strength in the months ahead: 

• On the political front, Spain’s “Gürtel Scandal” is dampening confidence in the government’s ability to continue its EU-mandated austerity policies.  As a result, Spanish 10-yr yields are back on the rise, advancing 2.3% for the week.  Meanwhile, in addition to a festering bank scandal, February 24-25 will market an important day for Italy and global markets as Silvio Berlusconi’s shocking surge in the polls have already begun to unnerve investors.  Since Jan. 28, Italy’s FTSE MIB has declined more than 7%.  
• On the economic front, Spain posts some depressing Industrial Production numbers for January, while European Retail Sales plunged in December by the most since February 2009 on a YoY basis.  France looks to downgrade its 2013 growth forecast placing Mr. Hollande in a pickle, indeed he’s now asking for a lower Euro.  Pressure on the ECB to join central bankers worldwide in weakening their respective currencies marks an end to the cease fire in the “Global Currency War.”  

- Inter-market trends are deteriorating.  A look at the XLF/XLU ratio indicates that deflation fears may resurface soon and would be a negative for equity markets and bullish for Treasury bonds.  In fact, 10-yr Treasury yields are showing a negative divergence vs. equity markets and is a red flag.  Furthermore, equity markets are at long-term resistance, all the while investor sentiment is very bullish.  The stage is set for a correction over the coming weeks. 

- U.S. Weekly sales metrics (Goldman ICSC and Redbook) show continued weakening consumption trends.  Tepid growth readings over the course of January, in addition to a third consecutive weak reading from Discover’s U.S. Spending Monitor, are a shot across the bow for a subpar January Retail Sales report, due on Feb. 13.  Perhaps this is because job creation has stalled according to Gallup’s Job Creation indicator, which just slumped to an 11-month low.  Or perhaps it’s because the nation’s average gas price has risen 17 cents from a week ago.  

- Q4’s Productivity and Unit Labor Cost report portends deteriorating earnings trends for corporations.  Productivity (output per worker) declined  2.0% and was more than expected; meanwhile, unit labor costs surged 4.5% vs. market expectations of a 3.1% increase.  Real wages, vs. nominal, continue to shrink.  ”Hourly pay for American workers fell for the second straight year after factoring out inflation, marking the worst two-year stretch in the U.S. since World War Two.”  

- Does Canada have a popping housing bubble?  Canadian building permits in December plunged 11.2%, after a 17.9% drubbing the month before.  Meanwhile housing starts crater 18.5%.   

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2013

Bull

U.S. Economic Activity is beginning to reaccelerate:

• Manufacturing reports this week show an improving picture.  The ISM Index increases from 50.7 to 53.1 in January.  New Orders and Employment subindicies are in solid positive territory.  Meanwhile Markit’s PMI Index rises from 54 to 55.8.  Both notch their best readings in 9 months.  Regionally, the Chicago and Dallas Feds report that activity is picking up steam.  Furthermore, Durable Goods Orders are pointing to a stabilization in demand with business investment increasing for the third consecutive month.   Manufacturers are becoming more confident in future demand.
• Upward revisions in November, from 161K to 247K, and December, from 155K to 196K, together totaling +127K, accompany a positive BLS jobs report for January (+157K).  Meanwhile ADP reports that companies hired at the fastest pace in almost a year.  Challenger, Gray, & Christmas announces that job cuts for January are the third lowest since 1993.  Firms do not see deteriorating conditions in the months ahead and are maintaining their headcount.  The job market continues to heal.   
• Light Motor Vehicle Sales start off strong in 2013.  Consumption growth continues and will support the economy.  
• Overall, Consumer confidence is stabilizing.  While we’ve seen some indicators point to souring prospects, other surveys, such as Gallup’s Poll of Consumer Confidence and University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumer Sentiment point to reduced concern over upcoming negotiations in Congress.  
• Rising home prices remain a positive for consumer psychology.  Prices are set to climb throughout 2013, partly counterbalancing worries over higher taxes.  Meanwhile Detroit is seeing a revival —(told you so!).  

+  The global economy is set to reaccelerate in the coming months according to JP Morgan’s Global Manufacturing PMI, led by a reacceleration in China (due to domestic demand) and firming U.S. activity.  Improvement in these countries is spilling over into Europe…

+  …Germany’s Markit Manufacturing PMI is now just a smidgen below 50, which delineates between contraction and expansion, at 49.8 (an 11-month high).  Furthermore, Consumer climate, reported by the Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung (Gfk) group, reveals an improving state of confidence.  Perhaps this is due to a recovering job market.  Meanwhile, while still contracting, the majority of country-specific PMIs (Spain, Italy, Hungary, and Czech Republic) indicate the worse is over of the region’s recession.  The improvement in the global economy can also be seen in Brazil, where the unemployment rate has fallen to a record low.

(Source: Markit Economics) 

Bear

- Investors have piled into bullish bets (but earnings have flatlined since Q2 2011), economists all agree that the economy is poised to expand, the VIX is at 2007 levels before the crisis struck, and the bears are capitulating.  All are signs of extreme complacency in the face of festering bearish macro trends……  

(Weekly Readings —— Solid Line = 32-week average)

- …..and why are investors giddy?  Because stocks keep on rising.  But smart investors know to use REAL, not Nominal gains to correctly value wealth.  “Zimbabwe’s stock market was the best performer this decade — but your entire portfolio now buys you 3 eggs.” — Kyle Bass

- The U.S. Economy is extremely vulnerable and is on the cusp of recession: 

• Bull are doused with a bucket of cold water as 4th quarter U.S. GDP prints negative for the first time since Q2 2009.  The negative print is a crystal clear indication of how weak and vulnerable this recovery is.  Curtailing government expenditures, higher taxes, and rising gas prices as the summer approaches will be too much for the economy to bear.
• U.S. Consumer confidence, as per the Conference Board Consumer Confidence survey, plunges again in January, erasing all of 2012’s gains.  Furthermore, the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index falls for the fourth straight week.  Weekly sales metrics, such as Goldman ICSC and Redbook, reveal weakening consumption trends.  This ongoing trend casts a cloud over the direction of consumer spending as worries over reduced incomes due to the expiring 2-yr payroll tax holiday ferment.
• The Household Survey, embedded beneath the widely touted headline jobs number this morning, has not confirmed the improving job market for the third successive month.  
• The FOMC meeting reveals that Fed officials are worried about a stalling economy (confirmed by Q4 numbers) as well as creeping disinflation.  Monetary policy is powerless to arrest continued sluggish in the economy; worse, as investors appreciate the negative impact of reduced consumer incomes, there will be a crisis of confidence.  ”Don’t Fight the Fed” will be a maxim of the past.  

- Europe’s troubles lurk in the background, receiving very little press.  The budget scandal in Spain is quietly picking steam and Retail Sales in the country fell for the 30th consecutive month in December.  Spanish 10-yr borrowing costs advance roughly 5% this week.  Looking at a 3-month view, we now see a higher high.  Meanwhile, car sales throughout the periphery remain in a distinguishable downtrend and retail sales throughout the region signal consumer retrenchment.  Moreover, Italian Consumer Confidence slumps to a 17-yr low and Business Confidence unexpectedly falls.

- If China has really bottomed and is on the brink of a sustainable recovery, try telling that to the Australians.  Straya’s mining-based economy is signaling a red flag for global recovery enthusiasts. 

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Jan. 21-25, 2013

Bull

+ Existing home sales may have underperformed the consensus forecast, but for good reason.  A lack of homes for sale (supply), particularly at the low-value end, was the culprit.  This development will help maintain upward momentum in home prices throughout 2013.  Moreover, New Home Sales may have printed a negative MoM growth-rate, but this was due to a huge upward revision in November and doesn’t deter the bigger picture of continued growth for the sector in 2013.  Overall, inventory levels remain very lean.  Higher home prices will result in a positive wealth effect for consumers and help support consumption.  Furthermore, low inventory levels will act as an incentive for homebuilders to hire, buttressing economic activity.

+ The U.S. job market is clearly on the mend from the looks of the jobless-claims data.  At roughly 352K, the 4-week average is now at its lowest level in almost 5 years.  This development is a harbinger for a solid January payrolls report, due in a week from today.  

+ The bears’ strongest point, a stalling manufacturing sector, isn’t confirmed at all by Markit’s latest preliminary PMI reading.  For January, the overall index rose from 54 to 56.1, a 10-month high.  Furthermore leading indicators in the report, such as New Orders, point to further expansion in the months ahead.  

+ The world’s largest economic bloc, the European Union, is clearly stabilizing.  Germany’s manufacturing PMI rises to the highest in almost a year, while consumer confidence in the European region expands for the second month in a row.  Both reports are for January.  Meanwhile, the ZEW Center for European Economic Research reports that investor confidence in Germany skyrocketed 24.6 pts, hitting a level not seen in more than 2.5 years (same story for Euro-area confidence).  Finally on the financial front, investors are giving the thumbs up at recent reforms in Spain and Portugal; both countries issue bonds to strong demand —- meanwhile, many banks that participated in the LTRO at the zenith of the crisis, are now repaying their loans quicker than expected, a sign of confidence that the worse is over.  

+ China continues to surprise to the upside.  The country’s manufacturing PMI, released by HSBC, hits a 2-year high in January.  Furthermore, Copper is about to break out of its multi-year triangle to the upside (see 3-yr view).  

+ The Conference Board’s U.S. leading indicator points to strengthening economic growth in the months ahead, rising 0.5% in December. “Housing, which has long been a drag, has turned into a positive for growth and will help improve consumer balance sheets and strengthen consumption,” says Conference Board economist Kenneth Goldstein.  

Bear

- Manufacturing has stalled and is looking to contract soon, as the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond reports that its manufacturing index slumped to a 6-month low in January.  This report follows news of weakness in the sector from the New York and Philly Federal Reserve Banks.  Housing, which now only accounts for only 3% of U.S. GDP economy will not be able to pick up the slack (manufacturing accounts for 12% according to the National Association of Manufacturers)…  

- …furthermore consumption, which accounts for roughly 70% of the economy is set to shift down a gear as consumers hunker down as they face an expiring 2-year payroll tax holiday.  Bloomberg’s Consumer Comfort, which confirms recent falls in the University of Michigan and Conference Board consumer confidence surveys, falls to a 3-month low.   

- Complacency reigns in Euroland as Draghi states that the darkest times have passed.  Are we really out of the woods?  Investors are ignoring worrisome developments.  Spanish unemployment hits a record high while stories of corruption within the country’s government swirl about, creating political uncertainty at the flashpoint of the debt crisis.  Meanwhile in France, Europe’s second largest economy, recession is knocking on the door and could result in another flashpoint.

- From a technical perspective, stocks are very overbought at these levels.  Now is not the time to make risk-on bets as the S&P 500 also approaches multi-year resistance and many macro risks remain lurking in the background.

—(Source Bespoke Investment Group)

- Common sense says that constant intervention and warping of financial markets by central banks will inevitably come back to haunt investors and the global economy.  Warnings grow of a credit bubble as rampant central bank intervention has masked the true cost of money.  The subsequent adjustment will undoubtably be painful. 

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Dec. 3-7, 2012

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases. 

Bull

+ The U.S. economy is showing resiliency and leading indicators are pointing to continued growth:

• The Institute of Supply Management’s Non-manufacturing survey indicates that the service sector, which accounts were roughly 80% of the U.S. economy, is starting to pick up steam. New orders, a leading indicator, rise from 54.8 to 58.1. (50 demarcates expansion/contraction).  Furthermore, order backlogs cross the 50 mark into positive territory.   
• The US consumer continues to defy bearish forecasts.  Car sales rise to a five-year high in November, despite fiscal cliff fears. A clear uptrend has been reestablished.

(Source: Motor Intelligence) 

• Corelogic announces that prices in October rose 6.3% year-over-year, the largest increase since 2006. Plunging inventory will lead to firming prices over the coming year.  
• The BLS Payrolls November report today shows a decrease in the unemployment rate to 7.7% (the lowest since December 2008) as well as a better than expected 146,000 jobs created.  Averting the fiscal cliff (lawmakers will come to an agreement; Republicans will relent) will result in a release of pent up business investment, resulting in accelerated growth this coming spring.  Stock markets are sniffing out this strengthening tailwind.   
• Finally, resilient economic growth in the U.S. is spilling into Mexico, evident by rising consumer confidence and improving business conditions.   

+ There are more signs of a bottom in China’s economic growth.  The National Bureau of Statistics releases its Non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index, which increased to a 3-month high of 55.6 and doing its best to emulate a 13-month high mark in HSBC’s manufacturing PMI as well as a 7-month high in the country’s official Manufacturing PMI.  Meanwhile, the property market has clearly stabilized; there is no housing bubble.  Bellwether companies, such as Dow Chemical, see signs of reacceleration.  Stabilization in China and resiliency in the U.S. is translating to a healing global economy.

+ In Europe, periphery sovereign paper has been quietly rallying.  The Italian 10-year yield is now in a clear downtrend (3-yr view); a major potential bearish catalyst is falling by the wayside.  Europe continues to muddle towards a resolution.  Furthermore, when looking at Germany’s DAX, it sure doesn’t look like the wheels are falling off the engine of European growth.     

+ Longer-term, rising wages in China, increased flexibility of U.S. labor unions, and rising transportation costs are various factors resulting in a wave of “onshoring.”  Meanwhile, the Department of Energy announces that oil production is now the highest in almost 15 years, while a highly anticipated report on natural gas exports sets the stage for a significant increase in investment.  These factors will act as steady secular tailwinds for economic growth in the years ahead.  

Bear

- Investors are ignoring a growing divide between Democrats and Republicans on how to resolve the Fiscal Cliff and growing uncertainty is resulting in a precipitous drop in business investment, eerily similar to 2008. 

— (Source: Briefing)

- Bullish investors’ hopes that the worse has passed in Europe is pure poppycock.  Eurozone retail sales sink 1.2% in October, while a slew of PMIs continue to show deep contraction; worse,  austerity   looks  to proceed.  Moreover Germany, the locomotive of European growth, presents a terrible batch of economic data this week: industrial production is now cliff diving, retail sales plunge 2.8%, and the Bundesbank chops its growth forecast for 2013 (but the weakness is temporary…..riiight <sarcasm>).  Contagion hits Finland, a country already skeptical of continued bailouts to the South, while in the UK, dreadful factory data raises fears of a triple-dip recession.  In Greece, more than 1 out of every 4 people are unemployed, while France’s unemployment rate hits its highest level in 13 years (youth unemployment hits a record high).  Finally, political uncertainty is remerging in Italy, with Monti’s government seeing ever-thinning support for continued austerity.  Continued weakness in Europe is infecting other major economies, such as Brazil and India.    

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Turkey Week Edition, 2012

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases.  

Bull

 + Uncertainty is decreasing.  In last week’s recap, the bull’s strongest case was the “the contours of a resolution” taking shape regarding the fiscal debate in Washington.  This week, more investors bought into this bullish point, leading to the S&P 500’s best weekly performance since June.   In geopolitical news, a cease fire has been declared in Gaza.  Decreasing conflict in the region means cooler heads are prevailing.    

+ Risk markets are ripe for a tradable bullish move given that the S&P 500 is extremely cheap when looking at current P/E ratios.  In fact, it would need to rally 26% just to reach the average P/E of bull markets dating back since the 60s.  Meanwhile, trends in insider trading are hinting at a sustained rally to come.  Mainstream investors are entirely too pessimistic on longer-term earnings growth, yet sources of future growth are around us….

+ …global growth will be the recipient of a welcomed surprise in China, where a rebound is gaining strength as per HSBC’s latest PMI reading, increasing to 50.4 from 49.5 and marking the metric’s first expansionary reading in more than a year. Meanwhile, “The German economy is holding up well in face of the euro crisis” and ECB officials signal that the central bank is willing to forgo $9 billion in future profits on its Greek holdings, a sign of understanding that some relief will need to be given to periphery countries.  

+ …meanwhile, U.S. economic growth will be increasingly supported by a rebounding housing market.  The National Assocation of Homebuilder’s Housing Index rises to a 6 and a half year high.  Existing home sales for October surprise to the upside and upward pressure in home prices may be the reason for improving consumer confidence (Source: Econoday).  Rising Housing Starts indicate that the housing industry is becoming more confident in the recovery.  Meanwhile in manufacturing, Markit’s U.S. PMI report certainly doesn’t agree with the bearish claim that the sector’s is about to enter contraction.  Finally, U.S. officials understand that today’s globalized economy is about competition and are considering establishing laws to encourage the brightest minds in the world to consider the U.S. as their home.       

Bear

-Investors are like frogs in an increasingly hot investment environment.  Europe continues to show signs of disunity and infighting as EU finance ministers are unable to agree on a revised version of Greece’s fiscal consolidation plan or approve to extend the country’s public debt target.  Meanwhile France’s AAA rating is history as per Moody’s.  Increasing investor skepticism doesn’t bode well for lawmakers as eventually financial markets will force the issue.  Finally, economic and financial data is just awful.

- Confidence in the global recovery is evaporating.  U.S. Tech companies are feeling the effects of a slowing global economy.  Meanwhile, China reports that foreign investment in the country has fallen for 11 of the last 12 months.  If bulls are certain that China is poised to rebound, why has the Shanghai Index dropped to a new low?  Meanwhile, Japan reports a 6.5% plunge in October exports (exports to the EU cratered 20% YoY)

- As if critical damage due to a slowing global economy wasn’t enough, the U.S. economy is also contending with a crisis of confidence due to Fiscal cliff concerns.  Investment is falling off a cliff as companies pull back on business spending.  The consumer better step through this holiday season (early signs   aren’t promising).  Despite a higher trend in Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment index, weakening momentum is causing alarm.    

- Cooler heads may seem to be prevailing in the Middle East, but the longer trend is of more hostility.  Meanwhile tensions in Asia remain elevated and territorial claims dealing with the South China Sea are likely to exacerbate fissures in the region.

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Nov. 12-16, 2012

This objective report concisely summarizes important macro events over the past week.  It is not geared to push an agenda.  Impartiality is necessary to avoid costly psychological traps, which all investors are prone to, such as confirmation, conservatism, and endowment biases.   

Bull

+ Weak economic data and fiscal cliff concerns have produced a buying opportunity for risk assets.  Firstly, weakness in this week’s economic data is due to Hurricane Sandy.  Data will revert to trend growth soon and surprise investors to the upside.  Finally, we are beginning to see the contours of a resolution as per recent remarks from Obama and Boehner.  Democrats will pile the pressure on Republicans to relent.  Lawmakers understand the consequences of non-action and will naturally act in time to avoid the bearish scenario.  

+ Long-term U.S. economic bullish tailwinds are forming before our eyes.  Shale oil and “fracking” look to make the U.S. an energy powerhouse, spawning a wave of manufacturing investment and job creation.  The U.S. is forecast to be an oil exporter by 2030.  Furthermore, the housing market is on the mend with housing  bellwethers reporting improved earnings trends, economic data showing falling inventory levels, evidence of an improving trend in delinquencies, and leading indicators such as the S&P Homebuilders index and lumber prices signaling increased vigor ahead.  Finally, China continues to show stabilization; a rebound will ensue in 2013.  Longer-term, new leadership will ensure that the country’s important 5-year plan is properly executed.  These bullish tailwinds will grow stronger in the coming months and will cause a further uptrend in Citi’s Surprise Index (a measure of investor sentiment)…      

+ …In fact, sentiment on Main Street continues to improve and U.S. economic growth quietly surprises to the upside in the 3rd quarter.

+ Athens will likely be given additional time to digest austerity cuts.  European leaders understand that they must give Greece time to adjust.  This is a positive step and shows that political will for a unified Europe remains resilient.  Furthermore, GDP data for France, Germany, and Italy print better than expected.

Bear

- U.S. companies fear the fiscal cliff and government gridlock is set to continue, all the while bailouts persist.  Falling core capital goods orders (affecting manufacturing), souring small business sentiment, and weakening consumer spending are ingredients for a self-fulfilling prophecy of recession.  Promises of further monetary easing are met with risk markets shrugging.  Monetary policy has become powerless to stop continued economic weakness.     

- Germany will be entering recession soon.  The important ZEW survey implodes in November, falling 4.2 points to -15.7.  A negative balance indicates that more experts expect the economy to contract over the next 6 months.  A political crisis in the Eurozone is increasing in probability.  How can Germany bailout other countries when it now needs stimulus of its own?  That will be a major question on November 20th when the Bundestag votes on the next tranche of aid to Greece.  

- Meanwhile, things are taking a turn for the worse in most if not all of Europe.  For September, Spanish industrial orders collapse almost 6%, while Eurozone industrial production falls the most in 3 years.  In France, recession is knocking on the door and Germany is pondering critiquing the country’s economy (good luck with that).  Meanwhile, most periphery nations are plagued with increasingly violent strikes and protests; the Greek government is beginning to lose control as a GDP print of -7.2% in the 3rd quarter has prompted the Prime Minster to announce that a “Great Depression” has descended on the country.  The IMF and EU continue to spar over the details of a new aid package —wavering IMF support is further fuel for uncertainty.    

- Weakness in Europe is spilling into Asia, with Japan on the cusp of another recession and Taiwan experiencing some intense market declines.  Meanwhile, geopolitics is further clouding the outlook.  Israeli airstrikes   kill the leader of Hamas’s militant wing.  This is occurring within the backdrop of already high  tensions in the region; a report from an U.N. agency fuels further fear of military conflict between Israel and Iran.  

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Jul. 16-20, 2012 

+ Housing continues to show signs that the worst is finally over and that the recovery is slowly gaining strength.  Improvement on the margin is becoming clear.  The NAHB Housing index rises by the most since 2002 to its highest reading since 2007. Housing starts rise to their highest since October 2008 and are up 40% over the past 18 months (permits remain in an uptrend).  Higher starts than completions signal that job creation is coming soon as the latter catches up.  Meanwhile, refinancing through the HARP program is gaining momentum, leading to improved income streams for many consumers.

+  Manufacturing remains a sturdy sector for the U.S. recovery.  Despite a negative reading in the ISM’s latest survey, the hard data tells a different story.  Total output rises 0.4% in June, led by a 0.7% rebound in manufacturing, to a new post-recovery high and more than reversing a decline of 0.2% in the prior period.  Output has expanded for 29 consecutive months.  YoY rates for Industrial and Manufacturing Production are 4.7% and 5.6% respectably, still reasonably healthy.  Production of business equipment remains in solid growth territory.

+ Global economic activity is stabilizing and growth is set to resume in the coming months.  China has begun preparations for additional spending/stimulus and copper is starting to sniff this strengthening development (3-Mth chart view is best).  The country’s housing market is already heating up.  Meanwhile, Italian Industrial Orders are stabilizing, rising by 1.7% in May, offsetting a 1.8% drop in the prior month.  Moreover, Spanish Industrial New Orders also came in better than expected; the country’s OECD leading indicator shows stabilization in the coming months.      

+ The U.S. economy is dynamic and is transforming before our very eyes.  Exports, shale gas/oil investments, and oil discoveries are new fountains of growth.  Consumer deleveraging has come far and home prices are enticing for long-term investment.  Furthermore, China is finally embarking on the path towards becoming the next world’s consumer.  This is undoubtably bullish.   

+ Risk assets are holding up well, even as investors are concluding that QE3 may not be forthcoming.  Furthermore, short-interest is at levels preceding powerful bullish moves, such as in Q3 2011: “To the extent people have gone short U.S. domestic equities, I think they’re kind of wasting their time” — Michael Shaoul.  Continued bearishness means there’s a wall of worry to climb…   

+ …Furthermore, earnings reports from international  companies have surpass expectations.  Continued signs of stabilization in global economic conditions will lead to higher stock prices.  Tech has been buoyant even in the face of all the sour macro news.  The market’s reaction to the news is more telling than the news itself.         

Bear

-  In Spain, home prices are absolutely imploding, bad loans are mushrooming, and bank deposits are dwindling.  Valencia signals distress and taps assistance from the government.  The results?  A Spanish Treasury official says there’s “no money left to pay services” and sovereign bond prices collapse (so much for the summit); 100 billion euros will not be enough to shore up Spain’s banking system.  Meanwhile the ECB reverses its position and now advocates imposing losses on senior bondholders of slumping financial companies.  The threat of losses is the pin to pop the “Moral Hazard Bubble.”  Meantime, Germany says sovereigns will still be responsible for bailout money; the country’s economic sentiment report falls for the 3rd consecutive month; and Deutsche-marks are making a comeback.  Moreover, 13 Italian banks are downgraded by Moody’s.  The Eurozone has already split according to intra-bank capital flows.       

- The U.S. economy is entering a recession.  The consumer is faltering, evident by the third consecutive drop in headline and core retail sales, both falling for the third consecutive month, the first time that’s happened since the dark days of 2008 (weekly consumer metrics don’t point to a rebound in the immediate term).  Meanwhile, the job market looks to be headed south as per a plunging employment sub-index in the Philly Fed’s manufacturing report as well as the National Association’s for Business Economic report on hiring trends.  These trends are confirmed by both the Gallup Poll’s U.S. Economic Confidence Indicator and the Conference Board’s U.S. Leading Indicator.  Continued suffering in the middle to lower-class is slowly creeping to its breaking point.    

- Bernanke warns on the assumption that funny money will cure all ills (in fact, the “unintended consequences” of ZIRP are clearly making things worse).  The looming fiscal cliff as well as weakness in Europe are together critically damaging confidence.  Both must be resolved he says.  Unfortunately, “it’s out of our hands,” which means that the Fed would be powerless to stop the oncoming contagion from a Eurozone implosion or a crisis of confidence from continued political bickering —likely to lead right up to the final hours.  Meanwhile, how on earth can the bulls say there’s high bearishness out there when the VIX just recently leaked under 16?  This sticks of complacency — there’s continued misplaced hope that Europe will get things done and that China will stimulate the global economy back into recovery.       

- Continued uncertainty in Europe is negatively affecting global business sentiment.  The IMF slashes its global growth forecast, while foreign investment in China falls almost 7% YoY in June.  Premier Wen sure sounds more worried than bullish analysts banking on a second-half rebound.  Global bellwethers are sounding the alarm of a slowing business environment.   

- Geopolitics continues to cast its shadow over the faltering global economy.  Syria is now officially in a “non-international armed conflict,” or civil war; Russia reaffirms its support for al-Assad.  Meanwhile, the Middle East is fast turning into a proxy war among the mightiest.  Israel vows a response against “a global campaign of terror carried out by Iran and Hezbollah” after 5 Israelis are killed in a bus explosion in Bulgaria.  Finally, the thinly covered South China Sea dispute isn’t going away.     

- Housing prices have not bottomed, not when you have rising shadow inventory, stagnant purchase applications, and an unclogging foreclosure pipeline.  But keep on building those houses </sarcasm>.

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Tons of info.  Want to know how I see things?  Check out my macro and market outlooks.          

Weekly Bull/Bear Recap: Jul. 2-6, 2012 

Bull

+ The U.S. economy continues to grow; recent data is only a pause that refreshens.  

• The consumer is resilient in the face of slowing economic conditions abroad.  The National Restaurant Association reports that performance and expectations for May are near 2006 levels. Meanwhile, auto sales rebound, surprising most analysts. 
• U.S. Rail Traffic continues to show an expanding economy and two key sectors of the economy, autos and housing, are poised to lead a re-acceleration of growth.  
• Construction spending for May surges the most in 5 months, signaling that activity has finally bottomed and will be a job creator in the quarters to come.  
• Speaking of job creation, ADP reports a stronger pace.  Meanwhile, jobless claims fall under 380K for the first time since mid-May, planned job cuts plunge to a 13-month low, and the Monster Employment shows growing labor demand.  While the BLS job report is below expectations, wage growth firms up and the average workweek ticks higher.  

+ Gas prices have plunged over the past 3 months, while ISM Prices-Paid subcomponents are in deep contraction territory.  Conditions are ripe for the Fed to initiate another QE and confirm that central banks are coordinating policy, causing a turn in sentiment and a powerful rally.  

+ Meanwhile, China has plenty of ammunition for additional stimulus.  However, the economy is stabilizing on its own as per China’s non-manufacturing index, which rises to a 3-month high of 56.7.  There will be no hardlanding in China.  Monetary officials are loosening monetary policy, setting the stage for a strengthening recovery over the 2nd half of the year.  

+ German factory orders come in better than expected and is good news for the exporting powerhouse.  Global growth has weakened but will stabilize soon.     

Bear

- Investors are giving the thumbs down towards solutions presented at the latest European summit .  Spanish yields are back within striking distance of 7%, while Italian bonds are above 6%.  Core-countries are reneging on providing unconditional help to the periphery.  A crisis of confidence is set to fragment the Eurozone.  We are at most weeks away from a negative worldwide financial shock, leading to a global recession.  

- Merkel is under increasing pressure from officials in her native Germany.  The CSU, the Constitutional Court, and now the President of the Bundesbank are making it clear that political will in Germany has been exhausted.  A referendum must take place.  Meanwhile, the Greek government is set to collapse again soon.  The ECB cut interest rates, but it isn’t enough for the QE-addicted market.  Finland says the “unthinkable.”

- U.S. economic data continues to point to increasing sluggishness and ultimately a recession.  The ISM June’s manufacturing index turns in its first contraction print in 35 months; important leading indicators — New Orders and Backlogs — are in solid negative territory.  While ADP shows an improved labor market, the BLS has a different account of its health.  Weekly consumer metrics are showing significant weakness and outlooks in the retail sector are getting slashed.  

- Global economic data continues to disappoint.  Euro-area unemployment climbs to a record 11.1% in May.   The bulls were wrong, Germany did not decouple from the rest of Europe, as May’s PMI fell to a 3-year low and weighted on a gloomy Eurozone PMI.  Slumping New-Orders for most PMIs signal global recession has arrived.  Globally coordinated interest-rate cuts smell of panic.  

- “But trust is shattered at the very top of the financial system.”

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Be sure to check out my newly minted macro and market outlooks.  Happy Independence day to all of America.  I love my country and look forward to better times ahead.