We continue to advise investors to increase allocations towards Japanese equities and towards the $NIKK in particular, as we see the structural changes made by Abe’s government gaining traction and delivering tangible results, and Japanese investors increasing exposure into domestic equities. Historically, the N-225 is in a period of seasonal strength from January until early April (in part due to fiscal year end {March 31st} window dressing related performance).
As we had been expecting, European benchmarks have been outperforming US benchmarks since the beginning of the year, mainly due to the much lower valuations attracting investors (P/E; P/CF; much higher dividend yields) but also benefiting from the accommodative monetary policies enacted by the ECB. We see increasingly technical evidence of the strength in European equity markets set to continue, following historic seasonal strength patterns that run through to the start of May, which is coinciding with the end of annual dividend pay-out period.
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Category Archives: Technical
Morning Market Commentary & Charts
After the FOMC meeting notes, it seems that Ms. Yellen is now altering the FED’s focus away from employment, GDP and other determining interest rate policies’ factors to one of the economic indicators, which we had been highlighting as one of our main benchmarks for our forecasts on FED related policy changes, and our 2015 assumptions on “No FED rate hike until 2016!”, namely consumer price inflation indicator (CPI).
022315 – CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Charts
Strategist CArlo Besenius reviews global equity, fixied income, currency and commodity markets.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Equities globally rallied on today, boosted by news that Greece has reached a deal to secure a loan extension with its creditors. The German DAX 30 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average charted a new all-time closing high, following the S&P 500 Index and Russell 2000 Index, which charted all-time highs earlier in the week.
Morning Market Commentary
We maintain our baseline forecast for 2016 of “No FED rate hike in 2016”, as the global inflationary pressures are still declining, and we see increasing macro-economical evidence of the US economy slowing, and of our baseline forecast becoming more widely be accepted both by central bankers and by market participants. Consequent to the market slowly adapting to our base line scenario, we do see a strong case for renewed allocations towards high yielding equities mostly outside of the US, particularly in the case of Japan and Europe, as those equities markets have entered their periods of seasonal strength until April for Japan, and mid-May in the case of Europe. In the US, dividend yields on S&P 500 stocks are competing with yields on 10-year Treasuries. Higher Treasury yields (i.e. lower Treasury prices) could prompt additional rotation into equities.
Morning Market Commentary
Seasonally, treasuries trade lower between now and the end of April as investors take on more risk in the equity market; the month of March is by far the weakest period of the year for the treasury bond, declining by an average of 1.6%. The 30- Year Treasury Bond has declined in March 87% of the time over the past 24 years, a significant frequency for any asset class. Bonds seasonally come back into favor during the summer months when investors tend to be more risk averse.
CGI Morning Market Commentary. Dollar Double Top
021715 CGI Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Strategist Carlo Besenius’ weekly review of Equity, Fixed Income, Commodity and Currency markets
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Treasury bond prices are vulnerable to further technically corrective declines, particularly given that we are in the midst of the period of seasonal weakness for the asset class; negative seasonal tendencies persist through April. However, over the past 30 years, each time the long-term treasury bond has met up with this rising level of resistance, stocks have generally performed well in the months and years that have followed. However, we continue to advise investors to trade bonds according to their long-term trend channel dynamics. We see nothing fundamentally having changed over the past 2 months for that trend to change.
020415: CGI Daily Market Commentary
Strategist Carlo Besenius’ commentary on global markets. Focus on fixed income and energy.
Morning Market Commentary
Early technical signs have surfaced that 10-Y US Treasuries are rolling over from overbought levels. However, as we noted repeatedly over the past 10 months, due to falling global
inflation, we see any temporary small correction of 10-Y Treasuries as another reentry point for investors, as we anticipate for the yield for the 10-Y Treasuries to fall at least towards 1.3% in the coming 2 quarters.
020215: CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Charts
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius reviews global equity, fixed income, commodity, and currency markets.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Stocks are trading at extremely high valuations against a backdrop of slowing economic growth and rising global financial and geopolitical instability. Market cap to GDP ratio is currently at twice its historical average. The Shiller Cyclically Adjusted P/E Ratio (CAPE) is at 1.7x its historical average. The forward P/E ratio of the S&P 500 is currently 16x versus an historical average of 14x .
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
We believe that the US$ impact is not at all factored in by sell side analysts, and will make for a nasty surprise in the coming quarters in 2015. The price of the long-term bond continues to bump against trend line resistance that has spanned the last 30-years. Should this trend line hold, the long-term treasury bond may succumb to selling pressures following the Fed announcement. International market ETFs including Emerging Markets and European equity market led world equity markets on the upside last week, and we are expecting for that trend to continue over the coming months.
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Morning Market Commentary & Charts
Asian and European financial markets, (currencies, equities and government bonds) were little changed as investors braced for the possibility of new quantitative easing measures from the European Central Bank (ECB). There’s a strong chance that tomorrow’s ECB announcement will boost Eurozone stocks, however not necessarily weaken the Euro further, as the parabolic rise of the $USD relative to most world currencies since June 2014 has been overdone in time and magnitude. The ECB move, in combination with the European-wide Juncker Plan, which will
bring an additional stimulus to particularly infrastructure projects in Europe, should be convincing investors to make further equities and bond investments into the Eurozone.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
North American equity markets entered into a short-term corrective phase on December 29th. The corrective phase is expected to continue until end of the fourth quarter earnings report period (i.e. late January/early February). Thereafter, North American equity markets are expected to resume an intermediate uptrend as they normally do during a US Presidential Pre-election
year. We are expecting for equity markets around the world to be exceptionally volatile this week due to a series of economic/political news events.
Morning Market Commentary
In a shock move this morning, the Swiss central bank scrapped its minimum exchange rate of 1.20 Swiss francs a Euro, which was introduced four years ago
to protect Switzerland from the Eurozone debt crisis. The Eurozone’s trade surplus widened in November as exports rose, indicating that a weakening Euro is starting to provide a boost to the economy. The European Union’s statistics agency today announced the Eurozone recorded a surplus in its trade in goods with the rest of the world of EUR20 bn ($23.6 bn), up from EUR16.5 bn in the same month of 2013.
011215 – CGI Global Market Strategy and Weekly Charts
011215 CGI Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius reviews global equity, fixed income, commodity and currency markets, with commentary on Global market Strategy
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
US Equities are extremely expensive compared to its global peers, and have been overweighed & overheld for a very long time by foreign investors. The fact that foreign ownership of US stocks is at an all-time high, totaling 16% in 2014, the highest in 69 years since such records have been kept, is of additional concern. For 2015, we are advising US investors to increase their foreign holdings, and reduce US equities exposure.
010515 – CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Charts
010515 CGI Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius reviews global equity, fixed income, currency and commodity markets.
122214 – CGI Global Markets Strategy and Weekly
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius comments on global equity, fixed income, currency and commodity markets.
121614 – CGI Global Markets Strategy and Weekly Charts
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius comments on global equity, commodity, currency and fixed income markets.
120814 – CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Charts
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius commentary on global equity, currency, fixed income and commodity markets.
120114 – CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Charts
120114 CGI Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius’ weekly review on global equity, commodity, fixed income and currency markets.
112414 – CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Charts
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius’ weekly review of equity markets, fixed income, commodity, and currency markets
111714 – CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Charts
Strategist Carlo Besenius reviews the global equity, fixed income, currency and commodity markets. Sectors which seasonally outperform during this period include: Technology, Consumer Discretionary, Industrials and Materials.
101414 – CGI Weekly Market Commentary and Technical View: WTI risk to $78
Strategist Carlo Besenius presents his weekly technical view of equity markets, sectors, currencies, commodities, and rates.
100614 _ CGI Weekly Market Commentary: Buy Euro, Sell $, Buy Bovespa, Buy Industrials
100614 CGI Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Strategist Carlo Besenius provides his weekly outlook for equity markets and sectors, commodities, and currencies.
09222014: CGI Weekly Market Commentary and Technical Outlook
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius provides asset allocation views for the near and medium term.
091114 – CGI Morning Market Commentary – US Dollar Temporarily Overvalued
091114 CGI Morning Market Commentary Charts
Carlo Besenius’ views on the global markets – equities, fixed income, and currency.
08212014 – CGI Global Strategy Update – Prelude to Jackson Hole
CGI 140821 Strategy Update – Prelude to Jackson Hole
Strategist Steve Gluckstein discusses the outlook for US rates and monetary policy.
08182014 – CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Chart
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius discusses the outlook for the Euro and European Equity Markets.The recent under-performance of equities in the Eurozone relative to those in the US has been more pronounced than might have been expected based on the size of the fall in the Euro against the US$. Admittedly, we forecast the Euro to strengthen to about EUR/US$ 1.3750 from the current EUR/US$ 1.34 levels. But we do not think this will preclude Eurozone equities from recovering lost ground.
080114 – CGI Morning Market Commentary – Buy WTI, Dax, Eur
080114 CGI Morning Market Commentary Buy $WTI, Buy $DAX, Buy $XEU
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius highlights current asset allocation recommendations.
072114 – CGI Weekly Market Charts – BRICs to continue outperforming
072114 CGI Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts BRIC equities continue to outperform
Carlo Besenius provides a weekly market overview of Equity Markets, Rates, Currencies, and Commodities.
071414 – CGI Weekly Market Commentary: Baltic Dry, Yen, Sector Seasonality
Carlo Besenius discusses global asset allocation strategies – BDI, Yen, Sector Seasonality, EAFE vs US.
062314 – CGI Morning Market Commentary and Weekly Charts
062314 CGI Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Carlo Besenius provides his weekly strategy outlook and technical review of markets, commodities, and currencies.
061614 – CGI Weekly Technical Review
061614 CGI Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts Global Strategist Carlo Besenius reviews current markets, sectors, currencies and commodities in his weekly technical review and commentary.
060914 – CGI Morning Market Views: Buy 10Y EuroBonds, Sell $, Sell US Equities
Carlo Besenius analyzes the European Bond markets and sees further support for periphery bonds in the coming months. Equity markets have become parabolic, with downside risks increasing greatly.
052214 – CGI Seasonality Analysis
We review the seasonality factors impacting global debt and equity markets over the summer. Equities are expected to see a period of weakness, with good probability for an increase in volatility mid summer.
050814 – CGI Market Commentary: Breakdowns!: Sell NASDAQ, $USD, Buy EURO
050814 CGI Morning Market Commentary EURO testing critical resistance, US$ retesting support
Global Strategist Carlo Besenius reviews market technical patterns. For the past month we have voiced concerns over the market, and feel that the markets are set for a correction over the summer months. See our full report for Index and Sector recommendations.
042814 – CGI Morning Market Commentary: Alstom/GE or Alstom/Siemens?
We see better medium to long-term value creation in the Siemens proposal than in the GE possibility, both for Alstom, and also for either of the other two possible winners. This proposal is an unique opportunity to create two strong European Champions with global leadership aspiration in the fields of energy and transport, providing for a compelling industrial story while protecting the interests of both groups’ shareholders, employees, respective home countries France and Germany and ultimately the European interests as well. We do believe that Siemens is the most suited partner for Alstom, and clearly the favorite over GE, if any, however, there will be serious “antitrust” issues affecting any potential transaction, and we are advising for investors to rather focus on Siemens as an investment opportunity, rather than on any potential merger benefits, as we see little likelihood of neither takeover bids materializing.
Morning Market Commentary – Buy Chinese Equities $SSEC bottoming, Euro equity benchmarks continuing to gather momentum vs SPX
Global manufacturing data remains strong and it cannot be ruled out that the data out of China is distorted as a result of the upcoming Chinese New Year. Manufacturing activity in China typically declines into the Chinese holiday, which this year is on January 31. Despite the unexpected data point from China, manufacturing numbers continue to show signs of improvement, both in the US and Europe. Overshadowed by China’s disappointing manufacturing PMI report, January Flash Manufacturing PMI in the Euro-Zone was reported at the highest level since June 2011 at 53.9, firmly in expansion territory.
Although gold is not presently within its period of seasonal strength, which runs from July through to September, the metal typically does benefit from strength in metal prices at this time of year due to improving manufacturing demand.
Morning Market Commentary – Buy International equities, Energy, Oil
Much higher 10-year rates in 2014. Buy Intl. equities, EAFE, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Japan over US as EAFE entered period of seasonal strength.
Energy, Oil & Utilities are the only ones that tend to produce higher than seasonal average returns under extreme cold weather conditions.
Morning Market Commentary – Metals, Oil, Buy Intl. Equities
EAFE to continue to outperform US equities, Chinese equities bottoming, Metals, Platinum & Palladium moving higher. Buy Intl. equities, EAFE, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Japan over US as EAFE entered period of seasonal strength. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – EAFE cont. to outperform US equities, Oil, Commodities,
Short and intermediate technical indicators for most equity markets and sectors remain overbought. Look for a renewed seasonal buying opportunity in economic sensitive sectors on weakness in the month of January. We continue to recommend to add towards sectors which continue to show seasonal strength such as… Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary – Buy Intl. equities, Germany trade balance
Germany has a trade balance second to none on earth. Germany recorded a trade surplus of EUR 18.10 Bn in November of 2013. Germany is world leader in current account surplus in 2014.
We are expecting for the DAX 30 equities’ outperformance to extend through 2015. EPS expectations should stabilize alongside global GDP growth. We are forecasting DAX EPS FY 2014 to rise by 16% yoy to 760. (Vs. consensus 729) . Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary – DAX, German surplus
We are expecting for the DAX 30 equities’ outperformance to extend through 2015. EPS expectations should stabilize alongside global GDP growth. We are forecasting DAX EPS FY 2014 to rise by 16% yoy to 760. (Vs. consensus 729).
In the past 30 years that we have been active in the global equities capital markets arena, Germany has been focusing like no other nation and its corporate sector in re-inventing and restructuring and repositioning itself and its economy by constantly upgrading through technological, intellectual value-added, and by high capital expenditure driven innovative research and development. This has lead to the point that the majority of German companies to-date are world class leaders, second to none.
Morning Market Commentary – Buy into mini global equities’ correction
Short and intermediate technical indicators for most equity markets and sectors are overbought and showing signs of peaking. Midterm US Presidential Cycle years show that US equity markets show an average correction by the S&P 500 Index of 1.7% in the month of January followed by strength into mid-April. History appears to be repeating itself. Look for renewed seasonal buying opportunities in economic sensitive sectors following a brief period of weakness into January.
Our preferred equity markets like Germany, France, Spain, and Japan continue to outperform US benchmarks. We advise clients to add towards those countries’ equities and towards our favorite sectors, which continue to show seasonal strength, such as: …. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary – European Stocks to continue to outperform
European stocks gained after global regulators eased the leverage-ratio rule for banks. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision diluted a planned debt limit for banks following a meeting in Switzerland yesterday. The committee said the leverage ratio, which penalizes low-risk financial activities and curtails lending, was adjusted after thoroughly analyzing bank data. Banking stocks posted the second-biggest gain on the Stoxx 600 after the news. Deutsche Bank and Barclays were among the big risers. We like the EURO STOXX BANKS Index at current levels, and are advising our clients to add towards European Banking stocks. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary – $hanghai Index ready for a major breakout, Metals, Silver, WTI, NatGas
China became the world’s biggest trader in goods for the first time last year, overtaking the US for all of 2013 and finishing the year with record trade figures in December. Trade with the rest of Asia and increasing flows with the Middle East represent a shift in power away from the US, still the world’s largest economy.
Chinese imports of crude oil grew by the least in almost a decade in 2013, new government data show, posing a challenge to exporters from the Middle East to Africa who are competing to sell more oil into the world’s second-largest economy.
We are advising clients to allocate new funds towards Chinese equities. As the chart shows, there has been a tug of war between the bulls & bears for over 6 months now, and we believe the $SSEC is ready for a major breakout to the upside in the short term. Our 2014 price target for the $SSEC is 3,000. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Stocks – Global Stocks enter positive seasonal period, German Stocks to outperform
German Equities are at an all-time high. The DAX 30 Index is +20% ytd, after +29% in 2012. Our CGI Global 50 includes 12 German stocks, of which all are in positive territory for 2013.
We think so, particularly when looking at the anemic bond yields that European, US and Japanese government and corporate bonds are offering. We are seeing but one way for German investors, namely to increase equities investments, albeit late, however not too late to the plate, and invest now in their own equity market. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary – SPX & DOW in seasonal correction AAPL “Sell/short” note
US equity markets have entered their annual period of seasonal weakness. Seasonal tendencies for stocks turn firmly negative on September 16; average loss for the S&P 500 Index over the three weeks to follow is -2.5%. The DJIA has more often underperformed during the May to October time frame with a brief counter-trend rally occurring in July. September remains clearly the worst calendar month for stock market performance.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Energy, Gold, Precious Metals to improve
Our recommended investment strategy is to maintain a healthy cash position for possible entry into the favorable seasonal trade in October. Seasonally, equity markets hold up rather well during the first half of September, posting gains of 1.3% on average over the last 20 years. The weakest three weeks of the year occurs during the last two weeks of September and the first week of October. Declines over this three-week period reach 2.5%, on average, based on the same 20-year time-span. Contradicting this calendar tendency is the “Sell Rosh Hashanah and Buy Yom Kippur” tendency, which runs through to this Friday. Loss for the S&P 500 between these key dates on the Jewish calendar averages 1.25%. Whichever scenario plays out, caution is warranted as seasonal volatility fuels erratic returns over the weeks ahead.
Morning Market Commentary – Currency & trade balance observations
As previously stated, we had expected the deficit to climb back to US$ 40 Bn after an unusually sharp decline in the prior month. The trade gap sank more than 20% in June to the lowest level since the fall of 2009. Although the increase in imports suggests strengthening demand in the US, a larger trade gap usually means slower economic growth at home since America is buying more goods and services from other countries. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Looking forward to the next couple of months, equity markets are entering the weakest period of the year. Over the last 20 years, the S&P 500 index has averaged a loss of 0.20% for the month of September; positive results were realized in only 11 of the past 20 periods. The weak return in September ties it for the third weakest month of the year, behind February and August. The month that September ties with is June as investor reallocate portfolios at the end of the second quarter, just ahead of earnings season at the start of July. A similar reason is culprit for lackluster returns in September as the third quarter concludes. The weakest stretch of the entire year is a three week period that spans the last two weeks of September and the first week of October as investors buy and sell positions ahead of the volatile and uncertain third quarter reporting season. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Summer breeze to continue for global equities?
Equity markets have just completed a traditional period of strength from the last week in June to the third week in July. Since the low on June 24th, gains have been extraordinary. The S&P 500 Index gained 8.44%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average improved 6.82% and the TSX Composite Index advanced 5.76%. It’s time to take trading profits in equity index based investments. Sectors with traditional positive seasonality are the exceptions. Gold, gold equities, biotech and utilities are bucking the trend by moving higher as well as outperforming equity indices.
Morning Market Commentary – Gold to move higher
We have been advising clients since June 2nd to sell equities globally prior to the peak period of seasonal weakness ahead in September and October, and continue to do so. Seasonal tendencies once again turn positive for broad market indices at the end of October.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – “Tough labor” Day ahead for investors
US equity markets reached an intermediate peak on August 2nd. Short-term momentum indicators for equity markets may rebound early this week from deeply oversold levels, but seasonal trends are expected to re-assert themselves in September. We advise our clients to maintain high cash positions for possible entry into favorable seasonal trades into increasing downside volatility between now and October. We advise our clients to continue to hold/accumulate precious metal and precious metal equity ETFs. They continue to move contrary to equity market trends.
Morning Market Commentary – Macro Economic
We are advising clients to take the current market opportunity to sell stocks prior to the peak period of seasonal weakness ahead in September and October. Seasonal tendencies once again turn positive for broad market indices at the end of October.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – What’s next for the remainder of the Summer?
US equities to continue to underperform, Asia, Emerging markets & European equity indices to outperform, Gold & Metals & mining to outperform, US$ to weaken & correct further.
Morning Market Commentary – Baltic Dry Index Observations
US equities to continue to correct downwards, MSCI World, Asian & European Equities to outperform, Gold & Precious Metals to continue to improve & outperform, Global Government Bond Yields to continue to rise.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Summer Doldrums for global equities
Emerging Equities & Europe to outperform US equities, Gold, Metals, and Commodities to outperform.
Morning Market Commentary – Equity Market Observations
N-225 poised for major breakout, Emerging market equities to come back, Gold & Silver, Platinum & related stocks to move higher.
Morning Market Commentary – Q3 Asset allocation assumptions
N-225 poised for major breakout, Emerging market equities to come back.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Global equity observations for August
Four major factors in Europe are improving: Euro GDP has bottomed, Consumer spending has bottomed (car sales show signs of improvement, Manufacturing starts to increase and Central Bank policy is becoming more stimulating. Hence, why we are recommending for our clients to increase weightings in European Equities.
Morning Market Commentary – August historically a down-month
Historically, the month of August has been cruel to equity investors. August during the past 62 periods is the fourth worst performing month of the year for the S&P 500 Index, third worst for the TSX Composite Index and Dow Jones Industrial Average and second worst for the NASDAQ Composite Index. Weakest part of the month occurs in the first half. Worst performing country in the month of August, of the established international equity markets, is the German DAX, posting an average decline of -2.0% over the past 20 years; positive returns remained evident more times than not with only 8 of the past 20 periods ending with a loss.
Best performing country is the United Kingdom with the FTSE posting an average gain of 0.8% in the month of August, positive 14 of the past 20 years.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Summer breeze to continue for global equities?
It’s time to take trading profits in equity index based investments. Sectors with traditional positive seasonality are the exceptions. Gold, gold equities, biotech and utilities are bucking the trend by moving higher as well as outperforming equity indices.
We continue recommending to “buy” EADS shares at the current price of EUR 44.34, and still continue to prefer EADS over Boeing, as we have for the past 6 years, since inclusion of EADS in the CGI Global 50. Our 12 months price target for EADS shares is EUR 54.
Morning Market Commentary – Mixed Signals for Global Equity Markets
We see three significant threats to impact equity market strength ahead, which we believe global investors have not taken adequately into account: Rising US$; Surging Interest Rates and Rising Crude Oil, prices.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Facts & Reality
Facts and Reality about currencies and trade deficits and current account deficits.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
We are advising our clients to “sell/short” the US$ index against most major currencies at current levels of ($USD 82.59).
Morning Market Commentary – Global equities summer blues?
Markets opened in positive territory on Friday as the FTSE 100attempted to rebound after a dramatic three per cent drop the day before following the Federal Reserve’s announcement to scale back stimulus later this year.
London’s benchmark index tumbled an eye-watering 189 points on Thursday, falling 2.98% to 6,160 as markets reacted to comments from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, who said that quantitative easing could come to a complete halt in 2014 if the economic recovery gains momentum. Disappointing factory-activity data from China also hammered sentiment yesterday, sending the UK index to lows not seen since mid-January.
Equity markets outside of North America recorded significant technical deterioration.
Morning Market Commentary – Buy N-225, Short Yen
We believe that the correction for Japanese Yen and inherently for the N-225 has been completed, and are advising our clients to buy Japanese stocks at current levels, and to short the Yen against the US$ and against the EUR at current levels. We maintain our year-end 2013 price targets for the US$/Yen at 112 and for the N-225 at 17,200. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary – All about the Nikkei
Fundamentally and long-term focused however, we continue to advise our clients to add towards Japanese equities. Investors should focus on both domestic asset reflation stock plays in Japan, and on Japanese companies with strong exporting profiles, as the Yen weakness will continue to improve their overall competitiveness and earnings capabilities in the coming years. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary Sell in May, AAPL reiterating sell/short; Gold & Silver to go higher
The period for seasonal strength in equity markets concludes on May 5th, after which a trendless market is the average. Economic events over the next few days, including central bank announcements and employment report releases, are likely to set the tone for the month ahead. The technical backdrop of equity markets has shown deterioration over recent months, particularly pertaining to momentum, and the likelihood is increasing that a market correction is near based on recent warning signals that have become prominent in April. Stocks have been up 6 months in a row. And April finished at a historic high of 1597.57.
Each May is different. And there have been some very profitable summers in years past. So it’s never wise to just take this saying at face value and truly walk away from the markets. The resilience of stocks to be pressing all-time highs after 3 straight weeks of soft economic reports (including a scary showing for Chicago PMI in contraction territory) is making it hard to say what exactly would make stocks go lower at this stage. Meaning that investors seem quite comfortable with the ebb and flow of muddle through economic growth. And as long as the Fed is on the side of investors, with all that QE, then there is no reason to walk away?
Morning Market Commentary & weekly charts SPX rolling over
Weekly Investment Conclusion: We are advising clients to use the temporary seasonal weakness to increase holdings towards select equity strategies, as equities are the better value asset class, versus cash, bonds, alternatives, combined with the lowest downside risk.
For our clients with a shorter term investment perspective, we recommend to take profits in equities sectors with seasonal weakness, as we see evidence of equity markets rolling over temporarily, and for bonds to enter their period of seasonal strength until mid summer.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Global Equities running out of steam
This past weekend’s meeting of the G-20 has been described by some as highlighting that there is only minimal coordination between the main economic powers. Japan was not singled out for reprobation. The G-20 and the BoJ have made it very clear to the financial community that Japan has the green light regarding continued quantitative easing and resulting in continued Yen weakness. We expect the US$/Yen 100 level will fall soon, and moving towards our 2013 price target in coming months. Short term, we expect the US$ to run into resistance at the psychologically important US$/Yen 100 level, which it hasn’t crossed since April 2009.
Morning Market Commentary – AAPL “Sell/Short” reiteration, SPX Sell signals clear
Apple stock traded below US$ 400 for the first time since 2011, just prior to the exuberant and parabolic rise to US$ 705 in 1H 2012. Yesterday APPL fell 5.50% following a weak sales outlook from key chip supplier to Apple, Cirrus Logic. Shares of AAPL are down around 42% since the stock peaked in September of last year, when we put a “Sell/short” recommendation on AAPL at US$ 685, this amidst concerns that Apple is losing its market dominance.
Morning Market Commentary-Major breakdowns for US stocks, sectors, Oil, Gold, Silver, WTI, another -15% downside risk
Equity markets around the world recorded significant technical weakness yesterday. Much of the weakness was recorded prior to the Boston explosions. The explosions accelerated weakness near the close. The 9.1% one-day slump for the price of gold was the steepest fall in 30 years. Gold prices had recovered by as much as 2.0% this morning. The CME Group Inc. said yesterday it was the minimum collateral requirements for trading in benchmark gold, silver and other precious-metals futures contracts. The CME also raised the margin to trade palladium by 14%, and for platinum by 19%.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – PROFIT TAKING in global equities; Commodities
Well, the profit taking has started. Despite continued resilience in the US equity markets, benchmarks around the globe have begun to trend lower, showing a series of lower-lows and lower-highs, a characteristic of a negative trend.
“Sell in May” has come early for equity markets in Canada, Germany, France, United Kingdom, and China. Negative pressures in equity benchmarks around the globe combined with significant declines in commodity markets is resulting in an increased probability that a top in United States equity markets is near, if not already realized. Trend line support for the S&P 500 is presently just above 1550, making this a logical point to trigger the conclusion to the seasonally favourable period for the market, which ends on May 5th, on average.
Morning Market Commentary – US$ impact on stocks & Sector rotation, into cyclicals, materials, mining
The Euro has realized rather pronounced declines since the start of February, but recently momentum indicators have diverged from the short-term price action, indicating that selling pressures were abating. The intermediate trend is noted to have changed, but a continuation of this short-term rebound is reasonable as the currency corrects an oversold condition. A retest of the 50-day moving average around 1.32, and even up to 1.3450 is increasingly probable as the currency exits a period of seasonal weakness that concluded at the end of March.
Euro strength has generally coincided with US$ index weakness, often seen as a positive catalyst for equity and commodity prices.
The US$ index is showing signs of rolling over from its recent positive trend. The US$ index is pushing towards its 50-day average as seasonal weakness in the month of April pressures the currency lower.
Morning Market Commentary US$ impact on EPS, EUR/US$ reversal
As per our prior warnings, sell side analysts have been like usual late to the plate with regards to currency adjustments for US companies.
For now, consensus estimates show that first-quarter earnings reports released by major US companies will be sluggish. Consensus earnings estimates for the 30 Dow Jones industrial average companies shows an average (median) gain of only 3.1 per cent on a year-over-year basis.
With 25% of S&P 500 earnings coming out of Europe, and 6% coming from Japan, we think that most sell side analysts are behind the curve on this. The negative impact on first quarter earnings by international companies due to strength in the US$ on a year-over-year basis will be mentioned frequently when first quarter reports are released during the next three weeks. The US$ Index averaged approximately 81.0 in the first quarter of 2013, up from approximately 79.0 in the first quarter last year. At the end of the quarter, the Index was at 83.14 versus 79.00 last year. However, the US$/Yen has fallen by -31.5% since September 2012, which is in line with our forecasts, and this will weigh significantly on EPS for Q1 and will continue to be a negative surprise for analysts throughout 2013, particularly, as we anticipate the US$/Yen to be at 1.12 by year end 2013.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly charts
“Sell in May & Go Away” or is it “Sell in April”, like it was in 2012?
Japanese companies see the continued weakening of the Yen as an opportunity to increase investments abroad, and are buying foreign assets. European companies are generating more than 50% of their earnings from outside of the Eurozone, and for the Eurostoxx 600, about 30% of earnings are coming from emerging markets. Hence why we see better buying opportunities in Japanese and European stocks.
Morning Market Commentary – US Markets Technical Deterioration
Japan’s economy has been hurt by a variety of factors, not least decades of deflation or falling prices. Falling prices discourage people from spending and companies from investing, and that has trapped Japan in a cycle of sluggish growth and recession. Given the slowdown in Japan’s export sector in recent years, reviving domestic demand has become ever more crucial to spurring a fresh wave of economic growth in the country. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has also said that stoking inflation is key to boosting domestic consumption. Under pressure from the government, the central bank had doubled its inflation target to 2%, earlier this year.
The YEN fell against the US$, and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index rose 2.2% on the central bank’s decision, indicating markets were reacting positively to the extent of the stimulus measures.
US equity markets are slowly rolling over, yesterday some significant technical damage was done. US equity markets started to roll over. Yesterday’s technical negative action increased significantly.
Morning Market Commentary – BDI, NDX, AAPL
When stocks began to peak from a substantial seasonal run that began in October of that year, the Baltic Dry index is rising as cyclicals, such as energy and materials, are weakening. The BDI provides an assessment of the price of moving the major raw materials by sea. The diverging activity of the price of shipping materials versus the price of companies valued based upon materials they produce is made without conclusion, other than the fact that underlying fundamental influences that typically drive these cyclical sectors higher at this time of year are still occurring. Manufacturing and industrial production typically increase into the Spring, driving the BDI higher as more goods are shipped, and customarily giving strength to Materials and Energy. However, the fading relative performance of these cyclical sectors suggests that investor demand to hold these stocks is clearly absent, despite the positive fundamental influences. Once again, warning signs are beginning to emerge. With AAPL still commanding a large percentage of the Nasdaq 100 , the short trade is in AAPL. Now after it completed it’s 10 % recovery from its lows of US$418, we are advising to short AAPL, with our next price target being US$ 380, then over the 9 – 12 months time period, we stick to our AAPL price target of US$ 320.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts
Cyprus deal done. Stocks advanced strongly on Monday morning after 11th-hour talks to save Cyprus from default resulted in a last-minute bailout deal with the Troika. Following a meeting of Eurozone finance ministers that lasted almost 12 hours, Cyprus agreed to a EUR 10 bn aid package that doesn’t include a controversial across-the-board bank-account tax but involves forcing big losses on uninsured depositors.
Cyprus is about as economically significant as the German city-state of Bremen, and yet the attention of citizens and politicians alike was focused on the debt-ridden country on the continent’s periphery last week and through the weekend. Since Cypriot parliament rejected the initial bailout plan, one crisis meeting followed the next in Berlin, Frankfurt and Brussels as concepts were presented, revised, rejected and resubmitted. In the end, the European Central Bank (ECB) imposed an ultimatum on the country. The message from ECB President Mario Draghi was that either Cyprus agrees to the bailout conditions or it could be the first member of the Eurozone to declare a national bankruptcy.
Morning Market Commentary
Global equity markets have had a very mixed performance so far, the question begs, is it time for the inevitable correction?
Or is there a bit more room on the upside?
If all the BRIC countries are struggling, that is a big concern. Maybe the SENSEX rallies from here. The chart above shows a very important pattern that usually identifies major tops. Taiwan and Singapore are starting to soften on the ETF’s. Most of the commodities looked like they were at a pivotal point too, be it related to the US$’s recent temporary strength. The Rest of the World dragged down the US market in 2011. If commodities, and emerging markets are not rallying from here onwards, then we see cause for a softening of US equities in a rather large move down through the summer. $COPPER would suggest the move is to the downside. US housing starts and Transports would suggest the move is to the upside.
We do not say that the trend for global equity markets has reversed, but surely a correction of 5% – 8% is not far ahead, and we are advising our clients to add towards strategic equity positions when it will occur. When looking at aggregate performance since January 1st 2012, the Nikkei 225 is up 48%. In the last three weeks alone, the Nikkei has risen 8%. Frankfurt’s Xetra Dax is second best, with a gain of 36%. The Nasdaq is next, followed by the S&P 500. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary – Natural Gas Breakout
The energy sector was buoyed by a breakout in natural gas prices. Natural gas prices surged by 3.59% to US$ 3.812 mBTU’s after the Energy Information Administration reported that inventories fell by 145bn cubic feet last week, 18.5% below the same level last year. The consensus estimate was for a 137bn cubic-feet fall. Nat Gas prices have risen by over 9% month to date, with the market betting on a tighter supply and demand situation following a cold winter season, signs of a recovery in the US economy, a drop in drilling rigs, growing uses for the fuel, and a shift away from coal-fired plants.
Morning Market Commentary – EU Budgetary
In the past 6 months, we have been advising our clients to increase weightings towards equities, at the expense of reducing weightings in bonds. We repeatedly have reiterated this call, in the face of many other strategists who have called for a major 7% – 10 % correction for equities since late January 2013.
Several short term technical aspects are showing further evidence that this outperformance for equities might continue, well into the seasonal period of weakness starting in May, “Sell in May & Go Away”, when particularly European Balanced Fund managers are switching from particularly high-yielding equities, which are paying their annual dividends (unlike the US and UK corporates which are paying quarterly dividends) from late February – late June. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Global Equity Markets
Weekly Investment Conclusion:
Strength in US equity markets last week triggered by surprising strength in economic indicators was unexpected. US equity markets quickly regained short term momentum. Positive psychology related to the Dow Industrials reaching all-time highs also helped. This week, economic data is expected to be positive again and the S&P 500 Index (a more significant US equity index) will have a chance of reaching its all-time high at 1,576.09, despite short and intermediate technical indicators once again have returned to overbought levels.
Selected sectors with favorable seasonality at this time of year remain attractive purchases candidates on weakness. The trigger could be a rollover of the US$ from a highly overbought level. When it happens, and we do think this will happen within days, commodity stocks including metals & mining, energy, coal and steel stocks will come alive. All recorded exceptional gains on Thursday and Friday.
Morning Market Commentary – GDP improvements, US$ Weakening
More support for global equities due to slowly but gradually improving global economic expectations and economic outlook.
GDP in the Euro area as a whole, we think might surprise on the upside and are expecting a +0.2% GDP number for 2013, and +1.0% GDP for 2014, as we are seeing more evidence of government policies in Europe, but also around the world starting to make progress, and hence why we are expecting for global GDP growth to accelerate in 2014, albeit slowly for Europe, the UK, the US, but more rapidly in Japan, China, India, Africa, Brazil, Russia and emerging economies like the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Poland. Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary – Venezuela, Europe Top 100, Palladium, Nat Gas
So, whilst we are expecting for volatility in Latin American markets to increase, our favorite markets for investors to increase weightings in equities are: …… Continue reading
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts – Currency Wars Musings
We still see the current US$ temporary strength as a good opportunity for investors to increase equity holding in international companies. The current temporary strength of the US$ and its inverse impact on global commodities prices as a good opportunity for US institutional investors to increase their weightings in foreign equities and commodities, and particularly to those benefiting from a seasonality point of strength, we advise investors to add towards the following equity markets and sectors: …..
Morning Market Commentary – Time to go long on the EURO again
The Euro is in oversold territory. We expect the Euro to reverse it’s latest weakness, as the “Italian Job” damage is done, and investors will focus on the macro aspects which matter most at this stage.
The current temporary Euro-weakness has enabled European governments and corporates to initiate hedging positions for the next 18 months, which will ensure their global competitiveness, and so we are advising investors to buy the Euro at the current levels of 1.30. We maintain our 3 – 6 months price target for the Euro at EUR/US$ 1.38. The Euro typically enters a period of strength form April – July.
Morning Market Commentary March favorable for stocks; VE reiterate “buy”
Historically, the month of March has appositive seasonal bias for US and global equities’ indices. March has had the fourth best seasonal impact for US equities and particularly on the S&P 500, when looking back 50 years. The Dow’s and the fifth best performing month for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the eighth best performing month for the NASDAQ Composite. Average gains per period were 1.1% for the S&P 500 Index and Dow Jones Industrial Average and 0.6% for the NASDAQ Composite. Most of the gains were recorded in the second half of the month.
We think that for 2013, March will be another strong month, ahead of the seasonal “Sell in May & Go Away” phenomenon.
Morning Market Commentary & Weekly Charts Bullish on Oil, Gold,
Weekly Investment Conclusion: The current, and shallow correction between now and the end of March will provide investors with an opportunity to accumulate sectors on weakness that have a history of seasonal outperformance until the traditional “Sell in May & Go Away” period, which may start this year, again like in 2012, ahead of its usual acclaimed season. Last year, we did forecast the “Sell in May & Go Away” equities peak correctly as of April 2nd.
Morning Market Commentary US$, US Market Charts, SSES, Italy, Greece
European Economic Outlook for 2013. Clearly, …………………………………………………more mixed macro news ahead.
We see technical evidence for the long-term bullish trend to remain intact until there are greater odds of a looming recession. Or until stocks become overvalued. Neither is a real concern right now. Not even with the government cost cuts from the sequester going through post March 1st.
So, we are recommending to add towards Asian, and European equities if, and when the correction increases in velocity.
Morning Market Commentary EUR/USE;US$/YESN;SSEC;AAPL
Apple stock continues to look for a lower price. The gap down from January is a major sign of more selling volume to possibly join the carnage in the once biggest stock in the world. Shares of Apple have not moved above its 50-day moving average since September of last year, precisely when the new iPhone and iPad were launched.
We maintain our “Sell/Short” recommendation on AAPL, with our 3 – 6 months price target of US$ 320.
Morning Market Commentary – No sell signals yet NDX;AAPL;Currency Musings;Global Automakers
We continue to see one good investment solution to the problem of global currency wars: Investors should continue to buy Gold.
We have been recommending for 3 years to “sell/short” the French OEM’s and also Fiat, in Italy, which in retrospect clearly was an alpha generating call for investors over the entire time period.
Given recent macro-dynamic changes, in monetary policies, impacting currency markets around the world, namely the Yen weakening substantially versus most currencies, particularly the US$, the EURO, but also mostly against the Korean Won, we have become bullish in September 2012 on Japanese stocks, calling for a major rise in the Nikkei, and implicitly seeing a bullish case in favor of Japanese car companies.