CPI
EUR/USD edges higher as CPI fallsIt continues to be a quiet week for the euro. In the European session, EUR/USD is trading at 1.0363.
The ECB's number one priority has been bringing down inflation, which has hit double-digits. ECB policy makers are no doubt pleased that November CPI fell sharply to 10.0%, down from 10.6% a month earlier. This beat the consensus of 10.4%, and the euro has responded with slight gains.
The drop in eurozone inflation was the first since June 2021, and investors will be hoping that this indicates that inflation is finally peaking. On Tuesday, German CPI showed a similar trend, falling to 10.0%, down from 10.4% (10.3% est). Still, eurozone Core CPI remained unchanged at 5.0%, matching the forecast. One inflation report is not sufficient to indicate a trend, and with inflation still in double digits, nobody is declaring victory in the battle against inflation. Still, the drop in German and eurozone inflation increases the likelihood of a 50 basis-point increase at the December 12th meeting, following two straight hikes of 75 basis points.
With market direction very much connected to US interest rate movement, a speech from Fed Chair Jerome Powell later today could be a market-mover. Powell is expected to discuss inflation and the labour market, and his remarks could echo the hawkish stance that Fed members have been signalling to the markets over the past several weeks. The market pricing for the December meeting is 65% for a 50-bp move and 35% for a 75-bp hike, which means that the markets aren't all on the Fed easing rates. Even if the Fed does slow to 50 bp in December, it will still be a record year of tightening, at 425 basis points.
EUR/USD is testing resistance at 1.0359. Above, there is resistance at 1.0490
There is support at 1.0264 and 1.0131
How I see BitcoinHello everyone, this is how I see Bitcoin in the long run. Looking at the weekly timeframe, I am still bearish on Bitcoin right now as it is still trading below the 200-EMA since June 16th, 2022.
Also, we're currently in a technical recession after the FED of Atlanta has estimated a negative -2.1% for Quarter 2 of 2022. We already had a negative -1.6% decline for Quarter 1 and now after the FED of Atlanta released their estimates, we're definitely in the technicalities of a recession. If you don't believe we're in a recession right now, just look awful the big retailers did for their Quarter 1 earnings. Walmart and Target did terrible as their revenue went down from consumers cutting their spending due to inflation and of course the cost of gas/diesel, affecting truckers and consumers. Look at Target, when their Q1 earnings were released on May 18th, 2022; they had an excessive inventory as Target highlighted that there is less customer traffic in their stores, meaning that consumers are not spending as much simply because everything is getting too damn expensive, due to inflation! As consumers cut back on their spending, it will obviously affect the GDP. Just look at the consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan. It's at the lowest it has ever been recorded. It's not just consumer spending, look at how many times the 2-year and 10-year treasury yields have inverted this year. The 2-year and 10-year treasury yields have inverted multiple times in February, March, April, May, and today, as of typing this right now. Many tech companies like Coinbase, Meta, Tesla, etc., have all stopped hiring people since May of 2022, in order to cut back on Salaries and Wages Expenses, due to inflation and bad market sentiment. I could keep going on and on as there are many indicators of a recession. Obviously, we still have to wait for an official announcement from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis on July 28th, 2022; whether we're in a recession or not.
How does this all relate to Bitcoin? Well, for the past 4 months, every time the CPI data was released, Bitcoin always had a negative reaction to it. As inflation increases, this will cause the markets to dip even further, meaning that investors will draw away from their investments and will be on cash instead during a recession. Since we are in technicalities of a recession due to the FED of Atlanta, expect the stock market to have a negative reaction, causing the price of shares to go down, which in result, will cause a negative reaction to the crypto market in the short-term.
So July 13th (CPI Data Release) and July 28th (Real GDP Data Release) will be two important days for July 2022.
In the meantime, just because I am bearish on Bitcoin doesn't necessarily mean it's the end of the world. I am still bullish on Bitcoin for the long run. Just zoom-out and relax.
Disclaimer: (I am not a financial advisor! Always conduct your own research before investing.)
Inflation slowdown for the AussiesToday, the Australian CPI y/y was released at 6.9% (Forecast: 7.6% Previous: 7.3%) which signaled a slowdown in the overall inflation growth.
Although 6.9% is still higher than the target level of 2-3%, could this lead to a slowdown in the future interest rate hikes from the RBA?
On the release of the economic data, the AUDUSD traded slightly higher from the 0.6680 price level toward the 0.67 round number resistance level.
Look for the price to break above 0.67 to signal a stronger reversal higher, with the next key resistance level at 0.6780.
Fed vs. Inflation 4:6CME: SOFR Futures ( CME:SR31! ), E-Micro S&P 500 ( CME_MINI:MES1! )
While football fans are fervently following the 2022 World Cup, we analogize the Federal Reserve’s year-long battle with surging inflation to a football match. In this game, the Core CPI had an early advantage over the Fed Funds Rate, at 6.00% vs. 0.25% in January. The Fed mounted decisive offense, raising rates to 4.00% and bringing the deficit down to 2 points. But make no mistake – we are still trailing in the game. The Fed would not accept defeat. With stoppage time and overtime, the fight against inflation could drag on well into 2023.
When could the Fed declare victory? Its stated goal is to keep inflation at 2%. Most of us think this is unrealistic. In my opinion, the Fed needs to bring Core CPI below the Fed Funds rate at a bare minimum.
The Fed has been known to be data-driven. Unless there is conclusive data showing the inflation is on the way down and the economy is cooling, the Fed is unlikely to end its monetary tightening policy.
The talk of Fed Pivot is very misleading. Slowing the pace of rate hikes doesn’t mean an overhaul of monetary policy. The Fed simply needs time to collect more data and evaluate if previous rate hikes are working.
A lot depends on how quickly Core CPI comes down. It peaked at 6.6% in September and lowered to 6.3% in October. But one data point doesn’t make a trend.
• In 2022, Core CPI ranges from 5.9% to 6.6%.
• In 2021, it was between 1.3% and 5.5%.
• The last time Core CPI fell below 4% was in May 2021.
• Before 2022, it was 40 years ago (August 1982) when Core CPI went above 6.0%.
In the past 1-1/2 years, Core CPI ran up very quickly and then stabilized at a very high level. Any projection of 4% Core CPI is not supported by data. I don’t see Fed would take such hypothesis into consideration.
Statistically speaking, bringing Core CPI down below Fed Funds rate could only be achieved by raising rates. The BLS will release November CPI data on December 13th, and the next FOMC meeting is scheduled on December 13th-14th. The Fed would have the most recent inflation data available in voting for its December rate decision.
Short-term: Fed Pivot Trade
Current market expectation is for the Fed to break its consecutive 75-point hikes. Any rate increase below 75 bp would give a big boost to market morale. Expect the stock market to rally, and the US dollar and bond yield to retreat.
CPI data release and Fed decision are the “one-two-punch” ideal for short-term event driven strategies. There are good candidates I like for potential trade setup, from a risk-reward standpoint:
• Call Options for CME E-Micro S&P 500 Futures (MES)
• Call Options for E-Micro NASDAQ 100 (MNQ)
• Call Options for CME Euro FX (M6E)
• Call Options for CME 30-day Fed Funds Futures (ZQ)
• Call Options for Three-Month SOFR Futures (SR3)
For a rate increase below 75 bp, stock market is expected to rally, so it is bullish for MES and MNQ. US dollar will pull back, so it is bullish for Euro/USD exchange rate.
Short-term interest rate futures are quoted as discounted instrument, 100 – Rate. Lowered expected interest rates translate into higher futures prices. Therefore, it is also bullish for ZQ and SR3.
Medium-term: Recession
The world runs on credit. Fed monetary tightening policies have made it more costly for businesses and households to obtain credit. The run-up in cost happened very quickly and the impacts are profound. Below are comparisons of interest rates between December 2021 and November 2022, taken from various sources:
• 30-year-fixed mortgage: from 3.646% to 7.296%
• 60-month auto loan rate: from 3.85% to 5.29%
• Average credit card rate: from 14.91% to 19.20%
• AAA corporate bond rate: from 2.06% to 4.64%
• BBB corporate bond rate: from 2.53% to 5.88%
• SBA loan rate: from 6%-8% to 11.5%-13.5%
Even if the Fed stops raising rates now, financing costs are not likely to return to previous levels. The unwinding of Fed policy takes time. There is no indication that the Fed would lower rates after the terminal rate is reached. More likely than not, businesses and households would bear high interest cost well into 2024.
While Core CPI excludes food and energy, their impacts are felt everywhere. Take diesel as an example, the national retail average price is $5.228/gallon on November 27th, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
• This is 58.8 cents (-10.1%) below its all-time high of $5.816 set on June 19th. However, it is still 69.7% higher than a year ago.
• Comparing to gasoline, at $3.555/gallon, it is $1.461 or 29.1% below its record high of $5.016. But it is a modest increase of 4.7% year over year.
Diesel price is a tax on all products requiring highway transportation. Fed rate hikes are not likely to lower diesel production cost. In addition, higher wages, higher rents, and higher borrowing cost would stick, long after the Fed stop hiking rates.
In my view, the US could not avoid a recession in 2023. Weakening corporate profit and elevated unemployment will eventually take a toll on stock prices.
We have witnessed a strong Black Friday sales season. But worrisome signs emerge that US consumers are increasingly constrained by their budget. According to a CNBC report, Walmart is the most visited shopping destination. Higher priced Bloomingdale and Nordstrom reported a lull in sales earlier this month.
The downgrade from premium department stores to discount stores is a leading indicator, a classic economic example that inferior products thrive during a recession.
Another warning sign, “Buy Now Pay Later” payments increased by 78% compared with the past week, according to the CNBC report. Consumers still want to get the great deals for holidays, but they need help with financing.
If the market rallies after the November CPI data and December FOMC decision, it’s a good time to set up a 3–6-month trade shorting the stock market. Investor sentiment has significant impacts in the short term. But fundamental factors will win over in the medium/long term. If inflation fails to decline materially, the Fed will stay on its tightening course.
Happy Trading.
Disclaimers
*Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
CME Real-time Market Data help identify trade set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, check out on CME Group data plans in TradingView that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
€ - Where To Next?€ - Where To Next?
$EUR - BUY THE DIP?!
As from my previous posts via trading view can be seen I was very bullish medium term hitting the target areas are currently at. However, lets take a bird eyes view of EUR!
EUR currently at key resistance on Monthly - 1.03. Price may decline back towards support areas of 1.02/1.01 areas before heading higher IF we get out of this downwards channel drawn. Now let's not forget those that are into candle stick formation - you will start to enjoy looking at the major FX charts at higher TF.
Above 8 EMA - 1.07 - 1.11 can easily be achieved.
Fundamentally:
Fundamentally strong about the EUR apart from lower print of CPI and the market had got very excited. Shorter term I'd be looking for pull back towards support areas stated above. Medium term if Fed pivot dovish less rate hikes as high, expect euro to escalate higher.
The energy bet has been reversed, take a look at Nat Gas price is very lower and the capacity of energy reserved is at a level which there is nothing to be feared about, at this moment of time.
Don't forget now that inflation spreads widen EUR - USD - it leaves a potential more hawkish ECB relative to Fed which again was stated in previous chart posted. Now of course the Fed could pivot and turn hawkish but I am doubtful on that and we could go into other factors such as seasonality and positioning.
In my opinion trade what you see, not what you think and don't forget to get a greater R/R.
All the best,
Trade Journal
DXY looks ready to breakoutAfter the negative CPI numbers for US dollar index, investors and retail have turned officially bullish on equities after inflation peaked, DXY dropped vertically and gave gains to stock market closing the week green.
Now, price looks over sold and the formed pattern is very bullish ( ascending triangle), a breakout will drive price to 109.6 as a first target.
This DXY analysis will help us avoid some wrong buy/sell signals unless we see a clear move to the up/down side.
US Inflation Rate, YoY, Double Top? - Long-term ViewPresently, the inflation rate in the US has started falling, which increases expectations for a pivot - end of interest rate hikes. And factually, we can actually expect it. The supply of M2 Money Stock (M2SL) and its annual growth rate are decreasing. The global economy is shifting, as leading economic index (LEI) indicate. This will undoubtedly put pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. However, after the current crisis, the economic recovery will cause a recurrence of inflation. So, if that is the case, the next decade will be marked by tight monetary policy and high inflation. This situation will let the central banks introduce a new monetary system based on CBDCs using incentives such as cheaper credit.
Check also my related ideas. Enjoy
OIL & INFLATION peaked, expect bearish Dollar long termWeekly chart, pointing out Oil's peaks since 2000. Oil is displayed in black, Inflation in red and the U.S. Dollar in green. Excluding the one this year, Oil has had another three major market peaks, during all of which inflation followed suit and fell along. The USD tends to lag in these instances but after a multi month period of volatility, it also falls significantly.
In our opinion this is the start of a long term ranged trade on the DXY where investors can buy low on the support that will be soon formed and sell the rebounds near the yearly resistance.
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SPY IS TRICKING EVERYONE...Many will be ruined by this micro 4th-wave on the SPY if traders do not play it right. It is VERY possible we rally from this .236 level if this count is labeled right from the macro level 1 and 2 (which is in WHITE). If we are in now a 3 (WHITE) that .236 level could be the end of wave 4. Many are wanting the SPY to keep falling and blood to come, usually when this happens the opposite comes just have to be patient.
Can the US dollar index (DXY) pick itself back up?What a difference a week (or in this case, a single CPI report) can make.
Last week we were bullish on the dollar index due to the cluster of support levels nearby, and expectations for inflation to exceed estimates. Clearly, the fundamentals of a much softer CPI report made minced meat of the support zone and sent the dollar index lower, during its worst week since the pandemic. Yet there are signs that momentum is waning and DXY may be due a bounce.
It should also be remembered that the Fed are nowhere near this famous 'pivot', and that the Fed will continue to hike rates whilst the economy can withstand it. And retail sales suggest the consumers think they can withstand higher rates, at least for now.
DXY daily chart:
The US dollar may be approaching a swing low and ticks a few boxes for a potential inflection point. Downside momentum has slowed, a bullish hammer formed on Tuesday and a small inside bar occurred yesterday. Furthermore, it is holding comfortably above the August low and a bullish divergence has formed on the RSI (2). For now, it is a case of seeing whether it can hold above yesterday's low (105.32) and reverse higher, or whether it has one more attempt at testing the August low.
Given the magnitude of its losses, mean reversion (higher) seems more likely over the near-term, with potential targets including the weekly pivot point ~108, or the 109.50 area should US data remain firm and Fed members remain hawkish.
GBPJPY: Sterling inflation pressure?!GBPJPY
Intraday - We look to Sell at 167.15 (stop at 168.30)
We are trading at overbought extremes. Although the bulls are in control, the stalling positive momentum indicates a turnaround is possible. This is negative for short term sentiment and we look to set shorts at good risk/reward levels for a further correction lower. Preferred trade is to sell into rallies.
Our profit targets will be 163.80 and 161.05
Resistance: 168.70 / 172.10 / 181.15
Support: 164.40 / 161.05 / 158
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GBPUSD LongCable is pushing higher as the DXY continues to correct.
GBPAUD and EURUSD are also a buy, suggesting that the EUR and GBP are benefiting from a weaker dollar.
There is a slight gap left from the opening price compared to last weeks close, so we have the opportunity to fill that. Assuming the same thing happens as last week, we'll carry on higher. But that is the place on the chart to watch for a reversal.
The US CPI last week set the re-pricing of assets and there are still around 30 days before the FOMC decide on their next move.
USD/CHF holding support!Last week’s fall in the US Dollar after the October’s CPI was released has been quite rapid. Add in hawkish comments from the SNB’s Jordan, and it’s a recipe for USD/CHF to head lower. Indeed, the pair did move from a local high of 1.0147 down to 0.9398 in just three days.
Is it time for USD/CHF to bounce? Notice the RSI in the bottom panel of the chart. It is clearly in oversold territory and diverging from price. This is a signal that price may correct or even reverse soon.
Buyers will look to enter near 0.9400/0.9420 and place a stop under the August 11th low of 0.9371. Traders can use Fibonacci retracements from the recent high to the August 11th low to give a more conservative target. First target is 0.9667, which is the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level. The 50% retracement level and the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level above there are at 0.9759 and 0.9851, respectively.
If price reaches each target, traders can use trailing stops to guard against losses.
USDJPY: What to expect for the upcoming days?Hello there!
So after the Q3, and the decisions that has been taken by the BOJ concerning the interest rate, in addition to the 0.4% rise in the CPI. As well as the decrease in the DXY during the last month -4.79% and in the last 5 days a decrease that resulted -3.13%. Those factors alone can picture the path of the USDJPY.
Going now into the technical part, too many indicators said the way now is bearish, but let's take things more friendly and talk about the structure. Now in lower time-frames, we can see that there was an order block that indicated that the currency will go bull to reach approx. (141.600 - 141.800). But it seemed that it reached something of 140.800, and went bear. So what we could exepect after this small hike?
Well, according to some indications and order blocks, taking into consideration the supp. and res. areas, the currency could reach (133.300). But, following the news and the decisions that could be taken will be the ones who decide if the USDJPY will rally down more, or go for a reversal. But in the mean time, nothing indicates at all a reversal based on decisions from the federal reserve or the BOJ, as well as the technical analysis.
Is it Time to get Bullish?Man...what a crazy week last week. With the Elections, CPI and the drama with FTX, it was a rollercoaster for sure. The FTX story was something else. But you know, during recessions, entities get exposed. Same thing happened with Enron in the 2000 bubble, the banks in 2008-2009 and now crypto. As the famous Warren Buffett quote says: "A rising tide floats all boats....only when the tide goes out, you discover whos been swimming naked.".
So let's recap a little what happened last week. I've been bearish the last few weeks and I had to be since we are in a bear market. With the Elections, FTX and the CPI report, the market was going to make a decision on the direction and the CPI report was what did it. With the gap up and 7% day on Thursday, it broke out of resistance and the downward trend line. The Dollar got crushed and bonds declined by 7%. That's mostly what fueled the rally. The market has been longing a reason to party because inflation peaked. Did they party to hard Thursday and Friday? Thursday, markets chugged 3 beers.Friday, took a shot of whiskey and said "I'm ready for more next week".
So look, I know inflation is still at 7% and we still need a ways to get down to the Fed's 2% target. It's a tough pill to swallow if you were bearish. But, you gotta trade the markets in front of you. Especially if the charts are telling you to go bullish. Generally the week before Thanksgiving is a good week for the markets, just not sure how much higher we can go this week because the markets used up A LOT of energy Thursday and Friday. It needs to take a break. If the market wants to party the rest of this month, I don't see why it could crawl it's way to 4100 before the next CPI report. One thing to note is tomorrow's PPI report. If this report comes in hotter, everyone who bought last week might step back a little. So if that happens, this would pull back the markets. If it doesn't come in hot, then we might head higher at a slow pace the rest of the month.
Plan for today: Going to sit on my hands today and wait for tomorrow. If PPI comes in hot and we get a big downward reaction in the markets, I'll watch the price action to see if this is a Bull pull back or not. Come Wednesday or Thursday, I'll see if there's a good entry for a bullish position. Be patient, stay disciplined, control your emotions and trade the market in front of you. Happy trading!
Market Impacts: from Midterms to Second HalfCME: Micro E-Mini Nasdaq 100 ( CME_MINI:MNQ1! )
On August 17th, I published “Market Impacts of US Midterms Elections”. Thanks to your support, it made it to “Editors’ Picks” and was featured in TV Digest newsletter in an email themed “Midterms are Coming” to all subscribers.
With the midterm elections coming to an end, it’s a good time to reassess the situation, exploring potential changes in economic policies which may give rise to trading opportunities.
In the August 17th story, we have discussed 3 potential outcomes of the midterm election:
• Party Government: The President, the House and the Senate are controlled by the same political party
• Divided Government: Only one chamber of Congress aligns with the President
• Opposing Government: The President and the Congress are from different political parties
Before the elections, the Democratic Party controls the White House and both chambers of the Congress. It was clearly a “Party Government” under our definition.
As of this writing, Democrats clinched 50 seats in the Senate. With the tiebreaking vote from Vice President Harris, Democrats retain Senate majority. Meanwhile, Republicans lead 212:204 in the House race but has not reached the magic 218 required to flip controls.
GOP represent half of the voters in this election. They hold on to at least 49 seats in the Senate, gain more seats in the House, and are likely to retake control. They also have governorship in half of the 50 States.
So, why the Midterms are being perceived as a landslide victory for Democrats?
It’s all about expectations. Historically, midterms are bad for the ruling party. Whichever party in the White House usually loses seats in the Congress. In the 2018 midterms, Nancy Pelosi led the Democrats to recapture the House of Representatives. With Biden’s approval rate hovering at 40% low, and inflation rate flying high, GOP was widely expected to have a stunning victory at both chambers of the Congress.
To the Democrats, the absence of “Red Waves” is a vindication of their political agenda. While a “Divided Government” is still possible pending final results, Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer already claimed election victory.
Conclusion: the emboldened Democrats will go full speed with “Build Back Better” in the second half of President Biden’s presidency.
Bigger Spending
In the last two years, the Biden Administration passed legislations with budget over $4 trillion. These include:
• American Rescue Act in March 2021, $1.9 trillion
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021, $1.2 trillion
• U.S. Chip and Science Act in August 2022, $280 billion
• Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022, $757 billion
Also in August 2022, the Administration announced a Student Loan Forgiveness Plan that is expected to cost $400 billion. The plan is currently on hold by court orders.
In the First Half, new budget items averaged $2 trillion a year. I expect more big budget items to come in the Second Half. If Republicans are not there to slow down the legislative ambitions, it’s hard to tell how big the spendings will be.
Bigger Deficit and Bigger Debt
According to USDebtClock.org, the 2022 Federal Tax Revenue is estimated at $4.92 trillion, and the Federal Spending Budget will be $5.98 trillion. The shortfall is Federal Budget Deficit, at $1.06 trillion.
The largest federal budget items are:
• Medicare/Medicaid, $1.490 trillion, (24.9%)
• Social Security, $1.231 trillion, (20.6%)
• Defense/War, $770 billion, (12.9%)
• Interest on Debt, $481 billion, (8.0%)
I notice that debt interest has risen by $39 billion from previous estimate, and its share in the federal budget grows from 7.4% to 8.0%, thanks to the Fed rate hikes.
US National Debt is estimated at $31.3 trillion. Budget deficit needs to be financed by debt. Therefore, national debt would rise to $32.5 trillion next year at a minimum.
While many bonds were issued before 2022 and carried low yields, new Treasury bonds must pay current market rates. Considering Fed Funds already at 4%, I put 3% down as my estimate for weighted-average federal debt service rate in 2023. This would price the annual debt interest at $975 billion, which is 103% higher than this year, and $205 billion more than the Defense budget!
With Democrats in control, I expect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security to get favorable budget allocation next year. Heightened geopolitical tensions in multiple fronts justify a bigger Defense budget. Assuming all of them goes up by 5% and there is no change in other budget items, my baseline forecast for 2023 federal budget is $6.65 trillion, an 11% annual increase.
Assuming tax revenue goes up by 10%, we will have a budget deficit of 1.23 trillion, a 24% jump from 2022. Big spending legislations could add $1 trillion more on top of this.
Sticky High Inflation
The US economy is caught between restrictive monetary policies and expansive fiscal policies. When trillions of dollars are flooding the economy and the financial system, prices of goods and services tend to go up. Raising interest rates alone is not sufficient to bring the price level down.
This is why inflation is still uncomfortably high after six consecutive rate hikes. Cathy Wood recently flowed an idea claiming inflation could turn negative next year, citing similarity from the Roaming Twenties. I peg to differ.
The Federal Government is pumping $6-7 trillion in a $26 trillion economy. Every year, federal agencies and contractors get bigger budget, government employment grows, and federal employees get higher wages. Regardless of the business cycle, one quarter of the US economy is expanding. Industries benefiting from government spending will strive, even if the country may slip into a recession.
Higher Taxes
Big spending comes with bigger taxes. Government needs more tax revenue to pay for its ambitious agenda.
• Higher tax rate on people earning $400,000 or more. New taxes on investment carry interest, translating into headwinds for hedge fund, private equity, and venture capital.
• The 15% minimum corporate tax will affect multinational corporations which frequently use offshore tax haven.
Potential Winner
Unlike political elections, it is tricky to find a clear winner in the financial market.
Comparing the performance of major US stock market indexes, the Dow has a year-to-date return of -7.18% as of November 11th, while S&P 500 and Russell 2000 yield -15% and -14.14%, respectively. Nasdaq 100 falls 25.10% and is the worst performer.
Big Tech is laden with bad news these days, with missed earnings and widespread layoffs among them. As stock prices are beaten down, valuations become more reasonable. In my opinion, advanced technologies that align with government priorities would benefit in the next two years. Clean energy, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, space technology and electric vehicles are on the receiving end of major government funding. While I was bearish with the Nasdaq at 13,500, I think it could find price support at 10,500.
However, impacts from the Midterms interact with business fundamentals, the ever-changing investor sentiments, and major global events. The next Fed meeting is only two weeks away. Let’s wait for the next rate decision, as it is the overarching factor that guides market direction right now.
We can put CME Micro E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Futures ( CME_MINI:MNQ1! ) on the watch list today. MNQ has a notional value of $2 times the index. At 11,792, each contract is valued at $23,584. Opening a Long or Short position requires initial margin of $1,500.
While the S&P 500 is trending down, certain sectors may outperform the broad market. CME recently launched E-mini S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Futures ( CME:SXT1! ) and E-mini PHLX Semiconductor Sector Futures ( CME:SOX1! ). They each offer more precise trading opportunities tailored to industries benefiting from increased government funding.
Happy Trading.
Disclaimers
*Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
CME Real-time Market Data help identify trade set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, check out on CME Group data plans in TradingView that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
DXY D1 - Awaiting dollar exhaustionDXY D1 - Two extremely bearish days to end the week last week for the dollar, inflation figures coming in lower than expected has really highlighted the possible pivot for the FED, inflation and interest rate woes. Simply looking for this bear run to expire, from here, we can then look for some healthy corrections, before then trading amongst new and fresh trading zones we haven't seen for a few months.