Last week, the S&P 500 as well as the Nasdaq 100 started out strong but finished poorly. The Russell 2000, on the other hand, stayed strong, closing near the week’s high. Before one interprets this as markets’ way of telling … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of September 29, 2020. 10-year note: Currently net long 128.6k, up 46.4k. FOMC minutes for the September 15-16 meeting are due out Wednesday. Rates at that meeting were obviously left unchanged between zero … Continued
US corporate profits collapsed 21 percent in the first half this year. Directionally, this is in line with operating earnings estimates for S&P 500 companies. In the latter’s case, the revision trend has improved the past two and a half … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of September 22, 2020. 10-year note: Currently net long 82.2k, up 67.4k. Several Fed officials this week stressed on the need for Congress to get its act together and provide fiscal help. This … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of September 15, 2020. 10-year note: Currently net long 14.8k, up 5.3k. The Fed Wednesday said rates will stay zero-bound through the end of 2023. The fed funds rate in March was lowered … Continued
The recent selloff in equities has come at a time of elevated Fed balance sheet, stabilizing earnings estimates and improving macro data. Either stocks believe these positives are not lasting or they are falling under their own weight, as they … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of September 8, 2020. 10-year note: Currently net long 9.5k, up 23k. The FOMC meets this week. After the Tuesday-Wednesday meeting, two more remain this year – November 4-5 and December 15-16. As … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of September 1, 2020. 10-year note: Currently net short 13.5k, up 85.8k. The 10-year Treasury yield (0.72 percent) remains rangebound between 0.57 percent and 0.74 percent. There was some excitement among bond bears … Continued
There are four more months before 2020 is out, but US corporate bond issuance already set a new record. The Fed’s new policy under which it buys corporate bonds – both investment-grade and high-yield – has lit a fire under … Continued
US manufacturing is coming back with a vengeance. Orders are soaring and inventories remain low, raising the odds that the recovery in manufacturing has life left in it. That said, August’s 56 is up substantially from April’s 41.5. Historically, the … Continued