Morning Note: China Talks Disappoint

The last paragraph in the rundown below does a good job describing the action among our core positions this morning.

The bottom line in terms of today's global selloff, also covered below, is the lack of any official message out of this week's US/China talks suggesting China is stepping in to assist in resolving the Iran situation... That'll no doubt at some point change if the Strait of Hormuz is not opened sooner than later.

We'll have a thorough macro update for you over the weekend.

In the meantime, here's this morning's rundown*:

Morning Note: The Goal

Following up on yesterday's hot CPI print, markets are wrestling with a scalding hot PPI (producer prices) report this morning.

Here's from Bespoke Investment Group's morning note:

"Headline PPI surged 1.4% - not y/y but m/m while the core reading surged 1.0% versus estimates for an increase of just 0.3%. The headline index was only forecast to increase 0.5%. PPI tends to be more volatile than CPI, but these numbers are hot, hot, hot. As you would expect, the immediate response in the futures market was for yields to spike higher while equities erased half of their pre-release gains."

We've maintained all along that the goal of the President's China trip this week is to come away with a warm embrace and all (or some) manner of win/wins on trade, etc... That's the goal anyway, and the following on the International Energy Agencies latest Oil Market Report* just adds additional incentive to that aim.

Morning Rundown

Virtually all things that have been working of late are taking quite the hit this morning. Oil importing regions and US tech stocks in particular.

Thus, days like these are ones we feel, given our current allocation… That said, clients, as you’ve noticed, we’ve been notably active of late... This morning, in fact, we reduced our US tech exposure by 30%, adding to US healthcare, financials, and communication stocks with the proceeds… The move essentially amounts to a rebalancing (a bit) away from an overextended area into notably under-appreciated sectors that have actionable theses in and of themselves.

Here’s this morning‘s macro rundown*:

K-Shaped YOLO

In yesterday's commentary I referenced the literally rock-bottom (all time low) state of consumer sentiment, per the UOM survey that began in 1952.

Now, allow me to turn that thought completely on its head and offer up last week's earnings call highlights from the venues that you'd think would be suffering mightily -- given how consumers reportedly feel about their current state of financial affairs (HT Peter Boockvar):

Macro Update: Think Again

Per our PWA Index summary below, the economy is sending very mixed signals:  The labor market remains relatively strong while consumer sentiment is literally in the gutter (blame inflation)... Business sentiment still reads expansion, however "input costs are rising sharply."

If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure to read my commentary from last Monday titled How Long Can the Economy Hold Up?  It will give you some insight into why the greatest oil supply disruption in history has yet to tilt the scale toward a US recession.

And if you're thinking -- like so many clearly are -- that once the Strait of Hormuz is back in business; that things (read oil prices) will return to normal, be sure and read Thursday's Quotes of the Day post, where I highlight Exxon's earnings call.

Also, alas, if you're thinking that this is all about just oil, you have to think again... Co-founder of the highly respected macro research firm Gavecal, Louis Vincent Gave, was on the MacroVoices podcast this week pointing out the following.

Quotes of the Day

On top of what I mentioned in last weekend's commentary,

"We maintain that a Mid-East resolution coming soon would likely give quite the boost to animal spirits, one that markets would initially cheer... The underlying inflation dynamic, however -- being a structural affair in our view -- will no doubt keep us on our toes going forward."

-- key phrase being "inflation being a structural affair," -- the following from Exxon's earnings call this week bolsters our view (HT Peter Boockvar):   emphasis mine...

Morning Note: Ferocious

As I type this morning, 45 minutes before the market open, equity and commodity futures are being traded, I'll say, ferociously... 

Here are the obvious market moving headlines:

• Iran's Revolutionary Guard's Navy, with the end of "threats from aggressors" and in light of new procedures, safe and stable transit through the strait will be possible - State Media
• US & Iran closing in on one-page memo to end war - Axios

Now, while "ferociously" does not necessarily mean ferociously higher -- particularly when we're talking oil, gas and ag futures, and related equities (they're tanking) -- the major averages being up close to 1% in the pre-market is nothing to sneeze add... It's the transaction volume that appears ferocious on my screen; suffice to say that traders are scrambling this morning… Other notables left out of the pre-market party are US consumer staples, utilities and healthcare -- call it rotation into growthier stuff.