FX.co ★ Wall Street Bulls: Weak PPI Data Pushes Market Higher

Indices Rise on Rate Cut Expectations

US stock markets posted solid gains on Tuesday, finishing at a nearly two-week high. The gains were driven by data showing slower PPI growth, bolstering expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut as early as September.

Slow Producer Price Growth: What It Means for the Economy

US producer prices increased less than expected in July, according to new data. This was due to a decline in services costs, which offset the rise in goods prices. On an annualized basis, the producer price index (PPI) rose by 2.2%, which is lower than the 2.7% increase in June. This suggests that inflationary pressures continue to ease, which supports market optimism about possible monetary easing.

Expectations of rate cuts boost the market rally

Wall Street reacted positively to the data, betting on interest rate cuts soon. According to Paul Ashworth, chief North American economist at Capital Economics, while the modest 0.1% month-on-month increase in PPI and the flat core PPI may not seem like much, they are still in line with the Fed's target of inflation below 2% year-on-year.

Investors await new data

Market participants' attention is now focused on the upcoming consumer price data for July, which will be published on Wednesday, and retail sales data, expected on Thursday. These reports will help investors form clearer expectations about the Fed's further actions.

Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities, noted that the stable PPI data confirms the effectiveness of the Fed's efforts to control inflation. He also emphasized that the likelihood of a rate cut in the near future is becoming increasingly real.

Thus, the market is optimistic about the prospects for monetary easing, which contributed to today's growth of indices.

Crucial inflation data

Ahead of the publication of the consumer price index, market participants are in a state of heightened anxiety. Economists and investors agree that any deviations in inflation indicators can significantly affect the dynamics of trading. "Any information we get tomorrow morning will have a significant impact on the market because everyone is very tense right now," analysts said.

Cut bets: The odds are rising

The chances that the US Federal Reserve will decide to cut rates by 50 basis points has risen to 55%, according to the latest FedWatch data from CME. That's a significant increase from less than 50% before the latest report. Traders are increasingly confident that the Fed will take such a step, given the current economic conditions and the need for monetary easing.

Market wobbles: Unpredictability continues

Uncertainty reigned in trading on Monday. The S&P 500 (.SPX) was little changed, showing a muted reaction to the latest economic news, while the Nasdaq (.IXIC) posted a small gain. This came after a week of mixed economic reports and an unexpected rate hike by the Bank of Japan.

The S&P 500 (.SPX) closed the day up 90.04 points, or 1.68%, at 5,434.43. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) rose 407.00 points, or 2.43%, to 17,187.61. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) also advanced 408.63 points, or 1.04%, to 39,765.64.

Sector Winners and Losers

Among the sectors, information technology (.SPLRCT) and consumer discretionary (.SPLRCD) were the top gainers. These sectors continue to attract investors amid robust demand and a positive outlook.

Meanwhile, energy stocks (.SPNY) came under pressure. The fall in oil prices, caused by OPEC's decision to revise down its 2024 demand growth forecast, was compounded by concerns about potential supply disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This led to a decline in energy stocks despite the overall optimism in the market.

Thus, the market is eagerly awaiting tomorrow's inflation data, which could be decisive for the Federal Reserve's further actions and the indexes.

Russell 2000 on the rise

The Russell 2000 index, which measures the performance of small companies, showed a solid increase of 1.6%. The result highlights the positive sentiment of small business investors despite overall market volatility.

Starbucks' Historic Surge

Starbucks shares soared a record 24.5%, marking the company's biggest one-day gain ever. The gains came after Brian Niccol, formerly of Chipotle Mexican Grill, was named chairman and CEO of Starbucks. Investors were enthusiastic about the news, seeing it as an opportunity to further grow and strengthen the company's market position.

Chipotle Shares Slip

In contrast, Chipotle shares fell 7.5% following the appointment. The decline may reflect investor concerns about the company's future without Niccol, who has been instrumental in its success.

Home Depot: Mixed Results

Home Depot shares also rose 1.2% despite announcing a decline in full-year profit and an expected drop in same-store sales. The company was able to recoup early losses, indicating investor confidence in its long-term prospects.

BuzzFeed: Narrowing Losses Boosts Shares

BuzzFeed posted a stunning 25.9% gain after the company reported a quarterly report in which it narrowed its second-quarter net loss to $6.6 million from $22.5 million a year earlier. The gains encouraged investors, leading to a sharp jump in the stock.

Exchange Dominance: Gainers Lead the Way

On the New York Stock Exchange, gainers outnumbered decliners by a wide margin 4.36-to-1. On the Nasdaq, the ratio was 2.59-to-1, indicating that optimism was prevalent among market participants.

New Highs and Lows

The S&P 500 posted 17 new 52-week highs and three new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite posted 55 new highs and 128 new lows. The data highlights the mixed dynamics of the market, with some stocks peaking and others struggling.

Global Stocks Rise, Bond Yields Fall

The MSCI World Stock Index rose 1.5%, indicating that global markets are strengthening. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury yields fell on expectations of monetary easing. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 3.8484% and the two-year yield fell to 3.9398%, reflecting growing expectations of interest rate cuts.

The broad-based rally in stocks and the decline in bond yields underscores investor confidence in further monetary easing and a stabilizing economic environment.

STOXX 600 and Nikkei on the rise again

Europe's STOXX 600 index gained 0.5% and Japan's Nikkei jumped more than 3% after the holiday, providing a welcome break from the volatility of the past week. The recent volatility in the markets began with a sharp sell-off, fueled by a stronger yen and growing concerns about a possible recession in the US.

Yen Strengthens: New Round Against the Dollar

The yen has continued to strengthen, reaching 146.77 per dollar, representing a significant recovery from a seven-month high of 141.675 hit early last week. By comparison, the yen was at a 38-year low of 161.96 per dollar in early July, highlighting the scale of recent moves in the currency market.

Carry Trade Challenges: Unpredictable Japanese Policy

The Bank of Japan's rate hike last month following a series of foreign exchange market interventions has forced many investors to rethink their strategies. Popular carry trades, which use the yen as a low-interest currency to fund higher-yielding investments, have been particularly hard hit. This has led to significant market corrections as investors have begun to unwind their yen positions en masse.

Sharp Unwinding: Investors Pull Back Fast

As of August 6, leveraged funds, including hedge funds and asset managers, have unwound their yen positions at the fastest pace since March 2011. The rapid unwinding reflects market participants' concerns and attempts to minimize risk in a volatile environment.

Forward to the Future: The Yen Will Remain in Focus

Carsten Junius, chief economist at Bank J. Safra Sarasin, noted that the current dollar-yen exchange rate now better reflects the yield differential between the two currencies. However, he believes that further unwinding of the carry trade financed by the yen could further strengthen the Japanese currency by the end of the year. At the same time, he does not expect USD/JPY to fall significantly below 140.

Thus, with markets recovering and exchange rates continuing to adjust, investors will remain focused on the yen and the Bank of Japan's decisions, which could continue to influence global financial markets.

The Fed at a crossroads: upcoming decisions in question

This week, investors are awaiting the release of key economic data that could influence the Federal Reserve's (Fed) next steps. At the moment, forecasts are divided: some see the Fed cutting rates by 25 basis points, while others expect a more aggressive 50 basis point cut at the September meeting.

Traders are betting: a 100 basis point cut?

Amid speculation about what the Fed might do, traders are pricing in the possibility of a rate cut of as much as 100 basis points within a year. That scenario has gained traction after last week's weak payrolls data sent markets lower, although strong economic data from the US have eased fears of a slowdown.

Inflation in the crosshairs: Dollar weakness possible

Christina Clifton, senior economist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said any sign of easing inflation pressures could push financial markets into anticipation of a sharp rate cut by the Fed. That could put the dollar under pressure as investors look to possible monetary easing.

Upcoming data: Inflation and retail sales

July consumer price index (CPI) data is due out on Wednesday, with monthly inflation forecast to rise to 0.2%. The data will be key to assessing the current state of the economy. Retail sales data is due out on Thursday, which could also have a significant impact on market expectations.

Bond stability and currency volatility

Eurozone bond yields remain largely unchanged as the data continues to stagnate. German 10-year yields, the region's benchmark, fell to 2.188%, off last week's low of 2.074%.

The dollar index, which tracks the U.S. dollar against six major currencies, fell 0.49% to 102.58. Meanwhile, the euro rose 0.6% to $1.09968 and the pound sterling rose 0.8% to $1.28670.

These moves in the currency market reflect the current mood of market participants, who are closely watching any signals from the Federal Reserve to anticipate the future direction of U.S. monetary policy.

Oil prices fall after sudden spike

Brent crude prices fell 1.9% to $80.78 per barrel, while WTI futures fell 2% to $78.46 per barrel.

Markets correct after wild start to week

Recall that Brent crude posted impressive gains on Monday, rising more than 3%, while WTI futures added over 4%. However, despite this rise, markets have returned to decline, indicating continued volatility in the commodity market.

Factors Affecting Price Fluctuations

Current oil price fluctuations are linked to a variety of factors, including expectations about global supply and demand, as well as geopolitical risks and economic data. These dynamic changes continue to cause sharp fluctuations in the market, forcing participants to be constantly prepared for sudden turns.