The Omicron Threat | November 26, 2021 | FFS

The week was all about inflation data, but have we inflated its importance?

Monday S&P 500 0.04% | NASDAQ 0.03%

Markets were little changed on the day. There was very little economic news out before the bell on Monday. The week will likely be sharply focused on Wednesday when we get the updated figures for March inflation. The report is expected to show an increase from February.

Tuesday S&P 500 0.14% | NASDAQ 0.32%

Small business sentiment slipped in March to the lowest level since January 2013! Even still, markets advanced ahead of inflation data on Wednesday. Growth stocks out-performed which signals that an increase of inflation data would likely not hamper growth stock leadership. This is important because the rate cuts expected later this year would favor growth stocks most.

Wednesday S&P 500 0.95% | NASDAQ 0.84%

Consumer Price Index (CPI) information showed that inflation has stopped cooling. A 0.1% reading was replaced with a 0.4% reading. The main culprits were transportation services, energy, and home services. The markets moved sharply lower, but likely on the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) minutes release, rather than on CPI data. FRB Minutes showed concerns that inflation was stagnating, endangering the likelihood of the FRB cutting rates later this year.

Thursday S&P 500 0.74% | NASDAQ 1.68%

Producer Price Index (PPI), which is a proxy for wholesale inflation rose less than expected. Initial jobless claims fell on the day supporting a strong job market. The weaker than expected inflation data led to a bounce back rally by markets. Little was changed about rate cut expectations moving forward however, given the FRB minutes from March.

Friday S&P 500 1.46% | NASDAQ 1.62%

Michigan Consumer Sentiment is projected to slip, but remains in the high 70’s. Financial firms got earnings season underway on Friday and they did not impress. The slide on Friday solidified a down week for equities. The Nasdaq led markets lower on the day, but its Thursday rebound mitigated losses for the week.

Conclusion S&P 500 1.56% | NASDAQ 0.45%

The week ended well into the red. The fall represented the worst week for the S&P 500 since January. In January the focus was on the markets accepting that the FRB may only cut rates three times this year. This time it is on the realization that perhaps the FRB may not cut rates at all. As of now investor expectations are that the FRB will cut rates one, maybe two times (September and December). The meeting in two weeks should provide more clarity. Even with this change to rate cut expectations, it will be interesting to see what action the FRB takes with Quantitative Tightening. If they do start to slow the selling bonds that should provide some relief.

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Markets fell hard for the week. Omicron rose as a threat, but was that really the big news of the week?

Monday

Markets opened the week mildly lower. The S&P 500 fell 0.32% on the day. Federal Reserve Board Chair Powell was renominated for his seat. The lack of a reaction from equity markets is a result of the known behavior he represents. Bond markets actually reacted adversely as he represents a dovish stance. This means there are concerns that he may wait too long to take necessary actions.

Tuesday

The S&P gained back some of the losses from Monday as it advanced 0.16%. Manufacturing data rolled in better than expected; however, services data (the crux of our economy) softened.

Wednesday

On Thanksgiving eve, markets managed to rise as the S&P 500 closed above 4,700. The S&P 500 gained 0.22%. The major news was that initial jobless claims fell to 199K. This marks the first time that this statistic has fallen below pre-pandemic levels!

Thursday

Happy Turkey Day!

Friday

Omicron gripped markets around the world on Friday. As there is little certainty surrounding the new variant, the unknown drove trading. Recovery stocks suffered, while stay at home stocks caught a bid. With the Thanksgiving holiday causing light trade, volatility was exacerbated, and the S&P 500 shed 2.27%!

Conclusion

Most will see the actions of Friday as the big news, however, the renomination of Powell may prove more impactful. Little is known about Omicron to understand its full implications. The renomination of Powell provides certainty that we will likely continue on the path of tapering. That path maybe accelerated as result of persistent inflation. This also means a continued path towards rate hikes in early 2023. Those hikes may also be accelerated to fall 2022 as a result of persistent inflation. These changes represent adjustments to outlooks, rather than wholesale changes to investment strategies.