Golden Doomsayer judgment is that inflation still highGold prices traded higher midafternoon on Wednesday as a report showed US inflation is still high.
Gold for June delivery was last seen up, again near US$2,400 per ounce.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday reported the April consumer-price index rose by 0.3% from March.
Shelter, gas prices remain sticky.
Notable call-outs from the inflation print include the shelter index, which rose 5.5% on an unadjusted, annual basis, a slowdown from March. The Shelter index (the largest US CPI component with near 32% weight) rose 0.4% month over month and was the largest factor in the monthly increase in core prices, according to the BLS.
Sticky shelter inflation is largely to blame for higher core inflation readings, according to economists.
In technical terms, Gold prices are on positive path, firmly above 26- and 52-weeks SMA, while 50/200-weekly SMA Golden Cross that occurred in 2017, still works pretty well, helps year after year to robust gain in yellow metal.
Technical perspectives are near 2550 and 2800 per XAUUSD ounce in this time.
TLT
🎲 Interest Rates. To Cut, or not to Cut. That is the questionJamie Dimon Sees ‘Lot of Inflationary Forces in Front of Us’, as in recent interview to Bloomberg JPMorgan CEO has warned for months that rates could stay high.
Jamie Dimon said he’s still more worried about inflation than markets appear to be.
The JPMorgan Chase & Co. chief executive officer said significant price pressures continue to influence the US economy and may mean interest rates will be higher for longer than many investors are expecting. He cited costs linked to the green economy, re-militarization, infrastructure spending, trade disputes and large fiscal deficits.
“There are a lot of inflationary forces in front of us,” Dimon said in an interview on Bloomberg Television Thursday. “The underlying inflation may not go away the way people expect it to.”
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 closed at record highs Wednesday amid optimism over monetary policy easing after a measure of underlying US inflation cooled in April for the first time in six months. Dimon said that markets have been healthy for a while, but that doesn’t necessarily predict the future.
“If you have higher rates and — God forbid — stagflation, you will see stress in real estate and leveraged companies, and private credit,” Dimon said.
“Stocks are very high, and I think the chance of inflation staying high or rates going up are higher than people think,” the CEO said. “My view is whatever the world is pricing in for a soft landing, I think it’s probably half of that. I think the chances of something going wrong are higher than people think.”
The CEO has been warning for months that inflation could be stickier than many investors are predicting, and wrote in his annual letter to shareholders that his bank is prepared for interest rates ranging from 2% to 8% “or even more.”
Dimon said that “a lot of happy talk” is why markets aren’t pricing these elements in.
Even though a bigger surprise would be higher rates, Dimon said that geopolitics could create the “main stress that we’re worried about” amid the impact those dynamics have on oil and gas prices, trade and alliances. With war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, tensions in North Korea and the use of nuclear blackmail, the geopolitical situation is “very tense,” he said.
When it comes to China, the right thing for America is to “fully and deeply” engage, he said. Still, the fragile relationship between the two countries makes banking in the country — where Dimon said JPMorgan has roughly 1,500 multinational clients — a riskier prospect.
“They’re not leaving China, so we’re going to serve our clients there, we’re just much more cognizant the risk is higher,” he said. “You look at China from a risk-reward basis, it used to be very good, it’s not so great any more.”
Basel III
The financial world has been in a heated debate over US proposals tied to what’s called the Basel III Endgame — an international regulatory overhaul initiated more than a decade ago in response to the financial crisis of 2008. US regulators have decided to adjust the original proposals following substantial backlash. Dimon reiterated his comments that the proposals are excessive.
“I would love to know what the end game is,” Dimon said. “Regulators should answer the question: What do you want — How do you want the system to work?”
Uncertainty pushes Gold prices (XAUUSD) more higher, later than The US Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday reported the April consumer-price index rose by 0.3% from March.
Shelter, gas prices remain sticky.
Notable call-outs from the inflation print include the shelter index, which rose 5.5% on an unadjusted, annual basis, a slowdown from March. The Shelter index (the largest US CPI component with near 32% weight) rose 0.4% month over month and was the largest factor in the monthly increase in core prices, according to the BLS.
Sticky shelter inflation that was one of the main reason of 2007-09 Financial crisis is largely to blame for higher core inflation readings, according to economists.
The main technical graph is an inverted (normalized) chart for expected Federal funds rate at mid-March 2025, based on respective Mar'25 FedFunds Futures Contract (ZQH2025).
Following the upside trend, as well as forming reversed Head-and-shoulders structure, the nearest target can be around 8 1/4 - 8 1/2 over the next 12 months.
Historical backtest analyses says, this scenario is not a nonsense, as in early 1980s the difference between US 10-Year T-Bond rates and US Interest rate has been already hugely negative at similar market conditions (fighting against non-stop inflation).
Let's see what is next in nowadays..
TBT / TLT T Bill Inverse TreasuriesOn this daily chart of the ratio of TBT ( Treasury Bills Bearish ) to TLT ( the inverse Bullish)
over time. This serves to accentuate shifts in prices from factors affecting them both but
with opposite effects. Federal actions or even reports of economic data are some
of those factors.
This chart shows that about November 1st, TBT ad topped out and fell. They are inverses
of one another . What makes one go down will make the other go up and viceversa.
By February 1, TBT bottomed out and the ratio reversed. The cycle took 3 months.
On a lower time frame, cycling would be more frequent.
At present, it would appear to be time to sell TLT and / or buy TBT
What applies to the TBT /TLT ratio would also relate to TMV / TMF as a ratio.
TBT Inverse Treasuries ( Long Dates ) LONGTBT is shown here on a weekly chart. It transitioned froma downtrend into the present trend
up two years ago with the initiation of the rate hikes to cut down inflation by hitting its knees.
Inflation was the direct result of the money printing and stimulus as part of the federal
response to the complications of covid and lockdowns. Price is now ascending in a broadening
channel ( a megaphone pattern) reflecting increasing volatility as federal action or inaction
gets priced into buying decisions at treasury auctions. As for me, i will continue to build
a TBT position until it is obvious that the fed has launched an active agenda of rate cuts
which will fortify T-bill prices and make TLT the new runner.
TLT Is Coming Into Key Support Within A Corrective DeclineTreasury bond TLT has been trading lower since the start of 2024, but after an impulsive rally at the end of 2023, we believe it's just making and finishing a deep A-B-C corrective decline. It's actually now coming into key strong support zone at 61,8% - 78,6% Fibo. retracement and channel support line, from where we should be aware of bounce, recovery and continuation higher back to 2024 highs. Just keep in mind that bullish confirmation is only above channel resistance line near 92.00 region, while invalidation level remains at 82.45.
Opening (IRA): TLT July 19th 83/August 16th 83 Short PutsComments: Getting in at strikes better than what I currently have on in July and August.
July 19th 83: Filled for an .85 credit
August 16th 83: Filled for a 1.11 credit
I'm fine with potentially getting assigned with shares at 83, since they're way below the cost basis of the covered calls I currently have on. I knew this might end up being a very, very long duration trade that would potentially take time to work out, but ... yeesh, the weakness.
Will look to roll out the most at risk strikes I've got in July (at the 86) and August (at the 85) at some point ... .
Opening (IRA): TLT July 19th 86 Short Put... for a .98 credit.
Comments: Adding to my TLT position on weakness here, targeting the strike paying around 1% of the strike price in credit.
I already have rungs on in April/May/June, so am adding a smidge out in July.
With QQQ and SPY knocking on ATH's, holding off on my usual broad market plays to await weakness and/or higher IV.
$HYG will get a boost this summer when rates are cut due to BOJI see the BOJ dumping treasuries this summer, which'll force down the USDJPY pair, and increase inflation here at home. When rates go down, borrowing money is easier, especially for junk corporations avoiding default due to decades high interest rates.
Could AMEX:HYG fall back into the box one last time? Absolutely, if the dollar ticks higher after FED hawkishness. But then, AMEX:HYG will catapult.
When HYG is ready I'll give out some options plays to capitalize on the bullish trend.
$TLT, the last bond rally before bear market continuation?NASDAQ:TLT seems to be setting up for one last move higher. I think we're likely to see a bottom of the short term move between around here at $92.
Then I think post fed meeting, we'll get a move in TLT up to the $98 resistance, that's where you'd want to be a seller of TLT or buy puts.
After that, I think largely the remainder of this year will be bearish bonds after the $98 resistance gets tagged.
I also think we'll see new lows (I know this is very opposite of what most people think will play out). This is also likely the catalyst that brings down the stock market (rates rise more than people think is possible).
Let's see how it plays out.
Nasdaq-100 Index. Meet and Greet March Quarter Earnings Season.US stock indices, including the benchmark American economy S&P500 index (SPX) and US BigTech Nasdaq-100 index (NDX), are retreating from their yearly highs, moving to a more aggressive decline last Friday, April 12.
Investors digest the first portion of earnings reports for March quarter 2024 - traditionally starting with financial sector Earnings reports.
New Earnings season has begun! Perfect!
Well... sounds good. Anyway...
JPMorgan (JPM), Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC) reported first-quarter earnings that beat forecasts, but a large number of persistent inflation pressures are still building and continuing.
JPMorgan CEO James "Jamie" Dimon warned that while the stock market is healthy and most economic indicators look favorable, there are still significant risks that could arise at any time.
"Looking ahead, we remain alert to a number of significant uncertain forces. First, the global landscape is troubled, horrific wars and violence continue to cause suffering, and geopolitical tensions are rising. Second, there appear to be a large number of persistent inflationary pressures. Pressure that is likely to continue," - Dimon said on the conference call.
On the inflation front, US import prices rose for the third straight month in March, slightly above the consensus forecast of 0.4% month-on-month. Almost all of the rise in import prices was driven by the recent rise in oil prices.
The fight against inflation - which has transformed into a classic chronic illness from a relatively minor cyclical problem driven by a low Covid-19 base - appears to have reached a stalemate, and the first rate cut will not occur until December, Bank of America (BAC) now says.
Despite the fact that at the beginning of 2024, the market was almost 100% confident that at least one rate cut would take place by the June FOMC meeting, and by the December meeting, the number of rate cuts could reach three.
Monetary easing by June is looking more and more like an unattainable dream, tempered by the latest data.
Recent inflation data, while in line with expectations, doesn't give the Federal Reserve much reason to rush.
But if the central bank doesn't cut rates by June, it will likely delay any cuts until March 2025, Bank of America strategists said.
In reality, long-term forecasting of the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy curve is not an easy task, given that only forecasts for the next FOMC meeting, which is scheduled for May 1, and for which the market does not factor in a change in interest rates, can be relatively reliable.
Of much greater significance is that the same arguments and theses that are presented in the reports of the largest American banks - the locomotive of the American economy - may find their repetition or imitation in Earnings reports for Q1'2024 of dozens and hundreds of other companies over the next two-three months.
Technically, the main chart of the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) featured in the idea is in a long-term positive trend of a weakly rising channel, above its 5-year SMA.
At the same time, taking into account the possibility of escalation of macroeconomic and political risks, one cannot exclude the prospect of its decline to the lower border of the channel - down to the levels of 12,500 - 13,000 points.
Also lets take into account the fact that the entire 10-12 percent Nasdaq-100 increase from Q4'21 highs to nowadays can be easily represented as the transposition of a 200% increase in the shares of only one company - Nvidia (with its near 6% allocation in the index), - which increased in price from $320 to over $960 per share over the same period of time - from Q4'21 by Q1'24.
Rolled (IRA): TLT Jan 17th 2025 Short Calls to Feb 21st... for a .28 credit.
Comments: Rolling out the short call aspect of my covered calls (See Post Below) a month for a small credit. Cost basis/break even in the setup is now 90.20.
The small consolation prize is that this keeps my break even right around with the underlying is currently trading.
TLT Treasuries Long breaks down under VWAP SHORTTLT on a 120 minute chart has continued its trend down since early December after a suddent
uptrend in November lasting for a two month until the end of 2023.
Inflation data is kicking the rate cut down the road of time.
Price has now fallen under the VWAP and all of the EMA lines including the EMA20.
Relative strength trending correlates with price . I conclude, TLT continues to be set up
SHORT or alternatively TBT LONG . I will take short trades at weekly highs on a 30-60
minute chart until signs of a reversal are seen on the chart.
TLT- Are rate cuts postponed? LONGTLT has been in a broadening wedge and formed a falling wedge within the larger pattern.
Price bounced off the lower supoort trendline in the mid-morning of trading then rising
to break out of the falling wedge. I see this as an opportunity to take a long trade in TLT
and close out a TBT position at the same time. This reversal may be due to the value of
existing bonds with the implications of a rate cut postponed beyond June. The faster RSI line
has recovered to cross the 50 level lending further support to this long trade.
TMF long trade setup 3X Bullish TreasuriesTMF on the 4H chart is set up at the bottom descending support trendline of a symmetrical
triangle in the approach to the apex. Price appears ready to reach for the upper descending
resistance trend line and the Echo Indicator ( Lux Algo ) makes that forecast. Current
ambiguities in a rate cut soon upcoming will make values of Treasuries a complicated matter.
I am taking a long trade targeting 54 with a stop loss at 50 in consideration of the triangle
pattern. I have existing positions in TLT.
Opening (IRA): TLT Jan 17th 2025 100 Covered CallsComments:
Doing something long-dated here in 20 year+ paper to get in at a cost basis that is coincident with a 10 year yield at 4.10%.
Metrics:
Buying Power Effect/Cost Basis: 91.40/contract
Max Profit: 8.60 ($860)/contract
ROC at Max as a Function of Buying Power Effect: 9.41% (Excluding Dividends)
ROC at 50% Max as a Function of Buying Power Effect: 4.70% (Excluding Dividends)
Delta/Theta: 49/1.00
Will look to roll out the short calls at intervals if they're in profit to reduce cost basis further. They're currently marking at 7.00/7.25 with the only available expiry to roll out to in Jan of 2026 (so I'll be forced to sit on my hands for "a bit").
IEF: Holding on to an Established Trendline at the 0.382 RetraceThe IEF (US 7-10 year Treasury ETF), has held on to the 0.382 Fibonacci Retrace aligning with a Long-term and Established Trend line and the 200-Month Simple Moving Average with high amounts of MACD Bullish Divergence and a move above the 0 line on the Oscillators. All of these factors point towards lower yields in the 7-10 Year Treasuries and an increase in par value on the bonds themselves. Bullish setups can also be found in other duration ETFs such as the TLT and SHY representing the 20 Year and the 1-3 Year Bonds.
I suspect that all this Bullishness on Bonds will come with the Uninverting of the Yield Curve, which may align in commodities blasting off much higher in the short term, but in the long term could result in the resetting of the Bullish Cycle in Equities and Commodities alike.
Opening (IRA): TLT April 19th 90 Short Put... for a 1.10 credit.
Comments: Although I have a long-dated covered call on in TLT, starting to ladder out some short put at intervals that would result in an improvement of my cost basis in the covered call were I to be assigned shares.
Targeting the strike that's paying around 1% of the strike price in credit.
US 20 Year Yield: Bearish Harami at Bearish Bat PCZThere is a Bearish Harami at the HOP level of a Bearish Bat with Impulsive RSI BAMM Confirmation. Alongside that, we also have 2 Major Squareups significantly below the current level and also an unfilled gap. If these Bearish Signals at the highs are to play along, this should be the start of an even greater retrace to fill the downside gap and to complete the square ups. This would likely come with some Bearishness in DXY and upside in the TLT which may also spillover into the IEF.