Perhaps a 'Santa Rally' is just one step away to begin in 2024Stock markets often enjoy a seasonal share boost during the festive period.
It's been two unpredictable year for stock markets after gloomy 2022 but all we are, traders, investors, TradingViewers are hoping for a successful end-of-year boost in the form of a so-called Santa rally.
Shares have much wide, breather and better performance so far in 2024, amid trade and geopolitical tensions, high inflation and high interest rate.
So... while children are compiling their Christmas lists, traders also want some sweet candies.
Traditionally, festive cheer and holiday household spending make the markets more optimistic during the holiday season, boosting investor portfolios.
But will 2024 follow the trend?
The "Santa rally", a term coined in 1972 by Yale Hirsch, the founder of the Stock Trader’s Almanac, "describes a tendency for the stock market to go up by 1% to 2%" over final five trading days of the outgoing year and the first two of the new one, said Forbes Advisor .
This period has "historically" shown higher stock prices in the S&P 500 SP:SPX 79.2% of the time, says Investopedia .
What drives the Santa rally?
Reasons for the Santa rally are vary and one explanation is the cheery "end of year mood" that means investors are in more of a "buying temperament" rather than selling shares, which pushes up stock prices
Will there be a Santa rally this year?
Probably, Yes. September quarter capped off the best 12-months return (+36.36%) for S&P500 Index since the pandemic stock market recovery in 2020, so there are a lot of hopes that stars will align, and momentum in the markets, helped by declining U.S. interest rate, will push prices higher in the run-up to Christmas.
Sure, there is "no guarantee", though. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes it is not.
The odds of a Santa rally may be in your favor, but the "best option" (author's opinion) is to do nothing, remain invested and be "pleasantly surprised" by another strong month by the new year.
The main technical graph for S&P500 Index says that we right now.. already somewhere above to 6'000 points for SPX Index, and just one step to break it out to reach the next one half-a-mile, i.e. 6'500 points by the end of the year.
Just follow the major upside trend, that's been taken earlier this summer. And that is all.
Merry Christmas y'all, TradingViewers! See you in a Happy New 2025 Year! 💖💖
US02Y
BTC/EUR. Eyeballing across the €100'000 roofBitcoin robustly pumped to $100,000 and above for the first time on Wednesday, December 4, 2024 surging to a new record after President-elect Donald Trump unveiled administration picks seen as holding the keys to ushering in crypto-friendly policies when he takes office in January.
Chief among the picks is Paul Atkins, whom Trump intends to nominate to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which regulates cryptocurrency.
Atkins, know in social media as a crypto advocate and former SEC commissioner, is expected to regulate cryptocurrency with a lighter touch than Gary Gensler, who leads the commission under the Biden administration. Gensler, who aggressively fought the industry’s expansion in the US, is set to resign on Inauguration Day.
Bitcoin touched $100,000 just hours after Atkins was announced as Trump’s choice for SEC chair.
This is all right with the new milestone (counted in greenback), built on the stunning rally since Trump won the presidency throne on November 6, which fueled a $6,000 one-day spike in bitcoin that brought it to a new record above $74,000. A week later, it hit $90,000.
By the way.. The main technical graph for BTC/EUR COINBASE:BTCEUR says €100'000 milestone has not been passed through yet to this time.
While talks are talking, last exam is not passed yet. Macro data still stoke fears over a possible recession and the notion that the Federal Reserve could be too slow with cutting interest rates. Non-farm payroll added just 12K new places last month.
Fresh labor market data is on the radars on Friday, Dec 06 (+202K non-farm payroll forecasted).
Sure, there is "no guarantee", though.. until last exam is not passed yet.
In case of success only, we can talk about further growth towards 150 thousand euros.
Arabica Coffee Futures. The Canary in the Coal MineWith nearly 60 percent up path performance in 2024, Arabica coffee futures rose above $3.00 a pound, the highest mark since May 2011, as traders assess potential problems with next year’s crop in top producer - Brazil.
Despite recent rains, soil moisture levels remain low, leading to limited fruit development and excessive leaf growth, local traders said.
U.S. and European coffee lovers are getting ready to tighten their belts as natural disasters have hit the world’s two largest coffee-producing countries, causing commodity prices to more than double in the past five years.
Droughts in Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer, and severe typhoons in Vietnam, the second-largest producer, have severely disrupted the global coffee supply chain, driving up production costs that are increasingly being passed on to consumers.
In addition, there are reports that Brazilian coffee farmers are holding back shipments of coffee to the market in hopes of higher prices, leading to further shortages, tighter supplies of coffee on the spot market, and higher prices.
Coffee is literally the “Canary in the coal mine,” signaling climate change, the ecological crisis, and its impact on agriculture.
The idiom originated within the Industrial Revolution in England (back to late XVIII century), when coal miners, lacking modern gas-monitoring equipment, would take canaries (birds) into the coal mine with them. And when dangerous gases like carbon monoxide (which is odorless) accumulated in excess in the mine, they stopped the birds chirping and killed the canaries before killing the miners, thus providing a warning to leave the tunnels immediately.
As some of the world’s largest coffee-consuming regions, coffee lovers in the United States and Europe will find the price hikes particularly hard to stomach.
According to German consumer data company Statista, Europeans consume about 3.2 million tons of coffee a year, accounting for nearly 33 percent of the world’s total coffee consumption, while Americans drink 400 million cups of coffee daily (which equates to 146 billion cups of coffee consumed in the United States each year, or nearly four cups a day for every American adult).
In fact, coffee is more than just a morning ritual in the United States; it has become a cultural and business driver.
But understanding the depth of America’s love affair with coffee may be as complex as the drink itself, and of course, more complex than the current coffee prices.
Natural disasters have taken a heavy toll.
Brazil, which accounts for about 40% of the world’s coffee production, is battling one of its worst droughts in decades. Dry conditions have severely impacted Arabica-growing regions, reducing yields.
The 2023–24 crop cycle is already seeing a sharp drop in production, with some estimates suggesting output could fall by as much as a fifth (20%).
The impact is being felt most acutely in Minas Gerais, Brazil’s largest coffee-producing state and home to high-quality Arabica, which has seen months of lower-than-normal rainfall.
Brazil’s farmers are battling the country’s worst drought in seven decades and above-average temperatures.
While Brazil dominates the Arabica market, Vietnam is the world’s leading producer of the cheaper Robusta beans used in instant coffee. Earlier this fall, Typhoon Yagi devastated the country’s main coffee-growing regions in the Central Highlands, killing at least 60 people and injuring hundreds more.
Thousands of hectares of coffee plantations were estimated to have been damaged, leading to significant losses in both the current crop and future production potential, as the damaged trees will take years to recover.
A perfect storm of environmental concerns has driven prices to all-time highs, above US$3.00 per pound of coffee beans.
The combined impact of drought in Brazil and the typhoon in Vietnam has sent global coffee prices soaring. The International Coffee Organization (ICO), an intergovernmental body made up of coffee-exporting and -importing countries, reported that prices rose nearly 20% in the third quarter of 2024, reaching their highest level in nearly a decade.
The ongoing effects of climate change make a quick return to stability difficult. The sector remains vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, which could further disrupt future harvests. In addition, growing global demand, particularly in emerging markets such as Asia, could continue to put upward pressure on prices, further slowing recovery efforts.
As the world’s two largest coffee producers struggle to recover from the crisis, the outlook for the global coffee market remains uncertain.
Climate change is reducing the area of land suitable for growing coffee crops, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, creating a range of challenges for the sector and coffee drinkers in the US and Europe.
In technical terms, the main 12-month graph of coffee prices indicates another buyers attempt to storm the round, 250-cent mark.
Since the price is near to consolidate by the end of the year above this round number, it can contribute to a further rally and multiple price growth in the foreseeable future.
U.S. Aggregate T-Bond Market. Fears & Greed Awakening. Series IIIt's gone 3 weeks or so, since Mr. Trump has secured a win over his Democrat-rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as it declared by the Associated Press.
Since that, a lot of stocks soared in a meme-style mode, while Bitcoin almost cleared $100,000 and Dogecoin soared amid Trump-fueled crypto rally.
However macro data still stoke fears over a possible recession and the notion that the Federal Reserve could be too slow with cutting interest rates. Non-farm payroll added just 12K new places last month. And the ISM manufacturing index, a barometer of factory activity in the U.S., came in at 46.5%, worse than expected and a signal of economic contraction.
Fresh ISM release is scheduled on Dec 02, 2024 (47.5 points forecasted), and labor market data is on the radars on Friday, Dec 06 (+183K non-farm payroll forecasted).
The main technical graph is for U.S. Core Aggregate T-Bond Market ETF (AGG), in total return format, and it indicates on Reversed Head-and-Shoulders technical structure in development, as it's been discussed in earlier published ideas.
Moreover, huge 200-Week SMA breakthrough is on the investments radars also.
What does it mean for Bond Market?.. Potentially "Good", to jump to all-time high.
... and for Stock Market?.. Potentially "Also Good", until it reach the fever pitch.
Trump Presidency Ignites Bond Yields on Inflation ExpectationsThe “Make America Great Again” ethos has set the greenback on fire. Donald Trump's re-election has the US dollar surging 2%, extending its rally since early October to a total gain of 5%.
This resurgence is despite the anticipated 25 basis points (“bps”) rate cut at the November FOMC meeting. Dollar rally is driven by expectations of potential policy changes by the Trump Presidency.
HIGHER INFLATION EXPECTATIONS UNDER TRUMP 2.0
Trump’s election victory, combined with the Republican sweep of the Senate and the House of Representatives, gives the party the leverage to enact swift and substantial legislative changes.
His policies, such as corporate-friendly tax cuts & light-touch regulations, are expected to amplify corporate growth. These policies, combined with import tariff imposition, are expected to drive inflation higher. Rising inflation will curtail the pace of rate cuts by the Fed.
Rate cut expectations have eased since election. On November 6 (election day), projections pointed to rates reaching 350-375 bps on election day (6/Nov) per CME FedWatch tool. Now, they are expected to reach 375-400 bps.
Trump has previously pushed the Fed towards accommodative rate environment. Fed Chair Powell re-iterated that the Fed remains independent and data driven.
Source: CME FedWatch
Trump's proposed tariff policy will further strengthen the dollar. In August 2023, Trump announced plans for a universal 10% tariff on all U.S. imports, reiterating that tariffs on Chinese goods could be even higher, potentially reaching 60%-100%.
Such tariffs are expected to drive inflation higher. It will raise consumer prices and provoke retaliatory actions from trading partners, worsening inflation. Trump aims for these tariffs to revitalize American manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports which collectively support a stronger dollar.
STRONGER DOLLAR TRIGGER BOND YIELD SURGE
The resurgent dollar has contributed to the sharp rally in bond yields. The yield rally since October has resulted in the 10Y yield rising by 60 bps. Yields initially surged after the election result but partially reversed the following day after the FOMC meeting.
It currently stands 5 bps higher than the pre-election level.
Unlike the yield, the yield spread has remained flat since October. Higher for longer rates act to push this spread lower.
The Federal Reserve reaffirmed (at its Nov meeting) its dovish tone as Powell pointed to signs of an easing job market and slowing inflation. However, its impact on curbing bond yields was limited.
According to a JP Morgan report , while Fed Chair Powell has consistently conveyed a dovish tone over the years, the Fed's actual decisions have often skewed hawkish.
Although Powell’s dovish statements have initially brought bond yields down, the hawkish policy actions and Fed’s wait and watch approach that followed have typically led to renewed yield increases. This explains why yields continue to rise despite Powell’s dovish remarks at the November meeting.
HYPOTHETICAL TRADE SETUP
Treasury bond yields have been on the rise since October and Trump’s win has supercharged the rally. Investors are expecting higher inflation due to Republican policies which favour corporate growth.
Import tariff, if enacted, would have an even larger impact on the dollar and bond yields. However, actual policy plans remain uncertain for now.
While yields initially surged after the elections, they partially reversed shortly after as the Fed signalled a dovish stance. Despite this, the 10Y-2Y yield spread has remained unchanged.
Resurgent inflation will lead to the Fed slowing the pace of rate cuts. The recent reversal in yield spreads may be unsustainable given the expectation for slower rate cuts. When Trump administration announces policy plans, yields could surge even more strongly.
This week’s CPI release is anticipated to influence bond market movements. Analysts expect October’s YoY inflation to remain steady at 2.4%. If inflation holds at this level, it may have minimal impact, aligning with the Fed’s "watch and wait" strategy. However, a sharper-than-expected drop in inflation could reinforce expectations of quicker Fed rate cuts.
With the impact of inflation most apparent on the longer-tenor yields, investors can focus the position on the 10Y-2Y spread.
CME Yield Futures are quoted directly in yield with a 1 basis-point change representing USD 10 in one lot of Yield Future contract. This simplifies spread calculations with a 1 bps change in spread representing profit & loss of USD 10.
The individual margin requirements for 2Y and 10Y Yield futures are USD 330 and USD 320, respectively. However, with CME Group’s 50% margin offset for the spread, the required margin drops to USD 325 as of 12/Nov, making this trade even more capital efficient.
A hypothetical long position on the CME 10Y yield futures and a short position on the 2Y yield futures offers a reward to risk ratio of 1.3x is described below.
Entry: 6.2 basis points
Target: -11.5 basis points
Stop Loss: 20 basis points
Profit at Target: USD 177 ((6.2 - (-11.5)) x 10)
Loss at Stop: USD 138 ((6.2 - 20) x 10)
Reward to Risk: 1.3x
MARKET DATA
CME Real-time Market Data helps identify trading set-ups and express market views better. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs tradingview.com/cme .
DISCLAIMER
This case study is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
Trading or investment ideas cited here are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management or trading under the market scenarios being discussed. Please read the FULL DISCLAIMER the link to which is provided in our profile description.
It could be the euro's time to shineThis may not be a popular theme, but that is usually the case at turning points. Like it or not, EUR/USD bears have failed to break the August low, and the rally on the USD index and yields looks exhausted. Every trend needs a retracement, and I suspect a small one, at a minimum, is due.
MS.
Gold Rush Knocks Dow Jones Industrial Average Off Its FeetGold as a value asset continues to shine brightly, having reached a new all-time high near $2,600 on Monday, September 16, marking the 30th all-time high for gold prices this year, 2024.
It is also noteworthy that the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) to gold (XAUUSD) ratio is gravitating to ever lower values, while the time-tested indicator of a U.S. recession, based on the US labor market behavior signaling that one is imminent.
Thanks to @chinmaysk1 and its full of worth open source script Recession And Bull Run Warning, that I truly believe is one of the best over many.
Yield Curve Reinverts on Easing Rate Cut ExpectationsFed sets the rates. Rates guide treasury yields. Fed remains data dependent. Incoming data creates nuanced shifts in yield spreads.
The September jobs report revealed 254,000 jobs added, significantly exceeding expectations of 147,000, with August figures also revised upward. This strong report, along with the JOLTS data from earlier in the week, indicates that the job market remains strong and not as weak as previously anticipated.
Despite the strong jobs data, the yield curve has inverted once again. While Mint Finance has previously highlighted that recession risks can lead to the yield curve inverting, that is not the only reason. This time around, the inversion is being driven by delay in rate cut expectations. CME’s Yield Futures enables investors to deftly express their views on the path of rates ahead.
JOB MARKET SHOWS MIXED SIGNS OF RECOVERY
The latest JOLTS figures showed U.S. job openings rising from 7.711 million to 8.090 million in August, with the previous month's numbers revised up by 38,000. Although job openings remain near a two-year low, the increase is a positive sign.
Rise in job openings was primarily due to increase in construction jobs (+138k), which are often seasonal, and government jobs (+103k). However, the overall report paints a mixed picture. Hiring fell by 99k from the previous month, and while total separations dropped by 317,000, the largest contributor was a 159,000 contraction in quits.
With fewer hires and a large drop in quits, the data suggests the job market is not particularly strong, as workers hesitate to leave their current positions with fewer being hired into new roles.
The Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) showed 254,000 jobs added in September, with health care, social assistance, and leisure and hospitality sectors leading the gains. As a result of these additions, the unemployment rate eased to 4.1%. Hourly earnings grew by 4% YoY, with the previous month's figures revised upward to 3.9%.
RATE CUT EXPECTATIONS TEMPER
Further rate cuts are still expected, but the anticipated pace has slowed. Before the PCE inflation report on September 27, CME FedWatch indicated a cumulative 75 basis point reduction over the next two FOMC meetings in November and December.
Source: CME FedWatch
CME FedWatch tool also indicated a high probability of 100 basis-point cuts last month. However, after the encouraging PCE report, which showed inflation easing to 2.2%—its lowest level since 2021 and close to the Fed's target—the probability of a cumulative 50 basis-point cut has steadily risen.
Following the jobs report last week, the probability of cumulative 50 basis-points cuts surged to 80%.
The trend suggests that market participants are increasingly expecting a soft landing, with inflation easing and the job market remaining strong. A soft landing reduces the urgency for aggressive rate cuts, giving the Fed more flexibility to monitor the effects of previous rate hikes and lower rates more gradually.
Source: CME FedWatch
Crucially, Fed Chair Jerome Powell has suggested a similar outlook for rate trajectory. While speaking at the National Association for Business Economics, he suggested that if the economy continues on its current trajectory, he expects two more smaller rate cuts this year, or cumulative rate cuts of 50 basis points at the next two meetings. FOMC projections also signalled a similar rate outlook for 2024 as signalled by the dot plot below.
Source: FOMC
YIELD CURVE RE-INVERTS
Bond yields have increased sharply to their highest level since August on tempered rate cut expectations.
Crucially, the increase has been much sharper for the 2-year yields indicating near-term expectations of elevated rates for longer.
The result has been a re-inversion in the yield spread with 2-year & 10-year treasury yields now on par. Notably, the yield futures spread has declined more sharply than the treasury yield spread.
HYPOTHETICAL TRADE SETUP
Recent economic data points to rising likelihood of a soft landing. Expectations of rapid rate cuts have tempered accordingly. While rates are expected to continue declining, the pace is expected to slow with a cumulative 50 basis points (“bps”) of further cuts in 2024 likely.
As rates remain elevated for an extended period, the yield curve has begun to invert again. With current inflation easing, the inflation premium on long-term treasuries has diminished.
FOMC projections suggest a gradual path toward rate normalization, suggesting a potential near-term yield curve inversion before it eventually normalizes. Investors can express views on this outlook through CME yield futures.
Further, the yield futures spread is trading at a (~5bps) premium to the treasury yield spread, as the futures contracts approaches expiry on October 31, the futures spread will converge towards the treasury yield spread which further benefits the short position.
CME Yield Futures are quoted directly in yield with a 1 basis point (“bp”) change representing USD 10 in one lot of Yield Future contract. This simplifies spread calculations with a 1 bp change in spread representing profit & loss of USD 10. The individual margin requirements for 2Y and 10Y Yield futures are USD 330 and USD 320, respectively. However, with CME’s 50% margin offset for the spread, the required margin drops to USD 325 as of October 8, making this trade even more compelling.
A hypothetical trade setup comprising of long 2Y yield October futures and short 10Y yield October futures with reward to risk ratio of 1.5x is described below.
Entry: 13.5 bps
Target: -1.5 bps
Stop Loss: 23.5 bps
Profit at Target: USD 150 (15 bps x 10)
Loss at Stop: USD 100 (10 bps x 10)
Reward/Risk: 1.5x
MARKET DATA
CME Real-time Market Data helps identify trading set-ups and express market views better. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs tradingview.com/cme .
DISCLAIMER
This case study is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
Trading or investment ideas cited here are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management or trading under the market scenarios being discussed. Please read the FULL DISCLAIMER the link to which is provided in our profile description.
Very close to Yield Curve Inversion, AGAINAfter #InterestRates were cut people were expecting a furious wave of buying, this has not come into fruition.
Recent events:
2Yr Yield rallied substantially.
10Yr #Yield bottomed when we called it, has not run as much as it's shorter term counterpart.
We're close to inversion again!
Colored areas = POTENTIAL Inverse Head & Shoulder = BOTTOM.
Worth noting, TVC:TNX has a higher right shoulder.
Further analysis:
We are seeing a Negative Divergence on $DJI.
Volume has been lessening as the days go by.
TVC:RUT Small Caps are LOWER and trading in a tightening range.
U.S. Dollar Index is near to fall. Soon..The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar (USD) against basket of other six major currencies, extends its losses for the 5th consecutive week in a row, hovering below 102 points during the U.S. regular hours on Monday, August 19.
Over the past week, Gold spot (XAUUSD) has topped $2500 per ounce psychological high also, minting new all the history peak, while Forex Eur/Usd (EURUSD) pair just has flashed a positive 2024 YTD return, jumping above 1.10 psychological degree.
The US Dollar continues to weaken following dovish comments from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials, which have increased a new portion of expectations for an interest rate cut by the central bank in September. Furthermore, last week’s US economic data revealed that both the Producer Price Index (PPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) suggest that inflation is easing.
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly stressed on Sunday that the US central bank should adopt a gradual approach to lowering borrowing costs, according to the Financial Times. Daly countered economists' concerns that the US economy is facing a sharp slowdown that would warrant rapid interest rate cuts.
Additionally, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee cautioned that central bank officials should be careful not to maintain a restrictive policy longer than necessary. Although it's uncertain whether the Fed will cut interest rates next month, failing to do so could negatively impact the labor market, according to CNBC.
Additionally, the decline in the US yields contributes to downward pressure for the Greenback. 2-year and 10-year yields on US Treasury bonds stand at 4.05% and 3.85%, respectively, at the time of writing.
This week, all eyes will be on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's upcoming speech.
In a bottom line, the major technical graph for the US Dollar Index (DXY) indicates on possible huge decline for the next upcoming 12 to 18 months.
The secondary RSI(14) graph indicates also, the bearish sentiment prevails.
What if bonds are kinda important?Lets draw few parallel lines. Looks like cross of green supports shows start of the party and crossing red resistances means music isn't playing anymore. Could be coincidence. Looks like green support is coming. If we pierce it could be bullish. Unfortunately this time is different because of inversion. We will see.
Hmm... Something Interesting & Sweet is Brewing in T-Bond MarketIEF is a longer maturity, longer duration play on the US Intermediate Treasury segment. The fund focuses on Treasury notes expiring 7-10 years from now, which have significantly higher yield and interest rate sensitivity than the notes that make up our broader 1-10 year benchmark.
IEF`s average YTM is significantly higher than US-T Aggregated benchmark's. Of course, the higher yield comes with significantly higher sensitivity to changes in rates, particularly those at the longer end of the yield curve (10-year key rate duration).
The fund changed its index from the Barclays US Treasury Bond 7-10 Year Term Index to the ICE US Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index on March 31, 2016. This change created no significant change in exposure.
IEF's narrow focus and concentrated portfolio have been popular, so the fund is stable and easy to trade.
The main technical graph represents IEF' Total return (div-adjusted) format, and indicates on developing H&S structure, as US Federal Reserve tight monetary policy seems is near to ease.
Gold predicting that Big falling rates cycle has almost overThere are several factors that can drive gold prices up in long term. Some of the key factors include:
1. Global Economic Uncertainty: Gold is often seen as a safe-haven asset during times of economic uncertainty or market volatility. Investors tend to flock to gold as a store of value when traditional investments like stocks and bonds are perceived as risky.
2. Inflation: Gold is often used as a hedge against inflation. When inflation is high and inflation expectations are going even higher, the purchasing power of fiat currencies decreases, leading investors to turn to gold as a way to preserve their wealth.
3. Geopolitical Tensions: Political instability, conflicts, and geopolitical tensions can also drive up gold prices. In times of uncertainty or conflict, investors may seek the safety of gold as a reliable asset.
4. Central Bank Policies: The monetary policies of central banks, such as interest rate decisions and quantitative easing measures, can impact gold prices. While investors thoughts that lower interest rates and expansionary monetary policies tend to be supportive of higher gold prices are widespread, in reality - higher due to inflationary concerns interest rates are more supportive for gold prices.
5. Demand and Supply: Like any commodity, gold prices are influenced by supply and demand dynamics. Factors such as jewelry demand, industrial demand, and gold production levels can all impact the price of gold.
These are just a few of the factors that can drive gold prices up. It's important to note that gold prices can be influenced by a wide range of economic, geopolitical, and market factors.
The main Graph is an Annual chart for ratio between Gold prices in US Dollars (XAUUSD) and US Inflation (USCPI).
In technical terms this graph indicates that 40-years deflationary plateau, and monetary cycle of falling USD rates has almost over, while due to mentioned above reasons, Gold can start its ride to outperform inflation within many upcoming years.
🔜 20+ Year Treasury Bond Market. Perhaps This Is The End US stocks surprised much of Wall Street this year with a strong run that defied decades-high interest rates and recession calls. The rally was fueled by slower inflation and hype over artificial intelligence.
But more recently, the Federal Reserve's unwavering higher-for-longer rate stance and a deepening bond-market rout have had a sobering effect on equities sentiment, with the S&P 500 index halving its year-to-date gains.
Indeed stock valuations are looking increasingly stretched, raising the risk of a correction.
One such indicator in particular is flashing RED - the relative valuation of stocks versus the debt market.
SPX / ICE BofA Corporate Total Return Index
In August this year, the S&P 500 CBOE:SPX climbed to levels last seen during the peak of dot-com boom, relative to an index that tracks the US corporate bond market.
The gauge is still holding near those highs, despite the recent pullback in equities.
The metric last surged this high in the spring of 2000 — and that was followed by a multi-year meltdown in stocks that saw the S&P 500 crash 50% between March 2000 and October 2002.
SPX 50% Decline During 2000-2002
Another indicator that shows the richness of stocks relative to debt is the so-called equity risk premium — or the extra return on shares over government debt, which is considered a safer form of investment. The metric has plunged this year lows unseen in decades, indicating elevated stock valuations.
"Equity risk premium is near its worst ever level going back to 1927. In the 6 instances this has occurred, the markets saw a major correction & recession/depression - 1929, 1969, 99/00, 07, 18/19, present," research firm MacroEdge said in a recent post on X (ex-Twitter).
The so-called equity risk premium (earnings yield minus bond yield) recently fell to a new cycle low and remains well below historical averages. In other words, the stock market has become more expensive relative to the bond market despite the recent pullback.
Meanwhile the main graph (quarterly Div-adjusted chart for NASDAQ:TLT 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) illustrates perhaps right there could the end for U.S. Govt Bond Market decline, with Double top as a further projected/ targeted upside price action.
Will all of that bring U.S. stock market to 50% decline like in early 2000s!?
Time will show!
Shelter Inflation. The Tail That Wags The DogInflation is finally cooling off as inflation gradually loosened its grip on Wall Street and the economy in 2023, raising hopes for a gentler Federal Reserve and further gains for the market in 2024.
Stocks rallied to their best 9-weeks stripe over the past 20 years in November and December, 2023 (so-called 'Santa Rally') as investors raised their bets that the Fed is done hiking interest rates to fight inflation.
6Mo USCPI Inflation was at its lowest levels since Covid-19 pandemic in early 2023
Top 4 U.S. stock market Indices were in rally in 2023
The economy has cooled under the weight of rising interest rates, as the central bank intended, but remains surprisingly resilient.
Energy prices are down. Food prices are mellowing out. But the cost of having a place to live is still rising much faster than just about every other essential.
U.S. Consumer Price Index inflation
Headline inflation was up 3.1% from a year ago, and so-called "core" inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, was up 4%. But the cost of shelter, which is the biggest component of the basket of goods the BLS uses to measure the cost of living, was up 6.5%.
"The shelter index was the largest factor in the monthly increase in the index for all items less food and energy," read the Bureau of Labor Statistics report accompanying the latest data on consumer prices.
"The shelter index increased 6.5 percent over the last year, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the total increase."
When the covid-19 pandemic hit, the cost of housing surged as those who could afford it sought out bigger homes and many city-dwellers transitioned to the suburbs.
What goes into Consumer Price Index
That and a glut of savings unhindered by low interest rates combined to exacerbate what had been a long-simmering Housing crisis the U.S.
But now that baked-in price hikes and rising mortgage rates spurred by tightened Federal Reserve monetary policy have put a bit of a damper on things, the housing market is also starting to cool.
U.S. Single Family Home Prices in "Bubble Mode"
30Yrs Fixed Mortgage Rate is at 20Yrs Highs.
30Yrs Mortgage Annual Payment U.S. Single Family Home, only Interest.
Housing prices tend to be “much stickier” than most costs, which means that when they rise we feel it more - and for longer (read - "for ever").
Housing prices do not compressed like just baked iPhone or iMac later in few years of its release.
- Does all af that mean that pre-covid levels of relative housing affordability are coming back?
- Sure "No". But at least American wages, which are still rising faster than before the pandemic thanks to increased worker power, will have a little chance to make up some lost ground.
The issue is still Federal Reserve' lagged tightening policy, that is "The Tail That Wags The Dog".
2Yr Yield Rolling Over?And there goes the the 2Yr Yield, it is whimpering.
Unless something happens this is rolling over further.
10Yr Yield had a nice bounce but it is also rolling over.
TVC:TNX is only 33 basis points from normalization!
Short term #yield is looking very weak, 6 month and 1 Yr, not shown.
More info see profile...
Yields are in a do or die situationYields are pulling back a bit from the run they had yesterday. It was expected to have a bounce at the support levels.
The 2Yr & 10Yr #Yield both look as if they want to settle a bit but time till tell . We will see how Yield reacts over the next few days. It is important as a crashing yield can mean higher prices all across the board in many assets.
We've stated before that they CANNOT lower rates but at the same time CANNOT raise them. Seems as if they are playing around a bit providing liquidity to keep markets propped up a bit AND they may keep rates steady or just have 1 rate drop, before election.
TVC:TNX
Interest Rates bounce at support level!And there they go!
The 2Yr bounced right at the support level, AGAIN
It is forming lower highs though.
10Yr #yield looks a bit weaker that its counterpart. TVC:TNX
In reference to the #interestrate post after the one quoted...
The weekly up trend is NO LONGER BROKEN!
TVC:VIX not moving much, interesting.
Bond Yields about to crater?GOOD MORNING!
The 2Yr & 10Yr have broken the triangle pattern we posted on long ago.
The TVC:TNX (10Yr) has gone lower compared to the 2Yr in the same time frame.
Again, natural normalization is still out the window! What does this point to?
Will fed do what they are good at & mess it up again?
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Now look @ the 10Yr on a weekly chart!
AH HA! Are Bond #yields about to crater???
Stock Market vs Govt Bond Market. At the Dawn of ChangesIt's been 3 months or so since the late March quarter bullish exuberance took the stock market, Ethereum (ETHUSD), Bitcoin (BTCUSD), other crypto assets to their new 52-week and all-time highs.
This is now changing, while the stock market and cryptocurrency markets have stopped making new highs, despite the fact that Roaring Kitty is once again deafening everyone with her phenomenal calls.
Quite high inflation reports for the first quarter of 2024 became a kind of “cold shower” both for the market and for expectations of a possible reduction in interest rates, while the markets have been living this still unfulfilled dream for almost the last year and a half.
The Federal Open Market Committee is unlikely to adjust rates at its upcoming next meeting on June 11-12.
In any case, the prospect of any immediate rate adjustments is estimated at a modest 0.1 percent.
It has been nearly a year since the FOMC last raised the federal funds rate to its current target range of 5.25% to 5.5% in July 2023. And while FOMC members have signaled that labor market weakness could force them to cut interest rates, the labor market remains broadly resilient and unemployment low.
Fixed income markets are forecasting that September could be the first interest rate cut of the cycle. However, this is not certain as the estimated odds are currently around 50%. And again, these forecasts implied by the market can quickly adapt to economic news, and again - turn out to be unfulfilled dreams, just like the dreams of rate cuts that, as discussed above, markets have been living with for the last year and a half.
The main technical chart is the ratio, between iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) that is similar to mostly known SPDR S&P 500 ETF TRUST (SPY) on the one hand, and Ishares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) on the other hand. Both ETFs (IVV, TLT) were taken in "Total return" format.
In technical terms, the graph indicates on Bullish upside channel, as right here we're near its upper line, exactly like 17 years ago in second quarter of 2007.
Auxiliary RSI(14) chart indicates also that Stock/ Bond ratio is too overheated in favor to stocks.
The idea should not be seen as a call for immediate action.
However, it is wise to keep in mind that investing in stocks can seriously underperform Govt Bonds in the medium to long term.
Interest Rates look decently strongThe 2Yr yield has paced itself recently.
The 10Yr #yield is picking up steam.
Both went from a bearish moving average crossover, circles, to a bullish
(Data not seen here, more info in profile)
2Yr is almost @ last years bank failure rates.
10Yr has been trading mostly above.
Weekly
2Yr looks like it wants to skyrocket, if breaking out of the ascending triangle pattern.
10Yr has been treading higher, along its trend line. TVC:TNX
Fed is in a catch 22. Cannot raise rates, more things will break BUT it but cannot lower, inflation.
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.