Simple way to look at what the market is pricing for future fed funds is the market Implied rate function on Bloomberg. Below is an overlay graph of rate expectations as of today and as of November first.look at 6 month ,1 and 2 year changes in expectations as they have come down over the last month especially the 1 ,2 and 3 year.For now market pricing less fed rate hikes then they did 30 days ago.Yellow line=11-1 market pricing
Goldman: Following the large market reaction to Chairman Powell’s speech on Wednesday, we consider how much more dovish Fed commentary has become recently.
1. It is true that Fed commentary has shifted somewhat in a dovish direction. The emphasis appears to have switched from a need for restrictive policy to a stronger focus on data dependence. Additionally, the tone on inflation expectations may also have shifted somewhat in a dovish direction.
2. However, we think that markets have overstated the extent of the shift since early October for three reasons. First, markets put too much weight on Powell’s comment that “We’re a long way from neutral at this point, probably”; we don’t think this was meant to imply a more hawkish view than the dot plot. Second, many commentators misleadingly shortened Powell’s formulation on Wednesday that interest rates remain “just below the broad range of estimates of the level that would be neutral for the economy” to “just below…neutral”. Third, the Fed’s message on the state of the economy, the growth outlook, and the positioning of gradual rate hikes is essentially intact.
3. Overall, we see a larger risk of continued near-term dovish signals and a risk of a downward drift in the December SEP dots to a two-hike 2019 baseline, especially if the data were to disappoint. The November employment report on December 7 is particularly important in this regard, following the recent increase in jobless claims.
4. Looking beyond the next few weeks, recent events have increased the downside risks to our baseline forecast of quarterly hikes through end-2019. However, with growth still well above potential and encouraging signals on consumer spending, we think the unemployment rate is still on track to fall well below the FOMC’s 3.5% end-2019 projection, which would likely keep the Fed on a continued hiking path
ScoreCard for trade war leaning in favor of USA as a handful of economic Data points released last night out of China show a slowing Economy
Ugly stats ignored as china’s Shanghai stocks rallied into the close to finish +.8%
European Economic Scorecard
Not a good round of Economic Data, Bunds little changed to higher. European bourses lower Dax -.6%, Stoxx 50 -.2%, Spoos -13 handles NASDAQ -34 Copper down a touch contained in a tight range. Month end/and possibility of hedge funds year-end may make for some interesting activity today. All Eyes on this weekend’s G20 gathering whether it is Oil, Soybeans, Stocks and bonds all can be affected by what comes out of the get together. Sunday’s open could be interesting, Todays trade may be headline driven as plenty of opportunity for leaders to voice opinion on the pressing matters at hand. WTI -1.7%,brent -1.4%,gasoil -1.5% headlines overnight causing a very choppy trade as North sea production taking a hit then Russia energy minister saying he is comfortable with current oil prices.Everybody watch $50 in Cl, more psychological than anything of technical significance.
Plenty of Bullish/bearish trump/Xi headlines and tweets to cause Markets to chop, the latest from Dow jones provided a bid erasing some of today’s losses in Spooz
DJ *U.S., China Exploring Deal to De-escalate Trade Tensions: Sources
*DJ *U.S. China Talks Focus on Delayed Tariffs for China Policy Changes: Sources
*DJ *U.S., China Discuss Trade Ahead of Expected Buenos Aires Trump-Xi Summit
Bonds continue to stay in the green ,Yield Curve flatter today as the long End Outperforms 30 year yields -2.6 bps 10 year yields -3.5,7year yields -3bps 2s -.8 and 3s -1.4 bps. Less inflation, less fed worries providing a bid in longer end. Dovish fed/Weaker macro Outlook could be reason for shape of curve today as it Bull flattens.
Nat gas lower on day as weather turns warmer and weekly draw much, much smaller than expected.A double whammy of bearish news ,but gas only -2.3% on day.Crude still bouncing here and that’s all it is , until yesterdays highs and bottom of gap at 52.31 are taken out and traded above.
A few other headlines of Note Officials from Germany’s top Auto companies will be at white house on Tuesday.Trump Administration will hold a roundtable discussion with tech companies but no date given as of yet.
Bloomberg-
WTI crude oil below $50/barrel., some collapse this month, down 24% in November, the biggest monthly fall since Oct 2008 and fifth biggest since the early 1980s.
Drop it like its Hot!
Oil this morning finding herself with a small Bid as Russia now says they see need to cut production. The same old song and dance prices to high OPEC + tries to jawbone prices lower and vice Versa when they are high. Cl and Brent ~+1% today.Yesterday’s Dovish Powell Speech failed to Push 10 year yield’s below 3%, but this morning’s Release of German State CPI did the trick, Pushing 10 year yields lower to 2.9952 As bunds caught a bid 10s followed.
Worldwide Stock markets still living off the Powell Comments. For example, the iShares core MSCI EM ETF saw it biggest ever one day inflows, $1B as a rush back into emerging markets as Less Fed drives flows. Dax trying to hang onto small gains as is Stoxx 50 +.3% as the sugar rush Subsides. Possibility of Trade war worries still hanging over stocks as China’s CSi 300 closed lower 1.3%. President just a few minutes ago said, “Long way to go with tariffs and China” Earlier this morning A Reuters article/headline “Trump-Xi dinner unlikely to end in a joint statement regardless of a breakthrough in talks”. Usual china proxies, Soybeans down .2% and Copper steady. Other base metals though on the Bid lead +1.75%.
With Dovish fed, Weaker German Inflation Bonds, and Bunds are bid .the latter +35 ticks, Bund yields roughly at a 3 month low.
Trade /tariff Worry Theme so far today
Calendar:
December nat gas did not go quietly into the Night as Shorts were squeezed into expiration pushing futures to gains of 10.6%.I guess after the Month gas has had nothing short of Volatile expiration would be expected.Jan +8.5% into the close
Last 2 minutes of Oil trade 1:28-1:30 is used to create a settlement price So activity and Volume picks up as we know.,Throw technicals and al lother stuff out of window. Players tried to push oil below $50 and Possibly settle it down there,they failed. Low price of $50.06 a settle of $50.29 and quick bounce of 50+ ticks post settlement out an end to that game. heating Oil -2% gasoline ~-1.5% into the close.
1 minute chart of 2s10s and 2s30s
