Weekend Update
November 2, 2014
Equities exceeded expectations this past week with both the S&P 500 (SPX) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJX) recording new highs to close out a volatile month. Stocks gained momentum all week long with many of the downside catalysts from earlier in October essentially becoming obsolete. Stronger than expected earnings continue to drive confidence with over 75% of S&P 500 companies handily beating estimates of those already released. Approximately 150/500 companies in the index remain as one of the strongest earning seasons in recent history begins to wind down. Overly hawkish comments from the Federal Reserve Statement announcing the conclusion of QE did little to rattle investors after Thursday’s concrete 3.5% quarterly GDP figure corroborated the authenticity of the economic recovery.
Option volatility continued to implode to new October lows just above $14 after the spike earlier in the month was quickly reduced in half. The U.S. Dollar (/DX, UUP) also shot to a new yearly high Friday after the Bank of Japan’s surprise announcement to rapidly accelerate their current stimulus jolted equity markets across the globe. Crude Oil (/CL) may likely be the asset class most affected by the surging dollar after an astonishing 9% loss materialized over just the last four weeks. Gold (/GC) has also largely been abandoned by investors with the renewed risk appetite prompting accelerated liquidation to close the precious metal at the lowest level since July of 2010.
10 Year Treasury Bond rates closed the week at 2.34% as traders focused on re-allocating assets into more risk. Yields may be poised to rise over the foreseeable future as the Federal Reserve hints at the desire to return to more normalized rates to curb against inflationary concerns with the renewed assurance of a strengthening economy taking shape.
The upcoming week will offer valuable insight into the expanding labor markets with multiple employment figures slated for release. Friday’s monthly unemployment component will be the most highly anticipated with a consensus forecast of 5.9%. Earnings will also continue to grab headlines as several noteworthy companies have yet to report and will likely dictate sentiment over the near-term based on results. The biggest question remaining is if investors will continue the euphoric buying frenzy into the final quarter of the year which over the last few weeks quickly erased losses approaching dreaded correction territory.
Major Earnings for the Upcoming Week:
Monday:
A.M. – ARNA, CNA, CYOU, HNT, L, SOHU, VMC
P.M. – DRYS, CKP, HLF, KND, MRO, NTRI, S, THC, TXRH, VNO
Tuesday:
A.M. – AKS, BABA, BKW, CVS, DISH, EL, IP, KORS, MWW, ODP, PCLN, RRGB, RGS, VLO, VSI, ZBRA
P.M.–CNQR, DVN, FANG, FEYE, AWAY, JMBA, MYGN, PZZA, PBPB, PRI, SCTY, TRP, ZU
Wednesday:
A.M. – CTSH, EE, DAVE, LVLT, MDLZ, NUS
P.M. – CBS, CF, MDR, MCP, MUSA, NDLS, PRU, QCOM, SKUL, SUN, TSRO, TSLA, TXTR, WFR, Z
Thursday:
A.M. – APA, AOL, CECO, CDW, CNK, DIS, DTV, HAIN, KATE, LCUT, TAP, OWW, TDC, WEN,
P.M. – ELON, ED, FSLR, JDSA, KOG, MNST, NVDA, ZNGA
Friday:
A.M. – BAM, CTB, HUM, ICPT, STAY
P.M. –N/A
Economic Releases (11/3 – 11/7):
Monday:
October Vehicle Sales
9:00 am CT – ISM Manufacturing Report
9:00 am CT – Construction Spending
Tuesday:
7:30 am CT – Trade Balance
9:00 am CT – Factory Orders
Wednesday:
7:15 am CT – ADP Employment Report
8:15 am CT – FOMC Member Kocherlakota Speaks
9:00 am CT – Non-Manufacturing PMI
9:30 pm CT – Crude Oil Inventories
Thursday:
7:30 am CT– Weekly Jobless Claims
8:30 am CT – Unit Labor Costs
9:30 am CT – Natural Gas Storage
6:00 pm CT – FOMC Member Mester Speaks
Friday:
7:30 am CT – Unemployment Numbers
1:00 pm CT – Consumer Credit |