Macro Matters – Weekly review, w/c November 20

US CPI data exceeded expectations, driving rallies in both stocks and bonds. PPI and Retail Sales also beat forecasts, while UK CPI showed a significant drop. The US-Sino summit provided positive signals, and the US Senate averted a shutdown with a stop-gap funding measure.

TradeDay Macro Matters

Macroeconomic / Geopolitical Developments

US CPI Beats Expectations, Bonds and Stocks Rally

October’s Consumer Price Index slowed to 3.2% year-over-year, down from 3.7% in September. The data reinforced confidence in the Federal Reserve’s policies and eased concerns about further rate hikes. Treasury yields dropped, with the two-year yield falling by 0.2% to 4.85%, while stocks saw a robust rally, with the S&P 500 rising 1.9% and the Russell 2000 gaining 5%.

US PPI and Retail Sales Also Bested Consensus Numbers

Retail sales increased by 2.5% year-over-year in October, with strong growth in health, personal care, and e-commerce sectors. Meanwhile, the Producer Price Index (PPI) fell significantly, recording a -0.5% month-over-month change—the lowest since April 2020. Core PPI dropped to 0.0%, signaling cooling inflation pressures.

UK CPI Cools More Than Analysts’ Forecasts

UK inflation dropped to 4.6% in October, the lowest in two years, driven by lower energy prices. This surpasses expectations and alleviates concerns about further rate hikes by the Bank of England. The decline reflects slower price increases rather than outright reductions.

US-Sino Summit Uneventful but Positive

Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping agreed to resume high-level military communications, address AI regulation, and tackle fentanyl production issues. While significant challenges like trade tensions remain, the meeting signaled a constructive approach to US-China relations.

Target Soars, Walmart Declines After Earnings Reports

Target’s Q3 results surpassed expectations, with shares rising 18%, driven by strong sales in high-frequency categories. Walmart also exceeded estimates but issued a cautious outlook, leading to an 8.1% stock decline. Both companies highlighted changing consumer behavior amidst economic pressures.

US Senate Approves Stop-Gap Spending Measure

Congress passed a bill to fund federal agencies through early 2024, avoiding a government shutdown. However, internal GOP divisions and tight timelines pose challenges for reaching a long-term spending agreement, with potential automatic cuts looming in April.

What’s Ahead

General:

US Thanksgiving on Thursday will see financial markets mostly closed, with partial trading hours on Friday.

Central Bank Watch:

Key events include the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) Interest Rate decision on Monday and meeting minutes from both the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on Tuesday.

Macro Data Watch:

Highlights include global Flash PMI releases on Thursday and Friday, US Durable Goods and Michigan Consumer Sentiment on Wednesday, and the UK Autumn Forecast Statement on Thursday. Japan CPI, German GDP, and IFO Survey data are also due Friday.