Weighing the Week Ahead: Time for Some Hedging?

The economic calendar is extensive with a focus on housing and consumer behavior.  Expect market participants to look for any sign that the economic recovery is stalling in the face of the COVID-19 surge and the slower pace of reopening.  Unemployment claims data remains an especially important indicator.  Second quarter earnings reports, beginning with the […]

Read More

Weighing the Week Ahead: Sustaining a Fragile Recovery

The economic calendar is a big one, compressed into a holiday-shortened week.  Market participants will be checking out shortly after the Thursday morning jobs report for an extended weekend – somewhere! Employment data is the focus, but ISM manufacturing, consumer confidence, industrial production, factory orders, pending home sales, and auto sales are also all on […]

Read More

Weighing the Week Ahead: Market Storm Averted?

We have another normal economic calendar. The election is behind us. The Fed decision is behind us. What next? Some of the punditry convened after Wednesday’s rally to say that it was time to get “back to reality.” Others are wondering about a year-end rally. Since everyone keys off what happened the day before (!!) […]

Read More

Weighing the Week Ahead: Storm Warnings

We have a normal economic calendar. Tuesday’s election will take center stage. Markets have less than expected interest in the election. Partly this reflects confidence in a split outcome, with no major policy changes. I expect pundits, especially if encouraged by early-week trading, to focus on the signals from volatility and markets declining below technical […]

Read More