Markets opened higher on Tuesday as the wait on CPI data continued.  SPY gapped up 0.35%, DIA opened 0.14% higher, and QQQ gapped up 0.55%.  However, at that point traders faded the gap finally recrossing it in all three major index ETFs at 10:30 a.m. and continuing south until they reached the lows of the day at 10:55 a.m.  From there, all three slowly and modestly rallied in an uneven way the rest of the day with a spurt the last 5 minutes of the session.  SPY and QQQ crossed back into their morning gap while DIA closed just below the Monday close.  This action gave us black-bodied, long-handle Hammer candles in the SPY, DIA, and QQQ.  SPY and QQQ crossed back up above their T-line (8ema) while DIA remains close below its T-line. 

On the day, six of the 10 sectors were in the green as Basic Materials (+0.61%) was out in front leading the market higher.  Meanwhile, Financial Services (-0.34%) was by far the weakest sector.  At the same time, SPY gained 0.12%, DIA lost 0.07%, and QQQ gained 0.37%.  VXX lost 0.73% to close at a very low 13.60 and T2122 rose but remains in its mid-range at 75.60.  10-year bond yields fell a bit to 4.358% and Oil (WTI) fell 1.25% to $85.34 per barrel.  So, Tuesday saw considerable volatility that mostly came to nothing.  At one point, all three major index ETFs were Evening Star signals, but all of them ended up as Hammers.  The way I read it, is just two groups making unsupported bets ahead of the CPI data.  This all happened on slightly above-average volume in the DIA, slightly below-average volume in the QQQ, and well below-average volume in the SPY. 

The only major economic news scheduled for Tuesday was the API Weekly Crude Oil Stocks after the close, which came in with a larger inventory build than expected at 3.034 million barrels (compared to a +2.415-million-barrel forecast and much bigger than the prior week’s 2.286-million-barrel drawdown).

In FOMC speak, Atlanta Fed President Bostic reconfirmed his early 2024 expectation that there will only be one rate cut in 2024.  However, he also said he’s willing to changing his mind…either in terms of more than one cut in 2024 or none this year.  Yet, he reiterated that his base case it that there will be one cut in 2024.

After the close, PSMT reported beats on both the revenue and earnings lines.  At the same time, WDFC missed massively on revenue while beating on earnings.

In stock news, on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that BX is considering providing the financing for a $5.5 billion French cosmetics firm to go private (L’Occitane).  At the same time, JPM told its customers that sources tell it that AVGO recently won deals from GOOGL and META to produce and supply more than $9 billion in AI chips during the second half of 2024.  (Overall, JPM said the deals should account for $12 billion in AI chip sales for AVGO.)  In unrelated but simultaneous news, GOOGL announced the details of its new ARM-based AI chips made by NVDA.  These new chips are available to customers via GOOGL’s cloud computing services.  Shortly afterward, MSFT said it would invest $2.9 billion to expand its cloud AI infrastructure in Japan over the next two years.  Later, BB announced a deal with AMD to “revolutionize” BB’s robotics systems.  At the same time, BA announced it delivered only 29 planes in March (down more than half from the 64 planes in March 2023).  This capped a quarter where Ba delivered 83 jets.  At the same time, EADSY (Airbus) announced Q1 deliveries rose 12% to 142 aircraft.

Elsewhere, Reuters reported that a cancer therapy developed by MRNA and MRK showed “positive results” for early-stage head and neck melanoma in a newly announced study. Later, INTC announced details of a new version of its AI chip aimed at taking on NVDA.  (INTC used TSM’s 5nm process to build the new chips and will offer the chips via servers built by SMCI and HPE by the end of Q2.)  At the same time, GM said it will resume operations of its “Robotaxi” unit Cruise with a small fleet of human-driven taxis in Phoenix AZ.  Later, HSBC announced it is selling its Argentina unit and will book a $1 billion loss from the deal.  After the close, NVS announced it will cut 680 jobs in its sales organization globally.  This includes 240 in the US and 440 in the company home base of Switzerland.  (This is separate from previously announced 7,000-8,000 jobs being cut due to restructuring.)

In stock legal and governmental news, on Tuesday TSLA settled a lawsuit (for an undisclosed amount) with the family of an AAPL engineer who died while using the TSLA Autopilot feature.  At the same time, the EPA announced the finalized rules for the reduction of cancer-causing emissions from chemical plants.  (The rules apply to 200 large chemical plants, mostly located along the gulf coast in Chemical Alley around Louisianna. (The industry-influenced rule will reduce a plant’s emissions of certain cancer-causing chemicals to 23,700 tons per year.  Later, NSC agreed to pay $600 million to settle a class action lawsuit over its responsibility for the derailment and chemical spill at East Palestine OH in February 2023.  (The settlement is still subject to court approval.)  At the same time, a three-judge panel of the District of Columbia US appeals court upheld the EPA’s decision to allow the state of CA to set its own (stricter) tailpipe emissions and electric vehicle requirements. 

Meanwhile, a hacking group claimed Tuesday to have UNH’s stolen data from its eight-terabyte ransomware hack in February.  (The FBI did not comment, but Reuters reported a hacking hub reported a disgruntled hacker provided the data after a botched $22 million payment allowed their partner hackers to disappear with the bitcoin paid.)  At the same time, META reported that Malaysia has increased its requests to restrict short video content.  (51,638 requests in Q1 2024 versus 42,904 requests in all of 2023.)  Later, Reuters reported that the FAA is investigating allegations that BA whistleblowers have been retaliated against after voicing quality concerns on 787 and 777 model jets.  Elsewhere, a US federal court issued a consent decree forcing PHG to restrict the sale and production of sleep apnea machines following an FDA request.  PHG can no longer sell breathing devices in the US until it complies with FDA concern over noise dampening foam degrading to become toxic and cancerous to users. 

Overnight, Asian markets were mixed.  Hong Kong (+1.85%) was the biggest mover and along with Singapore (+0.67%), and India (+0.49%) paced the gainers.  On the other side, Shenzhen (-1.60%), Shanghai (-0.70%), and Japan (-0.48%) led the losses.  However, in Europe, we see green across the board at midday.  The CAC (+0.61%), DAX (+0.85%), and FTSE (+0.69%) are leading the region higher in early afternoon trade.  In the US, as of 7:30 a.m., Futures are pointing toward a modestly green start to the day (ahead of CPI).  The DIA implies a +0.17% open, the SPY is implying a +0.10% open, and the QQQ implies a +0.06% open at this hour.  At the same time, 10-year bond yields are down to 4.35% and Oil (WTI) is up two-thirds of a percent to $85.77 per barrel in early trading.

The major economic news scheduled for Wednesday includes March Core CPI and March CPI (both at 8:30 a.m.), EIA Weekly Crude Oil Inventories (10:30 a.m.), March Federal Budget Balance and FOMC Meeting Minutes (2 p.m.).  Fed Governor Bowman also speaks at 8:45 a.m.  The major earnings reports scheduled for before the open are limited to DAL.  Then, after the close, there are no major reports scheduled.

In economic news later this week, on Thursday we get Weekly Initial Jobless Claims, Weekly Continuing Jobless Claims, March Core PPI, March PPI, Fed Balance Sheet as well as Fed members Williams and Bostic speaking.  Finally, on Friday March Import Price Index, March Export Price Index, Michigan Consumer Sentiment, Michigan Consumer Expectations, Michigan 1-Year Inflation Expectations, and Michigan 5-Year Inflation Expectations are reported.  Fed member Bostic also speaks.

In terms of earnings reports later this week, on Thursday, KMX, STZ, and FAST report.  Finally, on Friday, we hear from BLK, C, JPM, PGR, STT, and WFC.

So far this morning, DAL reported beats on both the revenue and earnings lines. 

In miscellaneous news, on Tuesday, an industry group of steelmakers (World Steel Assn.) announced that it expects global steel demand to rise 1.7% in 2024 and to increase further in 2025.  This comes after two years of pandemic-induced declines.  India is expected to be the main driver of the increase in 2024 as Chinese demand is projected to continue declining.  The group also expects growth in the US market after a 2023 slowdown the group says was caused by a housing market slowdown.  At the same time, Reuters reported that Nasdaq short-interest rose 1.2% during the second half of March to 12.183 billion shares (up from 13.022 billion short as of March 15). On the NYSE, Reuters reports the short interest only rose 0.3% over the same period, from 16.051 billion shares to 16.103 billion at the end of March.

In market rate expectations news, ahead of the CPI number, the Fedwatch tool shows us that as of this morning. 100.0% of Fed Fund Futures bets are on no change in rates at the next (May 1) FOMC meeting.  The June meeting probabilities are showing 59.2% of contracts expecting a quarter point cut by Mid-June.  However, 40.8% predict no cut on June 12.  Even the July 31 meeting shows 24.4% of traders anticipate no change in rates by then, while 51.8% expect a quarter-point cut before August and 23.9% expect a half percent or more of cuts by that date. 

With that background, it looks as if the market is very slightly bullish but mostly undecided prior to the CPI data release. All three major index ETFs are just on the green side of flat, but are printing small-body, indecisive candles in the premarket. The SPY and QQQ are both above their T-line (8ema) in the early session, while DIA is just below its T-line and moving toward a retest. (DIA is showing us the most bullish of the early session candles with the largest white body…although it still is not a decisive move.) So the short-term trend is bullish. Meanwhile, the mid-term remains sideways in a choppy consolidating range. Long-term, it has been and remains all Bulls all the time. In terms of extension, none of the major index ETFs are too far away from their T-line and the T2122 indicator remains in top end of its mid-range. So, both sides still have plenty of room to run if they can find momentum. In terms of those 10 big dog tickers, they are evenly split so far this morning with the two biggest movers being INTC (+0.81%) and GOOGL (+0.80%). However, by far the biggest market mover is NVDA (-0.56%) and it is pacing the losses of the five down tickers among that group of 10. Finally, remember that while CPI hits today, earnings season starts again in earnest on Friday morning. So, we may still see more waiting and drifting after the CPI knee-jerk.

As always, be deliberate and disciplined…but don’t be stubborn. If you have a loss, admit you were wrong and take that loss before it gets out of hand. And when the price does move in your direction, always move your stops in your favor and take a little profit off the table. You have to keep the “Legend of the Man in the Green Bathrobe” in mind. In a winning situation, it is NOT HOUSE MONEY you’re betting, it’s YOUR MONEY! There is no reason to keep raising your bet (risk) size just because you’ve had a win. Finally, remember that trading is not a hobby, it’s a job. The gains are real and so is the risk. So, treat it that way. Do the work and follow the process. Stick to your trading rules, trade with the trend, and take those profits when you have them. Do the work!

See you in the trading room.

Ed

🎯 Mike Probst: Rick, Got CTL off the scanner today. Already up 30%. Love it.

🎯 Dick Carp: the scanner paid for the year with HES-thank you

🎯 Arnoldo Bolanos: LTA scanner really works $$, thanks Ed.

🎯 Bob S: LTA is incredible…. I use it … would not trade without it

🎯 Malcolm .: Posted in room 2, @Rick… I used the LTA Scanner to go through hundreds of stocks this weekend and picked out three to trade:  PYPL, TGT, and ZS.   Quality patterns and with my trading, up 24%, 7% and 12%…. this program is gold.

🎯 Friday 6/21/19  (10:09 am) Aaron B: Today, my account is at +190% since January. Thanks, RWO HRC Flash Malcolm Thomas Steve Ed Bob S Bob C Mike P and everyone that contributes every day. I love our job.

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