Builders focus on smaller homes in response to depressed affordability

The Daily Shot: 25-Oct-24
The United States
Canada
The United Kingdom
The Eurozone
Europe
Japan
China
India
Commodities
Energy
Equities
Rates
Food for Thought



 

The United States

1. The flash US manufacturing PMI from S&P Global held in contraction territory this month.
 

 
On the other hand, the services PMI continues to show robust growth with improving demand.
 

 
Output price gains are moderating.
 

 
Source: Reuters   Read full article  

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2. US initial jobless claims eased further last week as the hurricane-related effects subsided.
 

 
Source: MarketWatch   Read full article  
 
WARN data points to lower initial jobless claims in the coming months.
 
Source: Torsten Slok, Apollo  

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3. Last month’s new home sales surprised to the upside.
 

 
Here are the seasonally adjusted trends.
 
By region:
 
Source: @TheTerminal, Bloomberg Finance L.P.  
 
By stage of construction:
 
Source: @TheTerminal, Bloomberg Finance L.P.  
 
New home inventories were in line with last year’s levels.
 

 
Builders have been concentrating on smaller homes in response to depressed housing affordability.
 
Source: BofA Global Research; @MikeZaccardi  


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Canada

1. Job vacancies dipped below pre-COVID levels.
 
Source: BCA Research  
 
2. Mortgage payments are heading lower.
 
Source: Alpine Macro  


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The United Kingdom

1. UK manufacturing activity slipped back into contraction territory this month, according to S&P Global’s PMI report.
 

 
Meanwhile, the services sector continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace.
 

 
The composite employment index, covering both manufacturing and services, now indicates a net reduction in staffing.
 

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2. According to this month’s CBI report, industrial orders remain subdued, …
 

 
… with business sentiment continuing to weaken.
 

 
Industrial selling prices have stopped rising for the first time since 2020.
 

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3. Consumer sentiment declined again this month.
 

 
4. The UK relies increasingly on immigration as births decline to match the rate of deaths.
 
Source: BofA Global Research  


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The Eurozone

1. The EUR/USD implied volatility has been surging ahead of the US elections.
 

 
2. The market is factoring in the possibility of jumbo ECB rate cuts in December and January.
 

 
Source: @markets   Read full article  

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3. Next, let’s take a look at the October PMI reports.
 
Manufacturing:
 
Germany (slower contraction):
 

 
France (persistent slump):
 

 
Services:
 
Germany (slightly faster expansion but soft demand):
 

 
France (faster contraction):
 

 
The composite employment index (manufacturing + services) shows faster staff reductions.
 

 
Price pressures continue to ease.
 


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Europe

1. European companies increasingly discuss tariffs on earnings calls.
 
Source: @economics   Read full article  
 
2. Here is a look at the EU-level government budget balance.
 
Source: Eurostat   Read full article  
 
3. Next, we have the EU’s trade balance with the US.
 
Source: @DanielKral1  


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Japan

1. The Tokyo CPI eased this month.
 

 
Source: @WSJ   Read full article  

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2. Higher wages could support consumption.
 
Source: PGM Global  


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China

1. China-focused equity funds are seeing outflows.
 
Source: BofA Global Research  
 
2. Lending to property developers remains substantially below last year’s levels.
 
Source: Commerzbank Research  
 
3. Record defaults have struck the Chinese local debt market.
 
Source: @markets   Read full article  


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India

1. Business activity growth remains remarkably strong.
 
Manufacturing PMI:
 

 
Services PMI:
 

 
Hiring has accelerated.
 

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2. India’s domestic investors have been counterbalancing fund outflows triggered by foreign investors.
 
Source: @markets   Read full article  


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Commodities

1. Gold fund inflows surged in recent days.
 
Source: BofA Global Research  
 
Gold is having the best year in decades.
 

 
Gold prices have remained above their 200-day moving average for 265 consecutive sessions.
 

 
This chart illustrates central banks’ gold purchases per capita across select economies.
 
Source: The Economist   Read full article  

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2. Palladium surged this week.
 

 
Source: @markets   Read full article  

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3. Zinc has been rallying.
 
Source: @markets   Read full article  
 
4. Low water levels on the Mississippi River have significantly curtailed US soybean transport.
 
Source: @SusanNOBULL, @Barchart   Read full article  


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Energy

1. Saudi crude oil sales hit the lowest level since 2021.
 

 
Source: @markets   Read full article  

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2. BofA’s private clients have been exiting energy stocks.
 
Source: BofA Global Research  
 
3. Global coal demand remains near record highs.
 
Source: @JavierBlas, @opinion   Read full article  


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Equities

1. The S&P 500 has stayed above its 200-day moving average for 246 consecutive sessions.
 

 
2. The share buyback blackout window begins to reopen today, likely providing a tailwind for stocks.
 
Source: @neilksethi  
 
3. Hedge funds are buying US shares.
 
Source: Goldman Sachs; @SteamroomTrader  
 
4. Retail investors have been rotating out of ETFs and into single stocks. A sign of growing confidence?
 
Source: Vanda Research  
 
The AAII bull-bear spread declined this week.
 

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5. The current bull market in small caps has been subdued.
 
Source: @jimwpaulsen  
 
6. Upward revisions to analysts’ EPS estimates for the current quarter have been weak. The data below pertains to the MSCI World Index, with approximately 72% of its composition being US companies.
 
Source: @JeffreyKleintop  
 
7. Here is NVIDIA’s market capitalization in perspective.
 
Source: Torsten Slok, Apollo  
 
8. The chart below illustrates the geographical sales exposure for selected markets.
 
Source: Goldman Sachs; @MikeZaccardi  


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Rates

1. US money market fund assets have exceeded $6.5 trillion for the first time.
 

 
2. Treasury implied volatility continues to diverge from realized volatility as the US elections approach.
 
Source: @TheTerminal, Bloomberg Finance L.P.  


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Food for Thought

1. Expected electricity consumption by data centers vs. whole countries:
 
Source: Alpine Macro  
 
2. Fentanyl-related deaths surpass other drugs in the US.
 
Source: @business   Read full article  
 
The rise in fentanyl-related deaths shifts to the western US.
 
Source: @bpolitics   Read full article  

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3. Trends in unification and independence preferences among Taiwanese citizens:
 
Source: National Chengchi University  
 
4. How Americans view China:
 
Source: The Economist   Read full article  
 
5. Factors influencing Americans’ decision to open 529 college savings plans:
 
Source: Saving For College  
 
6. Increasing reliance on government transfers by county (2000 vs. 2022):
 
Source: EIG  
 
7. Lightning strikes per 1,000 residents:
 
Source: PlayNJ.com  
 

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Have a great weekend!


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