July 17, 2023

Markets:

Stock futures slipped Monday ahead of a busy week for corporate earnings.

Stocks are coming off a winning week that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average gain 2.3% to notch its best weekly gain since March. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite added 2.4% and 3.3%, respectively. On Friday, the Dow rose 113.89 points, or 0.33%, while the S&P and Nasdaq slipped 0.1% and 0.18%, respectively.

The moves came on the heels of solid big bank earnings and softer inflation reports that lifted investor sentiment. That heightened some hopes the Federal Reserve may be able to tamp down inflation without tipping the economy into a recession.

Second-quarter earnings season gains steam this week with results from big financial institutions such as Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs
. Results are also due from United Airlines, Las Vegas Sands and technology giants Tesla and Netflix.

Wall Street are bracing for what be a gloomy season with lower profits. Analysts forecast a more than 7% decline in S&P 500 earnings from a year ago, according to FactSet.

This week also ushers in the Fed’s “blackout period” ahead of its July policy meeting. Traders anticipate a near 97% chance the central bank increases interest rates later this month, after pausing hikes in June, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

Portfolio:

We enter the new trading week holding set-ups in NIO, S, and EXEL.  Love seeing the headlines this morning, "Wall Street are bracing for what be a gloomy season with lower profits".  The pain trade continues to just be higher!  Cannot stress this enough.  

Just remember, 4350 is the key line for the S&P.  We are in monster territory for opportunity.  This is just beginning!  Be ready and let's have a great session.