Political Pressure Everywhere

This could prove to be an important week in the political affairs of several countries. British Prime Minister Theresa May is now offering lawmakers the opportunity in mid-March to vote on a disorderly no-deal Brexit or to vote for a delay in Britain’s exit from the European Union. However, May indicated that the only way a no-deal option would be off the table would be to revoke Article 50, which she will not support. In sum, this new development means if May fails to get a deal approved by the current March 12 deadline, Parliament has the opportunity to push the Brexit cliff date out to the end of June. If so, the Brexit saga may simply continue to weigh on the European continent for three additional months. Nevertheless, the pound rallied on the news.

In South America the Venezuelan humanitarian crisis deepens. On a visit to Bogotá, US Vice President Mike Pence stated that President Nicolas Maduro’s action to block aid to the people of Venezuela has solidified America’s resolve to support opposition leader Juan Guaido. The US responded with a new round of sanctions and asked the United Nations Security Council to vote on a draft resolution calling for immediate elections in Venezuela and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

This week also includes another historic summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. This is their second get-together in twelve months and the US delegation hopes this meeting will move both leaders closer to a deal that will include tangible steps by North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Meanwhile in Washington DC, Trump’s prison-bound former personal attorney Michael Cohen will respond to questions from lawmakers in both private and public forums regarding President Trump’s personal finances. These meetings are transpiring as reports circulate that Special Counsel Robert Mueller may be nearing the end of his investigation into whether Russia and Trump’s campaign colluded to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. The Democratic-based House of Representatives just passed new legislation to terminate President Trump’s proclaimed national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and this sets up a vote for the bill in the narrowly-led Republican US Senate. In our opinion, it would be refreshing if Congress would re-direct its energy from political power plays on the border to more productive work like comprehensive immigration policy reform.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is giving his semi-annual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress this week and it began with Tuesday’s meeting with the Senate Banking Committee. Unfortunately, many questions from Senate Committee members to the Fed Chief were directed more toward politics rather than monetary policy and were frequently statements rather than questions. This trend is apt to escalate as he heads to the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday which is now led by California Democrat Maxine Waters and now includes new liberal members such as freshmen Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Katie Porter. Chairman Powell has already expressed skepticism about modern monetary theory and other aspects of the new Democratic-sponsored Green Deal so we expect Wednesday’s testimony could be confrontational and will therefore be watched closely by many.

But the stock market appears surprisingly unfazed by these political events and has focused instead on the expectation that progress appears to be made on a US-China trade deal. The year-to-date gains in the DJIA and SPX are currently 11.7% and 11.5%, respectively, which means the DJIA and SPX are now up 19.6% and 18.8% from their December 2018 lows and only 2.9% and 4.7%, respectively, from their all-time highs. Our technical indicators are implying that the December trough represented a significant low in equities. Equally important, after a decline of 10% or more, history shows that the average DJIA advance lasts an average of 24 months and gains an average 81.7%. The average advance in the SPX after a decline of 10% or more has lasted 15.2 months and generated an average gain of 55.9%. See pages 3 and 4. But while the underpinnings of the current rally are strong, we expect the advance will and should consolidate after solid double-digit gains. In short, we expect a near term trading range market.

Confidence Building

Last week we noted that the preliminary results for February’s University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey showed a gain after some worrisome weakness in January. And we hoped that the rebound in the University of Michigan survey would be the first of a series of better data points in sentiment. (See “Conflicting Economic Data Leaves Fed on Hold” February 20, 2018 page 4.) This week’s release from the Conference Board was reassuring since it too had a recovery. The Conference Board consumer confidence index rose sharply from 121.7 in January to 131.4 in February. Also encouraging is the fact that both surveys had robust gains in the “expectations” index implying that consumers are becoming more hopeful about their financial future. See page 5. This helps to explain the stock market’s recent confidence and shows that investors are more focused on economic factors like trade, than on divisive political rhetoric.

Investors will get more information about the state of the economy on February 28^th when the initial estimate for fourth quarter GDP is released. Recent data suggests that corporate investment slowed at year end and for that reason economists are expecting to see a sharp decline from the second quarter pace of 4.2% and the third quarter rate of 3.4%. These last two reports indicated that US economic activity was well above the long-term average rate of 3.2%. Many forecasts are looking for the fourth quarter’s pace to fall well below 3% and the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow forecast is currently at 1.8%. Anything substantially stronger than that could be a boost to sentiment. See page 6. Also released this week will be December’s personal income and personal expenditures. In November, a 3-month average of personal consumption expenditures showed spending was growing at a 4.8% YOY pace, faster than the 4.3% rate in personal income. In our view, the personal income report will be a better indicator of 2019’s economic potential than GDP.  See page 7.

Steady Improvement in Technicals

Technicals continue to be strong and the 200-day moving averages have been exceeded in all three popular indices. The Russell 2000 index is the one index yet to break above this significant resistance level, however it is testing its 200-day MA this week and the trend looks favorable. See page 10. The 25-day up/down volume oscillator is at 3.04 (preliminarily) this week, barely in overbought territory, but this still represents the indicator’s 22^nd consecutive day in overbought territory. As a result the current reading is the longest overbought condition since the 27 of 29 consecutive day overbought reading seen in May 2009. The current signal is now the 4^th longest overbought reading since 2008, up from last week’s 8^th place ranking. Also, the oscillator reached a high of 6.84 at the end of January which was the highest overbought reading since August 13, 2009’s 6.90. Note that this 2009 reading appeared early in a new bull trend. Long and extreme overbought readings are characteristics of bull markets and the strongest overbought level typically appears at the beginning of a new bull market cycle. In short, this oscillator is definitively bullish and we remain bullish for the longer-term with a target of SPX 3150. We would buy all dips.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

RATINGS DEFINITIONS:

Sectors/Industries:

“Overweight”: Overweight relative to S&P Index weighting

“Neutral”: Neutral relative to S&P Index weighting

“Underweight”: Underweight relative to S&P Index weighting

Other Disclosures

This report has been written without regard for the specific investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any specific recipient, and should not be regarded by recipients as a substitute for the exercise of their own judgment.  The report is published solely for informational purposes and is not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell securities or related financial instruments.  The securities described herein may not be eligible for sale in all jurisdictions or to certain categories of investors.  The report is based on information obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed as being accurate, nor is it a complete statement or summary of the securities, markets or developments referred to in the report.  Any opinions expressed in this report are subject to change without notice and Dudack Research Group division of Wellington Shields & Co. LLC. (DRG/Wellington) is under no obligation to update or keep current the information contained herein.  Options, derivative products, and futures are not suitable for all investors, and trading in these instruments is considered risky.  Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, and yield from securities, if any, may fluctuate as a security’s price or value changes.   Accordingly, an investor may receive back less than originally invested.  Foreign currency rates of exchange may adversely affect the value, price or income of any security or related instrument mentioned in this report.

DRG/Wellington relies on information barriers, such as “Chinese Walls,” to control the flow of information from one or more areas of DRG/Wellington into other areas, units, divisions, groups or affiliates.  DRG/Wellington accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage of any kind arising out of the use of all or any part of this report.

The content of this report is aimed solely at institutional investors and investment professionals. To the extent communicated in the U.K., this report is intended for distribution only to (and is directed only at) investment professionals and high net worth companies and other businesses of the type set out in Articles 19 and 49 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2001. This report is not directed at any other U.K. persons and should not be acted upon by any other U.K. person. Moreover, the content of this report has not been approved by an authorized person in accordance with the rules of the U.K. Financial Services Authority, approval of which is required (unless an exemption applies) by Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Additional information will be made available upon request.

©2018.  All rights reserved.  No part of this report may be reproduced or distributed in any manner without the written permission of Dudack Research Group division of Wellington Shields & Co. LLC. The Company specifically prohibits the re-distribution of this report, via the internet or otherwise, and accepts no liability whatsoever for the actions of third parties in this respect.

Contact Andrea Costello, Head of Research Sales for additional information (212) 320-2046 or Andrea@DudackResearchGroup.com

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In our January 10, 2019 report, “The Consensus View” we noted that there was broad agreement among strategists regarding their outlooks for 2019. Most forecasts include the concept that global and US economic activity will decelerate this year, the risk of a US recession grows for 2020, the Federal Reserve is apt to be on hold for much of the next 12 months, the dollar will remain stable, interest rates have peaked for the intermediate term, and emerging markets represent better values than US securities. We tend to be wary of strong consensus views since history suggests that they tend to be wrong. Therefore, we believe investors should be on the lookout for positive surprises in 2019.

Davos, Switzerland

This week the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos is the big financial story and we remind readers that this forum is famous for misjudging the global mood and events. Last year global financial leaders and executives were brimming with optimism about the world economy and the ability of stock markets to continue to rise. This year the mood is much more subdued and is focused on the political paralysis seen in the US, UK, France and Germany, the stress on trading relationships and rising concerns about the concentration of corporate power, especially among large technology firms. Corporate leaders are eyeing global trade, the potential impact of the US government shutdown, the uncertain state of the economy and a volatile political landscape as the major risks of the current year and many are calling these risks unprecedented. However, while forum participants are downcast and glum this year’s Economic Forum is most notable for the people who did not attend. The list includes President Trump who did not attend due to the federal government shutdown, Prime Minister Theresa May did not participate due to the time pressure she faces to get a Brexit deal and Chinese President Xi Jinping was not there as China announces economic growth has decelerated to the slowest pace in decades. Clearly the consensus view among US equity strategists that we described two weeks ago is also a global view. To us, this suggests that we should be looking for what could go right in the US and global environments in 2019.

In our last weekly publication we listed the most likely positive surprises of 2019 to be a trade agreement between the US and China, a smooth Brexit, a quiet and uneventful end to the Mueller investigation and a bi-partisan US infrastructure spending bill. This list is presented in order of likelihood.

The most plausible positive surprise in 2019 is a trade agreement between the US and China. While the negotiating process has been messy and contentious it seems that President Trump is pressing China for the best possible long-term deal, including the ability for the US to monitor the agreement for compliance. Like many deals, the process can be acrimonious, yet we believe it is in the best interest of both parties to find a solution before additional tariffs are imposed in March. Prime Minister May could be facing a tougher battle to pass a Brexit proposal through Parliament; but the disruption of a hard Brexit could pressure politicians into finding a solution in coming weeks. Of all the items on our list, a bi-partisan infrastructure bill currently seems the least likely. This is a very sad commentary since both sides of the US political aisle actually agree on this concept. The absence of such a bill highlights the dysfunctional state of the US political scene and of the US Congress.

The Economic Backdrop

The current US economic backdrop has its highs and its lows. The most recent low was December’s existing-home sales which fell 6.4% from a revised November number and was down 10.3% from December 2017. This was not due to seasonal factors since both the seasonally adjusted and unadjusted sales figures were down by similar percentages. The median single-family home price in December (SA) was $261,220, down 1.2% from November but still up 3% from December 2017. December’s weakness could be temporary factors since these sales were based on contracts signed one to two months prior to December when mortgage rates were at their peak. Weather was also unseasonably cold and wet in November which hampered potential buyers and the government shutdown may have delayed some transactions which were expected at the end of the year. The good news is that interest rates have moved lower in recent weeks and this could bolster the housing market in 2019. See page 3.

The ISM manufacturing index fell from 59.3 in November to 54.1 in December and is now at its lowest level since late 2016. All components of the manufacturing survey, with the exception of imports and exports were lower in the month. The broadness of this decline depicts a clear slowdown in activity at the end of 2018; however, all components of the ISM index remain above the 50 benchmark which indicates the manufacturing expansion is continuing, albeit at a slower pace. See page 4.

One of our favorite economic surveys is the NFIB small business optimism index and it fell from 104.8 in November to 104.4 in December, the fourth consecutive monthly decline. The decline in optimism was modest and the components of the survey revealed mixed results. Plans to make capital expenditures fell decisively to 24 in December, but a net 23% of small business respondents plan to expand employment. This is better than the 22% reading seen in each of the prior two months. This stability in employment plans is encouraging for the average household. See page 5.

The highpoint of December economic releases was the jobs report which showed payrolls grew above expectations with 312,000 new jobs added during the month. Job growth was strongest in construction, leisure/hospitality and education/healthcare sectors. We were most encouraged by the fact that our favorite indicator, the year-over-year growth rates in both the household and establishment surveys, showed December’s year-over-year growth in employment was above average in both surveys for the first time since September 2016. See page 6.

The key question facing investors is whether the risks seen in 2019 have been fully discounted by December’s decline in prices. Consensus surveys for 2019 show that SP500 forecasted earnings have slumped from double-digit growth levels in October to the current 6.1% YOY growth rate in Thomson IBES data and the 8.1% YOY growth rate in S&P Dow Jones data. These consensus estimates remain above our 2018 SP500 earnings estimate of $156 but have now edged below our 2019 estimate of $172. In our view, the consensus has become too pessimistic about 2019 earnings. See pages 9-10.

Technical Indicators are Favorable

We expect the market to remain in a broad trading range until the geopolitical backdrop improves. Nonetheless, a number of technical indicators indicate that December prices represented the worst of the decline. The most important and bullish feature of breadth data were the 90% up days recorded on December 26 and January 4. These days were reversals of the 90% down days seen in early December and were signals that the decline was both stabilizing and reversing. In addition, the AAII 8-week bull/bear spread is in positive territory for the sixth consecutive week. In sum, both breadth and sentiment are suggesting the market has begun a bottoming phase.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

RATINGS DEFINITIONS:

Sectors/Industries:

“Overweight”: Overweight relative to S&P Index weighting

“Neutral”: Neutral relative to S&P Index weighting

“Underweight”: Underweight relative to S&P Index weighting

OTHER DISCLOSURES
This report has been written without regard for the specific investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any specific recipient, and should not be regarded by recipients as a substitute for the exercise of their own judgment.  The report is published solely for informational purposes and is not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell securities or related financial instruments.  The securities described herein may not be eligible for sale in all jurisdictions or to certain categories of investors.  The report is based on information obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed as being accurate, nor is it a complete statement or summary of the securities, markets or developments referred to in the report.  Any opinions expressed in this report are subject to change without notice and Dudack Research Group division of Wellington Shields & Co. LLC. (DRG/Wellington) is under no obligation to update or keep current the information contained herein.  Options, derivative products, and futures are not suitable for all investors, and trading in these instruments is considered risky.  Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, and yield from securities, if any, may fluctuate as a security’s price or value changes.   Accordingly, an investor may receive back less than originally invested.  Foreign currency rates of exchange may adversely affect the value, price or income of any security or related instrument mentioned in this report.

DRG/Wellington relies on information barriers, such as “Chinese Walls,” to control the flow of information from one or more areas of DRG/Wellington into other areas, units, divisions, groups or affiliates. DRG/Wellington accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage of any kind arising out of the use of all or any part of this report.

The content of this report is aimed solely at institutional investors and investment professionals. To the extent communicated in the U.K., this report is intended for distribution only to (and is directed only at) investment professionals and high net worth companies and other businesses of the type set out in Articles 19 and 49 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2001. This report is not directed at any other U.K. persons and should not be acted upon by any other U.K. person. Moreover, the content of this report has not been approved by an authorized person in accordance with the rules of the U.K. Financial Services Authority, approval of which is required (unless an exemption applies) by Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Additional information will be made available upon request.

©2018.  All rights reserved.  No part of this report may be reproduced or distributed in any manner without the written permission of Dudack Research Group division of Wellington Shields & Co. LLC. The Company specifically prohibits the re-distribution of this report, via the internet or otherwise, and accepts no liability whatsoever for the actions of third parties in this respect.

For more information contact Andrea Costello –Andrea@DudackResearchGroup.com

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