Stock Markets

Heading into the Christmas-holiday shortened trading week, stocks are set to finish the year strong. The S&P 500 has now posted 31 all-time highs in 2019, driven by sizable gains in the technology sector, progress on Brexit, the U.S./China trade front, and continued strength in the U.S. jobs market. Despite an impeachment vote in the House of Representatives, the S&P 500 finished 1.7% up on the week, a reminder that the political drama isn’t the primary driver of market performance over time. Positive economic and corporate performance news has been the driving force behind this year’s sizable gains.

U.S. Economy

When it comes to the market, swings are a normal part of the investment landscape. But the pendulum has swung in particularly notable fashion over the past year. Investors digested a full plate of data and news last week, including an impeachment vote and the passing of USMCA (NAFTA 2.0) in the House, an updated reading of third-quarter U.S. GDP (2.1%) that included upwardly revised consumer-spending growth, and housing-market readings that showed a modest uptick in activity. And with all of that, the stock market moved higher again on the week, reaching yet another record high.

But it was just one year ago that conditions were seemingly on a polar-opposite path. The S&P 500 was down sharply, and headlines were filled with projections of impending economic doom. That was then (December 2018), and this is now.

Metals and Mining

The gold price was relatively flat on Friday (December 20) after US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the US and China would sign phase one of the trade pact at the beginning of the new year, which sent investors away from the yellow metal to riskier assets. As part of an alleged first phase deal, Washington has agreed to offer Beijing some tariff relief as well as a pause on a tranche of new tariffs. Mnuchin added that the pact will not be subject to any renegotiations. In addition to the announcement from Washington, China’s finance ministry revealed a new list of import tariff exemptions for a duration of one year — which will start next Thursday (December 26) — for six chemical and oil products from the US. Over the course of the year, gold has been largely supported by the trade war, which has helped it gain over 15 percent. The dispute between two of the world’s largest economies has caused turmoil in the markets and has had investors concerned over a global economic slowdown.

Gold was also weighed down this week by the better-than-expected US economic data, as that gave a boost to the greenback, setting it up to make gains for the first time in four weeks. Silver was up slightly on Friday, not falling under the same pressure that the yellow metal faced throughout the week. Despite a slightly shaky month, silver remains stronger in 2019, as it is 9.7 percent higher on a year-to-date basis. As of 10:02 a.m. EST on Friday, silver was changing hands at US$17.17 per ounce. Platinum was down on Friday, but still managed to stay above the US$900 per ounce level. Going forward, FocusEconomics believes that prices are likely to pick up slightly on the back of a fall in global supply. Despite this, weak automotive demand — the result of a shift away from diesel vehicles in the European Union — is seen capping the metal’s gains. Palladium continued its climb on Friday, staying above the US$1,900 per ounce level that it broke records with last week. The metal pushed past the US$1,900 level last Tuesday (December 10) following a power outage in South Africa that stopped production at several mines and exacerbated concerns over a supply shortage. Since the outage, the metal has continued to climbed and is headed for its fifth straight week of gains. Since the beginning of the year, the metal has risen over 40 percent, with its large gains being attributed to stricter environmental regulations around car emissions. As demand increases from the automotive sector, supply shortfalls are beginning to emerge, giving the spot price a boost on the market.

Energy and Oil

Oil didn’t move a lot this week, but it may have consolidated gains achieved earlier this month. The trade talks continue on a positive trajectory, and economic sentiment is slightly upbeat. The U.S. reported a drawdown in crude inventories, although there was a surprising jump in refined product stocks. “A sense of cautious bullishness is developing as we head into 2020,” Stephen Brennock, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates Ltd. in London, told Bloomberg. “Supply-side and demand-side factors are singing from the same supportive hymn sheet. Natural gas prices remain depressed. Natural gas prices could fall even further unless there is a serious cold snap in the U.S. this winter. Investors have staked out the most net-bearish position on gas futures in a decade. Natural gas spot prices rose at most locations this report week (Wednesday, December 11 to Wednesday, December 18). The Henry Hub spot price fell from $2.26 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last Wednesday to $2.24/MMBtu yesterday.  At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the price of the January 2020 contract increased 4¢, from $2.243/MMBtu last Wednesday to $2.286/MMBtu yesterday. The price of the 12-month strip averaging January 2020 through December 2020 futures contracts climbed 2¢/MMBtu to $2.294/MMBtu.

World Markets

European stocks rose after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s emphatic general election victory and the U.S. and China agreed to an interim limited trade deal. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index ended the week 1.55% higher, and the UK’s FTSE 100 Index climbed 3.11%. Germany’s exporter-heavy DAX index gained 0.27%. The UK pound gave up its postelection gains against the euro and the U.S. dollar after Johnson revived fears of a no-deal Brexit. Johnson signaled that he would amend the Brexit bill to prevent any extension of the transition period for a new trading relationship with the European Union beyond the end of 2020, the current deadline. A failure of the negotiations would mean the economic relationship would default to World Trade Organization terms, with the likelihood of tariffs on imports and exports. (Click here for a more detailed perspective on the implications of the Conservative election victory for Brexit.)

Chinese stocks rose for the third straight week, as a partial trade deal between the U.S. and China offered a temporary respite in trade tensions. For the week, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.23%, and the large-cap CSI 300 Index, which tracks blue chips listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, added 1.2%. The weekly gains came one week after the U.S. and China announced that they had reached an agreement on a “phase one” trade deal that would lower some U.S. tariffs levied during the dispute and suspend planned duties that were scheduled to kick in on December 15.

The Week Ahead

Economic data will be light this week, with building permits, continuing jobless claims, and the Chicago Fed National Activity Index a few of the measures being released.

Key Topics to Watch

• Chicago Fed national index
• New home sales
• Durable goods orders
• Core capex orders
• Weekly jobless claims

Markets Index Wrap Up

Stock Markets

As expected, U.S. stocks rallied to fresh record highs after the three main issues that have created most of the uncertainty this year came to a positive close. The trade deal, Brexit and the Fed policy all moved to new positive levels. The U.S. and China reached a “phase one” trade deal which eased fears of further trade issues and offers positive sentiment on the “Phase Two” talks. The agreement includes important items focused on agricultural purchases and offers significant relief from certain tariffs. For the on again off again Brexit, U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson got a positive mandate when his party won a majority in the general election held this week. That will serve to reduce a lot of lingering political uncertainty now that the country plans to negotiate its exit from the European Union. Importantly, the Federal Reserve (Fed) went with its better judgement last week and left interest rates unchanged. That also sent signs of a pause through the coming year for Fed rates. Low inflation gives the Fed flexibility, analysts say, to remain accommodative for the foreseeable future without having to raise interest rates.

U.S. Economy

The immediate enthusiasm over the “phase one” trade deal might have been dampened a bit by some negative economic data released late in the week. The Commerce Department announced Friday that retail sales excluding the auto sector rose only about 0.1% in November. That’s well below the expectations of most analysts. At the same time spending at restaurants, bars, and clothing stores dropped which indicated that consumers may be getting more cautious about discretionary spending. The weekly jobless claims also moved to the highest level in over two years. However, some seasonal adjustments as a result of the really late Thanksgiving holiday may have been the main contributor.

The reports of a preliminary trade agreement resulted created a bounce in Treasury yields on Thursday. Those yields then fell back Friday and ended the week lower as investors seemed to react to the weaker than expected retail sales data. Many traders reported that it was a fairly quiet week in the investment-grade corporate bond market, as investors’ focus on trade talks and somewhat limited year-end liquidity led to subdued risk appetite.

Metals and Mining

Word of a US-China trade deal left the gold price relatively flat on Friday. The relief from uncertainty and avoiding a new round of US tariffs sent investors mostly away gold opting instead for riskier assets. The first phase of a deal between the US and China was set to be completed in November but was given a new deadline of December 15 when it the two powers realized that they would not be reaching on an agreement that would mutually benefit both sides. Gold has been largely supported by the trade war that helped the metal gain over 15 percent in 2019 to date. The dispute between two of the world’s largest economies has caused turmoil in the markets and had investors concerned over a global economic slowdown. Gold was given a small lift when the US Federal Reserve decided to hold steady on the interest rate of 1.5 to 1.75 percent. Silver was also held tight on Friday but managed to make gains over the week. Its safe haven appeal declined, but even so, it landed its best week since late October with a gain just over 2 percent. In terms of the other precious metals, platinum was flat on Friday, but also had what amounted to its best week since late August. The metal rose over 5 percent. FocusEconomics believes that prices are likely to pick up slightly on the back of a fall in global supply. Weak automotive demand resulting from a shift away from diesel vehicles in the European Union is being blamed for capping Platinum’s gains. Palladium was once again the only precious metal to make gains on Friday. Its gain was large enough to push the metal over US$1,900 per ounce for the first time. That took place on Tuesday when a major power outage in South Africa stopped production at several mines increasing concerns over supplies. Palladium metal has risen over 40 percent since the beginning of 2019 with its large gains based on stricter environmental regulations around car emissions.

Energy and Oil

The big energy news this week surrounded the state-controlled Saudi Arabian Oil Company, commonly known as Aramco. The company raised $25.6 billion this week in the world’s largest initial public offering (IPO). Local demand for shares appeared to be strong, however international investors seemed a bit skeptical of the lofty price that the company set for the offering relative to peers in the oil patch. The size of the IPO, which is meant to represent 1.5% of Aramco’s shares, broke the record set by Chinese internet company Alibaba in 2014. The offering puts the value of the internationally integrated oil and gas company at $1.7 trillion. That makes Aramco worth more than either tech giant Apple or Microsoft. Natural gas spot price movements were mixed this week). The Henry Hub spot price fell from $2.37 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last week to $2.26/MMBtu this week. At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the price of the January 2020 contract decreased 16¢, from $2.399/MMBtu last week to $2.243/MMBtu this week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging January 2020 through December 2020 futures contracts declined 6¢/MMBtu to $2.274/MMBtu.

World Markets

Stocks in Europe rose as the U.S. and China drew closer to a limited trade deal, and fears of a disorderly Brexit waned after a crushing general election victory for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index ended the week 1.05% higher, Germany’s DAX index gained 0.73%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 Index rose 2.11%. The news that the ruling Conservatives won a landslide general election victory was well received. The Tories won 364 of the 650 seats, achieving a majority of 79 seats which is the party’s largest majority since 1987. The pound sterling soared to more than USD $1.35. That’s its highest level since May 2018. Brussels expressed relief over Johnson’s win, but UK traders were skeptical that an accord would be struck by the end of 2020. Others fully expect Parliament to approve the timetable for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

In China, stocks surged for the second straight week based on momentum from the “phase one” trade deal, staving off the imposition of fresh U.S. tariffs on nearly $160 billion of Chinese goods that were set to kick in over the weekend. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 1.91%, and the large-cap CSI 300 Index grew 1.69%. China’s yuan hit its highest level against the U.S. dollar in nearly four-and-a half months. Clearly traders anticipated that the latest agreement would start a softening in a trade war that has constantly weighed on public sentiment this year.

The Week Ahead

In the run up to the Christmas holiday week, there are a number of important economic indicators scheduled for release this week, including industrial production, housing starts, job openings, leading indicators, and on Friday the key numbers for consumer sentiment.

Key Topics to Watch

• Empire state index
• Markit manufacturing PMI (flash)
• Markit services PMI (flash)
• Homebuilders index
• Housing starts Nov.
• Building permits
• Industrial production
• Capacity utilization
• Job openings
• Weekly jobless claims
• Philly Fed                                
• Existing home sales
• Leading economic indicators
• GDP revision
• Personal income
• Consumer spending
• Core inflation
• Consumer sentiment index

Markets Index Wrap Up

Stock Markets

While it was trade-deals that were expected to drive the markets last week, the limelight moved quickly to economic fundamentals, which drove global stocks higher. It appears that international stocks outperformed domestic ones based on the fourth straight month of improvement in global manufacturing PMI, which is seen as a reflection of global growth. Data seems consistent with an improving demand climate. This seems to indicate that the manufacturing downcycle may over, for now. The U.S. jobs report was astounding and set off U.S. stocks best daily gain in over a month. The report showed strong job gains, rising wages, and a return to a 50-year-low unemployment rate. The attention of Trump’s economy has created a seven-month high in consumer sentiment, solidifying the fact that the U.S. economy is on course to finish 2019 on a high note.

U.S. Economy

For the first week of December, the U.S. economic news set an optimistic case for December and a bull market that will continue to year end and beyond. Stocks rose 0.9% on Friday on the solid news. Compared with the first week of December 2018, things were a real step up. Last year stocks slumped based on a yield curve inversion that worried investors with talk of recession. Last year too, the November jobs market missed expectations, and trade negotiations, were bogged down. This week has ended up being completely different from that period. With recession fears in the far distance and trade battles making headway, there is reason for real optimism ahead, albeit a cautious outlook.

Metals and Mining

Gold prices softened on Friday as increased hopes of reaching a phase one and broader US-China deal increased investors’ appetite for riskier assets. A very strong US jobs data report also took its toll on gold.  President Donald Trump said in the week that talks with China were making progress, indicating they may be nearing a deal and that there may be a potential end to the trade war. During 2019, gold has been supported largely by the trade war, helping the safe haven metal gain over 14 percent in that period. Gold was also hurt this week by the robust US jobs data report released earlier Friday. The report revealed that US job growth increased the most in the last 10 months in November. That put to rest investor fears that the economy may be headed for a major downturn. The better-than-expected jobs report took the favor out of demand for safe haven products such as gold, analysts said. Silver was also held back, dropping over 1 percent during Friday morning. Silver slid as its safe haven appeal declined too, but those were losses were capped by investors waiting to hear the upcoming Fed meeting. Overall, silver is up 9.7 percent on a year-to-date basis. In other precious metals, platinum was flat at the end of the trading week. Once again analysts at FocusEconomics believe that platinum prices are likely to pick up based on a fall in global supply. Palladium on the other hand was the leading precious metal with a large enough increase to hit US$1,880.37 per ounce for the first time. Palladium has gained over 40 percent since the beginning of 2019. Its large gains can be traced to stricter environmental regulations around car emissions. Air quality rules in line with cutting pollution have prompted automakers to increase the amount of palladium used in catalytic converters. As demand increases from the automotive sector, supply shortfalls are beginning to appear. That creates a spot price a boost on the market for palladium.

Energy and Oil

Oil jumped this week thanks to news from Vienna. It appears OPEC+ has agreed to cut 500,000 bpd more than the current arrangement, which raised some questions. However, Saudi officials are reported as saying they would maintain their unilateral cuts beyond what is required in order to defend oil prices. Global markets responded immediately with a bounce. OPEC+ agrees to keep the cuts until March. At the same time Saudi Arabia promises to maintain unilateral cuts that they say voluntarily take out 400,000 barrels a day. The news from Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman sent oil prices much higher. On the domestic front, the U.S. has become a net petroleum exporter. In September, the U.S. exported 89,000 barrels of crude and petroleum products, the first month since 1973 that its overall petroleum balance was net positive. In comparison, the U.S. was importing 10 million barrels per day on a net basis just a decade ago.  Natural gas spot prices fell at most locations this week. The Henry Hub spot price rose from $2.33 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last week to $2.37/MMBtu this week. At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the December 2019 contract expired November 26 at $2.470/MMBtu. The price of the January 2020 contract decreased 10¢, from $2.501/MMBtu last week to $2.399/MMBtu this week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging January 2020 through December 2020 futures contracts declined 7¢/MMBtu to $2.333/MMBtu.

World Markets

In Europe, stocks basically ended the week flat. This after retracing earlier losses set off by fears that a U.S.-China trade deal might be delayed even further – possibly until after the U.S. 2020 election. Stocks increased Friday after President Trump added reassurance that trade talks were “moving right along.” The stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report really eased market fears of a global economic slowdown. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index ended the week flat, Germany’s DAX index fell 0.5%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 Index dropped 1.6%. UK stocks tend to decline when the pound rises because many index companies are multinationals with overseas revenues. In Britain, the pound headed to a seven-month peak against the U.S. dollar and the euro. That marks its highest level yet under Prime Minister Boris Johnson. That speaks directly to Johnson’s popularity, especially in polls for the UK election. Analysts caution that even a 10% poll lead may not extrapolate as expected. Tactical voting—where voters support a candidate other than their first choice in order avert an undesirable outcome—as well as a surge in new voter registrations are making the election more difficult to predict.

China saw its stocks advance, snapping the last three straight weeks of losses. Apparently, investors felt that an interim U.S.-China trade deal is getting close. For the week, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.4%, and the large-cap CSI 300 Index added 1.9%. Friday added the largest weekly gains for both indexes since the week of October 11. China said it has started to waive retaliatory tariffs on U.S. pork and soy imports by domestic companies on Friday. The Chinese Finance Ministry is reported to be working to waive the tariffs resulting from the trade war after domestic companies bought a certain amount of U.S. farm products. That statement led traders to further support the notion that the U.S. and China were drawing closer to a phase one trade deal that is expected to create the groundwork for a broad, full scope agreement.

The Week Ahead

There are several Important economic data points emerging in the week including the NFIB small business optimism index, consumer inflation, unit labor costs and November retail sales. In what is expected to be an uneventful announcement, the Federal Reserve will release its policy rate on Wednesday. The rate is widely predicted to remain unchanged.

Key Topics to Watch

• NFIB small-business index
• Productivity revision
• Unit labor costs revision
• Consumer price index
• Core CPI
• Federal budget
• FOMC announcement
• Weekly jobless claims
• Producer price index
• Retail sales
• Retail sales ex-autos
• Import prices ex-fuels
• Business inventories

Markets Index Wrap Up

Stock Markets

U.S. stocks rallied once again last week to a another all-time high. That accounts for the 26th record high of the current year. Clearly there is continued optimism that the US and China are making progress in their efforts to pound out a “Phase 1” trade deal, hopefully before year-end. Other data reinforced the notion that the economy is strong with a continued solid base. First, a decrease in the number of people applying for first-time unemployment benefits emerged, followed by an increase in personal spending for October. With October being the eighth straight monthly increase, analysts feel comfortable suggesting that consumers are in pretty healthy shape as we head into holiday spending and the end of the year.

U.S. Economy

U.S. stocks markets are experiencing their best year since 2014. At the same time, bonds are have risen more than the past 17 years. So, while performance remains strong, investors shouldn’t take this term for granted. Analysts are convinced that conditions are in place for an extension to the bull market. Of course, that’s not without some volatility. The Thanksgiving holiday signals we are headed into the homestretch for the year with all eyes on the very important and telltale holiday shopping season. By the numbers it is promising:

Market Numbers

• Stock markets have historically done well after Thanksgiving. Beginning in 1950, the average return in December has slotted in at 1.5%. The market post-holiday gain in that time period is a gain of 81%.
• Since 1950, the market has entered Thanksgiving with a year-to-date gain of 20% or more 18 times. This year has followed that trend. In each historical case, the following year produced an average return of 16%.
• Analysts agree that 2019’s rally reflects positive fundamentals that created and still support this market.   

Metals and Mining

Gold started to stabilize Friday after dropping slowly during the majority of the week. The metal is fully on track to end up with its worst month in three years. In all, it could lose as much as US$58.60 per ounce since the beginning of November. So far, the US-China tariff stalemate has added volatility to the precious metals market, with gold benefiting most. Now, the White House is backing pro-Hong Kong protester legislation passed by Congress last week. This will certainly add tension to the overall discussion.

The crux of the legislation signed President Donald Trump earlier this week, declares the US must review Hong Kong annually to ensure they are sufficiently autonomous from China. Otherwise Hong Kong’s special status for trading will be taken away, and therefore damaging China. Of course, Beijing immediately voiced its criticism of the action and warned of countermeasures. Those new concerns helped gold rally on Friday morning to trade at US$1,459.68 at 10:21 a.m. EST. Silver and platinum have also trended lower over the 30-day period. Silver is down just over US$1 per ounce for the month, locking it into the US$17 range. Platinum has dropped about US$50 since the beginning of the month. According to a recent report from the World Platinum Council, global demand is expected to fall 10 percent in 2020. It seems that palladium is the only metal to have performed well over the 30 days. Palladium looks to be closing in on gold’s all time high of US$1,900 set in 2011. It is unequivocally the most successful precious commodity in 2019, gaining US$534 an ounce since starting the year at US$1,287.

Energy and Oil

The blatant uncertainty over global economic and oil demand growth will continue to put pressure on oil prices next year as the oversupply in the market will likely persist. That’s according to the monthly Reuters poll of economists and analysts issued Friday. According to the 42 experts, Brent Crude will average US$62.50 per barrel in 2020. The economists expect WTI Crude to average US$57.30 a barrel next year, also up from last month’s US$56.98 estimate. The analysts expect weak demand growth in the first half of 2020 due to weak economic growth. Most also agree that there is too much oil in the market. Demand growth could be anywhere in the range of 800,000 bpd to 1.4 million bpd, according to the experts surveyed by Reuters. The big story for the week was the spot prices for natural gas which fell sharply on Friday as forecasts for warm weather surprised traders who were hoping for increased demand. After all, this is normally cold season in the United States. Natural gas prices were trading down 7.52% on Friday afternoon at $2.313. Losses mounted all week starting out at $2.738 on Sunday – a loss of 15.5% for the week. As a result of some moderately warmer weather in the short term, US demand is expected to increase only to 104.7 Bcf/d over the same timeframe, compared with US natural gas production that is expected to hover around 92.7 Bcf/d—a 6% increase over year-ago levels. The EIA has estimated that total natural gas use actually fell 5% compared to the previous week, with natural gas use for power consumption declining even more, by 7%. Overall, natural gas prices are down sharply year on year, with prices as of November 30, 2018, sitting at $4.339, a loss of $2.026 or 47% y/y.

World Markets

European stock markets were higher this week lifted by a rally on Wall Street. Still, worries emerged that U.S.-China trade tensions would escalate after President Trump showed support for Hong Kong protests. That action quickly capped the previous gains. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index rose 1.1%. The German DAX gained about 0.7%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 Index was up about 0.5%. The British pound rose 0.7% against the U.S. dollar as another poll came out suggesting that a Conservative Party win was the likely result of the upcoming December UK elections. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises that he will deliver a new Brexit deal to Parliament even before Christmas. In Germany, the consumer sentiment rose unexpectedly in December. The improved mood among buyers is expected to give a boost to household spending and support the export-driven German economy.

Chinese stocks fell for a third week as President Trump’s signing of a bill supporting the Hong Kong protesters drew a sour response from Beijing. It also served to unhinge the bilateral trade talks aimed at forging a Phase One trade deal between the countries. For the week, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index declined 0.5% and the large-cap CSI 300 Index, which tracks blue chips listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, gave up 0.6%. Both indexes fell to their lowest levels on Friday. That followed logically the day after China officially criticized the U.S. legislation and said it would take “firm countermeasures” if the U.S. continued to interfere in Hong Kong. Officials from both countries signaled during the week that an interim US-China trade deal is close, although it isn’t expected to include the bigger items such as intellectual property, or technology transfer.

The Week Ahead

In the post-Thanksgiving week, a few key data will be released that point to the way will be sending off 2019. Important items of note include jobs, the ISM manufacturing index and services PMI, motor vehicle sales, the unemployment rate, and consumer sentiment index which should reflect the average person’s view of how the economy is looking.

Key Topics to Watch

• Markit manufacturing PMI
• ISM manufacturing index
• Construction spending
• Motor vehicle sales
• ADP employment
• Markit services PMI
• ISM nonmanufacturing index
• Weekly jobless claims
• Trade deficit
• Factory orders
• Nonfarm payrolls
• Unemployment rate
• Average hourly earnings
• Consumer sentiment index
• Wholesale inventories
• Consumer credit

Markets Index Wrap Up

Stock Markets

The U.S. stock markets had a bit of a reprieve this week with a small decline. That comes after six continuous weeks of advances and new highs. The volatility level continues to be low, but still a concern. The news on the U.S./China trade made things murky for investors who seem unsure if there is indeed a “Phase 1” trade deal ready to be completed before the year closes. The preliminary U.S. Purchasing Managers’ Index for November indicated an uptick in economic activity. This supports what most analysts see as the passing of the worst of the manufacturing slowdown.

U.S. Economy

In the US economic outlook, it’s not simply where things are headed that counts, but also how they will arrive at the end mark. As evidenced this year yet again, stocks go through significant rallies followed by pullbacks. The underlying drivers and the make-up of the components serve as indicators or predictors as to how long those trends may continue. So, while the market has continued strong over the last while (gains of 26.0% in 2019 and 6.6% in just the last three months), the question is will this continue? Analysts seem to agree on a couple of aspects here: they doubt that the market will continue with this magnitude. Mainly, they say, another 20%-plus gain is unlikely in 2020. They also doubt its continued steadiness. Since the market has rallied with virtually no volatility, that would need to continue. But overall, they think the direction will continue with a prolonged bull market led by more moderate gains on a bumpier road toward those gains. The underlying fundamentals, they say, are in place to support this path.

Metals and Mining

Gold managed to hang above US$1,460 an ounce Friday supported by the concerns that a trade deal between the US and China may not close by the end of the year as previously expected. For most of the week gold traded in the US$1,465 range but climbed on Wednesday more than US$9 an ounce to finish out the week as the only precious metal to eke out gains. The price surge for the safe haven metal can be pinned on the US Congress passing two bills that are specifically in support of human rights issues for Hong Kong. The legislation was of course condemned by China. Silver on the other hand was unable to get past the US$17.19 level which was its high point in the week. Silver reacted to the positive tariff talks, pushing the metal lower, despite the fact that it has gained a double-digit uptick year-to-date, climbing 12 percent. Still, it has been slightly outpaced by gold, which is up 14 percent. The steady player in the precious metals game was platinum, which hovered at the US$900 mark before dropping 2.6 percent post market open. Platinum has also enjoyed a double-digit gain over the last 12 months, but nothing like palladium. That metal has gained 12 percent year-to-date and looks balanced for 2019. According to a recent report from the World Platinum Council, record growth in platinum ETFs is the driving factor in the 12 percent increase in demand for palladium. Overall, the industrial platinum group metal prices are up more than 40 percent year-to-date. That can be attributed to the strong demand by the automotive sector. Palladium fell to US$1,731.50 at 10:46 a.m. EST Friday.

Energy and Oil

Global oil prices rebounded midweek this week with signs of a tighter physical market and more rumors that OPEC+ may extend production cuts. In reality, the market is awaiting direction from the U.S.-China trade war and until a firm answer emerges, every murmur has an immediate price impact. So, while markets are optimistic, everyone is cautious at this point.

Natural gas spot price movements were mixed this week. The Henry Hub spot price fell from $2.62 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last week to $2.47/MMBtu this week.

At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the price of the December 2019 contract decreased 4¢, from $2.600/MMBtu last week to $2.559/MMBtu this week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging December 2019 through November 2020 futures contracts declined 6¢/MMBtu to $2.427/MMBtu.

World Markets

European equity markets were under pressure from the uncertainty about the future of a U.S.-China trade deal, aka ‘Phase One’. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index lost 0.3%, while the German DAX was off 0.5%. The UK’s FTSE 100 Index gained about 0.5% in proportion with a decline in the British pound that echoed the U.S. dollar. Typically, UK stocks gain when the pound falls since a majority of companies that make up the index benefit from overseas revenues. The telling Purchasing managers’ indexes (PMIs) in the eurozone showed manufacturing activity shrank at a slower pace in November, while services numbers dropped slightly. The region’s manufacturing PMI rose to a three-month high of 46.6 in November. That is still in contraction territory. Data show that Germany’s manufacturing PMIs rose for the second straight month and Germany’s Statistics Office confirmed that the German economy grew 1%, narrowly missing the recession numbers.

Chinese stocks were down for the week sparked by the U.S. support for a bill in aid of protestors in Hong Kong. This also pivoted the expectations for a partial trade deal that was supposed to be completed by November. On the week, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index declined 0.2% and the large-cap CSI 300 Index, which tracks stocks listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, fell a tiny 0.7%. In both cases, the markets fell to their lowest points Friday well after the U.S. House and Senate each passed a bill supporting human rights in Hong Kong. The passage of the bill compiled the uncertainty surrounding talks on the ’phase one’ trade deal, which most expect is the gateway for greater progress across the board.

The Week Ahead

While this week will be shortened by the Thanksgiving Holiday, there are still several important economic data that will come out in the run-up. Key data emerging this week include consumer confidence, new home sales, third-quarter GDP (second estimate), as well as with capex order, Chicago PMI, durable goods orders and personal income on the eve of the holiday.

Key Topics to Watch

• Chicago Fed national activity index
• Advance trade in goods
• Case-Shiller home price index
• Consumer confidence index
• New home sales
• Weekly jobless claims
• GDP revision
• Durable goods orders
• Core capex orders
• Chicago PMI
• Personal income        
• Consumer spending
• Core inflation
• Pending home sales index

Markets Index Wrap Up

Stock Markets

In what is the longest streak in two years, U.S. stocks reached another all-time record high, gaining for the sixth straight week this week.  US-China trade negotiations remain fluid and, the possibility of a limited deal between the two countries has been the real power behind the month-long market rally. The news seems mixed with softer October retail sales and industrial production in China, but in the Eurozone, it turns out that GDP was better than expected. Even global manufacturing, which was in a slump, appears to be improving. That’s based on the global manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index which has now risen for three straight months. Analysts seem convinced that underlying fundamentals will still support the bull market for stocks, but they caution that they don’t expect the relatively low volatility to last forever.

U.S. Economy

Although Washington is going through a lot of turmoil and drama right now, it does not appear to have leaked onto Wall Street. Last week saw four new daily record highs reached which brings the total in 2019 so far to 22 new highs. The market appears to keep rising steadily and volatility has continued to sink. In fact, a full seven percent of the S&P 500’s rise that totaled 24% this year to date, has taken place in just the last six weeks. That appears to echo a growing optimism from the apparent progress in the US -China trade war, along with solid third-quarter corporate earnings, and the data indicates that the U.S. and global economies are not on a course to a sure recession. Offsetting that, the fluctuations in the stock market have been pretty mild, with the volatility index (or VIX index) which measures short-term volatility, falling to its lowest the lowest level in 2019. For these reasons, analysts don’t think the bull market is done moving up, but investors should still prepare for tougher markets than we’ve had since summer.

Metals and Mining

All of the precious metals were affected negatively again this week while the markets responded to growing hopes around a summation of the US-China trade deal. Gold tumbled on Friday as the sentiments pushed investors to renew their appetite for riskier assets, which immediately pushed gold lower. The US dollar got a boost when comments from White House officials sparked belief that they may be close to a deal and that there may be an end nearing in the battle over trade. However, gold appears primed to make gains for the week. Any serious declines are likely to be contained until official word of a confirmed deal is sealed. In 2019, gold has been largely supported by the trade war, which has fueled gains of over 14 percent as disputes between two of the world’s largest economies caused turmoil in the markets and sustained investors concerned over a global slowing of economies. Silver also headed downward on Friday, but, much like its counterpart gold, made marginal gains for the week. Silver got bumped as its safe haven appeal declined. The uncertainty of an actual trade agreement coming to a final broad agreement has many industry experts suggesting silver will rebound. In other precious metals sectors, platinum was able to offset gold and silvers’ trends, with small gains of just under 0.6 percent on Friday. Things were not so rosy for palladium, which fell 0.64 percent by Friday morning. That decline was relatively marginal since palladium is still supported by the same factors that helped it break records last month. Palladium is a true star in 2019, gaining over 40 percent, with its significant increases attributed largely to stricter environmental regulations around car emissions that use the metal in pollution control devices.

Energy and Oil

This was a big week for oil market data and projections as both OPEC and the IEA released some key reports for the industry. Even with this spurt of new data, oil closed out the week with virtually no change the previous week. In terms of volatility things were mostly quiet with the U.S.-China trade war hanging over all oil market indexes. Weak demand and rising non-OPEC supply presents a “major challenge” to OPEC next year, according to a new report from the IEA. The agency said that non-OPEC supply could grow by 2.3 mb/d in 2020, higher than the 1.8 mb/d this year. The other news that resounded was reports that offshore oil production could hit a peak in 2020 before heading into decline. After supply additions next year, a bunch of new projects go forward, according to a Sanford Bernstein Report just out. Natural gas spot prices fell at most locations this week. Henry Hub spot prices fell from $2.78 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last week to $2.62/MMBtu this week. At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the price of the December 2019 contract decreased 23¢, from $2.828/MMBtu last week to $2.600/MMBtu this week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging December 2019 through November 2020 futures contracts declined 8¢/MMBtu to $2.487/MMBtu.

World Markets

In Europe, the equity markets were mostly higher again this week, led by support for a U.S.-China trade deal that paired with continued strength in U.S. stocks. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 0.2%, and the German DAX rose 0.08%, while the UK’s FTSE 100 Index dropped about 1%. The latest data out of Germany showed the economy there avoided recession, but just technically, growing 0.1% in the third quarter. No question Germany’s manufacturing sector has been dampened by the U.S.-China trade dispute, Brexit uncertainty, and a disruption in its auto industry. The manufacturing recession has not spilled into the services sector so far. The EU Statistics office reported that the eurozone economy grew at 0.2% over the previous quarter for a total 1.2% in 2019. The UK also managed to avoid recession, but the economy there grew at its slowest annual rate in the last decade. The UK economy grew a total of 1% in the last quarter.

Chinese stocks recorded a weekly decline as a group of weak results reinforced the U.S.-China trade war’s impact on the economy. The talks over a partial “phase one” trade deal appear to be dragging on with no firm commitment to set a quick end the dispute. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index lost 2.5%, its largest weekly decline since September, and the large-cap CSI 300 Index, fell 2.4%. Evidence of China’s slowing economy appeared on Thursday, when the government reported disappointing data for three key areas: industrial output, retail sales, and fixed-asset investment. Industrial output and retail sales which were showing strength also grew less than expected for October.

The Week Ahead

Relevant economic data to be released this week include housing starts, the leading economic index, housing starts, Markit Manufacturing Index and consumer sentiment on Friday. A few last retailers are still scheduled to report quarterly earnings results next week.

Key Topics to Watch

• Home builders’ index 
• Housing starts
• Building permits
• Advance services                     
• FOMC minutes                                                
• Weekly jobless claims
• Philly Fed index
• Existing home sales
• Leading economic indicators
• Markit manufacturing PMI (flash)
• Markit services PMI (flash)
• Consumer sentiment index

Markets Index Wrap Up

Stock Markets

U.S. stocks extended recent gains this week, ending higher for the fifth week in a row. The continued signs of progress with U.S.-China trade negotiations accompanied by better-than-expected corporate earnings for the season, have helped ease the fears of recession for the whole month and moved investor sentiment into the positive zone. Treasury yields climbed to their highest level in three months this week on the backs of stabilizing global growth. There remain many uncertainties where trade is concerned, but earnings are projected to bottom out this year and then reaccelerate in 2010 to a possible mid-single-digit pace. That’s a real positive for investors. Analysts are suggesting this sets the stage for moderate returns in a bull market that is welcomed in November.

U.S. Economy

There are several issues dominating the market recently, including the trade issues, political battles consuming Washington, Fed rate shifts, and broader geopolitical uncertainties. The more fundamental drivers have taken the lead on this recently, namely corporate earnings results. These are driving to the markets to new all-time highs and continue to be the focus. 

Already, about 90% of S&P 500 companies have reported results, indicating that the third-quarter earnings season is about to close. It looks as though corporate profits are on track to register just a meager decline when compared with a year ago. But in the bigger picture, the results have been better than expected, mostly as a result of the latest signs of progress on trade negotiations, which clearly pushed the markets to new highs.

Metals and Mining

Gold prices tumbled Friday as hopes surrounding US-China trade talks caused the dollar to gain momentum and pushed gold down as a result. The US dollar began moving upwards when news broke that China and the US had agreed to roll back tariffs as part of a potential deal to end their ongoing trade war. Even so, Gold continues to be supported by concerns that emerged as officials spoke out against giving up punitive tariffs. On the whole, gold has gained more than 14 percent in 2019, mainly as a direct result of fears about the trade war between the super giants. Gold is set for its largest weekly decline in two and a half years. Silver is slumping on the week and was also down about 6 percent by the end of Friday’s session — its biggest slump since October 2016. Like gold, silver is being pushed by the steady dollar, as investors pulled back. The other precious players, platinum and palladium, came down this week. Platinum lost over 1 percent on Friday and 5 percent for the week. Palladium’s decline was only marginal, as it remains supported by the same factors that helped it break records last week. Palladium is the real runner and has gained 43 percent since the beginning of the year.

Energy and Oil

Oil prices fell back on Friday as traders awaited more backing that the U.S.-China trade deal will become a reality. From the news reports this week, it is expected that both sides would lower tariffs as part of the phase one agreement. Unfortunately, the deal has been moved to a December completion. In following the news, oil demand growth remained weak in the short term, stemming from slow progress on the US-China trade war, and from long-term growth of alternative transportation methods, which are gaining steam. OPEC unhappily is projecting oil demand growth of about 1 million b/d this year. However, the International Energy Agency predicted oil demand would grow by just 0.25 million b/d a year on average post-2025. Natural gas spot prices rose at most locations this week. The Henry Hub spot price rose from $2.67/MMBtu last week to $2.78/MMBtu this week. At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the price of the December 2019 contract increased 14¢, from $2.691/MMBtu last week to $2.828/MMBtu this week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging December 2019 through November 2020 futures contracts climbed 7¢/MMBtu to $2.567/MMBtu.

World Markets

Markets in in Europe remained mostly higher this week following suit with the rally on Wall Street fueled by optimism about a U.S.-China trade deal, and for the most part, solid corporate earnings reports. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index rose for the fifth week in a row, gaining about 1.4%. The German DAX rose about 2%, while the UK’s FTSE 100 Index gained about 0.8%.

As the earnings season slows down, it’s worth noting that of the 80% of the STOXX 600 that have reported numbers, 50% of the companies have surpassed consensus estimates on both the topline and bottom line. That is the highest level in the last six quarters. Of the winners, health care and basic materials sectors have surpassed the most on earnings per share; utilities and consumer goods followed the leaders. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that the eurozone is likely to grow less than expected in 2019. It claims the recession in manufacturing sector could spill into the services sector. The IMF forecast is down from its April estimate of 1.3% to a new 1.2%. That comes after expansion in 2018 of 1.96%. The IMF attributes the slowdown mostly to slow growth in Germany, which is the eurozone’s largest economy. It was also hobbled by stagnation in Italy. In Germany, exports rose a higher-than-expected 1.5% in September after adjusting for seasonal and calendar effects.

In China, stocks advanced for the week based on hopes that a comprehensive U.S.-China trade would emerge following news that both sides agreed to roll back tariffs on each other’s goods as part of a phase one trade deal. For the week, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.2%, and the large-cap CSI 300 Index, rose 0.5%. Both indexes fell Friday as Beijing and Washington sent mixed messages about the likelihood of an imminent breakthrough. In any case, news of a plan to remove tariffs in stages was strong enough to raise sentiment, since investors appear to have embraced it as a sign of de-escalation in the U.S.-China trade war and a boost to the global economy.

The Week Ahead

Only about 10% of the S&P 500 companies will report earnings as the earnings season comes to an end this week. Bond markets are closed on Monday in observance of Veteran’s Day. The significant economic data rolling out this week includes inflation numbers, the Consumer Price Index, Householder Debt and on Friday, the industrial production and retail sales figures.

Key Topics to Watch

• NFIB small-business index
• Consumer price index
• Core CPI
• Household debt
• Nel Kashkari speaks                                        
• Federal budget
• Weekly jobless claims
• Producer price index
• Retail sales
• Retail sales ex-autos
• Import prices ex-fuel
• Empire state index
• Industrial production
• Capacity utilization
• Business inventories

Markets Index Wrap Up

Stock Markets

U.S. stocks reached new record highs following the October jobs report which indicated that the economy added more jobs than expected. That is positive despite potential impact from significant events such as the GM worker strike and the loss of temporary U.S. Census jobs. In an expected move, the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the third time this year. They followed the announcement which indicated a pause in the lowering of rates in order to react more closely to changing economic tides. The third-quarter GDP estimate slowed last week from 2.0% to 1.9%, but possibly showed that several risks have lessened. Those include the lowering of U.S./China trade tensions, the ongoing uncertainty of the Brexit situation, and manufacturing weakness, which seems to have leveled. Analysts agree that the U.S. economy is pretty solid, supported by the three legs that have been driving growth: a strong labor market, rising corporate earnings, and interest rates that remain in check.

U.S. Economy

The data seems to support that there is still good support fueling the stock market. Most evident is the fact that stock prices rose 1.5% last week and hit a new record high. The rise was supported by what is seen as slowing economic and corporate data that remains positive and still surpassed market expectations. There are four growth trends that appeared in the recent data that should help offset risks from slowing domestic and global growth, as well as trade uncertainty. They will likely keep the bull market in full swing, but also slower than in the previous term.

The trends to watch are:

A healthy labor market supports consumer spending – The economy added 128,000 jobs in October, well above the consensus estimate and stronger than the 100,000 jobs needed to support new entrants into the workforce each month. Average hourly earnings grew by 3% from a year ago, besting consumer-price inflation over the same time period.

GDP growth is slowing but still positive driven by consumers – GDP data released last week showed that the economy grew by an estimated 1.9% in the period from July through September, slightly lower than the 2% pace posted in the previous three months. Consumers continue to show resilience in the face of these concerns.

The Fed monetary policy is well positioned for the bull market – The Federal Reserve delivered on a third straight reduction in benchmark interest rates, reducing the federal funds target to 1.5%-1.75% from 1.75% -2.0%. By stating that monetary policy was “in a good place,” the Federal Reserve chair signaled a pause in future rate cuts to assess the state of the economy.

Positive corporate earnings are supporting growth in share process with added volatility – The corporate sector is also showing earnings growth. Approximately 80% of firms that have reported third-quarter earnings so far have beat analysts’ estimates. Corporate results thus far have also reinforced our view that earnings will continue to grow at a measured pace.

Metals and Mining

Gold prices fell slightly on Friday based on stronger data from China, which pushed investors’ risk tolerance. Market watchers are also awaiting employment data from the US, which should give some perspective on its trade dispute with China and its impact on the US economy. Despite the downtrend, gold has support from trade uncertainties and the recent interest rate cut by the US Fed. Analysts say that shrinking interest rates and ongoing trade war concerns will help prop up gold in the medium to long term. Despite being down at the end of the week, gold was set for a weekly gain. Silver once again followed gold’s direction and dipped slightly. It continues to trade over the US$18 per ounce level. There is strong industry support for silver set against the current political and economic climate. With other precious metals, platinum was relatively flat on Friday, and hung around the US$900 per ounce level. It is trending upward for the most part based on gold’s momentum. Palladium was again the precious metal leader, hitting an all-time high of US$1,824.50 per ounce during Wednesday’s session. Its gains have been largely attributed to stricter environmental regulations surrounding car emissions and the demand that flows from them.

Energy and Oil

On Friday morning oil received a jolt on unexpectedly positive manufacturing data from China and a continued rig count collapse. Neither of these put to rest concerns about an economic slowdown. It appears that economic uncertainty will dominate the oil market narrative, and markets will hinge on the next movements in the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China.  Brent crude climbed back above $62/barrel in intraday trade toward the end of October, before heading back down again. That was based mostly on growing concerns about weak Chinese industrial growth, following data showing Chinese industrial company profits had fallen for the second month in a row. Earlier data put India’s oil imports in September at three-year lows. India and China have accounted for more than 50% of global oil demand growth over the past decade. Earlier optimism suggests that given the right conditions, oil prices could shrug off the current weakness of a slowing global economy, but it will be an uncertain struggle with some serious bumps along the way. Natural gas spot prices rose at most locations this week. Henry Hub spot prices rose from $2.28 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last week to $2.67/MMBtu this week. At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the November 2019 contract expired at $2.597/MMBtu, up 32¢/MMBtu from last week. The December 2019 contract increased to $2.691/MMBtu, up 26¢/MMBtu from last week to this week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging December 2019 through November 2020 futures contracts climbed 14¢/MMBtu to $2.498/MMBtu.

World Markets

European stocks hit a 22-month high after the EU granted a Brexit extension. Highs were also supported by encouraging Chinese manufacturing data, and strong asset inflows into the region. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index hit a 22-month high Monday and rose for the week. The German DAX and Italy’s FTSE MIB Index also gained, while the UK’s FTSE 100 Index dropped. Following UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson winning backing for a December 12 general election, the country headed immediately into election campaigning. Thanks to the plan, the UK will now have the ability to leave the bloc if the UK and the EU ratify the withdrawal deal that Johnson agreed to in October.

In China, stocks showed a strong weekly gain as positive earnings from mainland companies and data showing an upswing in private manufacturing activity helped dispel concerns about U.S.-China trade battles. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.1%, and the large-cap CSI 300 Index rose 1.4% on the week. The Caixin/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) unexpectedly rose to 51.7 in October – its best reading since February 2017. The strong showing for the influential Caixin PMI survey, which tracks roughly 500 private factories, helped to support the positive condition of China’s economy despite the impact of U.S. tariffs. However, other data on the week made it clear that U.S. tariffs have had a toll the country’s manufacturing sector. China’s official factory activity gauge, the manufacturing PMI, fell to an eight-month low of 49.3 in October—the sixth straight month the index has stayed below 50. China’s economy grew below its forecast 6.0% in the third quarter. That is China’s slowest growth pace since 1992.

The Week Ahead

A number of important economic data points will be released this week including durable goods, the services Purchasing Manager’s Index, ISM manufacturing, weekly jobless claim, consumer sentiment index and the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment this Friday.

Key Topics to Watch

• Factory orders
• Trade deficit
• Markit services PMI
• ISM non-manufacturing index
• Job openings
• Productivity
• Unit labor costs
• Weekly jobless claims
• Consumer credit
• Consumer sentiment index
• Wholesale inventories

Markets Index Wrap Up

Stock Markets

U.S. stocks closed near record highs this week as they rose for the third straight week. The primary driver of market action continues to be earnings. Nearly all third-quarter results coming in so far have been better than expected. The markets got an additional lift as reports that the U.S. and China are close to finalizing sections of the trade deal emerged. The softening of trade rhetoric helped international stocks, which have outperformed U.S. stocks this month. As a marker, both emerging-market and developed-market stocks are off their all-time highs reached in 2007 by about 16%. Analysts suggest that expectations for international markets may be overly pessimistic, creating some opportunities for investors who can think long-term.

U.S. Economy

With the stock market up 20% in 2019 and reaching another all-time high last week, markets are trying to assess the charging bull and its effects on bond interest. It begs the questions, where’s the red flag of warning?

In previous cycles we saw skyrocketing home prices and easy mortgages for borrowers with no income, and prior to that a stock market P/E ratio near 40 times and astronomical stock price gains in dot-coms with no foreseeable profits.

At present, there are no obvious looming excesses or bubbles that demonstrate an imminent threat. However, the prevalence of negative interest rates abroad is a sign worth watching. To predict negative rates red flags, we suggest four key areas:

1. Why and where are interest rates negative? 
2. Will negative rates work?
3. Will the U.S. see negative rates?
4. What should investors do in this rate environment?

Subzero rates should not drive suboptimal decisions. Although global economies face headwinds, it’s not a time to avoid international diversification of portfolios. Reviewers suggest that negative rates are a sign of extremely pessimistic expectations for international markets which can create an excellent opportunity for long-term investors.

Metals and Mining

Precious metals were up this week as concerns surrounding Brexit and a slow in global economic growth once again pushed prices. Gold rallied on Friday as the Brexit question once again entered murky waters as Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanded a December 12 election and EU ambassadors are left considering the length for an extension to the exit deal. Based on these events, it is unlikely that EU governments will make a Brexit decision this week. That sent investors to seek out the precious metals as a favorite safe haven. Concerns surrounding global economic health and the outcome of the US and China trade deal also helped to support for gold. Data was released Thursday that showed new orders for key US-made capital goods and shipments declined last month. That’s a signal that business investment continues to lose ground as the trade war continues. As of 10:07 a.m. EDT on Friday, gold was trading at US$1,512.80 per ounce. Silver, which had previously taken its own track, followed gold’s lead this week, also making gains of over 1 percent for the week and once again trading over the US$18 per ounce level. Industry insiders believe that silver is primed to make substantial gains. The other precious metals, platinum and palladium were up once again this week. Platinum rose close to 2 percent Friday breaking through the US$900 per ounce level. Palladium was once again on top of the precious metals heap for the week. It hit an all-time high of US$1,785.50 during Thursday’s session. Palladium has rallied all year, gaining 36.5 percent since January.

Energy and Oil

Oil was down at the start of trading on Friday but was poised to close out the week with modest gains thanks to EIA inventory drawdowns and rumors of OPEC+ cuts. Reports are that top U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators have discussed a plan in which China would buy more farm products in exchange for the U.S. removing some tariffs. The outlines of what is a partial deal are important because they would in essence try to move the trading relationship to positions before the trade war erupted, without having to deal with the larger hot button issues of intellectual property. However, there is a lot of ground to cover. President Trump has currently agreed to cancelling the October 15 tariff increase on $250 billion worth of goods, but that’s all. China says that it will offer more purchases, but in return it also wants the tariffs planned for this December totally scrapped. Natural gas spot price movements were mixed this week. Henry Hub spot prices rose from $2.25 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last week to $2.28/MMBtu this week.  At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the price of the November 2019 contract decreased 2¢, from $2.303/MMBtu last week to $2.282/MMBtu this week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging November 2019 through October 2020 futures contracts declined 3¢/MMBtu to $2.348/MMBtu.

World Markets

Europe’s equity markets ended mostly higher this week, lifted by the strong start to the 3rd quarter earnings season. Once again it was Brexit uncertainty and U.S.-China trade tensions that helped to slow gains. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 1.5%, while the German DAX and the UK’s FTSE 100 Index both rose more than 2%. The British pound came under pressure this week set against Brexit uncertainty. French President Emmanuel Macron blocked a European Union (EU) attempt to delay Brexit for three months as the sole dissenter at the EU leadership meeting in Brussels. Macron says he wants to allow a Brexit delay until November 30, but other EU governments are willing to postpone Brexit until January 31. That would allow time for a general election which UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked to hold on December 12. He will need to secure the backing of two-thirds of Parliament to secure the motion. It will go before the House of Commons on Monday.

Stocks in China stocks also posted a weekly gain, as a string of positive earnings reports and a liquidity injection by the central bank boosted buying. For the week, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.6%, and the large-cap CSI 300 Index added 0.7%. Decent third-quarter earnings reports from a few significant companies eased worries about corporate earnings weakness. China reported last week that its economy grew a below-forecast 6.0% in the third quarter, marking its slowest growth pace since 1992.

The Week Ahead

The third-quarter earnings season is moving forward as a full one-third of the S&P 500 companies will be reporting earnings through the week. Several significant economic data points will emerge this week including consumer confidence figures, third-quarter GDP growth, and September job reports at weeks end. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will render its important rate decision.

Key Topics to Watch

• Advance trade in goods
• Chicago Fed national activity
• Case-Shiller home prices
• Consumer confidence index
• Pending home sales
• Gross domestic product (GDP)
• FOMC announcement
• Weekly jobless claims
• Employment cost index
• Personal income
• Consumer spending
• Core inflation
• Chicago PMI
• Nonfarm payrolls
• Unemployment rate
• Average hourly earnings
• Markit manufacturing PMI
• ISM manufacturing index
• Construction spending
• Varies  Motor vehicle sales

Markets Index Wrap Up