April 2017 Initial Unemployment Claims Rolling Average Improvement Continues
The market expectations for weekly initial unemployment claims (from Bloomberg / Econoday) were 236 K to 250 K (consensus 244,000), and the Department of Labor reported 244,000 new claims. The more important (because of the volatility in the weekly reported claims and seasonality errors in adjusting the data) 4 week moving average moved from 247,250 […]
Philip Morris International Q1 Results Miss, But 2017 Outlook In-Line
Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) early Thursday posted weaker than expected first quarter earnings results, but its full-year forecast largely matched Wall Street’s outlook.
Verizon Shares Fall On Earnings Miss, Blackstone Shares Rise On Revenue Beat
Verizon (VZ) and Blackstone (BX) released their latest earnings reports before opening bell this morning. Verizon posted adjusted earnings of 95 cents per share on $29.8 billion in revenue, compared to the analyst estimates of 96 cents per share and $30.4 billion in revenue. In last year’s first quarter, the mobile carrier and internet service […]
Saudis Go For The Save
Saudi Arabia is trying to talk up the markets saying an output extension is all but done after yesterday’s supportive oil supply report failed to get us to the next level. There was a 1.0 million barrel drawdown in oil inventory overall and in Cushing, Oklahoma the inability of the market to move higher started […]
EUR Lifted By Policy Commentary; JPY, Gold Pulling Back
A quiet economic calendar has left traders focusing on overarching themes in markets, mainly: the state of fiscal policy reform in the United States, and how that may impact the Federal Reserve’s rate hike timeline; how the announcement of the snap elections in the UK will impact the Brexit negotiations; and incoming polls ahead of […]
What’s Ahead For Gold?
It’s very late in gold’s intermediate cycle (18 weeks) it’s now due for an intermediate degree correction. As most know, I think gold is probably stuck in a difficult basing pattern this year. The big reversal on election night drove gold sharply back below the 200 DMA and that took the fire out of the […]
Oil Stumbles Back To $50 Handle As Saudi/OPEC Jawboning Fails
Oil prices limped higher overnight as desperate jawboning of OPEC production cut deal extensions by the Saudis supported a recovery from yesterday’s post-inventories plunge. However, confirming the market’s lack of faith in OPEC (and Saudi’s ability to hold the deal together), WTI prices are sliding back towards a $50 handle as jawboning half-lives slump. As The FT reports, oil producers […]
Verizon Unlimited Turns The Tide Of Wireless Losses In Q1
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) early Thursday posted worse than expected first quarter earnings results, although its new Verizon Unlimited wireless plan helped turn things around mid-quarter.
“OPEC Has A Deal!” Buy Euros! Wait, There’s A French Election? Welcome To Thursday
Let’s start with oil real quick, because there are some notable headlines on Thursday morning. Recall that things took a decisive turn for the worst on Wednesday after EIA data confirmed Tuesday’s bearish API print(s). Specifically, the crude draw came in lower than expected (just like API) and the unexpected gasoline build was even bigger than […]
