TODAY’S S&P 500 SET-UP - February 14, 2011
Equity futures are trading slightly below fair value ahead of this week's key data releases which are likely to set the tone for further short-term risk appetite. As we look at today’s set up for the S&P 500, the range is 16 points or -0.99% downside to 1316 and +0.21% upside to 1332.
MACRO DATA POINTS:
- 8:30 a.m.: NOPA monthly oil, soybean capacity, Jan.
- 10 a.m.: New York Fed briefing on regional economy. President William Dudley speaks
- 11 a.m.: Weekly export inspections (corn, soybeans, wheat)
- 11:30 a.m.: U.S. to sell $32b 3-mo. bills, $30b 6-mo. bills
EARNINGS/WHAT TO WATCH:
- Biogen Idex (BIIB): May buy back 20m shrs
- Devon Energy (DVN): May rise to $100-shr: Barron’s
- KLA-Tencor (KLAC): Plans to buy back 10m shrs
- Intercontinental Hotels (IHG): may rise on economic recovery: Barron’s; may boost div. ~10%: Sunday Times
- International Paper (IP): May raise div., buy back shares: Barron’s
- Silicon Graphics International (SGI): May be profitable for the full year: Barron’s
- Tootsie Roll Industries (TR): 4Q EPS in line with est., sales beat (1 est.)
- Transocean (RIG): Richard George is resigning from board, and Chairman Robert E. Rose and director Victor E. Grijalva won’t stand for re-election; seeking board approval for a $1b div.
PERFORMANCE:
Strength was seen from Financials and Discretionary; weakness in Energy and Tech. We have day 5 of perfect = 9 of 9 sectors positive on TRADE and 9 of 9 sectors positive on TREND.
- One day: Dow +0.36%, S&P +0.55%, Nasdaq +0.68%, Russell +1.16%
- Month-to-date: Dow +3.21%, S&P +3.35%, Nasdaq +4.05%, Russell +5.23%
- Quarter/Year-to-date: Dow +6.01%, S&P +5.69%, Nasdaq +5.9%, Russell +4.91%
- Sector Performance: - Financials +1.37%, Consumer Discretionary +1.02%, Industrials +0.75%, Consumer Staples +0.54%, Materials +0.56%, Tech +0.53%, Healthcare +0.22%, Energy (0.01%), and Utilities (0.19%)
EQUITY SENTIMENT:
- ADVANCE/DECLINE LINE: 1453 (+1360)
- VOLUME: NYSE 972.00 (-5.34%)
- VIX: 15.69 -2.49% YTD PERFORMANCE: -11.61%
- SPX PUT/CALL RATIO: 1.84 from 1.66 (+11.17%)
CREDIT/ECONOMIC MARKET LOOK:
Treasuries were stronger on the session, but not without a pullback following the Egypt news flow. The 10yr yield fell to 3.61% in early trading, before pulling back to 3.64%.
- TED SPREAD: 20.04 -0.101 (-0.503%)
- 3-MONTH T-BILL YIELD: 0.12%
- 10-Year: 3.64 from 3.70
- YIELD CURVE: 2.79 from 2.85
COMMODITY/GROWTH EXPECTATION:
- CRB: 337.78 -0.64%; YTD: +1.50%
- Oil: 85.58 -1.33%; YTD: -7.15% (trading +0.06% in the AM)
- COPPER: 453.60 -0.17%; YTD: +3.41% (trading +1.49% in the AM)
- GOLD: 1,357.30 -0.35%; YTD: -4.26% ( trading +0.09% in the AM)
COMMODITY HEADLINES:
- Oil fell to a 10-week low in New York after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down and handed power to the military, reducing concern that crude shipments from the Middle East will be disrupted.
- Gold erased some of early gains in directionless trade on Friday, under pressure from a
drop in ETF holdings to their lowest since late January, a firm U.S. dollar and a lacklustre physical market. - The tightest physical silver supplies in four years have tipped the U.S. silver futures market into backwardation this week, making near-term prices more expensive than more distant months.
- Corn traded near a 30-month high in Chicago, heading for a second weekly advance, on increased demand amid tight supply. Wheat and soybeans climbed.
CURRENCIES:
- EURO: 1.36554 -0.53% (trading -0.63% in the AM)
- DOLLAR: 78.46 +0.27% (trading +0.29% in the AM)
EUROPEAN MARKETS:
- FTSE 100: (-0.20%); DAX: +0.23%; CAC 40: (-0.18%) (as of 07:00 AM EST)
- European markets mostly trade higher following firmer markets across Asia, with European M&A activity and generally constructive corporate results also helping sentiment.
- Credit Suisse rallied after raising capital from Middle Eastern investors.
- The pound and the euro are trading at $1.6017 and $1.3460 respectively
- euro was pressured by reports that WestLB failed to agree on a restructuring over the weekend and BaFin becoming increasingly involved in how the bank will be rescued
ASIAN MARKTES:
- Nikkei +1.13%; Hang Seng +1.28%; Shanghai Composite +2.54%
- Asian markets rose this morning on optimism that an Egyptian crisis has been largely averted, getting a boost when Japan’s GDP shrinkage was less than expected.
- Japan rose on the economic data and a weaker yen.
- South Korea +1.89, Samsung Engineering rallied on announcing a $600M contract with Saudi Arabian Oil Co.
- Widespread gains by banks and miners powered Australia higher +1.12. BHP Billiton gained 2% after China January copper imports beat expectations.
- Taiwan up 0.88% - Asustek jumped 7% on results.
- Japan Oct-Dec GDP real GDP (1.1%) y/y. China January trade surplus $6.45B vs consensus $10.7B.
Howard Penney
Managing Director