PDF Market Commentary Monday, September 23, 2019

[Pages:22]Market Commentary Monday, September 23, 2019

September 23, 2019

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Sentiment Improves ? Stocks Decline FOMC Meeting ? 25 Basis Point Cut in the Fed Funds Rate FOMC Outlook ? Modest Improvement in GDP Growth Estimates Powell Q&A ? Upbeat Fed Chair Rates ? Low Interest Rates Supportive of Stocks Earnings & Dividends ? Corporate Profits and Payouts Likely to Increase OECD Outlook ? Risks Aplenty But 2.0% Estimated U.S. GDP Growth for 2020 TPS Outlook ? No Reason Not to Be Optimistic About Equities Stock Updates ? GM, MSFT, STX, GLW & FDX

Market Review

With the apparent easing of tensions in the U.S.-China trade skirmish again giving way to renewed concerns that even an interim deal may be hard to come by, equities suffered a lousy end to a less-than-stellar week. Of course, while most would blame Middle Kingdom officials returning home, cancelling a planned trip to farms in Montana and Nebraska, we might argue that the poor five days was due to folks deciding that they sort of liked stocks again.

After all, sentiment and fund flow numbers were quite pessimistic the three weeks prior when the equity markets generally enjoyed handsome gains. It doesn't always happen that stocks zig when investors zag, of course, but history shows that many are miserable market timers as when Wall Street holds a sale, few show up. The inverse is true, too, as most feel more comfortable about stocks after a sizable advance has occurred. No doubt, there is plenty of evidence to support the assertion that the only problem with market timing is getting the timing right!

Outside of the twists and turns on the trade front, and wild gyrations in the energy markets after the attack on Saudi oil facilities, the big news last week was the September Fed Meeting, with the FOMC Statement including:

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in July indicates that the labor market remains strong and that economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. Job gains have been solid, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Although household spending has been rising at a strong pace, business fixed investment and exports have weakened. On a 12-month basis, overall inflation and inflation for items other than food and energy are running below 2 percent. Market-based measures of inflation compensation remain low; survey-based measures of longer-term inflation expectations are little changed.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. In light of the implications of global developments for the economic outlook as well as muted inflation pressures, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate to 1-3/4 to 2 percent. This action supports the Committee's view that sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation near the Committee's symmetric 2 percent objective are the most likely outcomes, but uncertainties about this outlook remain.

Interestingly, Jerome Powell & Co. actually raised, albeit modestly, their outlook for GDP growth this year,...

...which makes sense, we suppose, given that the latest economic numbers ranged from excellent in regard to housing,...

...to surprisingly good in regard to industrial production,...

...to OK in regard to East Coast factory activity.

To be fair, those numbers are generally backward looking, and the latest forward-looking data point from the Conference Board was hardly robust,...

...but Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell sounded fairly upbeat at the press conference that followed the FOMC Meeting on Wednesday,...

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