The Week Ahead: Newfound shelter in tech, EVs to take centre stage

The Week Ahead: Newfound shelter in tech, EVs to take centre stage

Jessica Amir
Market Strategist

Summary:  In the final week of March, with quarter-end to take hold, investors are seeking newfound shelter in chip makers, defence companies and tech, taking cover from bank sector woes. Nvidia share are up 83%, Rolls Royce are up 50%. We map out potential investing and trading scenarios for shares and gold, with the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge out this week. Why investors are using protective options for their oil holdings. Plus why electric vehicle makers and lithium companies will dominate headlines. Could it be a make or break for Tesla's rally?

The flight to 'quality' drives markets this quarter; with chip makers, defence companies and tech dominating  


It’s the final week of March and end-of-quarter, which is when when portfolio rebalancing takes place and investment managers bring their asset allocations back into alignment. Meaning, moves in markets could be volatile this week. 

The Nasdaq 100 has been as a shelter play, hitting highs and is now up 17% this quarter, with the index gaining traction as bond yields and the US dollar are continuing to fall to new lows. The big story is that Mega-cap tech stocks with robust cash flows are being favoured, amid the economic uncertainty. Nvidia shares are up the most in the US this quarter, up 83% as its data centre and networking business are expected to report strong cash flows in 2023.  Meta shares are up 71% with investors buying into the expectation Meta’s revenue will rise in 2023 and recover from the prior drop. Tesla shares are up 54% this quarter, with its balance sheet expected to ripen from costs cutting, while its future profits could pick as the lithium price has fallen 47% this year. 

In Europe, The Stoxx600 trades up 4% this quarter, and we are continuing to see the same theme play out; that investors are favouring quality businesses with strong cash flows. Rolls Royce shares are up the most this quarter in Europe, up 50%, with its civil aerospace, defence and power generation business units seen as haven-defensive plays. Rolls Royce is in Saxo’s Defence basket, with the basket up 14% this year and 20% YoY. Remember, in times of a recession, defensive sectors such a utilities, healthcare and consumer staples typically outperform, along with defence companies

In commodities the defensive playbook theme dominated as well, with gold gaining strength

Gold is up 9% this quarter, as bond yields and the US dollar index continued to pare back. Gold equites are benefiting too, with Newcrest Mining shares up 28% YTD. But before gold makes a sustained move higher, the market will need to see further evidence. The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge released this week, could possibly push gold onto higher ground, if inflation is weaker than expected. Over the medium to longer term, if the Fed pauses rate hikes, which is what former Fed Vice Chairman Alan Blinder thinks should happen, then the case for gold would strengthen.  

Oil is now down 14% this quarter amid recessions concerns

So keep an eye shares in ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, TotalEnergies and Woodside. Some investors have been holding long-term position, in oil and oil equities, pre-empting OPEC could make supply cuts, while others are protecting against potential further oil price falls, by using options. Also consider countries such as Australia could be cutting LNG production from July, in a bid to cut reduce emissions. That could support prices later this year, at a time when demand is expected to pick up ahead for EU winter. 

What’s on the economic horizon for the rest of the week

The Fed preferred inflation gauge, PCE will be centre stage and it could be a major catalyst for markets, with core PCE expected to remain at 4.7% YoY. If its hotter than expected it could result in higher bond yields, a higher US dollar, and that would pressure tech stocks and especially those banks already under pressure. If the Nasdaq 100 does pull back consider, some investment managers might take 'the dip' as an opportunity to buy into quality names in the index. Also consider, as its end of quarter, volatility could be amplified amid profit taking. 

EV makers and lithium talk will dominate company earnings this week 

This week’s calendar is dominated by the EV industry. And watching their outlooks is key. Car makers including China’s BYD, Great Wall and America’s Canoo, report as well as China’s biggest lithium producer, Genfeng.

The market is expecting lithium giant Genfeng to report a 290% jump in income on the year. But its outlook will be vital, as its shares are down 16% this year amid the lithium price pull back. 

So, what do you need to consider with EV car makers? Firstly, the prices of EV makers raw materials have come down considerably, which could point to EV makers costs falling in Q1 of 2023, which may in theory help fast track profit growth, that's if car markets can get their ducks in a row. So what metal costs are down? The Lithium carbonate price is down 47% this year, lithium hydroxide’s price is 11% lower, Nickel is down 21% and Aluminium is 2% lower. And his offsets the 7% lift in the copper price. 

Secondly, consider there is greater than ever competition in the EV market, meaning sales growth for new EV entrants could be challenging. Merc last year announced its newcoming EV would be cheaper than Tesla. That later resulted in Tesla dropping its EV prices, which fuelled an price war. Ford cut prices, along with Lucid, China’s Nio, BYD, Great Wall and Xpeng. But, new entrants such as Canoo and Rivian didn’t cut costs, as they’re grappling with falling cash reserves. While steady hands VW, GM, Volvo are implying they don’t need to cut costs. 

______

Stay tuned to analysis.saxo for 
daily updates, and inspiration
For a global look at markets – tune into our 
Podcast.

Disclaimer

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)
Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/legal/saxoselect-disclaimer/disclaimer)

Saxo Bank (Schweiz) AG
The Circle 38
CH-8058
Zürich-Flughafen
Switzerland

Contact Saxo

Select region

Switzerland
Switzerland

All trading carries risk. Losses can exceed deposits on margin products. You should consider whether you understand how our products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. To help you understand the risks involved we have put together a general Risk Warning series of Key Information Documents (KIDs) highlighting the risks and rewards related to each product. The KIDs can be accessed within the trading platform. Please note that the full prospectus can be obtained free of charge from Saxo Bank (Switzerland) ltd. or the issuer.

This website can be accessed worldwide however the information on the website is related to Saxo Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. All clients will directly engage with Saxo Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. and all client agreements will be entered into with Saxo Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. and thus governed by Swiss Law.

The content of this website represents marketing material and has not been notified or submitted to any supervisory authority.

If you contact Saxo Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. or visit this website, you acknowledge and agree that any data that you transmit to Saxo Bank (Switzerland) Ltd., either through this website, by telephone or by any other means of communication (e.g. e-mail), may be collected or recorded and transferred to other Saxo Bank Group companies or third parties in Switzerland or abroad and may be stored or otherwise processed by them or Saxo Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. You release Saxo Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. from its obligations under Swiss banking and securities dealer secrecies and, to the extent permitted by law, data protection laws as well as other laws and obligations to protect privacy. Saxo Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. has implemented appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect data from unauthorized processing and disclosure and applies appropriate safeguards to guarantee adequate protection of such data.

Apple, iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.