Summary: The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 fell 1.5% amid weaker new home sales, consumer confidence, and elevated bond yields. Amazon dropped 4% due to an antitrust lawsuit. The DXY dollar index reached YTD highs above 105.80. USDCAD rose to 1.3520 while GBPUSD slid below 1.2150 and the next target at 1.20. Gold tested $1900 amid rising yields, while Copper hit 4-month lows. The Hang Seng Index and CSI300 declined as news of China Evergrande's bond repayment failure weighed.
The Saxo Quick Take is a short, distilled opinion on financial markets with references to key news and events.
US Equities: The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 tumbled by 1.5% due to softer readings on new home sales and the Conference Board consumer confidence survey, triggering selling in consumer discretionary and information technology. Amazon, impacted by news of an antitrust lawsuit, plummeted by 4%. Elevated bond yields also continued to weigh on market sentiment.
Fixed income: Treasury yields continued to hover at elevated levels, with the 30-year yield edging up by 2bps to 4.68%, while the 2-year and 10-year yields held steady at 5.12% and 4.54%, respectively. The selling pressure was particularly concentrated in the longer end of the curve as the high yield levels attracted strong demand in the 2-year auction.
China/HK Equities: The Hang Seng Index and CSI300 sank once again. The news that Hengda Real Estate Group, the mainland unit of China Evergrande, failed to make payments of RMB4 billion in principal and interest due yesterday further dampened market sentiment. The Hang Seng Index plummeted 1.5% to 17,467, marking a new low in 2023. The CSI300 slid 0.6%.
FX: The DXY dollar index broke higher to fresh YTD highs, having taken out the 105.80 resistance, as high-end Treasury yields continued to rise. Data remained soft, helping keep the short-end yields capped but Fed member Kashkari, who is usually a dove, noting he puts a 40% probability on a scenario where Fed will have to raise rates significantly higher to beat inflation and a 60% probability of a soft landing. USDCAD rose to 1.3520 while GBPUSD slid below 1.2150 and next target at 1.20. EURUSD plunged further to lows of 1.0562 while USDJPY is hovering close to the 150-mark and verbal jawboning continues to have little effect.
Commodities: The message on higher-for-longer was felt in the crude market as oil prices dipped earlier in the session with WTI falling to lows of ~$88/barrel and Brent going below $92. API inventory data also showed a crude build of 1.586 million barrels last week vs. expectations of a 1.65 million drop, but oil prices recovered later. Gold tests $1900 amid yield surge and Copper down to fresh 4-month lows at $3.62.
Macro:
Macro events: BoJ Minutes (Jul), US Durable Goods (Aug)
In the news:
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Bond. Long Bond(s)
With real rates being too positive, we see three scenarios: Opportunity to lock in rates at cycle high, government overreach to keep the economy afloat or a complete reset of the economy.
Steen Jakobsen,
Chief Investment Officer
Is a bond bull market ahead? Inflation still poses a risk for investors, but the moment for increasing duration to your portfolio may be approaching towards the end of the year, when central banks might be forced to cut interest rates.
Althea Spinozzi,
Senior Fixed Income Strategist
The furious rate hike cycle has brought gains in the US dollar, but with stagflation risks in Europe and the UK and weakness in the Chinese economy, USD may have more room to run. But a strong dollar could also have repercussions for US growth, emerging markets and commodity prices.
Charu Chanana,
Market Strategist
With the cost of capital rising painfully, stagflation fears are back, illuminating the fragile state of the green transformation, while giving a tailwind to nuclear power, and threatening the growth of AI-related stocks.
Peter Garnry,
Head of Equity Strategy
With supply tightness not only in energy but all commodities, the momentum in commodity prices may continue, pressuring central banks to lower real rates. That could be a good setup for precious metals, including gold, silver and potentially platinum as well.
Ole S. Hansen,
Head of Commodity Strategy
As the pandemic showed, even the US Treasury can experience seismic shifts. With the government increasing the pace of issuing bonds to support fiscal spending, the complex Treasury market and regulatory constraints could spark a liquidity event.
Redmond Wong,
Market Strategist
The tide has turned for bonds. Given the current yields, bonds have become an attractive investment, with added benefits including lower risk than stocks, increased diversification and a steady stream of income unaffected by economic changes.
Peter Siks,
Investment Coach
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