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The Phrase that Initiates Recessions
The Phrase that Initiates Recessions
It Can’t Get Any Worse?
On Friday, shortly after the release of the payrolls report, we asked half in jest whether the time had finally come for the market to interpret bad news as bad news, and not as an opportunity to speculate on more central bank largesse. As someone remarked to us later: “You had to ask”.
Photo credit: Paul Cross
Apparently a slightly later released news item informing us that “factory orders hit the skids” was taken as a buy signal of the “it can’t get any worse” sort. Normally it is considered bullish when the market rises on ostensibly bad news – and very often, this is actually the correct interpretation of such market action. However, one must be careful when the fundamental backdrop is subject to severe deterioration. Readers may recall that commentary on the markets was brimming over with the same type of argument in late 2007 and early 2008. In October 2007, the market in its unending wisdom priced the shares of Fannie Mae at $73 for instance.
SPX, 10 minute chart – after initially sliding on Friday, the market quickly recovered and has rallied quite a bit since then – click to enlarge.
The point is this: Although as a trader one must always respect market action, especially in the short term, one must at the same time avoid to ascribe to the mass of market participants a degree of wisdom they simply don’t possess. The market very often “knows” nothing and frequently tends to get things completely wrong. If that were not so, there would never be any buying or selling opportunities, but plenty of those obviously exist.
The “Throwing of the Light Switch”
Anyway, over the weekend we caught up a little on our reading, and inter alia came across an article at Wolfstreeta friend had pointed out to us, which discusses the recent weakness in US manufacturing data.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
US Recession Imminent As Factory Orders Plunge For 8th Consecutive Month
US Recession Imminent As Factory Orders Plunge For 8th Consecutive Month
For the 8th month in a row, US factory orders fell YoY. Down 6.2% in June, this is the longest streak of declining factory orders outside of a recession in history. MoM, factory orders rose 1.8% – as expected – the most since May 2014 but historical orders and shipments were revised lower. Much of the MoM gain was driven by a 21% rise in defense aircraft shipments. Inventories contonue to rise leaving inventories-to-shipments ratios at cycle highs.
Would have been considerably worse if not for a 21% rise in Defense aircraft orders… thank the Keynesian gods for war!!!
Charts: Bloomberg
2 Things That Are Happening Right Now That Have Never Happened Outside Of A Recession
2 Things That Are Happening Right Now That Have Never Happened Outside Of A Recession
If we are not heading into a recession, why does our economy continue to act as if that is precisely what is happening? As you will see below, we learned this week that factory orders have declined year over year for six months in a row. That is something that has never happened outside of a time of recession. We have also seen new orders for consumer goods fall dramatically. In fact, the only time we have seen a more dramatic decline in that number was during the last recession. And when you add these two items to what I have written about previously, the overall economic picture becomes even more disturbing. Corporate profits have fallen for two quarters in a row, our exports fell by 7.6 percent during the first quarter of 2015, and U.S. GDP contracted by 0.7 percent during Q1. Even though Barack Obama and the mainstream media are willingly ignoring them, the truth is that these numbers are absolutely screaming that we are going into a new recession.
Sometimes, a picture is worth more than a thousand words, and I believe that is certainly the case with the chart that I have posted below. It comes from Zero Hedge, and it shows that factory orders have declined year over year for six months in a row. The only times when this has ever happened before have been when the U.S. economy has been in recession…
When we look at new orders for consumer goods, we see a similar thing happening. This next chart comes from Charles Hugh Smith, and it really doesn’t need much explanation…
