Market comments for Sept. 1st. 2011 (UPDATE)
IInitial Jobless claims data released this morning showed that for the the period of 8/27 the number was 409K new claims, The previous week's number was revised from 417K to 421K. Expectations for the week of 8/27 were for 405K, so that the 409K was more than expected. These numbers have stubbornly held over 400K now for quite a long time and it shows how difficult it is to go and stay below 400K. Unless we do, the unemployed will remain unemployed, causing continued hardship for these families and our economy.
Also reported this morning was Q2 Productivity. It was revised downward from a previous reading of -0.3% to -0.7% and Unit Labor costs for Q2 was revised from 2.2% to 3.2%. Putting this data together with the Productivity data, U.S. Corporations might have run out of easy ways to make money as the costs of labor has gone up at the same time their workers productivity has gone down. This may require corporations to hire more people, which is good for the unemployed, but bad for future earnings and profitability. This should be a negative for the U.S. stock market, but we shall see. The market has not been following what I think should happen and has ignored economic data the past 6 months.
Later this morning the all important ISM Index will be reported. Expectations are for the data to come in at 48.5. Any number lower than 50.0 shows negative growth if it does. I will UPDATE this blog post when the data is released, so come back after 10:00am EST.
August Unemployment data will be released tomorrow.
The stock market chart for the Dow and S&P and other indexes has shown a rise above those resistance lines I drew on previous posted charts. Is this a true breakout or a Bear trap seems to be the question on many minds these past few trading days. I think it is another Bear trap but we won't know until after it takes palce and is evident. Sorry, I am not a crystal ball reader.
UPDATE: 7:05am PST
The ISM Manufacturing data came in at 50.6%, not below 50 which would have signified we are in a recession, but we managed to survive. Now the ISM number is lower than the previous month which came in at 50.9%. So clearly while above the magic number of 50, it is going in the wrong direction and whether we go lower next month or the following month, it is not a good number to show demand in the economy.
Also reported this morning was Q2 Productivity. It was revised downward from a previous reading of -0.3% to -0.7% and Unit Labor costs for Q2 was revised from 2.2% to 3.2%. Putting this data together with the Productivity data, U.S. Corporations might have run out of easy ways to make money as the costs of labor has gone up at the same time their workers productivity has gone down. This may require corporations to hire more people, which is good for the unemployed, but bad for future earnings and profitability. This should be a negative for the U.S. stock market, but we shall see. The market has not been following what I think should happen and has ignored economic data the past 6 months.
Later this morning the all important ISM Index will be reported. Expectations are for the data to come in at 48.5. Any number lower than 50.0 shows negative growth if it does. I will UPDATE this blog post when the data is released, so come back after 10:00am EST.
August Unemployment data will be released tomorrow.
The stock market chart for the Dow and S&P and other indexes has shown a rise above those resistance lines I drew on previous posted charts. Is this a true breakout or a Bear trap seems to be the question on many minds these past few trading days. I think it is another Bear trap but we won't know until after it takes palce and is evident. Sorry, I am not a crystal ball reader.
UPDATE: 7:05am PST
The ISM Manufacturing data came in at 50.6%, not below 50 which would have signified we are in a recession, but we managed to survive. Now the ISM number is lower than the previous month which came in at 50.9%. So clearly while above the magic number of 50, it is going in the wrong direction and whether we go lower next month or the following month, it is not a good number to show demand in the economy.
Labels: Initial jobless claims, ISM index, Productivity, Q2, Unit Labor Costs
posted by Charles Amico at 5:58 AM
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