Weekend Update: Lower USD Drives Intl Profits, Raises Commodities

 | Jul 23, 2017 02:11AM ET

REVIEW

The market started the week at SPX 2459. After a tick up to SPX 2463 on Monday, the market pulled back to 2450 on Tuesday. After that it rallied to an all-time high of SPX 2478 on Thursday. Then pulled back to SPX 2465 on Friday before ending the week at 2373. For the week the SPX/DOW were mixed, and the NASDAQ 100/NASDAQ Composite gained 1.1%. Economic reports were slightly positive. On the downtick: the NY/Philly FED, the NAHB, and the Q2 GDP estimate. On the uptick: export/import prices, housing starts, building permits, leading indicators, plus jobless claims improved. Next week’s reports will be highlighted by Q2 GDP (est. 2.9%) and the FOMC meeting.

LONG TERM: uptrend

With SPX GAAP earnings rising two quarters in a row at +6.5% growth, the true trailing PE multiple of the SPX has fallen from 26.5 to 24.5. Historically this is a fairly high level, only exceeded five times in the past 90-years: 1934, 1992, 1999, 2002 and 2009. Note the last two were bear market low years, while the first three were not bull market top years. Adding to the recent earnings growth momentum is the expected USD bear market. The Euro, Swiss franc, Aussie dollar have already confirmed new bull markets. A declining USD is a tailwind to US equity earnings. A declining USD will: drive up Internationals profits, stabilize and push higher commodities like energy, increase import prices which will help inflation, this will drive up FED rates, which will help the financials.