Risk came fast. It didn't wait for the tariff deadline to selloff. Looking back, while a lot of traders were hedging for the August 1 deadline, there were probably quite a few who were also betting on a tariff deadline pop higher, as the tariff news flow was mostly bullish for the weeks leading up to August 1. Add to that flashback memories of last August when you had a vicious 2 day selloff after the nonfarm payrolls. That opened the trap door.
Suddenly, everyone, including Jim Cramer is talking about the weak seasonals and how August and September are weak months.
Maybe Cramer is right this time, but a lot of investors are thinking the same thing. Perhaps the caution on seasonal weakness is being front run. Europe likes to take long vacations in August, so they were probably looking to lighten up on equity risk ahead of their long break.
It has been nearly 4 months since the market bottomed on April 7. It has been a long rally, but nothing out of the ordinary when compared to other rallies off of big selloffs. The most recent example being the rally off of the August 5, 2024 bottom. That rally lasted 6 1/2 months, hitting the high of the move in February 19, 2025. But most of the upside of that 6 1/2 month rally was made in the first 4 months, with a significant local top made in early December. Before that, you had a relentless 5 month rally off of the October 27, 2023 bottom, which made a significant local top in early April.
SPX 2 year Chart |
Based on the enthusiasm in meme stocks and cryptos in July, it feels similar to the post election euphoria last November/early December. From December to February, the market chopped in a roughly 5% range from 5800 to 6100 for 2 months before the waterfall decline. You may see something similar, but I would expect the choppy range trading time period to be less than 2 months. Investors have added significantly to US equities in 2025, making it more likely for the topping process to be shorter. Economic weakness is more apparent now than back then, so recession fears will flare up more easily.
If you look back at the last bear market in 2022, it wasn't necessarily a big bond bear market that led to the stock bear market. You've had bond market weakness without a bear market in stocks many times, including 1994, 1999, 2006, and 2013. It was the fear of a Fed induced recession from a rapid increase in short term interest rates. Back then, it was fears of the lag effect of higher rates and an inverted yield curve. The stock market's primary fear is always weaker earnings coming from future economic weakness. That is what caused the panicky selloff post Liberation Day.
It was quite notable how strong the bond market was on Friday. 10 years yields have been trading in a range from 4.20% to 4.50% for several weeks, but it feels like it will break down from that range towards 4.0% or lower. While Powell didn't reveal his hand for the next Fed meeting, there will be increased pressure to cut rates now that you've got a weak nonfarm payrolls report with weaker than expected CPI numbers the last 2 months. Of course, these government inflation numbers are works of fiction, but the Fed and many of the brainwashed economic community take them as unadulterated facts. Those in the real world know inflation is still raging hot.
With "contained" inflation and a weak NFP, Powell will have plenty of justification for a September cut and more. Given how well the market responded to last September's Fed cut, I'm sure that will keep many Fed obsessed investors bullish on the market during this topping process.
History has shown that the worst bear markets happen during a Fed cutting cycle (2001-2003, 2007-2008), not a hike cycle like 2022. This time, Fed rate cuts will have even less effect in stopping economic weakness. One, the huge national debt actually neutralizes the positive effect of lower short term rates via lower interest income from T-bills and short term Treasury notes. And the huge mortgage refi cycle in 2020-2021 means there will be limited stimulus from lower mortage rates if the long end yields fall. There is no guarantee you will get much of a fall in long term yields due to the massive fiscal deficit and government debt load. The view on long term US government debt is rightfully negative, as politicians have shown no willingness to cut spending or raise taxes despite worries from investors about the increasing debt and deficits.
Short term, the Fed obsessed investors will keep this market from crashing, as Fed funds are pricing in a near lock for a September cut. A stronger bond market also keeps the risk parity funds from selling stocks. Lower bond yields are bullish for stocks, all else being equal. But bond market strength is only a positive if the economy outperforms expectations. Investors have been burned selling stocks near a bottom based on recession fears over the past 16 years, they have gotten complacent. You can see the complancency in investor asset allocations, which have low cash levels. Surprising with short term interest above 4%.
The COT data as of July 29 showed a bit of buying from asset managers, but net long levels are still much lower than the highs late 2024. Overall levels are still very high, so not really a sign of asset manager bearishness.
SPX Futures Asset Managers |
Looking for a bounce attempt early this week, which likely fails and we drop back down towards SPX 6200. Looking for range bound trade in August, mostly between 6200 and 6400 on the SPX. Trimmed some single stock shorts on Friday, but looking to put those shorts back on in the coming weeks. Not looking to put on any big index positions until late August/early September.