Market Analysis The U.S. Engine Will Slow the World By Richard Suttmeier Street.com Contributor 9/10/2007 3:41 PM EDT
It seems like the economy turned on a dime in August, and that only proves that the FOMC should have done what I suggested way back in December and acted preemptively on June 28 by beginning a rate-cut campaign. That might have taken the edge off the tsunami that's roiling the shores of the U.S. economy today. Instead, we have subprime discovery, high energy prices and a weak dollar about to tumble the economies around the world. In my judgment, the Federal Reserve needs to dig in its heels and realize that resolving the credit crunch is job one. I know that the August jobs report was an economic disappointment, but with the unemployment rate at 4.6%, with inflationary expectations still too high and with a solid second-quarter GDP, the FOMC needs to focus on the issue at hand, and that's the credit crunch. Regardless of the FOMC decision next Tuesday, a recession in 2008-2009 is unavoidable, and the bear market for stocks will continue. If the FOMC cuts the federal funds rate and the markets react positively, the upside for the Dow Jones Industrial Average is limited to the 13,500 area, and the next 2000 points will be down, not up. If the FOMC leaves the federal funds rate at 5.25% and the Dow reacts negatively, I look for weakness to hold my annual pivot at 12,492, keeping a 1,000-point trading range intact. [Fazit: Senkt die Fed, fallen Aktien stärker als wenn sie nicht senkt!] The prospects that the FOMC will begin a rate-cut campaign next Tuesday will keep the Aug. 16 lows intact, at least for this week. The lower yield on the 30-year bond neutralizes sector valuations, but stocks are not cheap enough given the pending U.S. recession. The technicals favor a trading-range environment that will keep stocks within the first leg of the bear market, but traders shouldn't be complacent, as the pattern appears to be lower highs until the next leg down. Furthermore, subprime discovery, high energy costs and a weak dollar will hurt Asian and emerging markets. The Asian markets are feeling the pinch of finding toxic derivative securities exported to them by the U.S. investment banks. Japanese exporters are getting squeezed by the stronger yen. That just starts the evidence that the global economies will not bail out the U.S. economy, as is a contention of many bulls. In addition, I'll offer the following looks at Comex gold and copper and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (EEM) ETF. Comex Gold -- Weekly Downtrend broken to the upside, which is a sign that the precious metal could become the currency of last resort. |  | Source: Reuters |
Comex Copper -- Weekly Downtrend still firmly in place, and goes back to May 2006; this is a sign that the global economy might be slowing. |  | Source: Reuters |
EEM -- Weekly This week could provide the wake-up call, as the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Fund (EEM) ETF stays below its 50-day simple moving average at 132.96. |  | Source: Reuters |
In conclusion, a recession in the U.S. is unavoidable, and the stock market has begun a bear market, anticipating that economic weakness will become a global event as the factors weighing on the U.S. market will have adverse affects on global economies, including emerging markets. The Federal Reserve cannot use Greenspan policies to solve our current economic issues. Inflationary expectations remain "elevated," and the unemployment rate is low at 4.6%, which justifies keeping the funds rate at 5.25%. Bernanke wants to get to the bottom of the credit crunch, and he has correctly chosen a policy tool not used by Greenspan, namely the discount window. What the Fed needs to do is to cut the discount rate to 4.75% so that it is a "discount" and so that banks that knock on the window disclose what credit issues they are facing.
FAZIT: USA fällt unvermeidlich in eine Rezession, egal was die Fed macht. Senkt sie die Zinsen, fallen Aktien sogar noch stärker, als wenn sie sie nicht senkt. Die Sekundäreffekte der US-Krise in der Restwelt werden verhindern, dass die Weltkonjunktur die USA aus dem Schlamm zieht. |