'Squeezey' Stock Market Extends Gains; Bonds & Bullion Bid

More of the same today after last week's tepid payrolls and dovish Powell with gold, stocks, and bonds bid as rate-cut hopes inched higher.

The market is now pricing in two rate-cuts in 2024 and three more cuts in 2025...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

For now the market appears to prefer the 'bad news' from declining growth expectations to the 'bad news' from soaring inflation prints...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

But, hey, for now, as Goldman's trading desk noted, the market feels "squeezey" and 12% gains for the basket of 'most shorted' stocks in the last three days would support that thesis (and overall activity was lower than average)...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

That helps explain why Small Caps (dominated by the heavily shorted names) outperformed but Mag7 stocks also continued higher today with all the majors green on the day (Dow lagged)...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

All the majors rallied back above their 50DMAs (but The Dow fell back to test its key technical level)...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

A mixed picture in bonds today with the short-end underperforming (2Y +1.5bps, 30Y -2bps), but the whole complex sold off from its US open...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

The dollar ended basically unchanged on the day, recovering small losses from overnight...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

An early surge in bitcoin - up to $65,500 - was quickly sold following headlines that Robinhood had received a Wells Notice...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

As a reminder, we saw huge net inflows into ETFs on Friday, so it will be fascinating to see what happened today...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

Oil prices roller-coastered amid confusing headlines in Israel-Hamas peace deal proposals but ended the day higher with WTI finding support at $78...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

Gold prices completed 'ye olde 'W' formation' extending gains from Friday's bounce...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

Source: Bloomberg

Finally, Goldman's Vol Panic Index has tumbled back to 'normal...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

...just as the buyback-blackout window lifts...

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

...and with CTAs back in 'buy mode' and sentiment back off its extremes, short-term tacticals (until a hot CPI print) remain positive.

But bear in mind....

squeezey stock market extends gains bonds bullion bid

...there's a reason why Warren Buffett has a record cashpile here.

Authored by Tyler Durden via ZeroHedge May 6th 2024