1.19.24: S&P 500 Reaches Record High as Rate Cut Narrative Continues

For Public Readers: Weekly Key U.S. and China brief market notes by Larry Cheung's Analyst Staff Team for our Public Email List

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Jan 19, 2024

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In our emails, we will provide the following coverage points:

Brief Overview of U.S. & China Markets
Macro Chart in Focus
U.S. & China Upcoming Economic Calendar
Chart That Caught Our Eye

U.S and China Markets Brief Snapshot 🇺🇸 🇨🇳

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S&P 500 Index: 4780.94

KWEB (Chinese Internet) ETF: $23.71

Analyst Team Note:

Macro Chart In Focus

Analyst Team Note:
S&P 500 reaches record high as rate cut narrative continues…
But inflation has hovered at ~3%… Fed target is 2%…

Upcoming Economic Calendar

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U.S Economic Calendar (Upcoming Data Points)

China Economic Calendar (Upcoming Data Points)

Analyst Team Note:
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index surged to a more than two-year high.
This leap, the largest monthly gain since 2005, was driven by optimism about the economy, personal incomes, and a more positive outlook on inflation, with expectations for price increases dropping to their lowest since late 2020.
Consumers' views on the stock market and financial situations reached multi-year highs.

Chart That Caught Our Eye

Analyst Team Note:
A recent study by the Fed found that more than half of Americans who failed to pay student loan bills following the resumption of payments in October cited unaffordability as the primary reason.
This comes amid ongoing efforts by the Biden administration to address student loan burdens after their broader debt-forgiveness plan was blocked by the Supreme Court.
The research found a significant proportion of borrowers anticipated missing payments, with about half expecting to skip all three in the last quarter.